Does Humanity Have a Purpose? Have been contemplating the difference between the prevailing Western secular views on this topic and the typical religious view. Many in the West now seem to reject the suggestion that humanity has any Divine purpose and goal. They may think that people make their own destiny, there is no such thing as some supernatural aid and guidance, each person is on their own to make the best they can of their lives, human history shows no overall direction or purpose. On this view, progress may be seen as an illusion. This can be allied to the view that humans are just another animal, and that it is all a matter of survival of the fittest. But this view carries with it the seeds of disunity and self-interest. Carried to the extreme it leads to hatred, prejudice, violence and even war. The religious view, on the other hand, understands that there is the availability of Divine guidance to humanity and the potential for spiritual and moral progress in this life, both for the individual and for the community as a whole. Life is seen as having a purpose. Although this may be sometimes expressed in esoteric terms, many religionists believe in the ancient prophesies of a golden spiritual age on earth to come, a time of global unity and peace. Thus the Lord’s prayer speaks of “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven”. The older prophesies of Isaiah are even more specific – “And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more”.
Posted on: Sat, 02 Aug 2014 02:19:33 +0000