What are your beliefs about the nature of reality?

This interview is designed to be a fun way to help you identify your fundamental beliefs about the nature of reality (aka your cosmology), and attempts to get kind of specific about it. It’s not meant to be a comprehensive survey of all possible cosmologies, but rather a tool to help you identify your own cosmology and perhaps to spark a fun conversation with others.

STEP 1: Identify your beliefs about the nature of reality at a high level

Start at Question 1. Follow the instructions after each answer until you reach your initial cosmology. Then proceed to Step 2 to refine your result.

1. WHAT IS REALITY? At the most fundamental level, which of these best describes your view?

• Reality is primarily ruled by spiritual or divine powers → go to Q2: WHO CREATED IT?
• Reality is primarily ruled by physical or material laws → go to Q5: HOW DOES IT WORK?
• Reality is primarily emergent from consciousness or mind → go to Q4: WHAT IS CONSCIOUSNESS?
• Reality is fundamentally composed of information rather than matter, energy, or consciousness → Continue to Information-Theoretic Cosmology in Step 2
• Reality is either fundamentally unknowable, best understood through multiple perspectives, or requires suspending judgment on ultimate questions → go to Q3: CAN WE KNOW TRUTH?

2. WHO CREATED IT? Which best describes your understanding of the divine or spiritual nature of reality?

• Reality is the creation of one supreme being → go to Q6: HOW INVOLVED IS GOD?
• Reality involves the interaction of multiple gods or spirits → go to Q7: HOW DO GODS INTERACT?
• The universe itself is divine (God and the universe are synonymous) → Continue to Pantheism in Step 2
• The divine permeates and transcends the universe → Continue to Panentheism in Step 2
• Reality emerged from primordial emptiness through natural principles rather than divine creation → Continue to Traditional Daoist Cosmology in Step 2
• The universe is continuously renewed at every moment by divine will → Continue to Islamic Philosophical Cosmology in Step 2
• Reality has accessible metaphysical energies or supernatural forces → go to Q8: WHAT ENERGIES EXIST?

3. CAN WE KNOW TRUTH? Which approach to knowledge about reality best describes your view?

• I find spiritual meaning within the natural world as revealed by science → Continue to Spiritual Naturalism in Step 2
• I believe certain questions about reality are fundamentally unknowable to human minds → Continue to Agnostic Spiritual Seeker in Step 2
• I believe reality is infinitely complex and can only be understood through multiple, equally valid perspectives → Continue to Jain Cosmology in Step 2
• I’m exploring various perspectives while maintaining healthy skepticism → go to Q11: HOW DO YOU EXPLORE?
• I am skeptical of mainstream narratives about reality → go to Q10: WHAT’S THE ALTERNATIVE?

4. WHAT IS CONSCIOUSNESS? Which statement best captures your view of consciousness and reality?

• Consciousness is fundamental and physical reality emerges from it → Continue to Consciousness-First in Step 2
• The distinction between self and world is an illusion → Continue to Non-Dual Traditions in Step 2
• Reality exists as overlapping visible and invisible realms that continuously interact through ritual, ancestral connections, and divination → Continue to Traditional African Cosmologies in Step 2
• Reality is best understood as a living web of connections between humans and non-human beings → Continue to Indigenous Relational Worldview in Step 2
• The material world is deceptive and conceals a higher spiritual reality → Continue to Gnosticism/Esoteric Dualism in Step 2

5. HOW DOES IT WORK? Which best describes your view of the physical nature of reality?

• Reality is best explained by mainstream science (Big Bang, evolution, etc.) → go to Q9: WHAT GIVES MEANING?
• Reality is not accurately described by mainstream scientific consensus → go to Q10: WHAT’S THE ALTERNATIVE?
• Reality is likely a simulation or programmed environment → Continue to Simulation Hypothesis in Step 2
• Our universe is just one of many universes in a larger multiverse → Continue to Multiverse Theory in Step 2

6. HOW INVOLVED IS GOD? Which best describes your view of the supreme being’s relationship to the universe?

• The supreme being exists entirely separate from creation → go to Q7: HOW DO GODS INTERACT?
• The supreme being created the universe but is no longer involved → Continue to Deism in Step 2

7. HOW DO GODS INTERACT? Which best describes the divine relationship to creation?

• God created the universe according to literal scriptural accounts (e.g., in 6 days, or only a few thousand years ago) → Continue to Young Earth Creationism in Step 2
• God works through natural processes like evolution, while remaining separate from creation → Continue to Theistic Evolution in Step 2

8. WHAT ENERGIES EXIST? Which approach to accessing metaphysical energies resonates with you the most?

• Energy healing, astrology, manifesting with intention, crystal work, etc. → Continue to New Age Spiritualism in Step 2
• Multiple deities or gods with different domains and personalities → Continue to Polytheism in Step 2
• Nature spirits exist in all things (animals, plants, mountains, etc.) → Continue to Animism in Step 2

9. WHAT GIVES MEANING? Which view of physical reality best describes your perspective?

• Physical reality can be fully explained through physical processes and natural laws → Continue to Scientific Materialism in Step 2
• Physical reality has spiritual meaning and value within a natural framework → Continue to Spiritual Naturalism in Step 2

10. WHAT’S THE ALTERNATIVE? Which of the following perspectives do you align with most?

• Flat Earth/Geocentrism – You reject the globe model and believe Earth is flat or the unmoving center of the universe → Continue to Flat Earth Conspiracy in Step 2
• Ancient Aliens – You believe extraterrestrials visited Earth in antiquity and shaped human civilization → Continue to Ancient Astronaut Theory in Step 2
• None of the above – You’re skeptical of mainstream narratives but don’t commit to any one alternative theory → Continue to Unconventional Skeptic in Step 2

11. HOW DO YOU EXPLORE? Which of these approaches better describes your perspective?

• I’m open to spiritual or philosophical insights from various traditions while remaining agnostic about ultimate claims → Continue to Agnostic Spiritual Seeker in Step 2
• I’m primarily interested in questioning mainstream explanations of reality and exploring alternative theories → Continue to Unconventional Skeptic in Step 2

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STEP 2: Refine Your Cosmological Worldview

Where You Are Now: Based on your answers in Step 1, you’ve identified your broad cosmological category. Now we’ll help you pinpoint your specific perspective within this category.

What To Do: Read the description of your cosmology below, then answer one final question to determine your precise worldview. Each option represents a distinct variation within your broader cosmological framework.

If This Doesn’t Fit: If the cosmology you’ve been directed to doesn’t resonate with you, each section includes suggestions for alternative perspectives you might explore instead.

✧ AGNOSTIC SPIRITUAL SEEKER ✧

Embracing the limits of what we can know while remaining open to spiritual insights

Agnostic approaches acknowledge fundamental limits to human knowledge about ultimate reality, particularly regarding metaphysical questions. Rather than merely lacking belief or being in a transitional state, this represents a principled philosophical position about the boundaries of what can be known. Agnostics distinguish between empirical knowledge that is accessible to human inquiry and transcendent questions that may exceed our cognitive capacities or evidential reach.

