How do I find a fulfilling purpose for my life?

uhh.. i was refering to your name and the movie/book Logans Run... i had assumed youd seen/read it and would get the joke/reference of "there is no sanctuary". right after what you quoted i said " haha.. just kidding.. great name though. i love that movie!" to make sure i was clear on all of that...

now im just confused why you didnt get it... unless your father was Logan IV or something???

 

thats why i take it all with a grain of salt... i look at it more like im asking the universe and interpreting the answers myself... asking people is easier than asking god directly.. his answers are always too emotional and spiritual to be practical.

besides its impossible for me to take anyones advice outright.. my mind wont allow anything that simple and obvious to get past unchallenged... if its simple my mind will find a way to make it complicated.

i never believe other people because i know better than to believe myself... but we're all like little filters of god... you can find meaning and insight everywhere... its just that people are easier to understand than rocks and stars.

and yeah, no doubt... i remember when i wanted to be an artist... lol.

 

my only advice is....go! don't think so hard about things. You'll only be happy if you're out living your life, not merely thinking about living it. I know way too many people that sit around and ponder the choices in their lives for so long that life completely passes them by. you want to be happy? Go! don't sit around and think about it.

If you're happy where you are, doing what you do, then stay there. If you aren't happy then figure out exactly what makes you happy and go do it.

If close family ties make you happy, stay at home. If you feel like you need more, then understand that your family will always be there for you, no matter where you go. Just go!

stop thinking so hard. life is short, reach out and grab some shit.

 

Yes it is a good movie. Sadly there are groups that to this day are pushing the isolation ideology that Logan 5 and Jessica 3 ran from. But that's not what I loved the most about it.

This is-

 

Open the bible that is the only way.

 

Why oh why do some Christians believe that the only way to be happy is by being a Christian? Why is it that they believe that the bible is the only place that has the messages of love thy neighbor, live in harmony with the earth and seasons, and do no harm?

I keep hearing from Christians about how "Humble" Jesus was and then they always use the the most arrogant line that Jesus ever said "The way to heaven is through me". Here is a new concept. What if Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha, Lao Tzu, and any one of a million other "Religious Founding Fathers" that existed in different parts of the world at different times were just the same spirit reincarnated.

I have a hard time believing that God or whatever you call that benevelent being of pure love who is completely non judgemental would only pick one part of a big Universe at one time to send his only messenger. Than have his words translated so many times that you never know what he truly said and have his words used as justification for hatred and genocide.

Try this on for size if you look at all religion at their center they have the same fundamental beliefs. Love thy neighbor, help your brother, and make the world a better place. One of the main problems with Christianity is that the emphasis has been taken away from the message (Love thy neighbor, Help others etc.) and placed on the messenger (The Hippie on a stick). To quote Bill Hicks, "If I was Jesus coming back the last thing I would want to see is another fucking cross." Or the Buddha "If I point at the moon only a fool would look at my finger."

Yes I am an ordained Minister. I have come to realize that the truth is the truth no matter where it comes from. I accept Jesus as a great man, a great teacher, and an enlightened master. I just don't accept the whole "savior" concept. If you look at the biblical definition of hell it is "To be without the lord." That is simply choice.

Now for the other sheep. The ones who love to say "Religion is the opiate of the masses." Well opiates have their place too. I just had an abscess drained so I am taking a little Vicodin for pain. The true purposes of both religion and communism are to give the people a reason and a set of rules to do the right thing. It seems that as they evolved that both sides have gotten really confused to purpose.

Peace Out,
Rev J

 

I'm thinking that, from the context (right word?) of the SIX posts made in the time InfiniteQuakerOat has been a member here, that they, be it a he or a she, is a troll.

As for 420shell, I feel sorry for him/her. I am a Christian, I am ordained, and I don't go around thumping bibles. What's good for me may not be good for others. And one does not make a good impression on others by thumping bibles and preaching to those that don't want to be preached to. If anything, it creates more hostility towards those of us that don't thump bibles or tract.

 

i think you should move with your friend! a change in scenery could do so much good! i felt so boxed in and alone where i grew up, so i moved away for college and its the best thing ive ever done. ive done more growing in the past 5 years than i have in my entire life. you need to meet new people and explore.. you need to do the things that scare you the most, because those turn out to be the most important lessons of your life.

goodluck! and remember: if you don't know where you're going than it doesnt matter which road you take!

