When I was a kid, I grew up as Catholic. My parents baptized me when i was little, however, never decided to take me to church. My father wanted me to explore catholism myself and gain my own understanding as I continued to grow and form new experiences. Back in Poland, he was forced to go to church and believe in something that was unfamiliar to him; my father never had the choice to explore for himself.
Looking back, I acknowledge his intenions. Although many of our family friends critiqued his actions (not letting me attend my first communion — where a baptized person receives the Eucharist - the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ — for the first time), I view his decision as a blessing and i wouldn’t be the person I am today. He taught me, first and foremost, to believe in myself; this is the wisdom i continue to carry with me.
""Zooming out and being an observer rather than a participant swept up by circumstance, I’ve uncovered meaning in the messy middle.”
- Naval Ravikant
Because of this, I carry an observational (neutral) standpoint on matters such as religion (christianity, islam, buddhism), death, purpose, and existence. This has truly been a blessing (and a curse) because I continue to ask questions and seek truth through all dimensions. I try to understand everyone’s intentions and carry an unbiased view; without judgement. This, has ultimately led me to deeply quetsion the essence: what is our purpose? What is the meaning of life?
These are the types of questions we ask our parents when we’re young, and normally we’d never get the answer we’re looking for. How come we stopped asking these questions? Are we too caught-up with our busy lives, ultimately leading us to stop asking the big questions? Is the fear of not knowing the unknown?
I believe that every human interprets their purpose differently; and to me, that’s the beautiful part. In life, we all carry an inventory of different, unique viewpoints. Some say that their purpose is to serve god, others may say their purpose is simply their children. From an observational view, I believe that as long as you find happiness within your life’s purpose, you win.
The Infinite Loop of “Why”
Questions on existence is a never-ending loop. For every answer, there’s a “why.” This is the dilemma I fall into. Existence can be interpreted by everyone differently, similar to purpose. However, I don’t think we’ll truly comprehend our existence, and why we were put on this Earth. Some may say it’s because of God, or some say that we’re living in a moment in time, and we just happen to be a part of it. But there’s a never-ending “why,” bringing us to an infinte regresss, continuously hiding the truth forever. There will never be an answer with 100% clarity, as thoughts on existence can always be argued. This is why the answer we continuously try so hard to find, is out of reach for humanity.
The universe will consistently reject the ultimate truth and meaning, as every answer to an existential quetsion will simply form another question.
However, I am always open to new perspectives and ideas. If believing in God brings you purpose and happiness, then how can this be seen as a bad thing? If happiness is the feeling that is highly sought after, we shall strive for it, and whatever path you take to get that destination — is up to you.
My best friend’s life changed when he turned to Christianity. He’s happier, joyful, confident — things that I’ve never seen in him previously. As long as he finds purpose and meaning within, I am fully suportive of him.
My thoughts and experiences with Christianity — soon.