Which approach to spiritual seeking best describes your path?

a. Mystical Agnosticism – You recognize that there may be dimensions of reality that are inherently ineffable and beyond conceptual understanding. While maintaining agnosticism about metaphysical claims, you remain open to non-conceptual, direct forms of knowing through subjective experiences that transcend rational categorization. You acknowledge the limitations of language and conceptual frameworks in capturing aspects of reality that can only be apprehended through direct experience.

b. Pragmatic Spirituality – You focus on what “works” experientially, valuing practices and ideas that produce positive transformation in your life, regardless of their metaphysical truth claims. Your spirituality is practical and results-oriented.

c. Philosophical Spirituality – You approach spiritual questions through philosophical inquiry, valuing rigorous thinking about ultimate reality while remaining open to mystery. You might draw from existentialism, phenomenology, or perennial philosophy.

d. Epistemological Agnosticism – You maintain that certain metaphysical questions about ultimate reality are in principle unanswerable by human minds due to inherent limitations in our cognitive capacities and the nature of evidence available to us. This isn’t simply withholding judgment but a positive philosophical position about the boundaries of knowledge. You recognize that all cosmological frameworks are necessarily provisional and limited in their ability to capture reality as it actually is.

e. Perpetual Inquiry – You value the ongoing exploration of multiple traditions and perspectives as worthwhile in itself, not merely as a transitional phase toward a final answer. You intentionally maintain epistemic openness as you investigate different paths, recognizing that the process of questioning and seeking may be more valuable than any definitive conclusion.

f. If these agnostic approaches don’t offer enough options, consider exploring Unconventional Skeptic, which focuses more on questioning mainstream narratives.

Further Reading:

• John Caputo’s “On Religion”
• William James’ “The Varieties of Religious Experience”
• Karen Armstrong’s “The Case for God”
• Huston Smith’s “The World’s Religions”
• Immanuel Kant’s “Critique of Pure Reason” (for epistemological limits)
• Thomas Nagel’s “The View From Nowhere”

✧ ANCIENT ASTRONAUT THEORY ✧

Advanced extraterrestrial visitors shaped human history and development

Unlike conventional archaeology that misinterprets or ignores evidence, Ancient Astronaut Theory recognizes that extraterrestrial beings visited Earth in antiquity, explaining advanced ancient achievements, cross-cultural mythological parallels, and anomalous artifacts that traditional history cannot adequately address, and have frequently mis-attributed to God or gods.

Which ancient astronaut perspective best matches your beliefs?

a. Intervention Origins – You believe extraterrestrials genetically engineered or modified early humans, explaining the “missing link” in evolution and humanity’s rapid cognitive development.

b. Technological Guidance – You believe aliens provided advanced knowledge to early civilizations, explaining seemingly impossible ancient achievements like precise megalithic structures or sophisticated astronomical knowledge.

c. Religious Foundations – You see major religions as based on misunderstood extraterrestrial contact, with gods actually being advanced aliens, miracles being technology, and religious artifacts (like the Ark of the Covenant) being alien devices.

d. Ongoing Presence – You believe ancient astronauts never fully left Earth and continue to monitor or influence human development, possibly from hidden bases or through ongoing genetic programs.

e. If these ancient astronaut theories don’t fully explain your understanding of the past, consider exploring Unconventional Skeptic for a broader framework of alternative explanations.

Further Reading:

• Erich von Däniken’s “Chariots of the Gods?”
• Zecharia Sitchin’s “The 12th Planet”
• Giorgio A. Tsoukalos and Philip Coppens’ works
• Robert K.G. Temple’s “The Sirius Mystery”

✧ ANIMISM ✧

All things in nature possess consciousness, spirit, and personhood

Unlike perspectives that see consciousness as exclusive to humans or that separate spirit from matter, Animism recognizes that consciousness, personhood, or spiritual essence dwells within all natural entities (animals, plants, mountains, rivers), creating a community of beings deserving moral consideration and relationship.

Which animistic perspective best captures your worldview?

a. Traditional Animism – You believe all things (animals, plants, rocks, rivers, weather systems) possess spirits, consciousness, or personhood, forming a community of beings with agency beyond humans. Proper relationships with these beings involve respect, reciprocity, and ritual acknowledgment.

b. Neo-Animism – You’ve developed a contemporary animistic practice that recognizes consciousness or personhood in natural entities, perhaps blending traditional ideas with modern ecological awareness, phenomenology, or systems thinking.

c. Panpsychism – You believe consciousness is a fundamental feature of the universe, present to some degree in all things, even at the subatomic level. Unlike idealist views that see matter as emergent from consciousness, panpsychism maintains that consciousness is an intrinsic property of matter itself, varying in complexity and expression across the physical spectrum.

d. If these animistic perspectives don’t fully resonate with you, consider exploring Indigenous Relational Worldview for a more culturally-grounded approach to the living world.

Further Reading:

• Graham Harvey’s “Animism: Respecting the Living World”
• Robin Wall Kimmerer’s “Braiding Sweetgrass”
• Nurit Bird-David’s “Animism Revisited”

✧ CONSCIOUSNESS-FIRST ✧

Mind generates reality rather than emerging from it

Unlike materialist views where mind emerges from matter, Consciousness-First approaches recognize consciousness as the fundamental reality from which physical phenomena appear, not the other way around.

Which perspective on consciousness as fundamental best represents your view?

a. Buddhist Mind-Only – You understand that the external world is a manifestation of mind, not separate from it. The world we experience is shaped by consciousness, similar to how dream objects appear real but exist only in the mind. This Buddhist approach teaches that we only ever experience our mental impressions, not an independent world.

b. Luminous Awareness – You experience reality as the unity of emptiness and aware presence. Through meditation and other practices, you realize the nature of mind as inherently pure and unobstructed. This experiential approach uses visualization and energy work to directly experience consciousness as the ground of all things.

c. Universal Mind – You understand the universe as appearing within a cosmic consciousness. Individual minds are like “thought bubbles” within this greater mind, similar to how characters in a dream are expressions of the dreamer’s consciousness. This view explains consciousness paradoxes while staying compatible with scientific findings.

d. Consciousness in Quantum Physics – You recognize that quantum physics suggests observation affects reality at a fundamental level. Experiments showing how particles behave differently when observed point to mind as primary to matter. This perspective sees quantum discoveries as scientific evidence for the primacy of consciousness.

e. Mind-Shaped Reality – You recognize that the basic structures of reality (space, time, causality) are features of how our minds organize experience, not independent features existing “out there.” This doesn’t deny a real world but acknowledges that our minds actively construct our experienced reality.

f. If consciousness-first approaches interest you but none quite fit, consider exploring Non-Dual Traditions, which move beyond mental frameworks altogether.

Further Reading:

• Bernardo Kastrup’s “The Idea of the World”
• Donald Hoffman’s “The Case Against Reality”
• “Why the World Appears as It Does” by Steve Taylor

✧ DEISM ✧

Creator established natural laws then stepped back

Unlike traditions that emphasize ongoing divine intervention, Deism recognizes that the supreme being established perfect natural laws at creation and then stepped back, allowing the universe to unfold according to these rational principles without requiring miracles or supernatural disruptions.

