Justus For All

Dave Hogg reviews One: The Movie, an independent film that asks people, both famous and not, twenty questions about life, the universe, and everything. The movie sounds fascinating, and I would like to see it some time.

He also posts the questions that are asked, they are quite interesting and I thought I would give my responses on them. While I often write about philosophy, religion and similar things, I seldom get into what my beliefs really are. In part, it is because these are very personal to me, and in part it is because I am not totally satisfied with my answers. That said, I thought I would give it a stab here, as it may be of interest to some people. This will require a lot of space, so the questions and my answers are below the cut.

Here is the site for One: The Movie

(via Bob Morris who posts his own answers)

If any of my multitudes of readers wants to answer any or all of these questions, feel free to do so in the comments below or in your own blog and I will link to it here. I would be interested in anyone’s take on these questions. As always, feel free to tell me I am full of it as well.

Probligo’s answers
1. Why is there poverty and suffering in the world?

This seems to be two quite different questions. Both are complex, but the first is simpler.

In talking about poverty we should first describe what we are talking about. There are people who simply don’t have enough to survive, and then there are people who have enough to survive but don’t have as much as other people. I will limit this discussion to the first category. This type of poverty exists solely due to the failure of human institutions. Corrupt and despotic governments who make their people virtual slaves are the biggest offender here. Given our current technologies, I am sure that almost all people could achieve their basic needs through their own efforts if their basic rights were protected. For those that cannot, it is incumbent upon us to provide for them.

Why there is suffering in the world is a two-part question, first what causes it and second why it exists in the first place. Three things, change, memory, and imagination cause suffering. The first seems to be built into the structure of the universe, the other two are built into humanity and are probably the clearest distinction between us and other forms of life. That change causes suffering should be self-explanatory, as many changes are things we don’t like (being hurt, dying etc.) As for imagination and memory, it is through these characteristics that we apprehend change, and even at times create suffering that doesn’t exist anywhere except within our own minds.

As for why the universe is built in such a way that suffering exists, one answer would be to ask which of those three things you would be willing to give up to get rid of suffering. From a slightly larger perspective, my guess is that suffering exists because without it the universe wouldn’t be any fun, and we would not be able to learn from our experiences in it.

2. What is the relationship between science and religion?

It is hard to say whether this question is meant to be descriptive or prescriptive. I will chose to answer what it should be, rather than what it is as that seems more interesting.

Science is about describing processes while Religion is about illuminating principles. I don’t see any reason for the two to be in conflict, as their spheres are quite separate, but I do think that there are times when they can be useful to each other. Obviously, they are both useful to us as great understanding without principle and noble principles without understanding are both quite dangerous. Of course dealing with two very complex things (Science and Religion) is hard, so many people would prefer that just one would give them all of the answers. This is probably why the two end up in conflict; I would say that anyone who chooses only one of these as a means to wisdom is betraying both.

3. Why are so many people depressed?

This is another one that seems to require separation into two parts, clinical depression and general unhappiness. Clinical depression is caused by imbalances in brain chemistry. Sadly, our knowledge of how to fix this is still quite weak, but for many no act of will or positive thinking will overcome it. It is probably a whole lot of different problems, rather than a single problem and the brain is a complex enough system that understanding and treating this is a long way off. We also though sometimes mistake the second for the first (and vice versa.)

Unhappiness is probably primarily caused by a failure to be in control of our memory and imagination. Rather than controlling them and using them for our benefit, we let them control us. We dwell to much on the mistakes of the past, without actually learning from them and imagine how much better things could be, without using that facility to actually improve our situation. It also seems to me that a lot of unhappiness is based upon too much focus on our selves, and not enough on others. It is easier to use, rather then be enslaved by, our imagination and memory when we focus primarily upon our own needs.

4. What are we all so afraid of?

Change. Once again, this is usually based in failures of memory and imagination. We often falsely remember the past as being better than it was, and we have more difficulty imagining things getting better than things getting worse.

5. When is war justifiable?

When it is necessary to achieve peace. This may seem quixotic, but I am quite serious here, I strongly believe in Martin Luther King’s description of peace: “True peace is not merely the absence of tension: it is the presence of justice.”

