lockek

I'm hoping you can point me in the right direction. The pastor at the church I attend is starting a series on "The Purpose Driven Life" based on a book by Rick Warren.

http://www.zondervanchurchsource.com...SBN=0310205719

During the lecture he quoted Bertrand Russell as saying,
"Unless you assume a god, the question of life’s purpose is
meaningless."

This doesn't seem to be one of Bertrand's more famous quotes
since I can't seem to find it anywhere except on other
Christian websites that are promoting the Purpose Driven
Series...and these sites only note that Bertrand Russell
(atheist) said it...kind of trying to point out that "Hey, if
an atheist can see there is no purpose without god, why can't
you fellow christians?".

I suspect that the quote is taken out of context but I can't
find what book or article the quote is taken from.

Could you give me the reference it is from and I will look it
up and read it in context.

Thanks
K. Locke

sandlewood

I don’t have a reference; but I’d like to see it also.

I can speculate on what he probably meant. He may have been saying that the definition of the word “purpose” already implies that there is a conscious being that intended something. To say that something has a purpose implies that there is a conscious being. If there existed a chair, but there never existed any humans or anyone that created the chair, then can the chair be said to have a purpose?

I think I’m starting to develop a pet peeve about people who misquote other people like that. It should be obvious to anyone who knows the slightest bit about Bertrand Russell that he certainly wouldn’t proclaim that Christianity is right or makes sense. So by making such a quote, all he accomplishes in showing those people is that he intends to deceive. And to people who are not familiar with Bertrand Russell at all, why should they be swayed by a quote from someone who they don’t even know who he is? The same thing happens with Thomas Jefferson.

ex-xian

Yeah, I agree. Either russel didn't say it, or it's taken way out of context. Like darwin's evolution of the eye comment.

It's up to the person using the quote to provide a reference, or else it's a misuse. Of course, to the mindless sheep, it wouldn't matter.

Undercurrent

The "meaningless" is being applied to "question of life's purpose", rather than "life's purpose" IMO. All Russel says in that quote is that if there is no god, it makes no sense to ask what he wanted out of human life.

babelfish

That's exactly how I read the quote. Russell doesn't appear to be saying "life is meaningless," just that "the question of life's purpose" is meaningless.

However, I can see how a Christian could use this quote to show his fellow Christians that even a famous atheist admits that without God life is meaningless.



Oh, brother!

luvluv

Distinction sans difference?

johngalt

it sounds like the pastor took it way out of context. You are probably the only person who caught on to it.

Zadok001

luvluv:

The distinction is clear. Russell is saying that the QUESTION is without meaning - Not that there is no purpose to life, simply that asking what it is is a meaningless gesture.

JGL53

Question: What is the meaning or purpose of life or existence?

Answer: 42


Meaningless questions require only meaningless answers.

Wyrdsmyth

I think I remember something about that... Maybe, with Russell debating a vicar on a British broadcast, perhaps hosted by Brian Magee? Does that ring a bell for anyone? I'll have to look that up. But I think the others here have it right. Russell often addressed the meaning the propositions themselves, in his analytical fashion, which was commonly misunderstood or misrepresented later on.