Which form of deism best represents your view?

a. Classical Deism – You believe God created the universe with perfectly designed natural laws and then stepped back, letting it run like a cosmic clock. God neither intervenes nor desires worship; reason and observation of nature are the paths to understanding the Creator.

b. Modern Deism – While you believe a creator initiated the universe, you’re open to limited divine interaction or periods of involvement. You might accept ideas like a creator who occasionally fine-tunes cosmic parameters or who evolves along with creation.

c. Scientific Deism – You see the fundamental laws and constants of physics as evidence of design, particularly their fine-tuning that permits life. Your concept of God is more abstract—perhaps as the ground of mathematics or the source of natural law—rather than a personal being.

d. If none of these deistic frameworks resonate with you, consider exploring Scientific Materialism, which eliminates the creator entirely and focuses purely on natural explanations.

Further Reading:

• Thomas Paine’s “The Age of Reason”
• Antony Flew’s “There Is a God”
• Matthew Tindal’s “Christianity as Old as the Creation”

✧ FLAT EARTH CONSPIRACY ✧

Rejecting globe model as institutional deception

Unlike those who accept mainstream cosmology without question, Flat Earth proponents recognize that sensory evidence and practical observation suggest Earth is flat, with evidence for a globe representing deliberate deception maintained by powerful institutions for control purposes.

Which of these variations of Earth skepticism best captures your view?

a. Biblical Flat Earth – You hold that scripture clearly describes a stationary Earth with the firmament above, the waters below, and the sun and moon as luminaries that move across the sky. You see this not as primitive misunderstanding but as divine revelation that should take precedence over human scientific claims that contradict God’s word. The globe model represents human wisdom standing against divine authority.

b. Conspiratorial Flat Earth – You’ve discovered compelling evidence that powerful institutions are deliberately concealing the true flat nature of Earth. This deception serves various agendas—from maintaining authority over cosmological understanding to hiding additional land beyond Antarctica’s ice wall. Your position isn’t based on ignorance but on critical analysis of claimed evidence for Earth’s curvature, space travel, and satellite imagery.

c. Experiential Flat Earth – You prioritize your direct sensory experience over abstract scientific claims. In your daily observation, the Earth appears flat, water always finds its level, and the horizon rises to eye level regardless of altitude. You question whether complex explanations involving curves and forces are necessary when the simplest explanation—that Earth is flat—matches what we actually see and experience.

d. If these flat Earth perspectives don’t align with your worldview, consider exploring Unconventional Skeptic for a broader approach to questioning mainstream narratives.

Further Reading:

• Eric Dubay’s “200 Proofs Earth is Not a Spinning Ball”
• Samuel Rowbotham’s “Zetetic Astronomy: Earth Not a Globe”
• Mark Sargent’s “Flat Earth Clues”
• Nathan Roberts’ “The Doctrine of the Shape of the Earth”

✧ GNOSTICISM/ESOTERIC DUALISM ✧

Material world conceals higher spiritual reality

Unlike conventional religious approaches, Gnostic and Esoteric traditions recognize that the physical world is a flawed creation or illusion that conceals higher spiritual reality, with liberation coming through acquiring secret knowledge (gnosis) rather than through faith or standard religious practice.

Which form of Gnostic or dualistic thought resonates most with you?

a. Classical Gnosticism – You believe the material world was created by an imperfect or malevolent Demiurge, not the true God. The divine spark within humans is trapped in matter, and salvation comes through secret knowledge (gnosis) of your divine origins.

b. Philosophical Dualism – You see reality as fundamentally divided between mind/spirit and matter, or between good and evil principles. These opposing forces exist in tension, and spiritual progress involves aligning with higher principles against lower ones.

c. Modern Matrix Skepticism – You experience a deep intuition that consensus reality is somehow false or incomplete—a veil obscuring a more profound truth. You sense that powerful forces (whether spiritual, governmental, or metaphysical) deliberately maintain this deception to keep humanity unconscious of its true potential and nature. You believe that awakening to this deception is possible through specific practices, insights, or experiences that can help pierce the illusion and connect with your authentic spiritual identity. The film “The Matrix” exemplifies this perspective, as do systems like Scientology which teaches that spiritual beings are trapped in physical reality, but your understanding may be more personal and nuanced—centered on the conviction that our ordinary perception of reality is designed to limit our spiritual freedom and power.

d. If these dualistic perspectives don’t fully align with your understanding, consider exploring Simulation Hypothesis for a more technologically-framed version of reality skepticism.

Further Reading:

• Elaine Pagels’ “The Gnostic Gospels”
• “The Nag Hammadi Library” (translations of original Gnostic texts)
• Hans Jonas’ “The Gnostic Religion”
• Stephan Hoeller’s “Gnosticism: New Light on the Ancient Tradition of Inner Knowing”

✧ INDIGENOUS RELATIONAL WORLDVIEW ✧

Reality as living web of reciprocal relationships

Unlike Western perspectives based on abstraction and universalism, Indigenous worldviews recognize reality as a living web of relationships between humans and other-than-human persons tied to specific places, where knowledge emerges from generations of direct experience rather than theoretical frameworks.

Which aspect of Indigenous cosmology most resonates with your understanding?

a. Place-Based Knowledge – You participate in a living relationship with the specific lands and ecosystems that have sustained indigenous people for countless generations. You know that authentic understanding comes from this deep connection to particular places, each with their own needs, spirits, and teachings that reveal themselves to those who approach with proper respect and attentiveness over time.

b. Kinship Cosmology – You recognize humans as just one kind of person in a vast extended family that includes animal persons, plant persons, stone persons, and other beings. This isn’t metaphorical but literal—these other-than-human persons have their own languages, societies, and intentions. Proper living requires maintaining respectful family relationships with all these relatives through specific cultural protocols developed over generations.

c. Ceremonial Reality – You participate in ceremonies not as symbolic rituals but as real actions that maintain cosmic balance and renew vital relationships between humans and other-than-human persons. These ceremonies aren’t separate from “reality” but are essential, pragmatic ways of ensuring continuation of life and community wellbeing through specific practices passed down by ancestors.

d. Ancestral Continuity – You experience time as cyclical rather than linear, with ancestors remaining present and actively involved in current affairs rather than relegated to a distant past. Knowledge comes through dreams, visions, and direct communication with ancestral guides who continue to teach and protect the community. Listening to these voices is a practical skill developed through cultural guidance.

e. If these Indigenous perspectives don’t fully align with your understanding, consider exploring Animism for a less culturally-specific approach to consciousness in the natural world.