 

NO, im a human being. what the hell are you supposed to be?
this is what i get for trying to be open and myself? from someone claiming to be a hippie?
and you dont even say it to me, you do it as an aside to someone else as if this were nothing but a big junior high school and im the new kid you want to pick on for being "weird" or whatever reason you have for denying my humanity.

well heres post number 7... make a note of it in your diary of critical judgments of complete strangers.
you have offended and upset me more than anyone in quite a long time.
the whole reason i came here was because i was tired of people like you.. i suppose THERE IS NO SANCTUARY with other human beings.. how freaking appropriate your name has turned out to be.

i give up. people are too complicated and arrogant and locked inside their own judgment prisons... label label label.. but NEVER understand.

what am i supposed to learn from you people? why the hell was i born on this planet full of blind monkeys?

everyone i meet that seems smart and interesting turns out just like you.. deep down YOU are humanity.. the bright shining pinnacle of it all... mr rational

i write out something from my heart that i have been struggling with for what seems like as long as i can remember, only seeking advice... and you read it and see me as a "troll"? or was it my casual and joking attitude? is your life so empty of joy that you no longer understand its purpose?

what is wrong with you?

are muslims terrorists for believing in their god?
are gays evil and dirty for going against the norm?
are black people ugly for not being white enough?

please, id like to know where you draw the line with your hate-mongering and contempt for your brothers and sisters.

or is this just another case of "its easy to be a jerk on the internet because you dont have to look the other person in the eye".... because i really need a vacation, and if you tell me where you live we can go have coffee together and i can prove to you that i dont live under any bridge, and maybe if you feel any shame at all for your disgustingly casual judgments against me you can prove youre worth more than your hateful words here have shown. because if anyone here is a troll, it sure isnt me.

 

Not sure man, but the advice to go to boulder colorado sounds alright to me! You can always come back if it's not for you...can't you?

 

I said nothing insulting, nothing defamitory, and if you're not a troll, don't freak out over it. I said....

But you did freak out. Hey, if you don't like me expressing my thoughts and get so upset over me expressing them then I guess you need to stay home until you grow up. I dunno. Up to you.

 

I can sympathize with you......must be awful to be going thru this..
There is something you can do to at least get a better idea of what's going on in your life........

Please don't laugh when I tell you what it is:
You should get your birth horoscope done, along with a forecast for the coming year....
Yes, we all think we know ourselves very well, but most of the time we do not. Astrology is a great tool for understanding yourself, who you are, and what you are, and where you are going.
If the birth horoscope doesn't appeal to you, I STRONGLY suggest your yearly forecast. This is based, as is the birthchart, on your date, time, and place of birth........the forecast will tell you the upcoming trends in your life....kind of like a roadmap; of course you can do what you want, but why not learn a little about what may be the best things to do in your life right now?
Astrology only tells us the trends and situations; you still have the final say..........This would be one of the best things you could do.....These reports are not loaded with astrological jargon; they are easy to read and understand....It's all spelled out for you...
Please do consider doing this!
Two of the companies I've dealt with are astrocom.com, and astrolabe.com....they have both been in business for many years......If you want, you can even have the report sent to you via email, then you can print it out yourself, or they can be sent regular mail.
At any difficult time in our lives, astrology can be a big help; at least it will give you some options!!
I offer this in the hope you will seriously consider it.....
and benefit from it!!!!!!
Best wishes!!!!!!

 

As an old lady who has seen and done a hell of a lot in my 60+ years, it's my observation that by far the happiest and most fulfilled people are those who have given the most of themselves, in whatever way makes the most sense for you.

I'm not saying you have to be Mother Theresa. I'm saying that a life of self-absorbed egoism will not make you happy in the long run.

The easiest way to accomplish "something important" is to do something nice for somebody or for the planet. Read to an elderly person who can no longer read for themselves. Read to a young person who can't yet read for themselves.

Volunteer at an animal rescue shelter. Volunteer on a suicide hotline. Volunteer at a recycling center. Volunteer to help a single mother who has no one to help care for her children. Volunteer to help register first-time voters. Volunteer to help an elderly person carry her groceries.

There are a million things you can do. Good luck in your journey

 

Like Granny said, doing volunteer work is very rewarding. Soup kitchens and homeless shelters are also good places to go. The only thing I don't think you should do right now is suicide prevention hotline. You have to be in a better state of mind to do that type of volunteer work. Volunteer work is definitely a good place to start- you'd be surprised how many people need your help and how rewarding it will be! So fare-well, wherever you may fare.

PAX

 

And it isn't just volunteer activities that make a difference. What about a job in environmental science? Or a career as a teacher, which is what I did and I can hardly imagine anything more rewarding that working with young children.

What about an emergency medical technician? Physical therapist? Agricultural researcher? Park ranger? Speech therapist? Massage therapist? Early childhood pathology specialist? Drug rehab counselor? Range or forest management?

There are a zillion jobs like these that involve helping people or the planet, and are very rewarding.

(And is the original poster even reading this???)

 

If the OP is on here still I'd like to recommend a documentary called "Favela Rising". Here is a preview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5_DnxeEkts"]YouTube - Favela Rising Trailer

Also watch the bonus features.

Peace Out,
Rev J

 

They never seem to come back after posting threads like this one ...

 

Maybe the reason they haven't been back is because they have taken our advice and now they are so busy, they just don't have the time. .........wishful thinking on my part........

PAX