What Is Your Life's Purpose? Why Are You Here?

[Truthseeker]

The answer to this question was obvious when I was a Christian: Love Christ with all my heart and lean on his understanding.  All the while proselytizing in his name.  And I did this with unfettered passion.  But when I jettisoned my Christian belief I found myself soul searching for a meaning.  After some time, I decided my purpose can be wrapped up in a pithy maxim: learn to give and recieve love.  Never try to draw attention to myself.  Don altruism at every turn sans falling into the trap of being a people pleaser.  By no means am I an advanced master.  I fall short again and again.  But it is my constant aim. 

Your thoughts?         

[Crow]

I don't really have an aim or want one. I just live life as I flow with it taking whatever course feels most natural for me.

[Guardian85]

My life's goal is to enjoy it while it lasts.

[Scissorlegs]

Nihilism :
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nihilism
There ain't nuthin.... but I'm cool with that.

However, this doesn't mean you can't give meaning to your own life. I personally dedicate mine to the happiness of myself, my wife, my children and making sure my aggregate journey to oblivion is as non-shitty as possible.
I have no pretence to altruism, no delusions of worth outside of my own sphere of influence, no grand aspirations for this soon-to-be-dead planet. Yet I am significant because I exist to comprehend the universe in all its arbitrary beauty.

"My philosophy, in essence, is the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute."  - Ayn Rand.

Well, you did ask....!

[Melmoth]

I propose omnicide as an all-round two-thumbs-up good idea. For the following reasons:

No more suffering, one.
Two, it'll be a more cheerful way to go extinct than tapering out slowly due to changes in our environment, which is bound to happen eventually.
And three, even if a small minority of people haven't understood all the benefits, they're not going to mind once they're dead.

[Stevil]

I think it must be scary for some people to leave religion.
Religion provides them with guidance of purpose and morals.

As an atheist, you are own your own to work out for yourself, how to behave, how to live your life. There is no longer a safety net, no longer a "parent" figure to guide you. I can see how this can be scary. Some people need and take comfort in rules.

I guess the downside of being an atheist is that a person can become lost, they can struggle with the meaning of their life. If you need meaning then introspectively analise yourself, think about what is important to you, what you enjoy, think about what you want to achieve. I would certainly recommend revisiting your meaning/purpose each year because as we grow up, these things tend to change, early on we are more interested in ourselves, at later stages more interested in our loved ones and beyond that our society becomes more important.

[Too Few Lions]

like G85 and Crow I just try and enjoy life while it lasts, try not to hurt anyone too bad and not take it all too seriously. The philosophy I come closest to would be epicurianism. I'm here because my parents wanted children, and a purpose isn't anything I feel any need for (thankfully).

[Ali]

I just try to leave things better than I found them.  Doesn't always work, but it's interesting and fun to try.

[Melmoth]

early on we are more interested in ourselves, at later stages more interested in our loved ones and beyond that our society becomes more important.

Seconded. We get more socially reclusive as we get older. Unhindered by constant, baffling interaction with other individuals, we're able to crystallise our abstract ideas about humanity into irrefutable, concrete facts. So "society" ceases to be an imaginary idea, non-existent but functional in language because of it's simplicity - it becomes something much more literal.

I go back and forth on that depending on my warped circadian rhythm. I care about society a lot more when I'm nocturnal; close friends and myself when I'm out and about in the day.

[Amicale]

I just try to leave things better than I found them.  Doesn't always work, but it's interesting and fun to try.

Basically, this. My goal (even if I don't always succeed at it) is to leave things and as many people as possible better off than before. Basically, just trying to best to care about others, support them however I can, do the best I can every day. I know I make tons of mistakes, but when all's said and done at the end of my life, my goal is to have helped way more than I hurt. At least the good news is, because I admit as a human I mess up plenty in my life, at least I learn how to think better, love better, and help better every single day.

[statichaos]

I just try to leave things better than I found them.  Doesn't always work, but it's interesting and fun to try.

Yeah, pretty much this.  Information regarding any higher purpose...I can sense it, I feel it, but I haven't the foggiest idea what it might be.

[Asmodean]

Biological perspective aside, I don't think "Why are we here?" is even a valid question. As for the point of living... Well, for me, it's whatever I'm currently doing and it is updated in real time.

[Ali]

Biological perspective aside, I don't think "Why are we here?" is even a valid question. As for the point of living... Well, for me, it's whatever I'm currently doing and it is updated in real time.

That's very carpe diem of you. 

[Asmodean]

Not really. Just means that I do not define a meaning to my life beyond current activity.

[Truthseeker]

Biological perspective aside, I don't think "Why are we here?" is even a valid question. As for the point of living... Well, for me, it's whatever I'm currently doing and it is updated in real time.

I understand your perspective Asmo. And, to be sure, I sincerely appreciate it.  But where "Why are you here" may not be a valid question for you (and that may be what you meant to specify) may very well be valid for others.  Personally, as stated in my first post, I do have a purpose and a specific reason for being here.  Not that I think some celestial being implanted it in me.  This is a self imposed purpose or reason for being.  So I do not understand why it would be considered invalid.  The fact that I derived the purpose makes it valid for me.  Does it not?

Now lets drink.  Cheers!