Further Reading:

• Gregory Cajete (Santa Clara Pueblo) - “Native Science: Natural Laws of Interdependence”
• Vine Deloria Jr. (Standing Rock Sioux) - “The World We Used to Live In”
• Leanne Betasamosake Simpson (Michi Saagiig Nishnaabeg) - “As We Have Always Done”
• Robin Wall Kimmerer (Citizen Potawatomi Nation) - “Braiding Sweetgrass”
• Linda Tuhiwai Smith (Ngāti Awa and Ngāti Porou) - “Decolonizing Methodologies”
• Daniel R. Wildcat (Yuchi member of the Muscogee Nation) - “Red Alert! Saving the Planet with Indigenous Knowledge”

✧ INFORMATION-THEORETIC COSMOLOGY ✧

Information as ultimate building block of reality

Unlike materialist or consciousness-based frameworks, Information-Theoretic Cosmology recognizes information as the fundamental constituent of reality, with physical laws emerging from information constraints rather than being fundamental, and consciousness arising as a specific type of information processing.

Which information-theoretic perspective best captures your view?

a. It from Bit – Following physicist John Wheeler’s insight, you see information (“bit”) as more fundamental than matter (“it”). Physical reality emerges from the processing of binary distinctions (yes/no questions), with particles and forces being manifestations of underlying information patterns rather than fundamental substances.

b. Computational Universe – You understand the universe as fundamentally computational, with physical processes representing the execution of underlying algorithms. Unlike simulation theory, this doesn’t require an external programmer, as computation may be an intrinsic property of reality itself.

c. Entropic Gravity – You recognize that physical forces like gravity may be emergent consequences of information and entropy rather than fundamental forces. Following Erik Verlinde’s theories, you see space, time, and gravity as emergent properties of how information is organized rather than as base ingredients of reality.

d. Observer-Dependent Reality – You understand reality as fundamentally shaped by what can be observed and measured, with the limits of information transfer defining the structure of physics. The universe appears as it does because of constraints on how information can be processed, not because of fundamental substances or forces.

Further Reading:

• James Gleick - “The Information: A History, a Theory, a Flood”
• Seth Lloyd - “Programming the Universe”
• David Deutsch - “The Fabric of Reality”
• Charles Seife - “Decoding the Universe”
• Christopher G. Timpson - “Quantum Information Theory and the Foundations of Quantum Mechanics”

✧ ISLAMIC PHILOSOPHICAL COSMOLOGY ✧

Universe continuously renewed through divine will

Unlike deistic views where God creates the universe and then withdraws, Islamic Philosophical Cosmology understands the universe as continuously sustained by divine will at every moment, with all existence depending entirely on God, and reality arranged in a meaningful hierarchy reflecting divine qualities.

Which Islamic philosophical perspective best describes your understanding?

a. Continuous Creation – You understand that the universe is not self-sustaining but exists through God’s ongoing creative act. You see reality as being recreated at every moment through divine will rather than continuing to exist on its own once initially created.

b. Dependent Existence – You recognize that all beings depend completely on God for their existence, deriving their reality from the only Being who exists independently. Unlike naturalistic views, this means nothing in the universe exists by its own nature but only through divine gift.

c. Divine Qualities in Creation – You see the cosmos as expressing divine qualities and attributes, with each created thing reflecting specific aspects of divine reality. The universe functions as a mirror through which God’s attributes become knowable, with human beings uniquely capable of reflecting all divine qualities.

d. Layered Reality – You understand existence as arranged in levels of being, from the visible material world to unseen spiritual realms, with different orders of celestial beings mediating between these dimensions. Human consciousness can potentially access multiple levels of this cosmic structure.

Further Reading:

• Seyyed Hossein Nasr - “An Introduction to Islamic Cosmological Doctrines”
• William Chittick - “The Self-Disclosure of God”
• Sachiko Murata - “The Tao of Islam”

✧ JAIN COSMOLOGY ✧

Multiple perspectives reveal complementary truths about reality

Unlike frameworks based on single truth claims, Jain Cosmology recognizes the many-sidedness of reality where multiple, seemingly contradictory perspectives can simultaneously be true, with the universe being eternal and uncreated, functioning through natural laws without requiring a creator.

Which aspect of Jain cosmology best reflects your understanding?

a. Many-Sided Reality – You recognize that reality is infinitely complex and can only be understood through multiple, complementary perspectives. You understand that seemingly contradictory viewpoints can each contain partial truths about the same reality when viewed from different angles. This is not “anything goes” relativism, but a structured approach to understanding complex truth.

b. Eternal Universe – You understand the cosmos as uncreated and endless, with no beginning or end, cycling through great cosmic time cycles. Matter, space, time, and souls are fundamental realities that rearrange themselves rather than being created or destroyed.

c. Multiple Realms – You recognize a specific cosmic structure with many levels of existence, including heavenly realms, our middle world, and lower realms. These different dimensions are home to various beings – from gods to humans to other life forms – all connected through the natural law of karma.

d. Universal Life – You see the entire universe as alive and aware to varying degrees, with even apparently lifeless elements having some form of consciousness. This understanding naturally leads to ethical principles of non-violence and careful living, since all things deserve moral consideration.

Further Reading:

• Natubhai Shah - “Jainism: The World of Conquerors”
• Jeffery D. Long - “Jainism: An Introduction”
• Acharya Mahapragya - “The Quest for Truth in the Jaina Philosophy”

✧ MULTIVERSE THEORY ✧

Our universe among many in larger structure

Unlike single-universe cosmologies, Multiverse Theory recognizes our universe as one among many in a larger cosmic structure, explaining fine-tuning and quantum peculiarities through scientific mechanisms rather than the supernatural frameworks of religious cosmologies or the technological ones of simulation theories.

Which multiverse concept aligns most closely with your understanding?

a. Quantum Many-Worlds – You believe every quantum event (like the measurement of a particle) creates branch universes where each possible outcome occurs. This means that for every decision or random event, all possibilities exist in some universe. This is the idea that reality continually splits into parallel versions whenever quantum events occur, creating countless branching timelines.

b. Cosmic Bubble Universes – You accept the model where our universe is one bubble in an eternally expanding space, with other universe “bubbles” having potentially different physical laws, constants, and dimensions. This is like multiple soap bubbles forming in cosmic foam, each bubble a separate universe with its own physics, possibly very different from our own.

c. Higher-Dimensional Branes – Based on string theory, you believe our universe exists on a membrane (“brane”) in higher-dimensional space, with other universes potentially existing on other branes that occasionally interact with ours. Think of this as pages in a book (each page a universe) that usually don’t touch, but sometimes can ripple and bump into each other.

d. Cyclical Universe – You believe our universe undergoes endless cycles of expansion and contraction (or similar rebirth patterns), with each cycle potentially having different properties, effectively creating a temporal multiverse. This is like a cosmic heartbeat of big bangs and big crunches, each cycle a universe with its own history and possibly different physical laws.

e. If these multiverse concepts don’t fit your cosmic understanding, explore Scientific Materialism for perspectives focused on our observable universe.

