Get Your Pretense On!

38 • Get Your Pretense On!

we come to understand how the world works, and how we ought to define our role in that world. Here is a list of those questions:

• Where did we come from? How did the universe come to exist? • Is there a God, and what relationship does that God have with the universe? • Why are we here? Is there a purpose for humankind? • What is the reason we are here, and more specifically, why am I here? Is there a purpose for my living in the world? • What does it mean to live well, and what is the wisest way to do so? Is there some kind of ultimate good I should be living for? • Where do we go when we die? Is this world all there is – do heaven and hell (or any other place exist), and what gets you to one or the other? • Of all the concerns I have, what should be my ultimate concern, and how should I live in light of that concern? Whether we are religious or philosophical (or not), these questions need to be addressed in the life of every person, if they truly intend to live well. When it comes to understanding our world and our place in it, we must render our own explanation of the world, of the possibility of a God and our knowing him/it/them, and our place in this short, challenging life. While we may act as if these questions do not matter, sooner or later every person must come to grips with them in their own lives. We all are in a search for ultimate meaning, the real meaning of life. We can rely on society, or culture, or family to give us the answers, but, sooner or later, we must adopt our own vision of things, our story, and live by it, through it, and within it. For us at least, that Developing aWorldview: Understanding How theWorldWorks