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The Home of Evolutioneers

The Answers to the Most Important Questions of Life from a Scientific Perspective: Humanity's Greatest Shared Genesis Story

Introduction:

This page will help you answer the most important questions of life from an objective and scientific perspective. You will be able to answer questions like who am I, where did I come from, what is my highest purpose in life, where did the universe and life come from. The answers to these many questions lie within the genesis story that we have been told or believe.

"Discovering ever deeper and ever broader answers to the most important questions of life brings joy, rich personal meaning, passionate purpose, and a dynamic peacefulness that returns to you no matter what changes in your life. Understanding the Universe's genesis story and its evolutionary process of discovery is priceless for doing this." Member of the Evolution Spirituality movement

Why a New Genesis Story that is Common to All Humanity is Critically Needed

There are many implicit or implied genesis stories within the diverse cultures and religions of our world. Genesis stories are more than just stories about origins. They instill an early powerful behavior molding sense of personal origin, identity, values, purpose, and destiny. 

Most genesis stories indicate the individual's place, meaning, responsibilities, and role in this world. It also indicates what their or their culture's proper relationship to other individuals, cultures, and things should resemble. Most genesis stories imply a given natural truth and imply a destiny for the individual, the individual's culture, and the world/cosmos. They often describe a special role for the main cultural group central to the genesis story. This special group role usually conveys special privileges or responsibilities over and often to the disadvantage of other groups and things.

Implicit or implied genesis stories (in the sense of the broader definition of genesis story functions,) may be among the most powerful but subtle creators of worldviews, cultural self-image (as well as personal self-image,) values, perspectives o­n natural truth, and problem-solving behavior in the world. In our 21st century world, powerful past genesis stories from different groups and cultures, that previously had little contact, are coming into greater collision with o­ne another. This new occurrence is creating dangerous social and national conflicts and fragmentation.

Most genesis stories were created thousands of years ago when humankind was just beginning to function from the perspective level of the clan or tribe. It was a time when knowledge about the physical world and the Ultimate Reality in all its manifestations and purposes was perceived radically different than today. - Back to Top -

It is Now Time to Find a Great New Evolutionary and Integrative Genesis Story for all of Humanity

Now, as we are becoming a new type of global tribe, it is time for a shared great new genesis story to be written. o­ne that performs all of the critical functions of the old genesis stories but is also updated with all the information that humanity has acquired about the world and universe since the original genesis stories were created. This will facilitate humankind evolving, improving, and shifting its identity self-concepts, worldview, values, and perspectives o­n natural truth to new more reality-reflecting levels, which will, in turn, help us better manage our shared serious global challenges and future as well as live more meaningful personal and spiritual lives.

The evolution of this shared new genesis story for all of humanity is progressing in two major steps. The first step involves all of humanity being educated o­n our current best science o­n the evolution of the physical universe (now found in the new Universe Worldview,) and of life in ways that simultaneously also respect humanity’s personal meaning-making proclivities in relating the facts of science to deeper spiritual interpretations of their lives and world.

This first step in the creation of a new shared genesis story for all of humanity through the discovery of the current objective facts of science relating to the origins and nature of the universe and life could be thought of as nothing less than a new “mystical” and spiritual path and way to know, love, connect to and serve the wholeness of the evolving physical universe known as Ultimate Reality in both universal and fact rational balanced ways. In this first new genesis story-building step, o­ne should think of the tested facts of the scientific method as the new public “revelation’ of Ultimate Reality.

This first step will also eventually inspire the great religions of the world to naturally evolve their own private genesis stories, myths and metaphors through new interpretations and meaning-making to genesis stories more in alignment with the current universal facts of science. This inspiration of the world’s religions to update their private genesis stories is a wonderful side effect that will greatly facilitate the peoples of the world to work and be together in far more effective ways to solve both individual and the upcoming collective social, political, economic, and ecological challenges.

The second step and final in the creation of a new shared genesis story for all of humanity (call this private subjective experience and opinion,) will take the best collective and universal meaning-making and value interpretative wisdom from the world's current religious genesis stories that relate to their deepest collective spiritual wisdom of Ultimate Reality. It will then integrate that collective universal spiritual meaning-making, wisdom, and interpretative vision with the best of our current scientific understanding of life and the universe (the new Universe Evolutionary Worldview.)

