Meaning, Purpose, & The Existance of God
Read this, then give your answer to the question, or comment on this one.
Order in the Court! (I mean cosmos)
For me, it is difficult to isolate one argument as the most compelling in the presence of other qualifying arguments. However, I must select the teleological argument as the most compelling argument for the existence of God. I conclude this, because while all other arguments present great reasoning and compelling thought and evidence, they don’t necessarily explain the meaning and purpose behind it all. While the cosmological argument (the universe had a beginning) gives sufficient reason to believe that God is the creator of the universe, one is still left with an element of why they even had a desire to pursue this endeavor in the first place.
Theological Agenda
The teleological design argument says that God exists as the cause of the universe’s order, which
“appears to have a purpose” (Taylor 128).
Now, this purpose was not only initiated, but is continually being sustained to ultimately serve an apparent grander purpose; that is, to draw all men unto Himself (The Bible: Ecc. 3:10-11, Rom. 3, 2 Pet. 3:9). For what is purpose without some desired result?
The Universe as a Vehicle
As one behind a steering mechanism guides a motor vehicle, so is the universe in the hands of God. Now, with this being such a broad range of purpose, one could simply question whether or not this has anything to do with them. The response to this question, of course, would be of course! For starters, whatever or whoever is in the vehicle is subject to the will of its operator. That is, no matter what the person in the vehicle wishes, the will of the operator determines its destiny. Interestingly enough, the operator of this vehicle is the only one who knows how to drive it. If this great thing called the universe not only exists, but remains in existence by the direct relation of something other than itself or anything in it, then the universe itself and everything in it is directly affected by the interaction of this [other].
Not only are we subject to the will of God (the ‘driver’ of the universe), but we are placed within His vehicle. Since, then, we are placed where we are, there must be a purpose and reason as to why we are positioned here (hence, we were placed). Since God has purpose for who we are and where we go, we must decide what this means to us.
Here, I believe, is where it gets interesting. We can decide to enquire God – the driver – of what purpose it is we are doing here, or we can chose some other alternative, such as existing in this vehicle of a universe with sole emphasis on matters concerned with self while neglecting the obvious grander scheme.
Pursuit Without Purpose?
Now, before we go any further, we must pause and ask the question ‘how can I personally have the ability to pursue anything?’, that is, finding purpose to either question God or to remain concerned with self-order. An individual cannot deny, even if all evidences pointing to God have been present, even if all rationale lead logically to God, even when doubting everything that can be doubted has been done, that this very same individual finds some sense of purpose within their very own person to do that which was just mentioned.
The challenge may rise here that “there is no such thing of purpose; we are all just existing in a meaningless, purposeless universe.” In return, I would ask, “If there is no meaning or purpose to anything, then by what means are you speaking? Is there some purpose you say such a thing?”
Matter vs. Meaning
If we are merely hunks of meaningless, purposeless matter, then why have passion, why have interests, why have emotion? For dead matter can intrinsically do nothing. What, then, is the skeptic really saying? If their response would default to their philosophy of meaninglessness and purposelessness, then there is no apparent reason to be involved in such a dead conversation. After all, what is reason without purpose? How can one posses the ability to reason in the absence of purpose?; and by defaulting to answer the question of purpose by referring to the philosophy of meaninglessness and purposelessness, then the skeptic has defined purpose: his philosophy.
Matter vs. Man
In contrast to other matter, it is obvious that the human is far above the rest in its ability to be; to operate in such a way as if there were a point to what we do. It is then reasonable to think that – finding these qualities within ourselves – they may very well have been placed there (again, in contrast to other matter) by someone other than us. For who can bestow the ability to have desire? Is it possible for humans to create something such as this; something existing apart from matter, yet seen through emotion? And virtue… if humans exist in a meaningless and purposeless universe, where has virtue arose? For virtue cannot come from non-virtue. Indeed, it is more than non-virtue, it would be more properly said, void-ness of virtue. Nothing begets nothing. If the skeptic says there is a such thing as virtue, desire, emotion, etc., they must agree with meaning. For all these qualities possess meaning. And if meaning exists, so does purpose; there is a reason for meaning, hence, purpose. Also, it would have to originate apart from and beyond the human.
My Opinion:
Maybe God gave people the ability to have purpose because he wants us to experience what it is like to have meaning. Thus, acknowledging of meaning would enable us to be sympathetic to God’s ultimate purpose for placing us where we are and taking us where he has taken us. Quite possibly, one would entertain and even accept that meaning and purpose from him.
Now, since we are inherently byproducts of God’s will, and if that will immediately affects our position, then the greatest pursuit of man would be to seek out God’s will and discover the purpose He has for their life. I must echo the words of Gordon R. Lewis in The Portable Seminary,
“Beyond all the apparent meaninglessness and purposelessness of human existence, God personally gives significance to the most insignificant life” (Lewis, Portable).
Works Cited
Multiple. The Bible. NASB. Nashvill: World Publishing, 1985.
Taylor, James E. Introducing Apologetics. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, Baker Publishing Group, 2006.
Jason (Jon), This may be off topic but it is what went through my mind as I read this post. As you know, because we have discussed it on many occasion, I don’t know the exact moment that I knew God existed. This is because I don’t remember not knowing that God existed because I was raised by a wonderful Christian mother and father. My mom taught me well, I never doubted simply because Mom said so which meant it was true. She never hesitated to reach for her Bible and answer any questions I ever had. I could list, of course, many occasions that he “proved” his existence to me but I have seen more proof than I’ll ever need. To all the parents out there who may be struggling, as I recently was, teach your children well and they will always come back to it, my daughter did at 15. I’m not saying I never strayed but I always felt that tug in my heart when I did. May God Bless you all!
Glad to hear that “proof” was never needed for you Robin. Although, I never fret when someone want’s to search for the evidence of a creator, because I’m confident that it will lead them (if they are intellectually honest) to conclude that it is more reasonable to believe in God than to not.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but i just want to clear something up. You said, “I don’t know the exact moment that i know God existed.” I’m sure you don’t mean here the point when God began to exist, rather when you knew for sure that He really did exist. In other words, when you had the assurance that God was real, apart from what your mother told you; this was an understanding that you arrived at by yourself (enable by the Holy Spirit, of course).
God bless.
***Note***
In reference to the above comment…
All past tense words should be present when refering to the existance of God.
Example: the corrections will be in bold and itallics:
“…rather when you knew for sure that He really does exist.”
“In other words, when you had the assurance that God is real…”
***End Note***