Hello GQG Friends!
This is Part 2 of a re-written and re-recorded Comprehensive Introduction that I have posted on the “About The Great Questions Group” page @ www.MarkDeMatteo.com
It is an outgrowth of even more clarity and refinement I have gained, as I have repeatedly shared the story of the beginnings and theme of this unique endeavor over the last several years.
Upon completion–and perhaps even prior–I believe it should serve as a great tool by which to introduce others to the significance of this growing educational forum.
Best,
Mark D 🙂
Origin and Purpose of the Great Questions Group
A Comprehensive Introduction
 (Copyright, 2017, Mark Edward DeMatteo)
Prefer to Listen?
Origin & Purpose of the Great Questions Group Pt 2
Part 2
At the outset, there were several things I decided to do to set the stage for my studies: Â
First, I took all the various religions, philosophies and belief systems I had learned about–including my own–and mentally set them off to the side.
Next, I actually did the same thing with some of the scientific theories I had been taught.
See, I had also gained a far better understanding of the major difference between firm scientific laws and the various theories promoted by some scientists.
The scientific laws I had learned about were simple, proven and easy to understand. Â
On the other hand, many of the scientific theories, were not so clearly proven or understood.
Right now, let me give you just one well known example, to show you what I mean: Â
I would imagine that probably everyone has heard of the Big Bang Theory. Â It is the most popular current explanation for the origin of our Universe and everything in it.
The general idea is, if you go back to the beginning, all of the space, time, matter and energy that now exist, were once contained within a single ball-like object which then exploded and ultimately led to the Cosmos we now have.
While I had learned about some types of evidence that seem to support this idea, the theory on the whole, consistently strained my common sense.
For I had to honestly ask myself, when have I, in the real world in which I live, ever seen any kind of an explosion actually produce an increase in structure and order? Â
I couldn’t think of any.
When I ask other folks the same question, they couldn’t come up with any, either.
Therefore, I decided that I was going to set this theory–along with a few others I had been taught–off to the side as well.
Now, I wasn’t going to disregard any of these belief systems or theories…but neither was I going to buy into any of them blindly or naively any more–regardless of who had taught them to me.
Main reason was, I realized that just because I sincerely believed something, that didn’t automatically mean it was true.
Why? Because belief alone does not validate anything. Â
Even if there were many, many other people sincerely believing the same thing too, all our combined belief didn’t make it true, either.
The real key is, what evidence is that particular belief based on?
For if there is no actual evidence supporting it, then it is not a valid concept, no matter how many people may believe that it is!
And personally, I no longer wanted to wonder if I was actually “just pretending” or “playing make believe” with some of the belief systems and theories I had been told were true, but had never really been given adequate evidence to support them.
Instead, I decided that I was going to use my own mind and try to take an accurate and objective look at the real world around me and see what it might be trying to tell me.
I felt like if I could perhaps find some pieces of tangible evidence that pointed to what was really going on in this world, then I might be able to begin putting together an accurate picture of the true nature of this existence.
And if perhaps that picture filled in sufficiently, then I figured it might just provide me with some valid answers to those 4 Great Questions.
And valid answers to those questions–regardless of what they pointed to–would at least give me something to believe in that was based on facts and not just fantasy.
In other words, if I could find out what was real, then that’s what I wanted to align my beliefs up with, because then I would be believing in something that was not just make believe, but was actually true.
Next, I chose a primary guideline that I wanted to follow throughout the course of this project, and that guideline was Simplicity…I wanted to keep things simple!
For everything else being equal, I figured the simpler I could keep things the better.
Interestingly, I wasn’t far along on my Journey when I learned about what is called the Principle of Parsimony, which is basic to all science and philosophy.
This principle, which is also known as Occam’s Razor, tells us that, given a set of possible explanations, the simplest explanation which fits the evidence, is the most likely to be correct.
Thankfully, the simplest explanation is also, usually, the easiest to understand…so I figured this guideline should serve me well in my Quest!
Next, since I knew I wanted to be able to take an honest and objective look at the true nature of the world around me, I decided that the best way to begin to do so would be through science.