This rich new science and interpretive shared genesis story will introduce many new concepts that will upgrade our definitions of identity; individual, sub-group, and global. It will be an expansion of the individual's place, meaning, value, entitlements, responsibilities, and role in this world. The new shared genesis story will inherently convey a culture's proper relationship to individuals, other cultures, and the living and nonliving physical world. It will even provide a picture of combined individual and collective destinies reflective of our best scientific knowledge at this stage of development.

The widespread assimilation of this upgraded shared genesis story will create and forward a new and/or expanded personal identity (self-image) and worldview (world image.) These powerful new image upgrades will structurally improve how individuals and cultures all over the world, behave in relation to each other (as parts of the global tribe) and in relationship to all of the vital living and nonliving systems of the world and universe itself.

(Please note: Evolution Spirituality is an evolving experiment in emerging the new genesis story for the planet as a synthesis of the Universe Worldview sciences and the best from our shared spiritual heritage.)

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The First Part of the Evolution Spirituality New Genesis Story: Understanding Our 13.7 billion Year Shared Universe History

It is important to give primacy to our shared universe history because it is the most universal and useful common ground for human cooperation and relationship. Here is why.

In the reoccurring deepest patterns of our 14 billion years of universe evolutionary process and progress, you can see the most basic patterns and laws for success that every individual, family, organization, corporation, nation, system, or thing must sooner or later acknowledge and follow if that grouping or thing wishes to survive and/or thrive. As Pierre Teilhard De Chardin said of Universe Evolution, It “is a general condition to which all theories, ALL hypotheses, and all systems must bow… Evolution is a light illuminating all facts, a curve that ALL lines must follow.”

This above is not o­nly true for our individual and collective physical lives in the here and now, but it also appears to be true in many ways for the most universal spiritual truths and wisdom from humanity’s vast spiritual heritage. Spiritual and religious wisdom is not an area unreflective of universe evolutionary history and truth.

To explore what has already been done relating to the first step of discovering the current facts of science o­n the origins and nature of the universe and life that simultaneously also respects humanity’s necessary personal and spiritual meaning-making proclivities we strongly recommend that you get the following two books and read them in the order given. These three books will give you a good idea of how the new Genesis Story for all of humanity is unfolding in our Universe Spirit organization.

Please note the perspectives of the new Universe Worldview offers a New Genesis Story. The New Genesis story has been called by other Universe Worldview authors The Great Story, Big History, the Modern Creation Myth, or the Evolutionary Epic. No matter what you call it they all disclose and hold a new common meaning, purposes, and common identity that can be shared by all of humanity.

The five highly recommended books below describe the biological and cosmological science core of the new Universe Evolutionary Worldview (Evolution Spirituality's Genesis story,) and they contain the basic information that will enhance or re-align one's sense of both individual and collective origin, identity, and purpose. These five science books skillfully detail the progressive directionality and trajectory of evolution and life and they are the core of the new Genesis story of the Evolution Spirituality Movement. If you are a member they are essential reading to understanding the new common and uniting meanings, purposes, and common identity that the science of Universe Evolutionary Worldview provides:

1.) Earth Dance, Living Systems in Evolution by Elisabet Sahtouris. It is a deeply interesting and amazing read of how evolution shows us over and over again --- it is not "survival of the fittest," but the survival of the most wisely cooperative.

2.) View from the Center of the Universe by Joel Primack and Nancy Abrams. (The books View from the Center of the Universe Along with The Universe Story by Brian Swimme (just below,) constitute one of the most accurate and complete statements of the common and shared cosmology and new genesis story currently held within the new Universe Worldview. These two books are essential initial must-reads to grasp the scope of the new Universe Evolutionary Worldview.) 

3.) Thank God for Evolution! How the Marriage of Science and Religion Will Transform Your Life and Our World by Michael Dowd and Connie Barlow. (If you have a Judeo-Christian background this is an easy fast read that will provide many of the new Universe Evolutionary Worldview perspectives. Also, see Connie Barlow his wife's work for her evolutionary work on the Great Story online materials.)

4.) Evolution's Arrow: The Direction of Evolution and the Future of Humanity, by John Stewart. (This also is an essential new Universe Evolutionary Worldview read summarizing the key elements of progressive evolution.)

5.) The Universe StoryFrom the Primordial Flaring Forth to the Ecozoic Era--A Celebration of the Unfolding of the Cosmos by Brian Swimme.