Further Reading:

• Max Tegmark’s “Our Mathematical Universe”
• Brian Greene’s “The Hidden Reality”
• Hugh Everett’s “The Theory of the Universal Wave Function”
• Paul Steinhardt and Neil Turok’s “Endless Universe”
• Sean Carroll’s “Something Deeply Hidden”

✧ NEW AGE SPIRITUALISM ✧

Personal engagement with metaphysical energies and consciousness

Unlike dogmatic religious traditions, New Age Spiritualism embraces direct personal engagement with spiritual energies, consciousness transformation, and metaphysical practices drawn from multiple wisdom traditions, emphasizing individual experience and intuitive knowing over institutional authority.

Choose one or more of these New Age paths that resonate with your perspective.

a. Consciousness-Focused – You believe consciousness creates reality, with thoughts and intentions directly affecting the material world. Practices like the Law of Attraction, manifestation techniques, and visualization are central to your worldview.

b. Energy-Based – You focus on subtle energies, chakras, auras, and vibrational frequencies. You might work with crystal healing, Reiki, or other energy modalities, seeing reality as fundamentally vibrational in nature.

c. Evolutionary Consciousness – You believe humanity is evolving toward higher consciousness and greater spiritual awareness. We are in a planetary shift (like the Age of Aquarius), where collective awakening will transform society and our relationship with the cosmos.

d. Eclectic Synthesis – You draw from multiple spiritual traditions, ancient wisdom, and modern metaphysics, creating a personalized path. You value direct experience over dogma and believe in finding your own truth among many valid perspectives.

e. If these New Age approaches don’t quite fit your spiritual perspective, consider exploring Agnostic Spiritual Seeker, which maintains a similar openness but with more emphasis on intellectual inquiry.

Further Reading:

• Marilyn Ferguson’s “The Aquarian Conspiracy”
• Ken Wilber’s integral theory works
• “Paths to God” by Ram Dass

✧ NON-DUAL TRADITIONS ✧

Reality transcends subject-object division and conceptual thinking

Unlike frameworks that divide reality into categories, Non-Dual Traditions recognize that reality transcends ordinary subject-object thinking, pointing to direct insight beyond conceptual divisions as the path to truth.

Which approach to transcending dualistic thinking most resonates with your understanding?

a. Buddhist Emptiness – You recognize that all things lack independent existence and arise through interconnection. Through meditation and reflection, you experience how reality is empty of separate, solid objects. This realization frees you from attachment to fixed views, allowing you to experience reality beyond the false choices of “exists” or “doesn’t exist.”

b. Direct Experience Zen – You emphasize immediate experience beyond words and ideas. Your practice involves breaking through thought patterns through meditation and direct questioning. You find meaning in ordinary activities with complete presence, recognizing your true nature in moments when conceptual thinking falls away.

c. Unity of Self and Cosmos – You recognize that your deepest self and ultimate reality are fundamentally the same. The separation we experience is an illusion, and freedom comes through directly realizing “you are that” – the universe knowing itself through you. This approach sees the physical world as a surface appearance of deeper, unchanging reality.

d. Sacred Manifestation – You understand reality as the dynamic interplay of consciousness and energy, where the universe is awareness expressing itself. Through recognizing your true nature, you experience the world as inseparable from your awareness. This approach embraces the physical world as sacred, using ritual and embodied practices to realize divine presence within everyday experience.

e. Natural Harmony – You perceive the cosmos as the flowing balance of complementary forces that form an indivisible whole. This natural way cannot be captured in concepts but can be lived through simplicity and effortless action. By following nature’s patterns rather than imposing your will, you find harmony within constant change.

f. If none of these non-dual approaches resonate with you, consider exploring Consciousness-First perspectives, which offer more structured explanations while still seeing consciousness as fundamental.

Further Reading:

• Alan Watts’ “The Way of Zen”
• Rupert Spira’s “The Transparency of Things”
• “The Tao Te Ching” translated by Stephen Mitchell

✧ PANENTHEISM ✧

Divine both permeates and transcends the universe

Unlike pantheism where God and the universe are identical, or traditional theism where God stands apart from creation, Panentheism recognizes that while the divine permeates everything in the universe, God also transcends it—the world exists within God, yet God is greater than the world.

Which understanding of panentheism most resonates with you?

a. Process Panentheism → Following Alfred North Whitehead’s vision of reality as dynamic process rather than static substance, you see God and the world in mutual becoming, with God including yet transcending the universe. God experiences the world and is affected by it, while still maintaining aspects beyond creation.

b. Emanationist Panentheism → You understand the cosmos as flowing from or emanating from divine reality while remaining within it. Creation unfolds in descending levels of reality (like light radiating from a source), with each level reflecting divine being according to its capacity while remaining connected to its source.

c. Participatory Panentheism → You see the universe as participating in divine reality through consciousness. Through contemplative awareness or mystical experience, beings can recognize their existence within God while acknowledging God’s transcendence, experiencing union without complete identity.

d. If these panentheistic frameworks don’t fit your understanding of divinity, consider exploring Non-Dual & Beyond-Concept Traditions for perspectives that transcend conceptual boundaries between God and world.

Further Reading:

• John Cobb and David Ray Griffin’s “Process Theology”
• Philip Clayton’s “The Problem of God in Modern Thought”
• Matthew Fox’s “Original Blessing”

✧ PANTHEISM ✧

Universe itself is sacred and divine

Unlike theistic perspectives that separate divinity from nature, Pantheism recognizes that the universe itself is divine and sacred, with no distinction between God and natural reality—divinity is directly experienced in the wonder, complexity, and interconnectedness of the cosmos itself.

Which form of pantheism best describes your view?

a. Classical Pantheism – Following Spinoza, you understand God and Nature as identical—there is only one fundamental reality which can be viewed either as “God” or as “Nature.” Everything that exists is an expression of this single divine substance. You see this not as atheism but as a profound recognition that the divine isn’t separate from the world but is the world’s very essence and being.

b. Scientific Pantheism – You find deep spiritual meaning in the universe as revealed by science, without adding supernatural elements. You experience awe contemplating cosmic evolution, natural beauty, and the elegant laws of physics. The actual universe we discover through observation and science is itself worthy of the reverence others direct toward supernatural beings. Your spirituality is grounded in reality rather than transcendent realms.

c. Monistic Pantheism – You understand all apparent diversity and multiplicity as ultimately a single unified reality. What appears as separate objects and beings are actually manifestations of one underlying divine substance. Individual existence is like waves on the ocean—seemingly distinct but actually inseparable from the whole. This perspective emphasizes unity beyond the illusory appearance of separation.

d. Organic Pantheism – You experience the universe as a living whole, like a cosmic organism with all parts interdependent and alive with divine presence. Rather than seeing the world as mechanical or accidental, you perceive it as inherently purposeful and alive, with every part contributing to the whole. This perspective emphasizes relationship, interconnection, and the sacred within all natural processes.

e. Mystical Pantheism – You have directly experienced moments of profound unity with all existence, dissolving the boundaries between self and world. These mystical experiences reveal that separation is an illusion—all is divine presence manifesting in countless forms. Your understanding comes not primarily from philosophical reasoning but from direct spiritual experience of oneness with nature and cosmos.

f. If none of these categories quite capture your perspective, explore Spiritual Naturalism for a more scientifically-oriented approach to finding meaning, or Panentheism if you sense the divine both within and beyond the natural world.

