Abandoned Forum

[KittiE]

i've been kind of depressed lately and i'm looking for a place where i could say what was on my mind and get some feedback from someone other than myself.

i've been thinking about the meaning of life for quite some time and so far i've come up with that the meaning of life is to feel happy, complete, fulfilled, at peace whatever you want to call it, to be content in your existance basically. all of the articles that i've read about life have all said the same thing, to fulfill whatever purpose in life that you have for yourself (to be happy)

that being said, what is the point of being happy? is there even one? it doesn't really change anything, the timeline for everybodys life is your born - live - die, it never changes people like to daydream if you will about what would make them happy, stuff like immortality, mountains of riches, god perhaps.

for example, Some may say the purpose of life is to get to the 'afterlife' where in essence 'all of your dreams will be fulfilled and you'll exist forever in complete euphoria' i.e. heaven. but doesn't this sound a little too much like a fairytale, a dream of a naive mind, so similar to a mountain of riches...

the hardest part about thinking about the meaning of life is that first you have to know that it is going to be different for everybody and that no matter how i try there will never be a satisfactory answer to the question of life.

i wrote down a little dialogue that i had with myself that i think would help get across my point, if there even is one, basically what i'm trying to say;

_______________________________

What is the point of life?
- Live a good life and to to heaven or live a bad one and go to hell.

Then why do we live at all, shouldn't i just die now and go to heaven?
-life is a test, a challenge to see if we are worthy to enter heaven.

Then what is so good about heaven?
-you get to be with your creator, to enjoy an eternal happiness.

What is so good about happiness? my existance is defined by pain and suffering, followed by me feeling fulfilled for brief moments, but those moments are really just falsehoods projected by my mind.
-happiness is euphoria, a completness of your soul.

So a belief in god and heaven/hell is really just a faith in the afterlife, and a hope that your existance will imrpove and you'll finally be relased from the torment of life?
-its more complicated than that.

How so?
-a belief in god is a belief in the creator of us who wants us all to be happy.

I don't see how thats different from what i said. Also if god wants me to be happy then why is there suffering all around me?

__________________________________

and thats where i stopped, i couldn't answer that question for myself.

[Pixyboo]

The meaning of life is "Inner Peace"

without it - NOTHING

All you have is NOW

[Bomadeno]

Welcome Kitti

If you want feedback from someone other than yourself, well here could be the right place to be, although it's been a little bit quiet here lately, mainly because people have exams i think.

Its not easy to try to persuade someone against depression... I at the moment am happy with my life, I feel good and well and all that stuff, so looking at depression will be tainted by that, although I try not to forget what it was like.

I'd say the most important thing I have learnt is that depression can always be overcome... but I don't think anyone who's depressed ever wants to hear that, because depression is kind of lazy... why pull yourself up, you might not be happy 'down there' but at least you're alive. That might seem counter-productive, seeing as the arguement looks like one for actually trying to be depressed, but its not, because when you're feeling depressed, you're not really alive as much as you could be, there is so much more to life than existing.

I've come to think of getting out of depression as 'the pull' - pulling yourself up, kind of like when you're sat on the floor and grab something to lever yourself upright. What's tricky is actually starting the pull, but there are some things that seem universally useful. I'd recommend trying one of these:

Drawing/painting/glueing/sticking - creative things unleashed can get things off your mind, and help you think clearer, this is one of my favourites.

Running/jumping/gardening/physical activity - doesn't work well for me, but I know that it does for some people, working till your muscles groan can really help focus you

Meditation - Not like a monk sitting cross legged or anything silly like that (no offence, i'd imagine it has bonuses but it puts people off a good idea), meditation is simply closing your eyes and trying to think of nothing. Then every now and then, into the nothing something will pop, and that might just be the answer.

Music - Sometimes, music can help, to calm, to invigorate, to release, to help say what you don't know how to say (not necessarily with words)

There are a load of other things you can try, these are just my favourites, they've always worked for me. I tried to keep this message short, but kind of failed. Also kind of went off topic from what to how, but I don't think that's a problem really.
You wanted to discuss, so I hope you post back here

[nil]

Everyone, I think, once upon a particular point of their lives would wonder upon the meaning of life. It's depressing, but not like the lost-my-favorite-pet kind of depression; it's more like lamentation, a profound sadness for the obvious truth we would soon figure out.

And some, or probably a lot, would fix upon some uplifting fantasy and refuse to ponder further. Other would be drawn back by the mechanical illusion of real life and swear never to waste time on the pointless question again. Even those who eventually figure out the answer, might not like the answer a bit.

A zen master once said: Life is like a ship, it sails to the middle of the ocean, and then it sinks. It sounds pretty depressing, isn't it? It would be if one thinks that he/she is merely a passenger on the ship of life.

[hamster]

True happiness comes from noticing something wrong with the world and doing something about it.

[Astarte]

True happiness comes from noticing something wrong with the world and doing something about it.

You know hamster, I actually think that's true.

[Bomadeno]

I think so too... But to argue the other side, sometimes things are happier unchanged? Sometimes people are happy and then someoen tries to fix it, by blowing up half the country, then the people they tried to help, are sad again.

[Astarte]

That's on the larger scale Boma, but in your own little corner of the world, if there's someway you can help or advise someone, don't you feel just a little better?

[Bomadeno]

I was only playing devils advocate, I always try to help others

Sorry for causing confusion

[Pimienta]

I think that trying to find the reason or purpose is way too hard and may never be found but for arguements sake

I think it is all about potato toasters
could somebody tell me how to make one
my mom won't buy one

(sorry for you guys who were trying to be serious I couldn't handle serious today)

[blackhat]

i've been kind of depressed lately and i'm looking for a place where i could say what was on my mind and get some feedback from someone other than myself.

i've been thinking about the meaning of life

What is the point of life?

Also if god wants me to be happy then why is there suffering all around me?

One of the seven laws that God told Moses at Mount Sinai is to believe in God.

This includes belief and trust.

Belief is for the past, Trust is for the future.

So we believe that everything that happened is for the best, even if we don't understand it.

We trust for the future, that since God is good, and the nature of someone good is to do good things, then we trust that God will do good in a way that we see is good.

By strengthening this mindset, we gain peace of mind and a happy attitude.


The meaning and point to life is to serve God and make this world a Godly place.