
One of the greatest challenges in life is to know why we exist. For Christians, our existence has a clear purpose. The book of Job offers a clear picture of the war between good and evil, and Jesus Christ taught His followers that they would be active soldiers in that war. Ephesians 6:12 tells Christians, “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 3:10 tells us that championing this struggle is the Church’s purpose. As a Christian, I can tell you that I have a purpose in life, and that makes my life full of meaning.
So, how do atheists explain their purpose for existing? For the young college student who is at the top of their game, the answer may be to enjoy the “survival of the fittest.” What is the answer for those who are not the “fittest”?
Noelia Castillo was a 25-year-old woman who ended her life against the wishes of her family, the Catholic Church, and the Spanish government. She spent her teenage years in a state-run foster care facility. She was sexually assaulted multiple times, including a gang rape, after which she jumped from a 5th-floor window, leaving her a paraplegic. She ended her life under a Spanish law that was intended for the elderly. Intellectuals are now debating what purpose in life she could have had.
Philosophers and psychologists can argue all they want, but the fact is, as a Christian, Noelia COULD have had a great purpose in life. How many young women in Spain have been raped or gang raped, and need to know that they can recover from that horror by someone who has been there? What influence could she have had on the Catholic Church?
In America, the debate is centered on “death with dignity.” Unless we present a purpose for living in the debate, we will never reach a real consensus. Your author is 88 years old and has his share of pain. To end my life prematurely would destroy a time in my life when I can uniquely speak to younger people about why their lives can be full of meaning. The key is to use the tools God has given all humans to make this world a better place in which to live.
— John N. Clayton © 2026
Reference: The Week magazine, April 10, 2026, page 15.









