Some (awkward?) questions that should be asked, but rarely are

Given the radically different beliefs that people have about how life came to be and what happens at death, it would be expected that there are also different views about what the life we are presently living is about and what, if anything, it is for.

For those whose lives have little influence upon others, it is reasonable that they may choose to keep their beliefs private but for those whose lives do have power and influence, it is equally reasonable that their beliefs on these things should be on the public record. We should know their beliefs as they are likely to affect what they want to do and where they want to take things.

Those who identify as being an adherent to a particular religion would presumably cite the particular scriptures associated with that religion – Bible for Christians, Koran for Muslims, Bhagavad Gita, amongst many other texts, for Hindus, the writings of L. Ron Hubbard for Scientologists, etc. – as providing the basis for their beliefs.

How might Muslims answer the questions, what is life about? what is it for? – life is about submission to Allah and all that that entails? And Christians? – life is about loving God and loving one's neighbour as oneself? Buddhists? – life is about freeing oneself from all attachments and thus attaining enlightenment?

Hindus, Jews, Mormons, Scientologists, animists and numerous other groups also have their own particular understanding of what life is about and what, if anything, it is for, based on their worldview/ religious texts. All of the above belief systems vary considerably from each other, often with mutually contradictory understandings of things.

Atheists, in rejecting all supernatural beliefs, hold to a naturalistic explanation for the origin of everything and that with death there is complete annihilation of the individual. As far as what life is about or what it is for, life ultimately is not about or for anything: no divine entity caused life to come into existence, there is no objective goal in life for which anyone need aim, and following death there is no accounting for one's life, just non-existence.

Of course atheists can, and do, create personal subjective meanings and goals for their lives, but there is nothing that applies to, or needs to be required from, everyone or anyone, including themselves.

So what might those in power, or seeking to be in power, say if they were pressed for answers to: What is life about? What, if anything, is life for? On what do you base your answers?

Probably some (many?) would simply say that they have no idea. That may be the truth too - perhaps because they have never really thought about these things much, or perhaps because they think that it is not possible to know the answers. It would surely be quite a disturbing thing though if they could honestly say that they have not really thought through what they believe life is about or for. Would we want such people in positions of power and influence?

If on the other hand they say that they don't know the answers because, for whatever reasons, they believe it is not possible to know them, that is hardly any more assuring. If they are in power, what sort of credibility can they have or what sort of leading can they be doing if they believe we can have no idea what, if anything, we should be doing and where, if anywhere, we should be heading?

If they answer that their views about life and what it is for are based upon some religious belief or ideology, let's hear what that belief system is. How credible and coherent are those beliefs? It is easy for someone to give some motherhood statements like, my religious beliefs tell me that life is about caring for and helping all people, but is that really the core teaching of their professed religion? Do they stand by the whole of that religion's teaching or just the parts that suit them?

If they say that on the basis of their own reasoned thought that they adhere to atheism, would they acknowledge that life is not actually about, or for, anything? Would they say that any goals they personally have in life are just those which happen to suit them and which ultimately have no meaning or significance? Would they agree that, if atheism is correct, anyone else's goals, no matter how diametrically opposed to their own they are, are just as "valid" or "invalid" as their own?