Convictions and the meaning of life?

[Lark]

Do you think that a life of conviction is the meaningful life?

I've been reading a good book which suggest that modernism and capitalism have created a culture without conviction in which most people have their price, some are less conscious about it than others but they all have their price none the less.

What's your opinion? Would you say that you have convictions? Would you be prepared to make sacrifices for them and if so what sort? Moderate or major?

 

[Synapse]

Convictions sounds like being convicted of something, imprisoned rather than certainty to life and presence in life.

And then conviction sounds like convincing the self that the justification of convincing the psyche to comprehend the meaning of life is brought into awareness through opinion and interpretation of life and experiences through other peoples eyes and perceived like a convincing story rather than inner self reconnection. And that would entail strong convictions of belief and being sacrificial implies stubbornness, a lack of malleability, and then is being unmalleable adaptable towards changing convictions?

 

[Coriolis]

Even those of us who are prepared to make sacrifices for our convictions have a price. It is just higher than the price of those "without convictions". Also, plenty is sacrificed by those who lack convictions, or at least whose convictions look more like the seven deadly sins.

 

[esidebill]

A life of conviction is a hard one to follow. I think everyone, including myself, have certain degrees of thoughts that we would like people to believe. If I'm following what you mean by conviction, which I would imagine is trying to prove to someone that your way is right and their way is wrong, then my previous idea is correct. For example, I like to believe that tattoos aren't really that worth it, but personally expending energy to prove this point wouldn't be worth the time in some circumstances. On the other end, if it is something you hold close to your heart, then I say a life of conviction, if it makes you happier knowing you prove your point and convert, seems to be the popular one.

 

[Fluffywolf]

I think not having convictions keeps you open for the unknown and is the most progressive way to live and strive for the future, which can be a very rewarding lifestyle. Whilest a life of conviction is conservative and stale, and ultimately unrewarding.

 

[Lark]

I think not having convictions keeps you open for the unknown and is the most progressive way to live and strive for the future, which can be a very rewarding lifestyle. Whilest a life of conviction is conservative and stale, and ultimately unrewarding.

So perpetual change is good and life is pursuit of rewards?

 

[Sanctus Iacobus]

There are two kinds of convictions... those which man believes steer him or her towards the life they want, and those which incline man towards the heart of God. They are, of course, the same thing, as God made man despite not having any need for man, therefore man's deepest desire is known and satisfied only by God. So the difference is a matter of knowledge (or ignorance) of this fact.

True convictions, then, bears the divine mark of God's heart, and we know this because there is nothing like it that man has ever or would ever conceive. It is also, unabashedly, the meaning of life. Suspend your disbelief, because what you are reading is true...

The meaning (or purpose) of life is this: relationship. More importantly, relationship with God, followed by relationship with fellow man.

There are two prevailing natures in the universe, three if you count sitting on the fence between the two, and they are all classifiable within this scope of the meaning of life. That which unites in relationship and that which separates. You can call them good and evil but for our [human] intensive purposes it doesn't matter. And if you're sitting on the fence between the two, know this: collecting knowledge to make a decision is a futile effort, because it will never be about what you know, but who you know.

Do you know God? God wants you to know Him. Do you want to know what God is like? Meet Jesus. Jesus is God as a human, and allows us to see what God is like within the human paradigm. Jesus allowed Himself to be murdered so that "whomever" (meaning "any individual", i.e. you) can move from the side of the fence that is severed, separated relationship to the side that is united relationship with the God that made you and can give you the life that will truly satisfy you.

The deepest, soul-felt desires are only answered by relationship with God, and this relationship is only available from God reaching down to us through His life as Jesus Christ, not through our human convictions of trying to reach up to God (religion or going-nowhere morality). This is called the Good News because it means humanity has a way to have the life we deeply desire which is not founded on our fallible nature. It is based on the love of God and His design, the "meaning of life", which is you having a relationship with Him... this is done through belief in Jesus Christ, the mediator between God and humanity (being fully both of those things) so that God proves both perfectly fair and also perfectly loving.

Because Jesus Christ rose from the dead and is presently alive in this moment, those who entrust their souls to Him gain living hope that fears not even death, unlike hope anything on this earth which is fallible. Belief in the one and only living God is the way may not necessarily give you a state of being which our mere human minds believe to be the best (fame, wealth, power, etc) but will lead to a state of being which satisfies eternally the desires which these fallible things will only temporarily satisfy. You will live a life inconceivably satisfied compared to these fallible desires, and once you taste it you will gladly lose more of the temporary for the eternal fulfillment.

