The Meaning of Life with Dr. Bob

Regarding the meaning of life and happiness, C. S. Lewis said, “God can’t give us happiness and peace apart from himself because it is not there. There is no such thing.”

First, I think, we need to unpack the word “God.” Some of you reading this post will have no baggage to be carried around about the word “god.” However, others of you may have tremendous bags, loaded with all kinds of meaning: good, bad, indifferent.

Let me develop a singular definition of God for this post, so we are all on the same page at least for this post. God for me is the Cosmic, Universal Consciousness that is the Universe we live in. God is neither male nor female, does not make judgements, loves us all equally, supports and sustains life through unconditionally love. God’s main reason for bringing us into existence is that we might experience on God’s behave. God knows Itself through our experiences. For short, I’ll call God in this post, the Cosmic Consciousness.

Then, I can say that I believe that God can’t have us find happiness unless It, God, is involved. This doesn’t mean that the Cosmic Consciousness imposes Its will upon us. Rather, it means that the invitation to happiness is always open as we find our connection, our bond, with the Cosmic Consciousness. As C. S. Lewis put it, there is no such thing as happiness apart from the Cosmic Consciousness.

Why? Because the Universe is One harmonious entity. Happiness, after all, might be defined as being in complete harmony with oneself. Peace might be defined in precisely the same way – complete harmony within oneself. Complete Harmony is achieved when you resonate with the Cosmic Consciousness. Indeed, quantum physics shows us that all is vibration, literally. Some vibrations are at such a rate that we can see them. But we know there are other vibrations which we cannot see: infrared, x-ray, gamma ray, etc. Even the Earth, the planet upon which we live, have its own unique vibrational identity. To resonate with these frequencies is to set up or generate sympathetic vibes. To be in tune.

When God is defined as unconditional love, then when we would find unconditional love, know unconditional love, we will set ourselves to vibrating at the same frequencies as the Cosmic Consciousness. In other words, happiness is impossible without bond between the Cosmic Consciousness and yourself. This is not to arbitrary; this is not a demand with an “or else” attached to it. This is an invitation to join the on-going, everlasting party!

You can’t be happy unless you include the Cosmic Consciousness. You will be happy, now and always, when your voluntary bond with the Cosmic Consciousness is secured and steadfast from you side. The meaning of life which is to be happy, consists fully of sympathetic vibration with the Cosmic Consciousness.

And I invite you to pick up more info about the Cosmic Consciousness.” Sign up for Free Instant Access to some of my Force-Source-Resources. One of which is titled, “Two Free Life Phrases for Self Development ‘I Am My True Self’ and ‘I am Conscious’.” Remember, one bit of information can give you a superior point of activation. Just click here and you’ll be on your way. These resources will change your life.

I often monitor the word “deserve” on my Twitter stream. When watching I never see people say they deserve good things from God. They always emphasize that we deserve negative things from God. Or they say that only because of God’s mercy are we not in more misery than we are.

Where are such pictures of God obtained? Oh, yes, I know. I lived through them; almost forgot. (Sarcasm) Parents and churches, mostly, teach that is only because of God’s mercy that we are not more miserable than we are. They say, “If God weren’t so merciful, a reign of terror would befall you because you are so bad.”

I am here today to refute what I see as nonsense. Someone or a group of people have set this figure in the sky as an exacting master who keeps a tally of every good and bad thing we do. Then metes out punishment in cruel ways when we stray too far to the bad side of the ledger. So “I get what I deserve.” Such were the words of my step-mother, almost exactly. She was raised by a group of persons, called a church, that said that God was vengeful, just waiting to punish people for their sins. Keeping a keen eye open for opportunities to make life hell for people here on earth.

Then, if that were not enough, God made a special place for longtime, or big, sinners. It was called Hell, where people would literally burn in eternal penalty, and terrible the pain of it.

What utter nonsense.

The God I know, The Source of All That Is, has no need of a hell. For God as I know It is loving. Indeed, God is Love. Love does not punish in a way such as some think “we deserve it.”

True Love accepts all, forgives all. Moves on.

Yes, I believe there is such a thing as evil. I also believe that there is karma. The evil that we do comes back upon us in this life or in another reincarnation. But that is the nature of things. Karma is like 2 + 2 = 5. When we do good it comes back upon us as well, in this life or some other reincarnation. This is not retribution or vengeance; it is just the way things are constructed. If I put my hand on a hot burner, I will surely get burned. When I caress the cheek of an infant in affection or admiration, I am honored for that deed in this life or in another reincarnation.

I think it obvious that if you believe God cruel and vengeful, you’ll always be looking over your shoulder to see what is coming for you. What you have done lately that you will think deserves more misery to be placed in your life? Do you hear the hoof beats of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse bearing down upon you?

Whereas, when you know that God loves you just as you are, with all that you have done or left undone, you’ll be looking forward (not over your shoulder) to an ever brighter day spiritually. When you accept that God accepts you just as you are, the possibilities for growth are endless. What you deserve then is only the best. Not in some arrogant and grasping way, but in the way of love within you. Love for yourself and all who inhabit this planet with us. Set free, you are.

So, you need to understand from this day forward that The Source of All That Is loves you, Accepts you. Promotes your well-being. Wishes you experience only the best.

Today, cast off those thoughts of the horsemen riding you down. Live as if God loves you. For God does love you. If you had every confidence that you could always work in your own best interests, what good would you do today? Do it.

And I invite you to pick up more info about deservedness in your life. I ask to you sign up for Free Instant Access to some of my Force-Source-Resources. One of which is titled, “All the Best – You Deserve It.” Remember, one bit of information can give you a superior point of activation. Just click here and you’ll be on your way.  (Or, if it appears there, please sign up now in the upper right hand corner.) These resources will change your life.

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.”

And to gain more insight into, I invite you to claim your Instant Free Access to the Force-Source-Resources. Remember, one bit of information can give you a lifetime of satisfaction. These resources will change your life. Please sign up now in the upper right hand corner.