For as I mentioned earlier, I already knew that science was simply a method of study through which we attempt to understand and then define the way things around us work…and I had become fascinated by it.
Fortunately, as I reflected on just precisely how I was going to apply science to my studies, I was led to develop something which proved to be a tremendous asset to me throughout the entire course of my Journey.
Over a period of time, I selected a set of 5 very basic, but well-proved scientific laws, and then put them together to create what turned out to be a very simple, yet powerful, personal Examination Tool.
Here are the Five Laws:
- Cause and Effect
- Conservation (1st Law of Thermodynamics)
- Decay (2nd Law of Thermodynamics)
- Information (what it is and where it always comes from)
- 4 P-Factors (conditions required to temporarily overcome the Law of Decay)
And folks, this new tool became a real game-changer for me.
For with it, as I would soon find out, it was as if I now had an extraordinary pair of potent, X-Ray Glasses in my possession.
And when I put them on, the penetrating, laser-like light of those 5 Laws would provide me with a crystal-clear picture of the true nature of every aspect of this physical universe I chose to investigate.
So…at this point, with all the various religions, philosophies and theories laid aside–but not forgotten, a guiding principle of simplicity in place, and equipped with my new Examination Tool, the stage was set and I was now ready to begin my studies.
As I did, I decided I would start off by taking a basic look at our Universe.
While I was curious about so many different aspects of this reality we live in, I figured the best place to start would be to examine the main framework within which everything else exists.
My thought was, if I were better able to understand what our overall Universe really was and where it actually might have come from, then this would probably provide me with an important first piece of that accurate picture of reality I was hoping to put together.
And furthermore, if it did, it seemed likely to me, that this understanding might also shed some significant preliminary light on the true nature of everything else contained within this Universe.
So initially, here’s what I did:
I knew our Universe consists of three basic parts: Matter, Space and Time.
Since Space and Time are a little more intangible, I decided to start with Matter, as I figured it would be the easiest to investigate.
All Matter in the Cosmos–which by the way, is essentially just another term for our Universe–is made up of these amazing little building blocks called atoms.
From the moment I first learned about them, I have always been fascinated by the reality of their existence–what they are, where they came from, how they work, why they contain so much power, and why they continue to exist.
While I had already heard various theories regarding their possible origin, I now took a fresh look at the nature of the atom, in the light of the 5 Laws of my Examination Tool.
And folks, when I did, what I found was extraordinary!
Summarizing here just briefly, after only a relatively simple investigation of the components, structure and power continuously operating within the atom, those Laws revealed clear objective evidence which pointed me to only one logical conclusion: Â The atom is a manufactured article. Â
Therefore the origin and continued existence of the atom, must be the result of some kind of an Intelligence…in other words, an unseen Mind.
And furthermore, in order to account for all the countless atoms which must make up all the seemingly boundless matter in the Cosmos, this Mind must be exceedingly vast and have capabilities and resources on an unimaginable scale.
In fact, in light of this apparently limitless ability, I knew it could be completely rational to apply the highest concept we have of the word God to this Mind!
So…I was amped!
For right out of the gate, and far more simply and easily than I would have ever imagined, I had found a remarkable first piece of the type of evidence I was looking for.
And as I had anticipated, this evidence did indeed provide me with an initial, compellingly significant, foundational part of the reality picture I was hoping to put together.
 For I now knew that at least the material part–the matter part–of this entire Cosmos was a product of design and that therefore, there must also be a Designer.
Not surprisingly, this new awareness had an immense impact on me for it began to illuminate my understanding as to the true nature of this overall existence.
And as I had also expected, it additionally began to shed some accurate preliminary light on probable answers to those Great Questions which I was seeking.
So at this point, I was really motivated to continue–for I now knew that there was actual evidence which could be found, and therefore, since I had already found one piece, it seemed likely that I probably could find another, and then another…and perhaps many, many more!
Moreover in light of the profound implications of just the first piece of evidence I had discovered, I now began to sense an underlying theme of design opening up around me, almost everywhere I looked…and I was excited to see if my further studies would validate this.
