Sermon Tone Analysis

Can life have any meaning in a naturalistic universe?

Physicist Steven Weinberg doesn’t think so.

He writes:

“The more comprehensible the universe becomes, the more it also seems pointless.”

Similarly, Richard Dawkins says:

In a universe of electrons and selfish genes, blind physical forces and genetic replication, some people are going to get hurt, other people are going to get lucky, and you won't find any rhyme or reason in it, nor any justice.

The universe that we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but pitiless indifference.

- Richard Dawkins

But if the universe is random and meaningless, and pointless, then how can our lives have any meaning at all?

The French philosopher Albert Camus believed that there was really only one serious philosophical question:

“Should, or should I not commit suicide?”

The great Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy was haunted by this question, which nearly led to his suicide.

Recounting his experience, he wrote:

“My question—that which at the age of fifty brought me to the verge of suicide—was the simplest of questions, lying in the soul of every man from the foolish child to the wisest elder: it was a question without an answer to which one cannot live, as I had found by experience.

It was: . . .

"Is there any meaning in my life that the inevitable death awaiting me does not destroy?" - Leo Tolstoy

None of us know how long our lives will be, but we know it has a bad ending, and if the end is truly the end, this harsh truth overshadows whatever joy or meaning we might find.

Still, many believe that even though life has no higher meaning, we’re able to construct meaning for ourselves.

For example, Stephen Jay Gould wrote:

“We are here because one odd group of fishes had a peculiar fin anatomy that could transform into legs for terrestrial creatures; because comets struck the earth and wiped out dinosaurs, thereby giving mammals a chance not otherwise available . . .

We may yearn for a “higher” answer—but none exists.

This explanation, though superficially troubling, if not terrifying, is ultimately liberating and exhilarating.

We cannot read the meaning of life passively in the facts of nature.

We must construct these answers for ourselves.”

- Stephen Jay Gould

Gould’s point is that even though life has no meaning, we are free to give it whatever meaning we please.

But how can we derive meaning from the meaningless?

If nature has no inherent meaning,

yet we say our choices have meaning,

then we are really saying that one part of nature actually does have inherent meaning: our choices.

But if our universe has no meaning, then neither do our choices, since we are just another part of the universe.

The truth is, in a naturalistic universe, life can have no meaning that overcomes the deafening finality of the grave.

Still, atheists tend to believe that life is worth living and that we can find real meaning in our lives without God.

Outside of religion, Americans tend to believe that the meaning of life is to find happiness,

whether through career, love, family, money, possessions, or social standing.

Back to atheist scientist Richard Dawkins,

He writes, “My way includes a good dose of science, the honest and systematic endeavour to find out the truth about the real world.”

And in response to all of this, we have Qoheleth from the book of Ecclesiastes who says:

“YEAH… RIGHT!”

“GIVE ME A BREAK”

I’ve tried science,

I’ve tried pleasure

I’ve tried it all!

And at the end of it aways misery and dissatisfaction.

Because at the end of every road, lies DEATH's cruel embrace, which destroys whatever joy we might find.

Now, unlike Richard Dawkins, Qoheleth isn’t an atheist.

Still, when he looks at the world around him, he can’t make any sense of it.

Sometimes the good do die young, and the wicked prosper!

And so like Job, Qoheleth beings to wonder what God is doing.

That’s exactly what Job wondered.

Job was a righteous man - for a sinner.

But He obeyed God and what did he get in response?

MISERY!

SUFFERING!

LOSS

Which caused Him to wonder if there was something wrong with God’s justice system.

Now, Qoheleth is similar to Job here, but a little different,

For Qoheleth concludes: “This is just the way it is - so get over it and enjoy whatever pleasures you can find while you still can.”

Which is NOT a good conclusion - though it is a reasonable one.

Which is exactly why Qoheleth is so frustrated, as we see in Ecclesiastes 11.

Qoheleth is saying that life is ridiculously random!

It’s a dice roll,

Which means nothing is guaranteed.

And so like Job, you’re just going to end up frustrated and dismayed at what you see God doing in the world.

because NONE OF IT makes a lick of sense!

And yet, many people respond to the sad state of life with a can-do, glass-is-half-full attitude.

For example, the song, “That’s Life” - Frank Sinatra sings:

[Verse 1]

That's life (That's life), that's what all the people say

You're riding high in April, shot down in May

But I know I'm gonna change that tune

When I'm back on top, back on top in June

[Verse 2]

I said, that's life (That's life), and as funny as it may seem

Some people get their kicks stompin' on a dream

But I don't let it, let it get me down

'Cause this fine old world, it keeps spinning around

[Verse 3]

That's life (That's life), I tell ya, I can't deny it

I thought of quitting, baby

But my heart just ain't gonna buy it

And if I didn't think it was worth one single try

I'd jump right on a big bird and then I'd fly

[Chorus]

I've been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate, a poet, a pawn and a king

I've been up and down and over and out, and I know one thing

Each time I find myself laying flat on my face

I just pick myself up and get back in the race

Now don’t you just feel totally motivated after that?

Qoheleth says: “ARE YOU KIDDING ME? - YEAH RIGHT!”

In fact, that kind of attitude towards life is INSANE!

Because not only is life full of more downs than ups,

But we all have been given a death sentence that we cannot avoid!

Forest Gump said: “Momma always said, life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.”

And in response, Qoheleth says: ‘TRUE!

Life is totally random!

“However, there is one thing we all get, which is death, bitter cold death!”

“And it destroys whatever joys you might find.”

In Cormac McCarthy’s The Sunset Limited, an atheist professor named Black (played by Tommy Lee Jones) attempts to kill himself by stepping in front of a subway train, but is stopped by a Christian ex-con named White (played by Samuel Jackson).

Afterwards, White takes Black back to his run-down apartment and tries to convince him that suicide is not the answer to his problems.