For the non-religious - what do you see as the purpose of your life?

im catholic and so is everyone I know but to be honest we are so not bothered with are religion people might believe we are in other countries but were so not I don't think or focus on what my purpose of life is I just live it and see what happens and enjoy it life is too short to live by strict rules of a religion live your life by your own rules once you don't hurt anyone in the process

I don't believe there is a 'purpose', I just think I should enjoy life as it comes. I wouldn't want to worry to much about purposes or meanings, just enjoy it to the full.

Okay, well, I was raised in a Protestant home, considered myself agnostic for a few years, and recently joined the Catholic church. But I don't derive my life's purpose from religion. I see my purpose here as the never ending pursuit of learning and love for others. Especially that last. Love for people I've grown up with, people I've just met, and people I will never meet.

But I don't think about my life's purpose too much.

When I was confirmed, my best friend gave me a necklace that reads: The Journey Is The Reward. I wear it almost every day. Life isn't about where you're going, about any grand purpose. It's about how you get there. The places you go, the people you meet, the lives you have a chance to touch. It's about what you learned along the way. And yeah, I think it's also about getting in touch with that higher power, with God. But I feel like, if I just love people and let things happen how they happen, just taking whatever path seems right, it won't matter if I fulfill some grand purpose. Because the journey really is the reward.

I feel like people concentrates too much what the "purpose" of life. after all, isn't the journey what matters the most. you can't never predict or even plan the future. so focus on what your doing, give it your all... do what your heart desires without harming others, love those around you, don't take anything for granted...
religion, in all of its different forms and practices, serves as a guideline that promotes peace, happiness - a moral code, which people misuse and carry out to the extreme to justify their violence.
i am catholic. I go to church every sunday but I think the most important thing is to feel it in your heart, to be able to speak to "god" in your own time and see him through various things in life.... (honestly sometimes I just space out during mas because I can't really relate to the things they preach.) but it reassures me to know that there is someone looking down on me while im out there. its reassuring. faith also serves you give you this tangible hope in life, makes you believe that things will work out the way it was was supposed to.

Ok... I know I'm going to have a lot of people disagreeing with me on this but here it is...
There is no "reason" I ended up on this earth and not some other version of a human. I'm only here as a result of chance so I do not aim to "fulfill my purpose in life" or anything of the sort. I believe people do what they do for their own benefit. (self-interest theory) Saying this I must point out that one of humans greatest need is the need to be loved, a need to be happy. And these two are linked to each other. We don't about killing people because we would feel guilty, we would be punished and we would be rejected by society. And for some people (religious people), another reason is that this is a sin, they want to have the love of god, and they want to go to heaven or things along those lines. As you see its all about us. Because let's face it. humans are SELFISH. We do whatever makes us happy.

Saying this I must have come out as a selfish brat but the truth is I live for the people I love. However cheesy that may sound that is all there is to it. They are everything to me. They are the people that are there when I smile and when I cry, they make me happy and for that I want their happiness. I want their happiness because when they are happy so am I. I'd do anything or their happiness, I would die for a smile on the face of the guy I love.

All in all, I act upon my desires, keeping roughly in line with what the society expects of me to a point that I won't be completely rejected by them and I do whatever it is that makes the people I love happy.

My purpose in life is to make this world a better place... to bring heaven down to earth... to comfort the sad and help the helpless, to bring joy where there is none...to know Jesus, the One who loved me so much He died for me. I am not into religion at any point, but I do have a relationship with God that is more real than anything else in this world, because He was before the world began. The only place I find real purpose is in knowing Him, because when all else fails and goes wrong and things you trusted in are gone, He remains forever and ever.

Honestly my opinion to all of this, if you've asked me about 4 years ago I would have said God doesn't exist, religions are all a bull but now that you ask me I have to say otherwise! God has proven to me already 100 times that He in fact does exist and helps me out with every step I take - He's there for me no matter what! As for religions I still do not believe in them because all they do is create wars and hatred upon others. But I do know that the only oldest religion alive is Judaism and everything else came from it of course others still continually hate that religion! I do believe my purpose in life is to be someone great but with God's help! Like I said I can't say he doesn't exist cause all that would make me is a hypocrite. But it's everybody's choice to believe in what they want no one else's - I think whatever makes you happy should hopefully make you a greater person!

I'm a Theology & Psychology student & it's a great course for opening your eyes to things but yet my lecturers are never preachy. They don't mind if you have different opinions about God or Christianity. They actually really respect your opinions.

I come from a very Catholic background & I was never bothered about God or religion until I was about 17. I always thought about myself as an atheist or agnostic but I had a really really hard break up with this guy & for some reason I just found my faith & a greater belief in God. I don't think there is such thing as a coincidence & everything happens for a reason.

Saying that though I am not a Bible-basher. I don't go to Church etc... but I do have a great faith in God.

I do Moral Theology as part of my course & basically you really just have to be a good person & it's not about following the rules rigidly either, just be nice etc..

I was raised catholic but I think between 18-20 I stopped going to church and I don't know if I necessarily believe the "catholicism" stuff they teach. All I know is there's a God, we're supposed to do good, and help others. That's what I believe at least.

But as far as the purpose in my life? Tell you the truth, I don't know. All I know is I want to just enjoy life and be happy and do some good while I'm here.

I do have a relationship with God, but I don't like to say I'm "religious" because that has a whole lot of connotations that I don't like. However, I think that the poster below who said that religion is a good starting point is right: I might want to do God's purpose, but what is that?

For me, I want to make life better for as many people as I can. I try to be positive as much as I can, and I pass that on to others. I don't have to save the world, as I thought when I was younger, but I do want to make a positive impact, even if it's a small one, on the people I come into contact with.

I do think that our purpose on Earth is not individual, regardless of any spiritual beliefs a person may or may not have.

Our purpose in life is to help others.

No matter what religious background you come from, whether you believe in God or not, this purpose holds true.

Make my mark on the world. I want to understand things and prove to myself that I can do things, just develop my mind - it's all we really are. Relationships are another fun thing, if I have a child it will be about building their life and bringing them up well.

Bonds with other humans are also a very beautiful thing.

Our purpose is to ensure the advancement and survival of our species.

I've found that the notion of needing a "purpose" has caused me more disillusionment than simply accepting that perhaps there is no overarching purpose which is concretely defined. The purpose of my life is whatever I want it to be. As a result, I find that my moral code intertwines very closely with my self-defined "purpose." For me, it's always come down to helping people appreciate life. Whether it's through kindness, happiness, good will, etc. But along those same lines, I also consider what's needed to keep me happy and appreciating life. Whenever I can afford to help another person appreciate their life without significantly impacting my own appreciation of mine, I feel that my purpose is to do that.

As for religion, it's an ok starting point for the internal debate, but it's by no means controlling.

Really if you're religious or not that has to be something you truly find for yourself. To me one's moral code and one's purpose for existence are going to be completely different. Moral code is usually something that has been set up over your lifetime. Your ethical standards will come once you get a better feel for your own purpose.

You don't have to be religious to believe in things such as love. Where some people say their purpose is love for God or their religion. A lot of people (religious or not) live for the love of others and themselves. To me, this may sound somewhat conceded, I live to have success. Not necessarily financial but personal success. I gauge my level of success in my own personal way so no one else can tell me if I am happy or not.

This may have not helped out at all but ask yourself what have you lived for your entire life?

My purpose is the pursuit of happiness and success.