Further Reading:

• Baruch Spinoza’s “Ethics”
• Paul Harrison’s “Elements of Pantheism”
• Mary Jane Rubenstein’s “Pantheologies”
• Ursula Goodenough’s “The Sacred Depths of Nature”

✧ POLYTHEISM ✧

Multiple gods with distinct domains and personalities

Unlike monotheistic frameworks that reduce divine complexity to a single being, Polytheism recognizes multiple distinct gods with different domains and personalities who interact with humanity and each other in a rich tapestry of relationships that better reflects the diversity and complexity of existence.

Which polytheistic framework best reflects your understanding?

a. Classical Polytheism – You believe in multiple distinct deities with different domains, personalities, and powers, similar to ancient traditions like Greek, Norse, or Egyptian pantheons. These gods interact with each other and with humanity in complex ways.

b. Henotheism – While acknowledging many gods exist, you primarily worship or connect with one deity, perhaps as your patron or as particularly relevant to your life. Other gods are real but not the focus of your spiritual practice.

c. Reconstructionist Polytheism – You practice a revived form of ancient polytheistic religion, attempting to reconstruct historical worship practices while adapting them to contemporary life. You seek authentic connection to ancestral traditions and deities.

d. Hard Polytheism – You believe each deity is absolutely distinct, with separate consciousness, will, and essence. Gods are not archetypes or aspects of a single divine force but truly independent beings with their own agendas and personalities.

e. If these polytheistic frameworks don’t quite capture your perspective, consider exploring Animism, which shifts focus from gods to the spiritual nature of all things in the world around us.

Further Reading:

• Edward Butler’s writings on polytheistic philosophy
• “A World Full of Gods” by John Michael Greer
• “Drawing Down the Moon” by Margot Adler

✧ SCIENTIFIC MATERIALISM ✧

Physical processes alone explain all phenomena

Unlike idealist or dualist perspectives, Scientific Materialism recognizes physical matter, energy, and their interactions as the most fundamental reality from which all phenomena—including consciousness—emerge through entirely natural processes without requiring immaterial substances or supernatural explanations.

Which form of scientific materialism best describes your perspective?

a. Reductive Materialism – You value the elegance and explanatory power of understanding all phenomena, including consciousness, as ultimately reducible to fundamental physical particles and forces. This empirically-grounded position has consistently advanced human knowledge by revealing the underlying physical mechanisms of increasingly complex systems, from chemical reactions to neural activity, without requiring additional non-physical elements.

b. Emergent Materialism – You recognize that while the universe is fundamentally physical, complex systems develop genuinely novel properties not predictable from analysis of their components alone. Consciousness, life, and social phenomena represent emergent levels of organization requiring their own descriptive frameworks. This nuanced position honors both the physical foundation of reality and the genuine novelty that arises at higher levels of complexity.

c. Pragmatic Instrumentalism – You see scientific theories as powerful tools for prediction and control rather than literal descriptions of an ultimate reality. The value of materialism lies in its extraordinary practical utility and predictive success, not in metaphysical claims about what “really” exists. This pragmatic approach sidesteps unresolvable metaphysical debates while maintaining the full practical power of scientific methodology.

d. Poetic Naturalism – Following Sean Carroll’s approach, you embrace multiple valid ways of talking about reality at different levels (physical, biological, psychological), all compatible with a fundamental physical world. These aren’t merely convenient fictions but genuine ways of capturing real patterns in nature that matter for different purposes. This layered approach provides a rich, scientifically grounded framework for understanding reality at multiple scales.

e. If these materialist frameworks don’t fully satisfy your understanding, consider exploring Spiritual Naturalism for approaches that find meaning in the natural world within a scientific framework.

Further Reading:

• Daniel Dennett’s “Consciousness Explained”
• Sean Carroll’s “The Big Picture”
• Patricia Churchland’s “Touching a Nerve”
• Alex Rosenberg’s “The Atheist’s Guide to Reality”
• Steven Weinberg’s “Dreams of a Final Theory”

✧ SIMULATION HYPOTHESIS ✧

Reality as programmed environment created by advanced beings

Unlike traditional religious or naturalistic cosmologies, the Simulation Hypothesis recognizes our reality as a sophisticated digital or programmed environment created by more advanced beings, explaining apparent fine-tuning and peculiarities of quantum physics better than conventional frameworks.

Which version of the simulation hypothesis best matches your thinking?

a. Technological Simulation – You believe our reality is a computer simulation created by an advanced civilization (perhaps our own descendants). Unlike spiritual Matrix views, this is a scientific/technological hypothesis about how the universe works, not a spiritual claim about liberation from an oppressive illusion.

b. Divine Simulation – You see the simulation as created by a god-like entity, making this perspective similar to certain religious views but framed in technological terms. The “programmer” serves a role analogous to God in traditional theology.

c. Nested Realities – You suspect we exist in just one level of many nested simulations, with simulators themselves being simulated. Reality consists of worlds within worlds, with no clear “base reality” accessible to us.

d. Conscious Simulation – You believe the simulation isn’t computational but consciously generated—more like a vast shared dream or mental construct than a computer program. Reality emerges from consciousness rather than from code. While this shares elements with Consciousness-First cosmologies, the key difference is that you believe this conscious creation has the specific structure and purpose of a simulation created by other beings, rather than being the natural expression of universal consciousness with no designer or creator behind it.

e. If none of these simulation perspectives capture your understanding, consider exploring Gnosticism/Esoteric Dualism for similar ideas about illusory reality but in spiritual terms.

Further Reading:

• Nick Bostrom’s “Are You Living in a Computer Simulation?”
• Rizwan Virk’s “The Simulation Hypothesis”
• David Chalmers’ “Reality+: Virtual Worlds and the Problems of Philosophy”
• Tom Campbell’s “My Big TOE (Theory of Everything)”

✧ SPIRITUAL NATURALISM ✧

Finding meaning within natural processes without supernatural elements

Unlike supernatural worldviews, Spiritual Naturalism finds profound meaning, wonder, and value within the natural universe as revealed by science, recognizing that spiritual experiences like awe, connection, and transcendence emerge from natural processes rather than requiring divine intervention.