So to answer the question, every conceivable human conviction falls short of the purpose we intend them for because life is not about us.

 

[Xyk]

Wow, that is a ton of religion. It almost makes me angry, but not quite. I agree with Fluffywolf. Convictions are dangerous things and often hurt people due to their closed-minded nature. Someone who believes absolutely that a god will reward them if they do certain things, then they will do those things regardless of how it affects others.

As far as the meaning of life goes, I don't know the answer. I don't even know how I could possibly get closer to knowing the answer. I'm gonna learn things and experience things until maybe a meaning comes into view, and then i'm gonna do that. I'm pretty sure it's not hedonism.

 

[Sanctus Iacobus]

Wow, that is a ton of religion. It almost makes me angry, but not quite. I agree with Fluffywolf. Convictions are dangerous things and often hurt people due to their closed-minded nature. Someone who believes absolutely that a god will reward them if they do certain things, then they will do those things regardless of how it affects others.

As far as the meaning of life goes, I don't know the answer. I don't even know how I could possibly get closer to knowing the answer. I'm gonna learn things and experience things until maybe a meaning comes into view, and then i'm gonna do that. I'm pretty sure it's not hedonism.

Sir, do you not see the black and white nature of your convictions? I am not talking about religion or rebellion, but relationship. God is not partial, so someone cannot love God and hate his fellow man by his actions... loving God would include loving others, all of whom God loves. Religion and rebellion are largely the same thing... the rebellious run from God, and religious try to keep man apart from God using rules and regulations... both seek to establish life apart from God in their hearts, a severance of relationship! God loves both regardless of this because it is about who God is, not who's done what. God is the reward we are all looking for, my friend.

 

[King sns]

I always wanted to have more convictions in my life. I have gone into existential depression over constantly feeling that I don't know, and there is no way to know, anything at all. It would be nice to think that I know something. Sometimes when I get down to my feelings in their rawest form, it seems as if there was no point of anything at all. Nothing to reference for sure, except that we are these people with these languages living amongst these things and buildings and other creatures. It may mean something, it may not. One thing may mean something, another may not. I think a life with convictions would be happier. (I'm not saying I'm constantly in this depressed state of meaninglessness, I do pray and have some biases/ feelings about things, and I definitely think that it is necessary to have some beliefs in this life. I just have to try harder than others.)

 

[Xyk]

Sir, do you not see the black and white nature of your convictions? I am not talking about religion or rebellion, but relationship. God is not partial, so someone cannot love God and hate his fellow man by his actions... loving God would include loving others, all of whom God loves. Religion is a sin as is rebellion, and God loves both regardless of this because it is about who God is, not who's done what. God is the reward we are all looking for, my friend.

As a skeptic, I have to disagree. I mean, the crusades are a good example of a time when convictions and doing what was thought to be the will of God, therefore becoming closer to him, hurt and killed many many many people. Many religious terrorists love their god very much but clearly hate the people they are terrorizing. Yes, there have been terrorists from all different religions throughout history. Absolute conviction that one is right closes his mind to all other options.

I don't see the black and white nature of my convictions. I don't have many. The closest things I have to certainty are just really dark shades of gray. I'm most certain that human life is valuable, but I also recognize that there is a very slight chance that it isn't.

 

[Sanctus Iacobus]

As a skeptic, I have to disagree. I mean, the crusades are a good example of a time when convictions and doing what was thought to be the will of God, therefore becoming closer to him, hurt and killed many many many people. Many religious terrorists love their god very much but clearly hate the people they are terrorizing. Yes, there have been terrorists from all different religions throughout history. Absolute conviction that one is right closes his mind to all other options.

I don't see the black and white nature of my convictions. I don't have many. The closest things I have to certainty are just really dark shades of gray. I'm most certain that human life is valuable, but I also recognize that there is a very slight chance that it isn't.

This is true what you say about absolute convictions. Consider, though, that absolution is a finished state. Absolute zero is the coldest temperature possible, and there is nothing colder, for instance.

The one true God, however, is a being, the person that is Jesus Christ. It is not a religious state but someone with thoughts and emotions. We are made in God's image and likeness ("to be like") so we too are persons with thoughts and emotions.

