Does Christianity Provide Meaning and Purpose?

[Diogenes]

Does Christianity provide meaning and purpose? Or does it merely defer the question?

[theophile]

..

if you look closer at Genesis 1 you'll see there is another 'character' there that better represents nature. Tehom / the deep. Introduced in verse 1:2 alongside God as an elemental 'sea' of water and earth.

When you say "character" do you mean an intelligent self -willed being (although not necessarily human) , an individual with its own personality, ie another intelligent lifeform?

Or do you mean an entity ie. a thing/ something?

... the text is suggestive of the former

Which words in the text in your opinion suggest "another intelligent lifeform"?


JW

To be clear, I don't think tehom is an intelligent lifeform, but is only suggestive of one. The word tehom itself is what suggests. i.e., the etymological and thematic link between tehom and Tiamat.

Other suggestions in the text are how God is positioned against tehom in Genesis 1:2, i.e., "hovering over" it / her, which sets tehom up as an important figure. That it / she is never created but is simply just there at the beginning with God, providing the raw materials for creation. That it / she is shown to respond to God's calls, i.e., tehom's waters separate in response to God, bring forth life, etc.

Last, and most importantly, when God refers to an 'Us' that God makes humankind in the image of as man and woman. Who else could constitute a plurality / male-female partnership here other than God and tehom?

So again, if you think about it, very much the same pattern as God and Mary in the NT - the union of spiritual Word and material womb - bringing forth Christ in the NT, and the light in Genesis 1.

[SiNcE_1985]

Does Christianity provide meaning and purpose?

Yes.

[Clownboat]

Does Christianity provide meaning and purpose?

Yes.

All religions provide meaning and purpose. Christianity is not unique.

Why are we here? See religions.
Where do we go when we die? See religions.
Will I ever see my loved ones again? See religions.

Religions provide unknown answers to unknown questions. Those that can accept these unknowns as if they are known can use this as a mechanism to supply meaning and purpose.

What really gets me is how people generally ascribe to a religion due to their geography on the planet. What an odd way to pretend that unknowns are known don't you think?

[SiNcE_1985]

All religions provide meaning and purpose. Christianity is not unique.

Well, tell that to the OP.

The question was specifically about Christianity and I'm not the one who asked it.

Religions provide unknown answers to unknown questions. Those that can accept these unknowns as if they are known can use this as a mechanism to supply meaning and purpose.

What really gets me is how people generally ascribe to a religion due to their geography on the planet. What an odd way to pretend that unknowns are known don't you think?

No more unknown than scientific inquiries.

[Clownboat]

All religions provide meaning and purpose. Christianity is not unique.

Well, tell that to the OP.

The question was specifically about Christianity and I'm not the one who asked it.

Hey OP, all religions provide meaning and purpose. Christianity is not unique.

Religions provide unknown answers to unknown questions. Those that can accept these unknowns as if they are known can use this as a mechanism to supply meaning and purpose.

What really gets me is how people generally ascribe to a religion due to their geography on the planet. What an odd way to pretend that unknowns are known don't you think?

No more unknown than scientific inquiries.

Scientific inquiries are not determined to be true or false based off of where a person lives. Wouldn't that be a very weird way to arrive at conclusions, based off of your geographic location on this planet? You know, like how most people arrive at their god concept being the real one.

[bjs1]

Does Christianity provide meaning and purpose? Or does it merely defer the question?

Yes. According to Christianity the purpose of life is to know God, experience His love, and have that love overflow to other people.

This is an objective purpose, not a subjective purpose, because the God who created human beings designed people for this purpose.

Technically, Christianity reveals this purpose as opposed to providing it.

[JehovahsWitness]

... in the text are how God is positioned against tehom in Genesis 1:2, i.e., "hovering over" it / her, which sets tehom up as an important figure.

HOW IS THE HEBREW WORD TEHOM USED IN SCRIPTURE?

Do you have any texts (passages outside of Genesis 1:2, which is the text in question) that support the suggestion that the word tehom in bible usage refered to anything other than water/the depth? Are there any scriptures that deptict tehom as anything other than an inanimate (created) object or location?




Bible usage listed : https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon ... v/wlc/0-1/

[JehovahsWitness]

...when God refers to an 'Us' that God makes humankind in the image of as man and woman. Who else could constitute a plurality / male-female partnership here other than God and tehom?

1. It has yet to be established whether TEHOM in bible usage refers to an animate , created object or location or an intelligent individual capable of understanding language (see podt #57 above)

2. The bible presents indicates YHWH (Jehovah) created other godlike beings before creating the earth and the oceans (tehom) on it. None of which are ever refered to as "godesses". See Job 38:7 compare Pr 8:30, 31

3. While God evidently collaborated / delegated with one of these created spirits (see point #2 above), YHWH (Jehovah) alone is credited with the creation of both sexes: Genesis 1 v27( b) stating " male and female HE created them" ( compare Matthew 19:4)

4. Since God is a SPIRIT neither males nor female can ressemble him physically . Being made in God's image must refer to certain capacities and characteristics, none of which are exclusive to one biological sex.

[Tcg]

... in the text are how God is positioned against tehom in Genesis 1:2, i.e., "hovering over" it / her, which sets tehom up as an important figure.

HOW IS THE HEBREW WORD TEHOM USED IN SCRIPTURE?

Do you have any texts (passages outside of Genesis 1:2, which is the text in question) that support the suggestion that the word tehom in bible usage refered to anything other than water/the depth? Are there any scriptures that deptict tehom as anything other than an inanimate (created) object or location?




Bible usage listed : https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon ... v/wlc/0-1/

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[Tcg]

[Replying to JehovahsWitness in post #58]

Moderator Intervention

Subsequent post by JehovahsWitness deleted as it ignores this clear statement:

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