Which approach to finding spiritual meaning within a natural universe best represents your view?

a. Scientific Spirituality – You find profound spiritual meaning in scientific understanding itself, experiencing awe and wonder through cosmology, evolution, and natural processes. You see the scientific narrative of the universe—from the Big Bang to the emergence of life and consciousness—as a sacred story that connects us to something larger than ourselves, without requiring supernatural elements.

b. Naturalistic Buddhism – You embrace Buddhist insights and practices while interpreting them in naturalistic terms. You see concepts like impermanence, non-self, and causality as empirical realities rather than metaphysical claims. You might interpret karma as psychological patterns and rebirth as moment-to-moment change rather than literal reincarnation. Meditation serves as a practical tool for understanding mind patterns and fostering well-being rather than achieving supernatural states.

c. Philosophical Naturalism – You find meaning, value, and purpose within a fully natural cosmos through philosophical reflection. Following thinkers like Spinoza or the Stoics, you see ethical development and rational understanding as spiritual practices in themselves. You might describe your approach as “rational spirituality” or “ethical naturalism,” recognizing that profound values like love, justice, and beauty emerge naturally from the universe without requiring divine origins.

d. Embodied Spirituality – You experience spirituality primarily through the body and its connection to the natural world. Your practice might include movement, dance, wilderness experiences, or somatic awareness as pathways to transcendence and meaning. You find that direct physical experience of being alive in the natural world provides a form of spiritual nourishment that doesn’t require supernatural beliefs.

e. Naturalistic Taoism – You appreciate the Taoist emphasis on harmony with natural processes, the balance of complementary forces, and the wisdom of non-action (wu-wei). Unlike Traditional Daoist Cosmology, you interpret these principles as naturalistic insights rather than metaphysical truths. You see the Tao not as a cosmic reality beyond the physical world, but as a powerful metaphor for patterns and processes within nature that science reveals. Your practice focuses on aligning with natural rhythms and applying Taoist wisdom within a scientific worldview that doesn’t require supernatural elements or energetic dimensions. You value Taoist concepts for their practical insights into living well rather than their traditional cosmological implications.

f. If none of these categories quite fit, check out the section on Pantheism, which offers a more explicitly divine framing of natural wonder.

Further Reading:

• Spiritual Naturalist Society resources
• Sam Harris’ “Waking Up”
• Stephen Batchelor’s “Buddhism Without Beliefs”
• David Hinton’s “Hunger Mountain: A Field Guide to Mind and Landscape”
• Henrik Bogdan’s “Western Esotericism and Rituals of Initiation”
• Dale S. Wright’s “Philosophical Meditations on Zen Buddhism”

✧ THEISTIC EVOLUTION ✧

God creates through evolutionary processes

Unlike both purely materialistic evolution and literal creationism, Theistic Evolution recognizes God as the ultimate creator while embracing scientific discoveries about evolutionary processes. This perspective sees evolution as God’s chosen method of creation, resolving apparent conflicts between science and faith.

Which approach to integrating divine purpose with evolutionary science resonates most with you?

a. Divine Natural Processes – You understand God as creating through natural evolutionary processes rather than instantaneous acts. You see science as describing “how” while faith explains “why” and “who.” The ancient universe, common descent, and natural selection all reflect God’s elegant method of creation and don’t conflict with divine purpose.

b. Guided Development – You recognize that God intervened at key moments throughout Earth’s long history. While accepting the universe’s ancient age and most scientific findings, you believe that certain critical developments—especially human consciousness—required specific divine guidance beyond random natural processes.

c. Purposeful Direction – You see evolution as moving purposefully toward greater complexity, consciousness, and spiritual capacity. Rather than a random process, you understand evolution as a directed journey with humanity as a crucial stage in creation’s development toward greater communion with God—an unfolding plan with spiritual meaning.

d. Continuous Creation – You understand God’s creative activity as ongoing rather than completed in the distant past. Divine creativity works through evolutionary processes at every moment, with God sustaining and guiding creation’s development in a continual relationship. Each new species and adaptation reflects God’s ongoing creative presence.

e. If these perspectives don’t fully capture your view, consider exploring Panentheism, which offers a more integrated vision of God as both within and beyond creation.

Further Reading:

• Francis Collins’ “The Language of God”
• BioLogos Foundation resources (biologos.org)
• John Haught’s “Making Sense of Evolution”
• Denis Edwards’ “The God of Evolution”

✧ TRADITIONAL AFRICAN COSMOLOGIES ✧

Multiple, intersecting realms where ancestors, spirits and living beings continuously interact

Unlike Western frameworks that separate spiritual and material reality, Traditional African Cosmologies recognize multiple, intersecting realms of existence where ancestors, spirits, and living beings continuously interact through ritual practices, divination systems, and community relationships.

Which aspect of Traditional African cosmology most resonates with your understanding?

a. Community-Ancestral Connection – You see reality as fundamentally relational, with ancestors actively participating in present community life. Unlike Western notions of death as final separation, you understand ancestors as accessible guides whose wisdom can be consulted through various ritual means. Reality is upheld through proper relationships between the living, the ancestors, and other spiritual entities.

b. Cyclical-Sacred Time – You experience time as cyclical rather than linear, with cosmic patterns manifesting through seasonal ceremonies, divination systems, and initiation rites. Past, present, and future exist in dynamic relationship rather than as separate categories. Sacred times allow direct contact between visible and invisible aspects of reality.

c. Divination-Based Causality – You recognize that visible events have invisible causes that can be discerned through divination systems (such as Ifá, throwing the bones, or other traditional methods). These systems don’t merely predict events but reveal the underlying spiritual dynamics and relationships that shape material reality. Problems in the visible world reflect disruptions in spiritual relationships.

d. Vitality-Force Cosmology – You understand the universe as animated by a vital force or energy (known as àse, nyama, or similar concepts across different African traditions) that flows through all beings. The cultivation, balance, and proper channeling of this force is central to maintaining cosmic harmony and personal wellbeing.

Further Reading:

• John S. Mbiti (Kenyan theologian/philosopher) - “African Religions and Philosophy”
• Wande Abimbola (Yoruba scholar/priest) - “Ifá Divination Poetry”
• Malidoma Somé (Dagara elder) - “Of Water and the Spirit”
• Sobonfu Somé (Dagara teacher) - “The Spirit of Intimacy”
• Oyèrónkẹ́ Oyěwùmí (Nigerian sociologist) - “The Invention of Women”

✧ TRADITIONAL DAOIST COSMOLOGY ✧

Reality spontaneously emerging from emptiness through natural principles and complementary forces

Unlike creation-centered frameworks that posit a divine creator, Traditional Daoist Cosmology sees reality as spontaneously emerging from Wu (emptiness/void) through natural principles, with change occurring through the complementary interplay of yin and yang forces rather than through external intervention.

Which aspect of Daoist cosmology best describes your view?

a. Natural Process & Spontaneity – You understand the universe as self-generating (ziran) rather than created. Reality continuously emerges from Wu (emptiness/void) without requiring a creator, with existence and non-existence generating each other. The Dao doesn’t create the world but is the natural process through which reality unfolds. You believe the optimal approach to existence is “non-action” (wu-wei) – not passivity, but action aligned with the natural flow of reality rather than forcing artificial patterns. Reality functions best when beings act in accordance with their inner nature (xing) rather than through external control.

b. Pattern Correspondence & Complementarity – You see all aspects of reality as expressions of complementary, mutually-generating forces (yin and yang). Unlike dualistic frameworks that see opposites as conflicting, you understand apparent opposites as interdependent aspects of a unified whole that continuously transform into each other. You also recognize human beings as “small universes” (xiao tian-di) that mirror the patterns of the larger cosmos, with practices like internal alchemy, feng shui, and traditional medicine based on aligning personal energetic patterns with cosmic ones.

c. Integral Cultivation – You embrace a holistic approach to Daoist practice that integrates philosophical understanding, energetic cultivation, ritual engagement, and practical embodiment. You recognize the importance of both internal cultivation through meditation and external alignment through ceremony and community practice. You view Daoist arts (calligraphy, martial arts, tea ceremony, poetry) as embodied expressions of cosmic principles that allow direct participation in the Dao beyond intellectual understanding.