This covers defenses from aggression, humanitarian interventions, and others. Of course it also demands that due diligence be made to achieve that end, and that the means employed do not preclude it.

6. How would God want us to respond to aggression and terrorism?

It is of course an act of hubris to attempt to speak for God. However, since excessive humility has never been one of my failings I will make the attempt. I think God would have us establish justice as best we can. That means stopping those who would commit these horrible acts and protecting those who would be their victims. If that can be achieved through non-violent means, that would be preferable, but sometimes violence is the only answer to the violent.

7. How does one obtain true peace?

This seems to be another question with two ways of looking at it. If we are talking about having peace in the world, I think I have talked about that already, it is by establishing justice, as best we can and as much as we can. If we are talking about inner peace, it is by learning to master our memory and imagination and using them for our benefit. There is also in this an aspect of mastering ourselves in other ways, most of the worlds religions give a good list of sins that are useful guides in ways to master ourselves in general.

It is worth remembering though that with change being built into the universe, true peace in both the external and internal sense will be impermanent and we will have to constantly re-establish them.

8. What does it mean to live in the present moment?

It means a lot of things to a lot of different people. Some, and this is probably how the question is intended, see it as a means of lessening suffering by reducing the role of memory and imagination. While that works to an extent, I don’t think it is the best answer. Living in the present moment in that sense leaves us very vulnerable to change, and makes it difficult to both anticipate it and prepare for it.

Certainly we need to master memory and imagination, but that doesn’t mean just living in the moment, it also means living with the past and preparing for the future. Obviously this is easier said then done, and I don’t have any particularly wonderful insight in how to achieve this, but I think that if we over focus on living in just the present we miss out on an awful lot.

9. What is our greatest distraction?

Internet Porn. More philosophically, I think fear and regret, once again, failure to master our imagination and memory, distract us.

10. Is current religion serving its purpose?

Religion being a man-made construct, it doesn’t have a purpose in and of itself. Better to ask, is religion serving us in a desirable way. Obviously this is a mixed bag. Many people are quite well served by their religion, and some of the happiest and best people I know are deeply religious. A casual review of current events though makes it clear that religion can be used in quite horrible ways (and it is equally clear that for some, that is its purpose.) Religion, like science, is a tool. It isn’t an end in and of itself, and it can be used for both good and ill. As a whole, I think that the world is a much better place because of religion.

One bit of wisdom on religion that I find extremely enlightening is from Kim Stanley Robinson’s novel “The Years of Rice and Salt.” In that book, one of the characters compares the word of God coming to man to rain falling upon dry ground. What results is mud, and not to be confused with the purity of the original, but nonetheless good and necessary to sustain life.

11. What happens to you after you die?

I believe that there is existence after death. Our spirits, for lack of a better term, move to a universe outside of our own, one that is probably incomprehensible to us now. My favorite description of this is the words of Paul the Apostle, “For now we see through a glass, darkly.” Quite possibly, he saw clearer than most of us. I expect that time, as we comprehend it here at least, is not an aspect of the place where we go to, and change as we know it is not either. As far as Heaven and Hell go, I think that is largely up to us. Wherever you go, there you are and if you don’t like whom you are you are condemned to eternal hell and if you do eternal bliss.

That said, I also find it incomprehensible that everything is static in this existence. How we change ourselves in this ‘eternal’ existence is a mystery, and probably simply not understandable.

Another formulation that I find useful in comprehending salvation and damnation is from C.S. Lewis’s the last battle. I don’t have the exact quote, but in the final sorting out, it is those whom Aslan did not please, rather than those who pleased Aslan that head into darkness. This is I think a very deep and sophisticated way of looking at it.

12. Describe Heaven and how to get there.

I think a grappled with this partially in the previous question. Heaven is the state we will be in after we die, if we are happy with who we are. Describing it beyond that is probably impossible, but suffice it to say it is probably pretty good.

I don’t know that I completely know how to get there. One thing that I wrestle with is the role of Christ in all of this. I was raised to believe that Christ was the Son of God, and his suffering and sacrifice are integral to overcoming sin and death. I also find that story sublime, and it seems that it should indeed mean something, but I find it difficult to reconcile with my other metaphysical beliefs.

