Fear and confusion are, I feel, the defining characteristics of our time. Everything today seems to be moving at a faster and faster pace.
For many, open access to information through the Internet creates feelings of being overwhelmed and confused. Wars fought for natural resources, age-old grudges or simply to attack someone before they attack you creates hell in hotspots around the world.
Earth changes, global warming, overpopulation, species extinction at alarming rates — these create feelings of hopelessness and despair for many of us.
And did I mention proliferation of nuclear weapons?
I’m compelled to ask the question, where does a person of faith, one who believes in a loving God, begin to address these incredible challenges?
How does one comfort and reassure those who become bitter, cynical or even suicidal when faced with these insurmountable problems?
In my own research, which I feel is guided by spirit, I’ve found clues to this modern dilemma. In the process, I find great hope.
Consider: In 1973 on the 500th birthday of Copernicus, “The Father of Astronomy,” the greatest physicists and thinkers of their day met in Poland for an historic seminar to discuss their current understanding of the universe.
The most notable concept to emerge from this scientific think tank was the “anthropic principle,” that “all seemingly arbitrary and unrelated constants in physics have one strange thing in common — these are precisely the values you need if you want to have a universe capable of producing life.”
They were referring to fundamental constants like gravitational force and electromagnetic force all seeming to support each other to create human life. At this time the general consensus among physicists was that the universe did have a beginning some 15 billion years ago. The inescapable conclusion was that our universe had been designed by an intelligent creator. And this from the scientific community!
Consider: James Redfield (author of “The Celestine Prophecy”) and Michael Murphy (co-founder of the Esalen Institute) in their studies in evolution came to some interesting conclusions: Evolution is slow. There were, however, two major leaps in evolution on our planet. The first was emergence of life on a previously lifeless world, and then, after millions of years, the appearance of humans — whose consciousness far surpassed any other species and who remain the “paragon of animals” today.
Looking closely at trends and directions of evolution, they concluded that we are on the cusp of a major leap in evolution in our own time: the evolution of human consciousness. On a worldwide scale, they predict, cosmic consciousness will emerge to create a vastly different planet.
I like to imagine all or most of us having this miraculous realization, this tangible connection with God and his creation.
Imagine if everyone loved and respected the earth and everybody on it. This is the hope that will bring all peoples, religions, governments, races and cultures together through enlightenment.
This day is fast approaching. These are glorious times. We are not alone. We are loved.
Larry Dobberstein is an Interfaith Prayer Service chronicler, video producer and poet. This column is coordinated by Lane Interfaith Alliance, a network of more than 30 religious and spiritual traditions in the Eugene-Springfield area. For more information, visit www.laneinterfaithalliance.org or call 344-5693.