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Originally Posted by Sikh80  Goal Of Human Life
Man's creation could not have been meaningless. It is difficult to affirm what God had in mind when He created man. But one thing is certain that human life offers a great opportunity for development. |
Meaning is what you make out of it. If your implying life has an objective meaning (such as God gave us all one unified meaning), except to reproduce, I fail to see it (as does the scientific community).
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There are three parts to man - the body, the mind, and the soul. The individual should develop all these three aspects. For bodily development, he must earn his livelihood and follow the laws of health. For the development of the mind, he must study and educate himself and cultivate his intellect, for interpreting the mysteries of life and nature. For the development of the soul, he should follow a course of strict moral discipline.
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Two of these parts have a thorough scientific understanding. The "Soul" can either be defined as the "mind" or "non-existant". My question to you is .. how do you know that following a strict moral discipline will result in a "happy / better" soul ? Maybe its the exact opposite, maybe the epiphany some elder person had on-top of a mountain about how to control societies was wrong. I have written and logical answers on how to keep your mind and body healthy and better, which generally increases your life (in terms of quantity -- quality is always subjective, we're referring to things that have objective control, god).
Let's take for example the act of pre-marital sex, which is usually against any strict moral discipline. You claim this act effects the soul, and that God is watching over your every move, and you will face the consequences of it. What are the consequences of such an act (if you remove the variable of an "all-watcher" god)) ? Do people get lonely or sad when eventually the tie or relationship breaks, does that mean that your soul aches/hurts ? Yes, but isn't this more related to the mind's dependence for interaction with another human for happiness, and related to your body's normal functions?
To sum it up, I fail to see how following a strict moral guideline enhances your soul. These aren't my personal views or what I hold important, I lead a "moral-ful" life due to other reasons, not to enhance my soul or because I'm scared of the all-watcher. Whereas, following a healthy diet, and education enhances your body and mind, respectively. One has proof, the other does not, and can never will (FAITH!).
Seems strict moral discipline and hide it behind the cover of God was used by leaders to keep power.
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According to Sikhism, the individual soul has arrived to the human form after going through innumerable cycles of birth and death. Now at last it may try for the final spiritual evolution, so that it may be freed from further transmigration and return to its source.
The body must be sustained and maintained because it is 'the house of the soul' and so temple of God. God and the individual soul are in essence one and the same. Man regards himself as a separate entity because of egoism. When the wall of egoism is broken man realizes his identity with God.
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Human kind will always exponentially increase in population. Does this mean that God is allowing more "souls" attempts to break the cycle of life and death? Religious observers argue that our society today has less morals than previous ones, does that mean that these souls are failing, yet God continues to create more? Is ego not a byproduct of the image that God created us in ? Why is it the age of Kaljug, if God is creating more human souls than ever before, maybe God wants it to be this way, maybe we're on the right path and God is rewarding us with more souls and opportunities to break the vicious cycle?
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God's destiny for man is for him to realize God's immortal aspirations through his mortal frame, by leading a pure life with and through his physical body, coupled with his own intellectual development. Unfortunately, man is totally obsessed with material things: clothes, food, ornaments, comforts and luxuries. He neglects the things of the spirit. He wastes his precious life in frivolity and makes no effort towards God-realization.
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How does God have a "destiny" for man if we were not created, and we were a byproduct of evolution? Evolution will continue, and something will eventually replace the human species. IF you were to argue that "evolution is millions of years in our time but a blink for god" then why did he waste all the other souls of animals prior to creating the human? Better yet, if he has a destiny, and he created us, why will we eventually be replaced? Your argument against man being obsessed with materialistic things can be changed the other way, why are certain men totally obsessed with things they can't see or feel the need to have an all-watcher around them? What leads a better life ? Isn't that subjective, for you to answer, your assuming you have figured out the madness that is God, but yet you say he's incomprehensible...
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Life is like a game of cards. The cards are given to the player; it is up to the player to play the game well or badly, wisely or foolishly. God is watching us. He is keenly interested in our efforts to do our best. Human life is neither a bondage nor prison but rather a vehicle to spiritual attainment.
The goal of human life is, to try, to integrate the individual personality with God.
Introduction to Sikhism - Section III: Principles?
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Life is like a game of cards, but no one is peering over your shoulder. Cards has no destiny or faith. A game of cards relies on strict probability. The cards are given to the player; it is up to the player to play well, badly, wisely or foolishly. The rest is random probability. Human life is just that, human life.
To claim the goal of human life is spiritual attainment is a pretty bold statement. One that is beyond our realm of intelligence, and is one that we will always have to accept as such -- there is no answer to it.