One thing about Christianity that I think is amazing, is that faith in Christ provides and incredibly useful tool in mastering memory, in particular dwelling too much on our own failings and the failings of others. Christianity demands that we forgive others and ourselves because Christ has paid for our sins. Forgiveness is necessary to overcome the paralyzing traits of guilt and wrath that can otherwise poison us. Alas, for those of us without this faith the task is much more difficult.

I sometimes suspect that may lack of faith here is due more to my pride, than to my wisdom.

I also suspect that the direction we are going is more significant than how far we have gone.

13. What is the meaning of life?

I think the purpose of life is to learn and to be enjoyed. Whether one is more important than the other, or it varies from person to person is something I am not sure of. It is important though that I don’t espouse hedonism, seeking pleasure and seeking joy are not the same. I am equally disdainful of those who espouse an ascetic lifestyle as well though. Life is glorious and wonderful, and something to be treasured.

Another way I find useful to look at this subject is to turn it around. The meaning of life isn’t something we should ask; rather it is something we should answer by how we live.

Sadly, all too often we don’t provide our life with much meaning, and I am as guilty of this as anyone.

14. Describe God.

God is the creative force in the universe, and also an entity that is outside of it. He is all-powerful and all knowing, but at the same time self limiting to allow us freedom. We can probably know God best by knowing each other, as we are created in the ‘image’ of God. I expect that image of God means that our minds, or souls, if you prefer, have the same capabilities that he does. Like us, God has free will. Like us, God has emotions and feelings. Like us, God can both remember and imagine. And of course, Like us, God can create.

It is in creation, of various types, that we can be most like God.

Of course God is different form us in some respects as well. God is good, because he is always the master of himself, rather than the servant.

One concept that I play around with, and am someone agnostic on, is whether we are God, and that the universe is a creation of ourselves and our temporal manifestation is merely an extrusion of a greater, non-temporal whole. This could be a single ‘God’ with multiple manifestations or a group of ‘Gods’ (one for each of us) who worked together to build a universe (and perhaps even designed a ‘God’ interface for it.)

I regard these speculations as interesting, but probably ultimately unimportant to answer in the present.

15. What is the greatest quality humans possess?

I think we have a lot of great qualities. Probably the greatest is the capacity to love, followed closely by the capability of creation.

16. What is it that prevents people from living to their full potential?

Being slaves to ourselves, rather than masters. All of the wonderful qualities we possess, our powers if you will, can, if uncontrolled become ruthless taskmasters, driving us away from joy.

Total self-mastery is probably impossible. The forces of change our too great for us to always adapt correctly to them, no matter how much we have strive. Our potential in theory is certainly greater than it is in practice.

17. Non-verbally, by motion or gesture only, act out what you believe to be the current condition of the world.

* spins around *

18. What is your one wish for the world?

All in all, I am fairly happy with the world, not that it is perfect, but that it is good. I guess I would have to wish for more joy. There are of course other things that are instrumental in that, such as peace as I have discussed above.

19. What is wisdom, and how do we gain it?

That question has a multitude of answers. There is a wisdom in knowing what to do, and another (more difficult) wisdom of actually doing it. There is wisdom in learning from the past, another in appreciating the present, and yet another in imagining a better future. There is wisdom in the wonder of a child, and wisdom in the experience of the old.

I strongly suspect that we gain wisdom simply by looking for it, and most definitely not by believing that we have it. It is as simple, and difficult as that.

In the words of the religious tradition I am most familiar with, and echoed in all others that I have come across: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”

20. Are we all One?

We are similar, but not One in the most significant ways. We each have our own gifts, and more particularly we each have our own weaknesses. It is for this reason that we should be very hesitant to judge one another. Things that are easy for me are very hard for another person, and faults that I find nearly insurmountable in myself are simple for others to overcome. We can only marginally, at best, walk in another’s shoes. While we can, and must, judge good and evil deeds, we lack the ability to discern good and evil people. If we were ‘one’ this would not be the case.

I think there is some wisdom in that.