Personal worldview inventory
Spirituality is a broad term that carries different meanings to different people. First, it means the act of connecting to a supernatural being to find meaning in life. Second, it refers to the establishment of deep connections with concepts such as nature, art, and music. Third, the term could be sued to refer to participation in any activity that delves into critical aspects of living such as goodness, purpose, suffering, the meaning of life, the presence of a higher power in the universe, and the concept of good and evil. In many fields, spirituality is described as any experience or activity that results in a deep sense of aliveness, purpose, and interconnectedness with a higher power (Meacher, 2010). Traditionally, spirituality involved participating in organized religion and taking part in activities such as attending church, synagogue, and other places of worship, singing, and praying. In contemporary society, the term has been expanded to include activities such as acts of mercy, charity, meditation, yoga, and quiet reflection.
I think pluralism is the simultaneous existence of different entities that cater to the varied needs of people. For instance, several religions in the world address the spiritual needs of different people. Scientism is the belief that the best way for humans to gain knowledge and a full understanding of the universe is through scientific methods and approaches. Other sources such as religion play an inferior role in explaining the origin and significance of what humans see, feel, and experience. Postmodernism refers to a school of thought that opposed the belief that the teachings of science and religion could be used to understand humans and life. It was based on skepticism, suspicion of reason, and denied the existence of universal certainties that explained different human and natural phenomena.
I believe that prime reality comprises both the physical and spiritual aspects of life. Spiritually, it refers to the infinite, omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient God revealed in the Holy Scriptures through the prophets and Jesus Christ in the New Testament. He is good, loving, merciful, and sovereign. Physically, it refers to anything that humans touch, see, and feel.
I view the world around me as an objective and orderly entity that is comprised of interconnected matter and phenomena. The relationships that humans have with the world play a critical role in determining whether it supports or annihilates their existence. The interconnectedness of matter and phenomena mean that nothing in the world can exist independently without the existence of other things.
I believe that a human being is a spiritual and physical organism created by God and put in the universe to grow and evolve. A human being is created in the likeness of God. Therefore, he possesses abilities that other organisms in the universe lack. For example, endowment with kindness and rationality ensures that humans coexist peacefully among themselves and with other organisms. Outcomes such as massive pollution, wars, ethnic hatred, and discrimination are indications that humans abdicate their spirituality and rely only on their rationality.
The issue of what happens to a human being at death has been discussed widely among different religions and scholars. I believe that at death, the human body is annihilated and the individual ceases to exist. However, their consciousness is transformed into a higher state that resembles God about omnipresence and omniscience. In that higher state, it is impossible to use physical senses to perceive the world. I believe that at death, a human being is fully reunited with God and becomes part of the universal consciousness. The only part of a human being that ceases to exist is the physical body.
Humans are created in the image of an all-knowing God and endowed with consciousness and rationality. These aspects of human life have played a critical role in the acquisition of knowledge through dealing with challenges and obstacles that threaten their origin. Growth in universal consciousness is evident from the technological advancements that have occurred in the last two centuries (Wilson, 2015). Humans gain knowledge by dealing with challenges that present threats to their survival in the universe.
The concept of universal consciousness plays a key role in helping humans determine what is right and wrong. Human consciousness and universal consciousness (God) are interconnected. Therefore, humans can innately discern what is right and wrong (Brar, 2012). In that regard, right is anything that is founded on the character of God. For example, kindness, forgiveness, generosity, and love are right. On the other hand, anything that goes contrary to God’s character is wrong. For instance, hatred is wrong because it contradicts God’s quality of love.
I believe that human history plays the role of supplying humans with lessons and teachings regarding their origin and life. Also, it serves to help human beings find their purpose in life. The experiences, challenges, and triumphs of humans have contributed immensely to the development of knowledge and universal consciousness that are responsible for progress and civilization (Meacher, 2010). Without human history, human beings would be uncivilized and unaware of their origin as well as their place in the universe.
References
Brar, G. (2012). What’s the point of life, death, and the universe? New York, NY: FriesenPress.
Meacher, M. (2010). Destination of the species: The riddle of human existence. New-York, NY: John Hunt Publishing.
Wilson, E. (2015). The meaning of human existence. New York, NY: Liveright Publishing Corporation.