The Purpose of Human Lif

The Role and Purpose of Human Life

Religions of the World

University of Phoenix

Professor Stewart

Ann Fields

03/24/2013

A man and a woman join together to create life, this is conception. The term of full conception is nine and a half months after which a baby is born (birth). The baby grows into a toddler, teenager, and then an adult. The human race, in particular, is one race whose lifecycle does not have an exact expectancy. Some leave this life shortly after conception and others live to be over one hundred years of age. Is the purpose of one's life less important the shorter one lives? Does death come because they have fulfilled their purpose?

Religions have different views on the roles and purpose of human life. Eastern religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, and Daoism do not believe in a "God," per se, therefore, the role of humans and their purpose in life is not based on what God says. Western religions such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are based around God and gaining entrance to Heaven. As such, these three western religions differ from eastern religions in that God plays the main role in their lives.

For example, Buddhist believe that there is no direct role of human. Their purpose in life stems from the four truths. One suffers (Dukha) in order to understand and realize that life is not meant to be forever and everything within this world is constantly changing. One must give up all desires to gain happiness. "Trying to arrange, control and manipulate conditions so as to always get what we want, always hear what we want to hear, always see what we want to see, so that we never have to experience unhappiness or despair, is a hopeless task" (Fisher, p. 136, 2005). One must realize the truth; what is born eventually dies and what rises must also fall, therefore, one must not view themselves as a separate identity. Once man realizes that Earthly desires are temporary, then suffering will go...