Here’s my second (and final) list of elevator pitch worldviews. This time out, we have two entries from outside the Christian worldview courtesy of John Thomas and Jerry Rivard. In addition, we have an interesting entry from Glen Scrivener which was submitted by Mark. Scrivener’s summary is much longer — 90 seconds. Unfortunately, that’s too long even for the elevator in the Burj Khalifa. But I decided to allow it anyway. If you want to see and hear Scrivener rather than simply read him, here’s a link to his video.
30 Seconds
John Thomas
I am an agnostic, but my experience tells me that there is most likely a mind behind the workings of reality; I don’t know anything more about that mind for sure. So I like Stoics just focus on seeking tangible truths grounded on that mind and leading a life of virtue (excellence) in accordance with those truths for the sake of it as best as I can without expecting anything in return. I think that mind behind the reality would most likely be okay with that. I don’t worry about anything else. My spiritual practices include daily mindfulness meditation and frequent contemplative meditation.
Jerry Rivard
From the beginning, there was matter in motion and the laws of physics. No agent created these, matter just exists and something has to happen when particles interact. Mindless matter behaving in a consistent manner over the course of infinite time has led, through processes we’re only beginning to understand, to some amazing constructs, including sentient beings. Sentient beings seek explanations, but nature doesn’t come with a manual, so we sometimes make them up. Some of these made up explanations evolved into religions.
The process of testing our explanations and rejecting those that prove untrue has enabled us to fulfill our needs and desires with increasingly less time and effort, and to extend individual human lives in terms of both quantity and quality. Despite inevitable hiccups, these trends will continue for as long as mankind and its progeny survive.
90 Seconds
Glen Scrivener (transcribed by Mark)