The Meaning of Life with Dr. Bob

The blog titled “The Meaning of Life Involves Finding Your Happiness” (Oct. 24, 2009), received a very interesting and thought provoking comment recently. I thank Curtis for the comment and hope you will visit his blog: http://curtischappell.com/blog In the interest of your time I will quote the comment here: “I believe for most people the simple question of,’ what is the meaning of life?’, is simply too difficult to contemplate due to the philosophical nature of the question.

You mention God several times, and tie this concept into ‘the source’ which is understandable, but the essence of the question takes God out of the equation, due to its personal nature, unless a person feels their entire life is driven by a power higher than themselves.

But that’s a cop-out isn’t it? The question is asking an individual to step outside 2000 years of dogma fed to them from the pulpit, and answer the question for themselves.

The average person is lost without some sort of guide, and God fits nicely into this requirement. My blog and upcoming book attempts to put this power back into the hands (and mind) of the individual.

What is the meaning of life? It is the search for our inner self.

The Gnostics stated this concept very simply…”Know Thyself.”

Write On! Curtis” http://curtischappell.com/blog

Allow me to take these points one at a time. Many people never contemplate the meaning of life, true. However, there are many more who do. Witness my more than 38 years as a clergy wherein I found the single most asked question was some form of “What is the meaning of my life?” Beyond those decades however, is the constant raising of the question on Twitter. Of course, most folks will not want the philosophical answer. They want the simplest answer possible that they may understand it. Therefore, I say, with Aristotle, the Dalai Lama, Dr. Wayne Dyer, that the meaning of life is to be happy.

Then, when we enter the realm of quantum physics, we discover that it is the Universe’s desire to be in harmony. Harmony can be another term for happiness. Surely when someone is in harmony within themselves, they are happy.

Truly, I mention God several times in the blogpost in question. I believe that there is an Organizing Intelligence, a Cosmic Consciousness, behind, or all through, the Universe. But I am not alone in that thought. Even the great Buckminster Fuller said, “I know there is a God.”

Now, you might think that because I was a religionist during my full time career as a clergy, that I am still a religionist. Nothing could further from the truth. I believe, with those in the quantum physics who do, that there is a Cosmic Consciousness that Is the Universe. I do feel that everyone is propelled or energized, but not driven, by the Engine some name God. I do not believe in an entity that looks suspiciously like a human being with a long white beard who sits in the cosmos someplace and directs the traffic of the Universe. I do not believe that we are separate from this Source. I believe we all are part of It and It is part of all of us. And yes, I have stepped outside the dogma of 2,000 years and seen for myself. I believe that everyone is capable of making up their own mind. Yes, I believe that God is found within every individual human. And The Source can be contacted through quiet time, prayer, meditation, deep concentration or a combination of these and others as well.

It is when this connection, or contact, is made, that we humans find the thrumming harmony of the Universe – happiness in other words. Not through dogma but through devotion to being in conscious awareness of The Source. There is where we find the inner self. The inner self is totally free to determine how it will respond to The Source. The problem si that most people do not know that The Source can be freely and safely contacted. By “safely” I mean no demands or punishments will be visited upon one who wishes to be in connection.

I do encourage you, dear reader, to look up Curtis’s blog and book and see if what he has to say fits you. (I get no money for this suggestion.) http://curtischappell.com/blog I believe Curtis is right when he says that the search for meaning is the search for the inner self. But I believe the inner self is connected to The Source. And when that connection is consciously made, happiness is to be found.

There is one error that I feel needs correcting in Curtis’s comment. Sorry. The term “Know Thyself,” is much older than the Gnostics. If by Gnostics you mean those who flourished soon after Jesus of Nazareth and claimed to have special knowledge of God. This knowledge given only to those fully initiated into the following. “Know Thyself” was inscribed on the Temple of Apollo at Delphi long before the Nazarene was with us.

I say to Curtis, returning the compliment, “Write on.”

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