WhoisGod?Wheredidwecomefrom?Whydoesevilhappen?Whathappenswhenwedie?Everyhumanbeingonearthhasaskedthemselvesthesequestionsatsomepoint,andmostlikelyeachpersonhasfoundadifferentanswer.Thisserieswilltakeviewersonatriparoundtheworldtoexploredifferentculturesandreligionsontheultimatequesttouncoverthemeaningoflife,Godandallthesebigquestionsinbetween.
Theseriesseekstounderstandhowreligionhasevolvedthroughoutthecourseofcivilization,andinturnhowreligionhasshapedtheevolutionofsociety.Althoughinourcurrentgeopoliticallandscape,religionisoftenseenassomethingthatdivides,theseriesilluminatestheremarkablesimilaritiesamongdifferentfaiths,eventhosethatseemtobeinstaunchcontrast.ThisisaquestforGod:toshedlightonthequestionsthathavepuzzled,terrifiedandinspiredmankind,nottomentionFreemanhimself.
Eachepisodeiscenteredonadifferentbigquestionaboutthedivine:
Creation–Aretheresimilaritiesamongthereligiouscreationstoriesfromaroundtheworld?Howdotheycomparewiththescientifictheoryofthecreationofthecosmosandthedawnofcivilization?
WhoIsGod?–HowhastheperceptionofGodevolvedoverhumanhistory?IsGodjustanidea,andifso,canwefindevidenceofadivinepresenceinourbrains?
Evil–Whatistherootofevilandhowhasourideaofitevolvedoverthemillennia?Isthedevilreal?Thebirthofreligionmaybeinextricablytiedtotheneedtocontrolevil.
Miracles–Aremiraclesreal?Formanybelievers,miraclesarethefoundationoftheirfaith.Othersregardmiraclesasmerelyunlikelyeventsonwhichourbrainsimposedivinemeaning.Beliefinmiracles,howeverwedefinethem,couldbewhatgivesushopeanddrivesustoturnpossibilityintoreality.
EndofDays–Violentupheavalandfieryjudgmentfillpopularimagination,butwastheloreofapocalypsebornoutofthestrifethatplaguedtheMiddleEasttwomillenniaago?Thetruereligiousmeaningoftheapocalypsemaynotbeaglobalwar,butaninnerrevelation.
Resurrection–Howhavebeliefsintheafterlifedeveloped,andhowhasourreactiontotheafterlifechangedthewaywelivethislife?Nowthatscienceismakingsuchrapidadvances,wemaysoonbeconfrontedwithdigitalresurrection.Whatwillthatdotoourbeliefs?
Toexploreeachofthesetopics,hostandnarratorFreemanwentonthegroundtosomeofhumanity’sgreatestreligioussites,includingJerusalem’sWailingWall,India’sBodhiTree,MayantemplesinGuatemalaandthepyramidsofEgypt.Hetraveledwitharchaeologiststouncoverthelong-lostreligionsofourancestors,suchasthoseatthe7500B.C.NeolithicsettlementÇatalhöyükinTurkey.Heimmersedhimselfinreligiousexperiencesandritualsallaroundtheworld,andbecameatestsubjectinscientificlabstoexaminehowthefrontiersofneuroscienceareintersectingthetraditionaldomainofreligion.
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