Good, clear explanation. Thanks, OMJ. So what you are saying is...while there is cause and effect, there is no initiating purpose. And correct me if I misinterpreted.

I'm with Chris in that I'd like to know why you have come to the conclusion that there is no purpose. It is fine to say there is no purpose, but it begs to be known why you believe this as opposed to there being a purpose?

I used to think there was no purpose and I was rather depressed. The reason I thought there was no purpose started when I could no longer condone the religion of my upbringing. And because that religion had drilled it into my head that it was the only true religion, my quasi-logic determined that nothing could be true about God, etc., since this was not. My conclusion was probably intensified because I felt that I'd been fooled and I was angry.

Many years later (ummm probably about 20 years) I guess my mind kinda relaxed and one day I just had to know...Is there a purpose? Because it actually made me even angrier to think that I spend every day trying to learn more, become a better person and grow, so what, so I can just die at any time and then it is all gone, poof! It just didn't make any sense to me. I had read and heard of people that had "asked" (prayer, thought-letter, whatever you want to call it) if there is anyone there, a creator, a purpose, etc. And I decided that this would be one way that I might find out... So I tried it and I have been receiving answers ever since.

Once I came to the realization that there is a purpose, it cheered me up immensely and I walked around wanting to hug every person I saw. Suddenly I saw the beauty and intention in every single person and thing, down to the smallest identifiable particle. The beauty and majesty of even just our earth, let alone the universe, is the most amazing work of art. I don't want to wax on all sappy-like as everyone rolls their eyes so I won't. But once you put your little roller coaster car on the track of "purpose" it takes off like a rocket. Everything starts to make sense (at least that's how it happened for me). And it is really very happy.