Deeper Meaning and Purpose

As I thought about my last blog (see Meaning and Purpose post on 9/22/08), I thought some might question why God might make a difference with meaning and purpose. I mean there might be some who might ask, "Even if there is a God, why does that give meaning and purpose?"

The fundamental difference is between a personal and an impersonal universe. If there is no God, then the universe is essentially and eventually cold, dark, and indifferent about everything, and especially about you and your life. Within this impersonal view of the universe, the fact that there are human beings who love, reason, create and think there is purpose to life is completely incompatible and at odds with the ultimate reality of the universe. Within this impersonal view, most human beings cannot cope with this ultimate bleak view of reality, so those who hold to this impersonal view say people invent concepts like religion, marriage, causes, morals, in order to cope. Or those who hold to this impersonal view invent an irrational subjective meaning and purpose, as in existentialism, in order to find a subjective meaning and purpose - even though it is at odds with the rational objective meaning of the cold uncaring meaningless universe.

In contrast, if you begin with a personal God as described in the Bible, you have an entirely different view of the universe. This personal view begins with a personal God who designed the universe with purpose. Within this personal view, we are designed to enjoy the universe he created forever. Therefore, within this personal view, all our notions of love, reason, meaning, creativity, and purpose, fit within the order of the universe as it is.

Many people would love to accept this personal view of the universe, but think it is irrational, unscientific, or too simple to be true - or they want proof before they believe. However, the origins of the universe, as well as the existence of God, is beyond the powers of the scientific methodology to prove one way or the other. It is only irrational if you give creedence to the overblown pretension that science can give the answers to all of life's questions. Though there is no final proof that can ultimately prove God, the evidence is all around us - the marvel of the universe, the world, and nature - everyday it pours forth the proclamation that God, and not mere chance and lots of time, made all the wonderous things around us.

This is the deeper meaning and purpose of the universe - much as in Narnia, the Lion spoke of the deeper magic that upheld the wonderous reality of that world.