A friend of mine attending a Bible college recently had to do a worldview survey for class. As such, she posted 17 deep philosophical questions about our worldview for us to answer. Interestingly, I found that some of my responses were unique, because they didn’t fit into the stereotypical answers, for either the Christians or non-Christians who took the test. I thought I would share them here, and perhaps inspire some of the readers to take the test themselves!:
1) How did human beings originate?
Perhaps the first question should rather be how did anything originate. I would say it was an overflowing of the divine potential that manifested itself in countless forms and features with patterns that had the further potential to give rise to conscious beings who could enter into relationship with God, each other, creation, and the interconnected web of the worlds, “all that is seen and unseen.”
2) Is there any reason (purpose) that you can see for human existence?
We are here to be part of a story, I believe, an epic story which unfolds from the center and is always evolving and expanding. And the heart-beat of the story is Love, and the greatest hope and joy is to be drawn more deeply into that, in this life and the next. “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” (1 John 4:16)
3) What happens to a person after he dies?
Death distills our spiritual essence, and moves on to an expanded state of consciousness. Depending upon the positive or negative shape of our spiritual life, will either be drawn closer into the center of Love or pulled further away from it, due to our own dispositions towards it. We will either yearn for Love when we see it, or be repulsed by it, and turn away from it on an eternal level. It is my fervent belief, however, that no one goes or stays in any state which does not truly fit them, in the sense of a key fitting a lock. Also, anyone who has any potential for redemption will surely have that opportunity. It is for them to make the decision to be transformed. That is essentially the Catholic concept of Purgatory.
4) What features (if any) distinguish humans from animals?
A higher level of consciousness that enables reason, free will, and fuller emotional and creative expression. As such, we are said to be made in the image and likeness of the divine and are capable of knowingly seeking out communion with the divine, choosing between right and wrong, forming unique bonds of love and loyalty with each other, and tapping into the mysteries of the universe.
5) At birth, human beings are… [ ] Selfish [ ] Innocent [ ] A blank slate [ ] Other
Human beings are born personally innocent, but with a capacity for sin and evil. They bear responsibility as a part of their nature and our cosmically united with the heritage of the human race, for better and for worse. In this, there is a balance between Original Blessing and Original Sin in all of us coming into the world. From a Catholic viewpoint, Baptism by water, blood, or desire (or in fact all three) is the means of being reborn into the life of sacramental grace as a son or daughter of the Church, uniting our natures to that of Christ as members of His Mystical Body.
6) Name two things that you consider to be evil.
The casual dehumanization of others, especially the most vulnerable groups and sectors of society, and a hardened cynicism towards goodness, truth, and beauty, especially that which sees nothing to be sought after or embraced but materialism and egocentricity.
7) How did you decide that the two evils you named are in fact, evil?
As learned through both the wisdom of the ages and personal experiential knowledge, they both undermine something fundamental about the nature and calling of humanity and the very groundwork of the sacred.
8) How did evil come in to existence?
Natural evil is a side-effect of living in a physical universe with laws of nature that run in cycles and have “hard edges” but still enable any life to exist and flourish at all. Moral Evil is a perversion of the Good, but more like a shadow than a thing in and of itself. It came into existence when the first rational beings chose to turn aside from their inherent consciences and the natural law written on their hearts, preferring to be their own “gods”, thus darkening their intellect and will.
9) What gives human beings the ability to “reason” (think logically)?
Human beings are made of both physical and spiritual dimensions which are deeply enmeshed on this plane of existence. Physically, the faculty that enables thought processes to correspond to our physical universe and our bodily functions is the brain. But on a deeper, spiritual, and ultimately essential level, our consciousness and identity as persons rather than machines comes from the soul which exercises itself freely. Although an imperfect analogy, it is a bit like electricity running through sophisticated wiring to run electrical devices.
10) Where do morals/values/ethics/standards come from?
Both interiorly, via the natural law written on our hearts as human beings with higher consciences, and exteriorly, reinforced by philosophy, religion, and the arts. That having been said, some “values” of society are not truly moral at all, and never have been, especially those practices that cause harm to other persons and creation as a whole. I believe our understanding of morality tends to progress among human beings with time, i.e. on issues such as civil rights. However, in other ways, it goes into decline. Each generation has its virtues and vices, and sometimes they switch out, one old one out for a new one in.