Further Reading:

• Zhang Dainian - “Key Concepts in Chinese Philosophy”
• Kristofer Schipper - “The Taoist Body”
• Livia Kohn - “Introducing Daoism”
• Roger T. Ames & David L. Hall - “Dao De Jing: A Philosophical Translation”
• Eva Wong - “Taoism: An Essential Guide”

✧ UNCONVENTIONAL SKEPTIC ✧

Questioning established explanations while remaining open to multiple alternative possibilities

Unlike those who either accept mainstream narratives or commit to specific alternative theories, Unconventional Skeptics question established explanations while remaining open to multiple possibilities, recognizing patterns of institutional deception without limiting inquiry to any single alternative framework.

Which aspect of alternative thinking best describes your approach?

a. Hidden History Researcher – You focus on investigating suppressed or alternative historical narratives, believing significant events or civilizations have been omitted from mainstream accounts.

b. Alternative Physics Explorer – You question fundamental scientific paradigms, suspecting that alternative energy technologies, gravity manipulation, or consciousness-based physical phenomena are possible but suppressed.

c. Conspiracy Analyst – You examine potential hidden power structures and deliberate manipulations of public information, looking for patterns that suggest coordinated deception across institutions.

d. Open Skeptic – You maintain a stance of questioning both mainstream and alternative explanations, recognizing the limits of human knowledge and the provisional nature of all explanations. You remain open to new evidence while being cautious about claims that exceed what can be reliably known.

e. If this skeptical stance doesn’t quite uncover the approach you’re looking for, consider exploring Agnostic Spiritual Seeker for a similar openness but with more focus on spiritual growth and less on challenging established narratives.

Further Reading:

• Graham Hancock’s “Fingerprints of the Gods”
• Michael A. Cremo’s “Forbidden Archeology”
• Walter Bosley’s “Origins: The History of Hidden Technology”
• James W. Loewen’s “Lies My Teacher Told Me”
• Jesse Walker’s “The United States of Paranoia”

✧ YOUNG EARTH CREATIONISM ✧

Upholding the integrity of scriptural accounts of Earth’s recent creation

Unlike frameworks that accommodate evolutionary timeframes, Young Earth Creationism upholds the integrity of scriptural accounts by recognizing Earth’s recent creation (typically 6,000-10,000 years ago) as revealed in divine revelation rather than reinterpreting these texts to match scientific consensus.

Which of these best describes your perspective on young Earth creationism?

a. Biblical Literalism – You believe in a strict, literal reading of Genesis as God’s inerrant word, with Earth being approximately 6,000-10,000 years old, created in six 24-hour days. You see apparent scientific evidence for an older Earth (like radiometric dating or distant starlight) as either flawed due to incorrect assumptions or created “with age” by God as part of His perfect design.

b. Appearance of Age Theory – You believe God created the universe recently with a fully-functioning, mature appearance, just as Adam was created as an adult rather than an infant. The entire cosmos was created with a “history” already built in for functional and theological purposes, reflecting God’s wisdom and sovereignty.

c. Catastrophism – You believe Earth is young, but its geology has been dramatically shaped by catastrophic events (especially Noah’s global Flood), which explain phenomena like the fossil record, geological strata, and features that mainstream scientists wrongly attribute to long ages. This framework provides a scientifically coherent alternative to uniformitarian geology that remains faithful to scripture.

d. If these perspectives don’t quite align with your beliefs, consider exploring Theistic Evolution which allows for a much older Earth while still maintaining God’s central role in creation.

Further Reading:

• Henry Morris and John Whitcomb’s “The Genesis Flood”
• Ken Ham’s work at Answers in Genesis
• Jonathan Sarfati’s “Refuting Evolution”

Results

Based on your answers to the questions in both steps, you now have a refined understanding of your cosmological worldview relative to other possibilities. Your answers have led you to one of over 50 specific cosmological perspectives that capture the nuances of how you understand the nature of reality.

✧ COSMIC CROSSROADS: WHERE WORLDVIEWS BLEND ✧

Most people don’t fit perfectly into a single cosmological box. Here are some common ways people combine different perspectives:

1. Scientific Framework with Spiritual Meaning
   • Primary: Scientific Materialism or Multiverse Theory
   • Secondary: Spiritual Naturalism or Pantheism
   • This combination acknowledges the scientific account of physical reality while finding spiritual meaning within natural processes.
2. Traditional Religion with Modern Science
   • Primary: Theistic Evolution or Panentheism
   • Secondary: Scientific frameworks about physical processes
   • Many religious believers embrace scientific discoveries while maintaining that God works through these processes.
3. Indigenous or Traditional Frameworks with Contemporary Practice
   • Primary: Indigenous Relational Worldview or Traditional African Cosmologies
   • Secondary: Elements of Animism or New Age practices
   • This blend honors ancestral traditions while adapting practices for contemporary life.
4. Consciousness-Based Reality with Practical Ethics
   • Primary: Consciousness-First or Non-Dual perspectives
   • Secondary: Philosophical Naturalism or Scientific Spirituality
   • This combination focuses on consciousness as fundamental while embracing pragmatic, evidence-based approaches to daily life.
5. Skeptical Openness
   • Primary: Agnostic Spiritual Seeker or Unconventional Skeptic
   • Secondary: Elements from multiple traditions as working hypotheses
   • This approach maintains healthy skepticism while exploring various traditions experientially.

Your cosmology represents your fundamental assumptions about the universe—its origins, composition, purpose (if any), and your place within it. These beliefs, whether religious, scientific, philosophical, or a blend of traditions, shape how you interpret experiences and make meaning in your life.

Remember that views often evolve throughout life. The categories presented here aren’t rigid boxes but useful frameworks for understanding different ways humans make sense of existence.

What’s most important isn’t which label fits you, but the ongoing journey of cosmological thinking itself—the human endeavor to comprehend our astonishing universe and our place within it.

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Share your thoughts

I’m curious to know if this questionnaire helped illuminate your cosmological perspective, or if it missed important nuances that you feel are significant. These worldviews aren’t mutually exclusive (many people blend elements of several), but if there’s a key element of your cosmology that should be more directly represented here, please share your thoughts!

To explore further:

Consider how your cosmological perspective influences your:

• Ethics and values
• Approach to seeking knowledge and truth
• Understanding of consciousness
• Relationship with nature
• Sense of meaning and purpose
• Views on death and what might lie beyond

You might also explore traditions or thinkers aligned with your results, or engage respectfully with those holding different cosmologies to broaden your understanding.