Here is a quick analysis from the Agnostic viewpoint of the five purposes for life as presented by Rick Warren’s book The Purpose-Driven Life.
1 – We were planned for God’s pleasure, so your first purpose is to offer real worship.
A supreme being created us for his own pleasure so we were designed primarily to worship him? This is our first purpose? It sounds like an argument that slaves were brought into this world to work for their masters so they should bow down before these masters. Religion needs this sort of subservience and loyalty to keep their believers in line. Agnostics do not believe we are slaves to the universe or whatever may have caused its creation, so we feel no purpose for worshipping any aspect of existence.
2 – We were formed for God’s family, so your second purpose is to enjoy real fellowship.
Agnostics can derive purpose from fellowship with humanity and as a part of society. We were formed in our human families. We usually love our parents for bringing us into this world and we love our children that we create. It is not an absolute love because there are truly evil parents and children that do not deserve our love. We can definitely derive meaning and purpose for our lives from our families and society.
3 – We were created to become like Christ, so your third purpose is to learn real discipleship.
A disciple is one who embraces and assists in spreading the teaching of another and an active adherent of a movement or philosophy. I am a disciple of agnosticism. Obviously by having this website I am willing to spread what I believe to be true, which is that humans do not have the answer to the question of our existence. I only believe this is a purpose in my life because I want to share what I have found as an important truth with everyone else. However, it does not define my existence.
4 – We were shaped for serving God, so your fourth purpose is to practice real ministry.
5 – We were made for a mission, so your fifth purpose is to live out real evangelism.
Purpose Driven Life
Ministry is defined as the act of serving. Evangelism is zealous preaching and dissemination of the gospel. Once again Mr. Warren is focusing on servitude to my fellow human beings and defines our purpose as the service of others. The root of his view of our purpose is the preservation and spread of one particular religion.
Ask yourself if Christianity is more important than your own well-being and happiness? If you were to follow Mr. Warren’s purpose-driven life then you have to put God and that religion above anything else that you may want for your existence.
Of course I’d have to say I much prefer yesterday’s list that focuses on you and your place in the universe. Develop yourself as a human being, be a productive member of society, do not harm anyone and help when you can, take care of our surroundings, and enjoy life however you can without destroying our harming anyone or anything. At the core of your being, which list of purposes makes the most sense and feels the most real?