So it is not a thing to be grasped, or reached. It is not an absolute state of anything I speak of, but Jesus Christ the living God. What's important to know is that Jesus Christ is living at this ever moment, and if although we cannot see Jesus anymore (His body cannot be found because He rose from the dead) if you can incline your heart to believe this, you may pray and begin a relationship with Him.

See, it is not a solid state thing, such is the word absolute. God is a person and very personal. God desires to have a relationship with His creation (being God and having infitude, why else would He create it?) and this is the purpose and meaning of life. In this we know human life is valuable--God came to earth in the form of His own creation (man) died to fulfill the perfection that no mortal man ever did or ever will, and rose from death... living this present moment solely for the purpose of having dynamic, living relationship with man... with you. You are valuable, sir. This life God offers is dynamic and moving... it is not a stale thing such is the word absolute, and it is certainly not about killing and death, but quite the opposite: new life through Jesus Christ and His love for you.

I have some laundry to do so I probably won't respond any more tonight. God bless you!

 

[esidebill]

Seems that you would gladly live a life of conviction then jwn?

 

[Xyk]

I feel like I shouldn't say any more than this, lest someone get offended: You base all of this on one very large assumption, of which I am quite skeptical. I'm all for universal love, but not because it's how a magic invisible force does things, and it's my goal to be like him. I try to love universally so that everyone's lives are improved. I'm pretty much a secular humanist.

 

[esidebill]

I feel like I shouldn't say any more than this, lest someone get offended: You base all of this on one very large assumption, of which I am quite skeptical. I'm all for universal love, but not because it's how a magic invisible force does things, and it's my goal to be like him. I try to love universally so that everyone's lives are improved. I'm pretty much a secular humanist.

I don't know why people expect any more from you You may not follow his God, but you're still a damn good person. Perhaps they just want your donations ;p

 

[Coriolis]

Yes, quite.

Just what constitutes a conviction, anyway? Originally, I thought in terms of principles -- like being honest, respecting one's elders, or sticking up for people who are being treated unfairly. In this context, asking what I would sacrifice for my convictions translates into asking what would cause me to go against these principles. jwn86 introduced some religious notions. Are ideas like "Jesus was God and died to save humanity" convictions, or beliefs? How does one sacrifice for these? Or are the sacrifices made in trying to persuade others to accept the same belief? Perhaps the OP could clarify.

 

[Sanctus Iacobus]

Seems that you would gladly live a life of conviction then jwn?

My personal convictions are rather flimsy. I used to lie, cheat, and steal without remorse and I still feel like doing it at times. The only conviction I desire it to have faith in Jesus and to know Jesus more. While my personal convictions fail, Jesus' did not, so I trust in Jesus.

Are ideas like "Jesus was God and died to save humanity" convictions, or beliefs? How does one sacrifice for these? Or are the sacrifices made in trying to persuade others to accept the same belief?

Beliefs, although that's not an entirely true statement... Jesus died to save those who believe/trust/put their faith in Him. This is not an elitist mindset, but actually based on the character of God. God created man with self-control and gave man dominion, and God can't contradict Himself, so it is up to man to believe. Convictions and belief go hand in hand... the Holy Spirit convicts a person to change, believe in God for forgiveness and love, which allows that person to live a better quality of life. This process of conviction and repentance and further belief repeats itself throughout the life of a follower of Christ and nobody will be totally perfect until Christ returns to earth. Arguably the greatest Christian ever (Paul) speaks candidly about his internal struggle and outlines a mature person as one who can talk about their imperfections and strive forward to a better life without self-condemnation.

Faith in Christ has little to do with self sacrifice. As the Bible says, you can give away everything you have and sacrifice yourself to be burned alive, but have no love, you have nothing. There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. As Christ did this, if you have Christ, then you have faith in His sacrifice. No personal sacrifice is needed, nor would it be adequate to appease God's judgement anyways. All people are encouraged to come to Christ exactly as they are... everything required is already taken care of by the life of Jesus. After coming to Christ, if you enter a circumstance where you are persecuted or killed due to your faith in Christ (i.e. if you stay faithful) then you are rewarded, but again it has nothing to do with the individual's accomplishment like it would be in other religious beliefs. It is all about Jesus and faith in Jesus.

Although, I must say that entering into the faith, there will be things a person sacrifices, but I would hardly call it a sacrifice. It's hard to explain, but I actually enjoy trading these things in for what God has to offer instead. It's exciting knowing He is the architect of life and has much greater things than what I was trying my best to come up with in the past.