Interestingly, even the 5 laws themselves, as I was becoming more familiar with them through actual application, were also seemingly confirming this same impression.
So there was no doubt I was eager to continue my pursuit.
As I did, I next took a look at the two remaining basic components of our Cosmos, Space and Time.
Then, I moved on to Stars, our Solar System and then the Earth itself, with a number of the unique conditions and systems that exist and operate within it.
Finally and perhaps most extensively, I explored the incredibly complex Living Systems that inhabit this planet.
I began with the biomolecular structure and operation of a single-celled organism and progressed ultimately up to the 3 pound human brain, which has been referred to as the most complex physical system in the entire known Universe. Â
And no matter where I looked or what I chose to examine, each time I did so through the objective lens of those 5 Laws, the obvious, logical conclusion I was consistently brought to, was that each of these various objects and systems were not only the product of design, but were actually being continuously sustained in order to maintain their ongoing existence!
Bottom line was, everywhere I looked, I saw more and more clear evidence of this vast, unseen Mind.
And folks, I was amazed–for in some ways, it was as if my eyes were being opened and for the first time I was beginning to really see what had actually been there all along!
Furthermore, much to my delight, all this additional evidence had indeed filled in a substantial portion of the “Reality Picture” I was trying to construct, and what was coming together, was no doubt extraordinary!
And as anticipated, just that initial part of the Picture, had also provided me with at least the first answer to one of the Great Questions, Where Did I Come From?, for I now had evidence, that I too, am a manufactured article and therefore, am also, a product of this Designer.
Finally, and as I had also hoped it might, even just this first answer, did indeed provide me with an initial degree of that deep-seated kind of happiness I was longing for.
For I now knew that neither I nor the Universe were here by accident, and therefore, it stood to reason that there probably was a purpose for us both!
And this awareness gave me a sense of future hope I didn’t have before.
So now, I really began to reflect on the profound reality of the existence of this Designer…this Mind.
As I did, it occurred to me that the whole complexion of my pursuit had just dramatically changed.
See, up to this point, the focus of my studies had been primarily about the pursuit of evidence–looking for facts and knowledge.
And while I knew this key aspect would always remain, I now realized I’d also be adding an exciting new dimension to my Quest…and that new dimension would be a relational pursuit!
For I now knew that there was actually a Someone there…a Person.
And wherever there is a person, there is normally, always the possibility of interacting with them.
Consequently, I soon found myself wondering what this Person might be like…and if it might even be possible to actually connect with them in some way.
This prospect was particularly appealing to me, as I have always been fairly outgoing and enjoy meeting new people, connecting with them when appropriate, and even occasionally building a new friendship.
Over the years, I have had the pleasure of interacting with a lot of really fine people in this way–many of whom have enriched my life and have also allowed me the privilege of learning a great deal from them.
Now however, I was being presented with the astonishing opportunity of elevating this relational pursuit up into an entirely new realm, as I would henceforth be attempting to reach out to a Person who was obviously of a far greater order of being than anyone else I had ever interacted with before!
(And as an important note, let me just mention right here, that for ease and clarity of expression, it was around this time that I began referring to this Mind as a He or Him when necessary.
Although I was already wondering if this Person might actually be well beyond earthly male & female gender as we now understand it, my religious background had taught me that God referred to Himself in this way, and unless my studies proved otherwise, I figured at this point it would be reasonable to simply refer to this Mind in the same way.)
Though I had no idea at the time, if it would even be possible to connect with this Person, I knew just the prospect of potentially doing so–even if it were only on a very limited level–would no doubt be extraordinary.
For one thing, it seemed certain that an intellect of this magnitude would surely have answers to any and all questions worth asking–including the remaining 3 Great Questions–and this alone would most assuredly make any attempt worth the effort!
But even beyond this, the thought of actually getting to know this Person, and of developing some type of a relationship with Him–perhaps even a close one–as I continued to reflect on it, not only became very intriguing to me, but also…quite alluring.
***This concludes part 2 of this Comprehensive Introduction. Â Part 3 will be released in near future.