11) Is there any truth that is absolute? If yes, give two
Yes, there is absolute Truth, although there is also relative truth. The only one in full possession of absolute Truth is God, the essence of Truth itself. We seek to know this Truth as best we can through our finite human capabilities. That is why mystics have such a hard time explaining their experiences. It is beyond explanation. We are aided in the quest, however, by natural law, divine revelation, and, quite simply, the experience of giving and receiving Love, which I believe is the ultimate essential face of the soul and well-spring of Truth. As a Christian, I also believe that Jesus Christ embodies “The Way, the Truth, and the Life”, particularly through His Passion, Death, and Resurrection.
12) Is there anything that is real besides what we can see, hear, taste, touch, or smell? If there is, how do you know it is real?
Yes. It would be rather small-minded to think otherwise, really. Our senses are gifts, but not the be-all and end-all of determining reality, especially wider reality. I believe in the numinous realities that touch us in those “thin places” of our lives, which bring heaven and earth into closer contact and holistic unity. Throughout history, mystics from across all cultures and walks of life have experienced this Truth deeper than mortal ken and miracles have unfolded that continue to let us see a glimpse of things beyond the natural patterns of our world.
13) If you believe in a god, which view best describes your god.
a) Creator of the universe, but no longer involved in it.
b) Creator of the universe and still active in the affairs of humans.
c) Not the creator, but the essence of all that exists.
d) If none of the above, give a brief description of the god you believe in.
I believe the essence of the divine beyond any human description, and yet in our attempts, various allegories and allusions are used to reveal certain qualities. I believe God is both the source of all that exists, and that which is essential to it, which keeps all things functioning and unfolding and growing to ever higher potentials. In essence, God is the great story-weaver, and we drawn into that mystery through everything we encounter. God may be seen as a Father/Mother of the Cosmos, a Lover of the Soul, and the Ground of all Being and Non-Being, and the very sap, blood, and wine that runs through all things, most poignantly in the human soul. As a Christian, I also believe that God became Man in Jesus Christ to penetrate the farthest and darkest corners of the human experience, even unto death, to bring us into an ever deeper union of grace with the divine.
14) What shaped your beliefs or understanding/ideas about these things?
My Catholic faith, mystical writings from across the cultural spectrum (including Carmelite, Celtic, Sufi, Kabbalistic, and Eastern Orthodox), interior experience and sense of encounter with the divine (both in an emotionally moving way and in the doubt-ridden dryness of “dark night of the soul” experiences)
15) What would be the chief purpose of man (individually / community).
We are each brought into being with both a unique and collective calling. There is some note in the great symphony of life each of us were born to play, while at the same time we are all fundamentally called to enter into the Divine Dance of Love. A Celtic way of explaining it might be through “Anam Cara”, that is “Soul Friendship”, which means making a holy peace and reconciliation with everyone and everything one encounters, including the divine, our neighbors, our enemies, creation, and ultimately, even our own deaths so that we might be “born into eternal life.” In essence, we are here to “walk each other home.”
16) Please place these in order of importance: Individual/Family/Local Community/Nationality/Religion/Animals/Nature
I think they’re all interconnected, really. Sometimes I feel like religion has too often been seen as standing outside of life as opposed to spirituality and the indwelling of the divine being an integral part of the whole, the thread tying everything together. From the perception of incarnational mysticism, I would consider the ripples of Christology to be innately a part of this, “through whom all things hold together.” Putting God above all else in one’s life simply means incorporating everything else in a way that is spiritually healthy, trickling down from the Source of Life, just like Baptismal waters.
17) If you were wrong in your views would you want to know?
At the end of the day, I believe the most important thing is connection as opposed to correctness. We will surely be wrong many times in our lives, and acknowledging that is a healthy rejection of pride. We are mere mortals, after all. I want to learn and grow and sincerely seek out the truth in all its forms, and I believe God will aid me in that. But a pure heart when seeking I believe is more vital to spiritual awakening than perfect answers being given.