Answering the most important basic questions of life and existence from an objective and scientific perspective in Evolution Spirituality:

To answer the most basic questions of existence that relate or our origin, nature, and destiny as completely and accurately as possible it is essential to answer these questions from two distinct both/and rather than either/or perspectives. These two distinct perspectives are:

a.) Ultimate Reality known through objective science and then, (Please note: this linked definition version of Ultimate Reality is the one we use most often in Evolution Spirituality.)
 
b.) Ultimate Reality known through either subjective individual religious experience, or the truth validation of some religious dogma or belief by a religious community of the competent or, the near-universal reoccurrence of some principle or reality discovered independently within the core of most religions. (Please note: this linked definition version of Ultimate Reality is the one that we sometimes use for some terms for some members in Evolution Spirituality. It also contains the terms used by most other religions.)

These two perspectives are essential to allow humanity to find a common rational ground and to allow for honoring metaphorical meaning-making and interpretation essential to healthy living in relation to the most basic questions of existence. After answering the basic questions of existence from both perspectives there should be a high congruence between the deepest core answers found with both of these perspectives.

This is because the Ultimate Reality of religious and spiritual experience, which is normally credited to be the originator and/or sustainer of the evolving universe, is theoretically either reflective or essentially the same Ultimate Reality of the physical universe that we know through science. Ultimate reality should appear highly congruent to itself when viewed from both complementary core perspectives whether these perspectives are found within the deep patterns of the evolutionary universe or within the deep wisdom of humanity’s spiritual heritage. When both of these perspectives are integrated and aligned there should be far more complementary similarities and congruence than glaring incongruities.

For now, in the questions below all that we are concerned with is Ultimate Reality as known through the objective sciences observing the evolving physical universe. The two books mentioned above will help you answer the most important basic questions of existence found below from that essential, primal and universal perspective.

We recommend that you write down your answers to these questions when either you have finished reading those two books or better yet, keep these questions handy as you read those books and write your answers as you go along.

These are the most important life questions to have accurate answers for to live a happy and effective life in the world as it is. Any time spent deepening and broadening your current answers to these questions below is time that will be rewarded abundantly!

The Most Important Questions of Life:

RE: The Ultimate Source of Ultimate Reality Known through Objective Science:

1.) What is the currently known ultimate source and origin from where I (we) came from?
2.) What is the ultimate source and origin of our planet, all living and nonliving systems, and the whole universe?
3.) Is there a current mystery surrounding what or who came before the currently scientifically known ultimate source and origin of the physical universe?

RE: The Purposes of Ultimate Reality Known through Objective Science:

What are the purposes and intentions of this ultimate reality in relation to:
a.) us as individuals, 
b.) humanity, 
c.) all living and nonliving systems and, 
d.) the planet and the universe?

RE: The Principles of Ultimate Reality Known through Objective Science:

1.) What are the most basic principles (laws and powers) that ultimate reality uses to successfully achieve its universe's purposes and intentions?
 
2.) What is the best way to live our lives in alignment with both the purposes and the principles and laws of ultimate reality that impinge upon our lives so forcefully so that we may also successfully exist and co-evolve with other individuals, groups, living, and nonliving systems and the planet and universe? 

RE: Ultimate Individual Purposes Known through Objective Science:

What is the ultimate purpose(s) for the existence of:
 
a.) you as an individual, 
b.) humanity, 
c.) all living systems
d.) all nonliving systems (the planet, the universe)?
 
If necessary, how do we align these purposes in our lives to our own purposes and to the primal purposes of Ultimate Reality?

RE: Ultimate Essence of Individual Known through Objective Science:

Who or What am I? Or, in other words, who or what is our core or ultimate individual essence (our inherent and intrinsic nature and identity) in relation to the Ultimate reality which includes all things?
 
What are the inherent rights (entitlements, special endowments, privileges powers, etc.) conferred upon the individual because of the relationship of its core essence to Ultimate Reality?
 
What are the inherent responsibilities conferred or implied upon the individual because of the relationship of its core essence to the ultimate reality? In other words, what is our personal spiritual responsibility in co-creating a better world for ourselves and future generations in the here and now?

RE: Ultimate Essence of the Other Known through Objective Science:

5.) In relation to ultimate reality, which includes all things, what is the core and ultimate essence (inherent and intrinsic nature and identity) of:

a.) other people
b.) other living things (plants animals insects etc) and 
c.) other nonliving things and systems (the planet, the whole universe.)

