First look at the preponderance of the evidence. Consciousness is indeed the foundational aspect of reality, and it is the source from which all dimensions exist. Yes, there are several dimensions. This earth plane can be likened to a laboratory and a university. It offers the chance for one to develop love in a real sense. I am speaking of genuine love for self and for the other. The only way to truly love the other is to fully love and accept oneself. It does, however, have its limitations and drawbacks. It can be beautiful and rewarding, and it can be dangerous and unforgiving. The one thing to take to heart is that each of us is eternal and exists in the eternal now. That is a difficult thing to grasp as this dimension of space time hides the eternal reality, and instead provides the illusion of temporary existence. This illusion seems more real than reality and is deceptive to say the least. It is punctuated by the fact of birth and death.
While we are one with the source we are also separate souls
or conscious agents and the following paradox is real. We are one and separate
at the same time and in that our oneness is greater than our separateness.
These facts can be understood intuitively and quite likely will resonate with
you as well. This is important foundational information to begin to look at the
theory of everything. There is a problem with space-time and quantum mechanics.
Physicists have been searching for a theory of everything that would unify the
explanation of the material universe. To date, they have not been able to reconcile
the two into one congruent theory. I believe it is because they are trying to
do it with physics alone and even if they did it would not be a theory of
everything.
Along with the problem of physics, there are other problems
that face humanity. There is the “hard problem” of consciousness. Alongside of
this, philosophers and theologians have been faced with the “problem of evil.” The
theory of everything should solve all of the problems. The first problem I want
to confront is the problem of evil. To do this it is necessary to create some
thought experiments. The reason is that while the problem of consciousness is a
more fundamental problem, the problem of evil gets in the way of exploring all
the possibilities. My hope is that in presenting these thought experiments I
will not create straw men but be faithful to the explanations that currently
exist.
I am not that happy with the definition of theist or deist.
I would say that I am an amalgamation of both, and perhaps there needs to be
another term though I do not have one to offer. Here is how I currently see
God. I much prefer the term creative source because of the negative connotation
so many have for the term god. I also like the word parent as I want to
include both genders in the creator, but I have been willing to settle for
father, and I am also growing fonder of the Hermetic term “The All.” I
would label myself a panpsychist. I absolutely see consciousness as
foundational. There is a ubiquitous history of that concept which I will deal
with at a later point.
I see each of us souls as conscious agents. However, similar
to what I believe Dr. Donald Hoffman has suggested, there are conscious agents
of lesser consciousness than humanity all the way to the smallest building block
and it is a combination of these agents that increasingly grow intellect and
understanding. I believe that creative source, which I will forward refer to as
consciousness is eternal. If it is the first cause of everything, it always was
and always will be. It can anticipate everything that is was and ever will be.
However, as solely consciousness it cannot experience anything. So then, this
is where Dr. Bernardo Kastrup comes to my rescue philosophically. Consciousness
chooses to splinter into a kind of dissociative personality Hoffman calls
conscious agents that has a unique place in the corporeal and material world.
Our experience is that humanity is at the pinnacle, but it is possible that
there are conscious agents much more advanced in experience than us. Of course,
as of this date that is speculation on my part.
Consciousness is continually expanding, and this expansion is
brought about by the experiences of conscious agents. What we can be sure of is
that this expansion is happening in the corporeal material world. It is a
logical conclusion that there are other dimensions as well. We have hints of
this but do not have specific understanding of what they are or what they might
be like from a conscious agent vantage point.
Since we are an agent of the one creative consciousness, our
essence is eternal as well. That is why all of the mystical traditions explain
our existence as children of the creator. In a corporeal, material, temporal world
we cannot be sure of this by any other means than intuition or mystical
revelation. However, for me it makes sense that our sense of self as conscious
agents is as eternal as consciousness. So within the corporeal, material, and temporal
plane there is suffering and pleasure, joy and sadness.
I must add to this that within creative consciousness it
seems logical that the individual conscious agents would by committee have
input and say so in developing the material corporeal world. This is the place
where “free will” would come into existence. Furthermore, it is logical that
this committee would make certain that each conscious agent was treated in an
egalitarian way. Each would experience suffering and pleasure, joy and sadness
equally over the multiple incarnation process. This in and of itself would
provide a type of theodicy for the creative source, consciousness. Since time
is a product of material reality, at the consciousness level or the unification
of conscious agents, there only exists the eternal present or the eternal now.
It is in this way that suffering could be a logical choice for the expansion of
conscious experience. However it would all be evened out in the eternal
present. While this may not be comfort for those who are experiencing extreme
suffering in the material plane, it never the less would supply a reasonable
explanation of why suffering takes place.
There is natural evil and there is moral evil in the
material corporeal realm. Neither of these exist in the eternal present beyond
the expanding experience of consciousness. This is the place where I believe
that it is all moving toward the expansion of love. I base this on spiral
dynamics. Spiral dynamics shows that humanity is moving on an upward spiral
toward more and more enlightenment. Of course, I acknowledge that there is much
that is evil in this world, but the fact is that it is diminishing over time
and more and more conscious agents are operating in a benevolent manner toward
one another. It therefore seems logical that this upward spiral is the purpose
and plan of consciousness. If this is the case it is reasonable to suggest that
at the creative conscious source level is the highest vibration which is peace
and love, and the purpose is to have conscious agents that become more aware of
this concept and experience each in an ever-increasing fashion.
Yes, this concept involves reincarnation, but it is by
choice. It is within the whole of creative consciousness, but it is at the individual
conscious agent level that free will exists. Each individual conscious agent is
aware of the potentiality of each incarnation but does not have that awareness
based on experience, and it is experience that works it out in space and time. Likewise,
it is experience that creative consciousness is using to expand and grow the
universe or if you prefer the multiverse. Each conscious agent being a part of
creative consciousness then, is totally free to choose each incarnation. It is
also possible to choose not to incarnate and remain in the whole, but that does
not last forever in time as challenges arise and a rested agent is ready for
the next experience.
It should be stated that the goal is to create the
perfection enjoyed by the whole creative consciousness in a material and
corporeal world.. My experience thus far shows me that is impossible and is the
precise reason for needing occasional rest after many tries. However, spiral
dynamics points to the fact that it is improving on and upward trajectory.
While this certainly does not explain everything, it logically goes a long way
toward explaining the problem of evil and its solution.
Next, we will look at the place of the mystics, Jesus,
Buddha, the Tao, and Shamanism within this explanation.
