Rick Warren: Living a life of purpose
BackPastor, philanthropist and author Rick Warren reflects on how the success of his book The Purpose-Driven Life triggered his own crisis of purpose. What should he do with this unanticipated wealth and attention? Warren uses his own story to explain the central tenet of his teaching: that the antidote to spiritual emptiness is recognizing what we have been given -- wealth, creativity, talent -- and using those gifts to make the world a better place.
Channel: Education
Uploaded: April 15, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Author: TEDtalksDirector
Length: 00:21:48
Rating: 3.36
Views: 22021
Tags: Rick Warren ted tedtalks Christianity religion culture happiness philanthropy leadership
Video Comments:
cali1989dude (November 12, 2008 at 5:42 am)
god i can't stand rick warren
xtrashed (November 14, 2008 at 4:52 pm)
Then why did you purposely search for videos from Rick Warren?
hymnofashes (November 7, 2008 at 2:02 pm)
There's a simpler explanation for why I sound smart.
Where did God come from, then? The beginning of the universe is a confusing 'time' for all of us, when our language doesn't even really describe anything. (It's all math at that point.) I can't explain it. Be careful though. If you define your God as 'the thing that explains whatever we don't understand,' then the more I learn, the smaller he'll get. That's been happening for years, and if it were speeded up it'd just look hilarious.
Where did God come from, then? The beginning of the universe is a confusing 'time' for all of us, when our language doesn't even really describe anything. (It's all math at that point.) I can't explain it. Be careful though. If you define your God as 'the thing that explains whatever we don't understand,' then the more I learn, the smaller he'll get. That's been happening for years, and if it were speeded up it'd just look hilarious.
Tomar17 (November 8, 2008 at 12:08 am)
Atheists have 2 interesting consequences of their belief that even if they deny, they know are true.
- Morality becomes entirely maleable and meaningless without an absolute moral frame
- Life no longer has purpose, it is just a circular existence where we exist to make others exist so they make others ...
The issue of pondering such existential questions as the first cause, is that we tend to rely solely on finite logic, when even our logic tells us that it is incapable of comprehending this.
- Morality becomes entirely maleable and meaningless without an absolute moral frame
- Life no longer has purpose, it is just a circular existence where we exist to make others exist so they make others ...
The issue of pondering such existential questions as the first cause, is that we tend to rely solely on finite logic, when even our logic tells us that it is incapable of comprehending this.
whatupessay (November 9, 2008 at 12:44 pm)
so true
ChaosAndAnarchy (November 15, 2008 at 8:34 pm)
Beautifully put.
hymnofashes (November 7, 2008 at 1:56 pm)
You're asking me to account for morality in terms of morality. Explanations are only meaningful when they relate two different categories. You can't derive physics from physics, for example. I can tell you the origins of morality, I can define it for you, and I can even explain how and why it changes and why it's worth elevating above other motivations. But I can't do that in terms of morality. Why should there be a should? It's a tautology. We can discuss this in depth with PM if you want.
333pro333 (November 7, 2008 at 2:45 pm)
I think I'll PM you then. Then it's easier to write something longer than 500 characters...
333pro333 (November 7, 2008 at 5:45 am)
(cont...)
"you won't find the explanation satisfying because you require an absolute standard."
This statement refutes your next:
"Even if an absolute, timeless standard existed, Yahweh doesn't provide it. He is a sadistic murderer, and in any religion other than yours, you'd recognize that instantly."
That is just your opinion. Since you believe there is no absolute moral standard you have no basis to judge other's actions.
You are a walking contradiction...
"you won't find the explanation satisfying because you require an absolute standard."
This statement refutes your next:
"Even if an absolute, timeless standard existed, Yahweh doesn't provide it. He is a sadistic murderer, and in any religion other than yours, you'd recognize that instantly."
That is just your opinion. Since you believe there is no absolute moral standard you have no basis to judge other's actions.
You are a walking contradiction...
hymnofashes (November 7, 2008 at 1:51 pm)
Empathy is the experience of a fellow's emotional state as though it were yours. Good deeds are undertaken to protect family or collective happiness. Ethics, by contrast, is when we follow rules that are useful for all individuals but are not derived from human solidarity. There. You have a concise definition of the nature of morality which is, you will find, vastly more real than 'Do whatever the imaginary Hebrew butcher commands.'
(cont.)
(cont.)