6.) Because of the relationship of their core essence to the ultimate source of all reality, what are the rights, entitlements, special endowments, privileges, and powers inherently conferred upon:

a.) other people
b.) other living things (plants animals insects etc) and 
c.) other nonliving things and systems (the planet, the whole universe.)

7.) Because of the relationship of their core essence to the ultimate source of all reality, what are the inherent responsibilities conferred or implied upon:

a.) other people
b.) other living things (plants animals insects etc) and 
c.) other nonliving things and systems (the planet, the whole universe.)

RE: Ultimate Destiny:

8.) What is the of the Ultimate Destiny Known through Objective Science of:

a.) you as an individual, (That could mean is there some kind of individual persistence going o­n in some form after death, perhaps even an afterlife in some other form. And if so, what is needed to properly prepare for it?) 
b.) humanity, other people, and collectively as a species, (Is humanity the peak of life or a stepping stone to higher forms of life and creative consciousness?)
c.) all living systems d.) all nonliving systems (the planet, the universe)?

9.) What is the Ultimate Destiny of the Ultimate Reality?

All of the books mentioned above are required reading for Universe Spirit members taking our o­nline courses. Once you have completed them you will have a very good understanding of the first part of the great new shared genesis story for all humanity embraced at Universe Spirit. The second part of the creation of the great new shared genesis story for all humanity will be done both by you and the members of your current denomination. You will do this individually in several ways while your denomination gradually upgrades its private genesis story.

One way will be in how you spirituality interpret and make your own personal meaning while you are reading the scientific facts within the above books View from the Center of the Universe, The Universe Story and Thank God for Evolution! The second way will be as you expand your knowledge of the universal wisdom about Ultimate reality and life contained within all of humanity’s rich spiritual heritage. (Our organization will soon have a new o­nline course available to help you with this particular discovery and learning as well.)

Contributing to and supporting the great new genesis story project is o­ne of Universe Spirit's most important projects. Especially given its potential to provide lasting and expansive good at a fundamentally structural perspective of self-image and world image.

Within the process of eventually discovering all of the factual answers to life's primary questions (listed above,) that eventually o­nly the science-grounded Great New Genesis Story process can provide universally for all humanity --- is found nothing less than the greatest mystery and the greatest possible adventure of exploration for the life of an individual, couple, family, group, tribe, nation or world.

Welcome fellow co-journeyers upon the greatest adventure ever known or conceived of --- life in this universe! Once you have completed writing in all your answers to life’s basic questions from the science perspective above we recommend that you deepen and broaden the meanings metaphors, and values of your answers from a religious perspective by clicking here.

New Genesis Story Summary and Answering the Most Important Questions of Life

The objective science of the Universe Evolutionary Worldview and its progressive evolution integrated with the most life-affirming meanings and interpretations from the most life-affirming wisdom from humanity's spiritual traditions will create our new universal genesis story for all humanity in common. This new genesis story is also the genesis story that is used in Evolution Spirituality.

Living the Answers to the Most Important Basic Questions of Life and Existence with New Practical Tools And --- Evolution Spirituality's Answers

To answer the questions above fully and to use them to order and align o­ne’s life in the most effective and fruitful ways will also take the final integration of both the objective facts of science with the most universal subjective value and meaning wisdom from humanity’s spiritual heritage. And as both science and our combined spiritual heritage continue to contribute new knowledge and discoveries --- your answers will also continue to deepen and broaden o­n all levels of fact, science, meaning, value, and metaphor.

Now you are ready to see the Universe Principles to see how many of the answers to the questions above have been put into a universe-aligned effective daily practice.

Keep in mind that Evolution Spirituality has evolved to help you discover, experiment, and expand your answers to the life-critical questions above using the best of science and the most life-affirming wisdom and tools from humanity's vast spiritual heritage! 

From the practice of Evolution Spirituality, your intrinsic identity as an evolutionary universe citizen will become more clear. Evolutionary ethics and other powerful tools will also emerge to help you live the best answers to the above vital questions of life that have thus far been evolved from the scientific perspective.

(Special Reminder: In the form of Evolution Spirituality "the secular spirituality of evolution" as found on this website is an open-source, personalized, and self-created discovery process. Please always self-select, sequence, and use the knowledge, wisdom, and tools that you find in the optimal way that will work best for your current conditions, stage of development, and understanding. The section and reading above is part of our Level Three Practices within the Evolution Spirituality movement.)

 

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