Philosophy

The functionality of
Religion
in the Paradigm of Transcendent Reality

Religion is defined herein as our system of choosing actions that serve and promote the greater social good – as measured by our collective chances for survival, continuance-in-kind, and prosperity.

Religion is our underlying belief system and values - those necessary tenants that may not always be directly verifiable by our science, or our philosophy, but are reflected in our moral strictures governing our interaction and behavior with our environment and other humans.

Religion gives us our primary social direction in life - what it is we collectively strive for, sacrifice for, and build for as a social unit. A primary goal Transcendent Reality as a religion is the formulation, dissemination and practice of personal and group ethics and behaviors that promote the greater social good – as measured by our collective survival, continuance-in-kind, and prosperity - beyond random chance. In Transcendent Reality, such ethics are not arbitrary or capricious, but must be continually measured and evaluated.

The west has largely abandoned religion as a relevant force in daily life, believing ethics and morality are arbitrary, without natural consequences. This is very unfortunate, because values and ethics spring from religion – our concepts of the greater social good - whence come wise or foolish choices having immense social consequences.

Science and philosophy generally follow the concepts and practices of institutions of higher learning and research. We expand the definition of philosophy to include all abstract models and systems, such as mathematics and scientific models, because we want to emphasize that they are abstractions of reality, not reality itself.

On this particular web page, we discuss general concepts and basic constructs in our religious development. The structure of Transcendent Reality as a formal religion is set forth in House of Transcendent Reality.

Evolution & Religion

Religion is a cornerstone of the Transcendent Reality paradigm, and evolution is a cornerstone of religion. Evolution in science and philosophy is just a theory - a model that helps explain the origins of life and species. Transcendent Reality as a religion accepts evolution in general - that evolution is more than just a theory to be debated – that evolution has important value and decisional consequences. That is not to say, however, that the evolutionary trees have been worked out correctly, or that evolutionary interaction and cause and effect are precisely known, but only that species mutate and are morphologically altered over generations. Transcendent Reality calls this Morphological Evolution.

Transcendent Reality takes evolutional theory a step or two further. Not only do species change morphologically, but over time simpler, separate entities may organize their interaction so tightly that they transcend into a new, complex entity capable of self-replication. This is a process different from morphological evolution – it is a transcendent process called Transcendent Evolution.

Humankind has endured roughly seven levels of transcendent evolution, each level forming a new entity composed of the entities created in the prior transcendence as follows:

Level 0- energy is organized to form various proto-matter particles;

Level 1 - some proto-mater particles are organized in various combinations to form various atoms;

Level 2 - some atoms are organized in various combinations to form molecules, eventually resulting in various combinations of super-molecular chains, prions, and viruses;

Level 3 - some super-molecular chains are organized into cellular organisms, such as paramecium and amoebas;

Level 4 – some cellular organisms are organized into multi-cellular life-forms such as animals and plants, including, eventually, human families and clans;

Level 5 – the transcending process continues into animal social structures, especially those of humans, forming complex societies. Families and clans are organized into tightly-knit tribes. In the tribe, god is born, as the soul of the tribe.

Level 6 – the transcendence of social structures continues with the organization of families, clans and tribes into states. The separate tribal gods transcend to singular God, as the soul of the state.

Level 7 – the transcendence of social structures continues with the organization of states into some form of super-state or nation. The separate Gods of the states transcend into a single GOD, as the soul of the nation. It is at this 7^th transcendence that we today find ourselves – searching for GOD, that has yet to be formed, found, or recognized.

In science and philosophy, transcendent evolution is a new theory, or model, subject to further investigation, discovery, refinement, and modeling. It is first presented to the world in Transcendent Evolution, which also includes additional discussion of morphological evolution. Additional discussion is also presented in The Seventh Transcendence.

Evolution, including both morphological and transcendent, are more than just a theories or models in Transcendent Reality as a religion. They are accepted as revealed knowledge, to be accounted for in our beliefs, organization, behavior, and moral strictures. Transcendent Evolution in particular provides us with a clearer understanding on the makeup and limitation of traditional notions of God, afterlife and morality.

Supreme Beings

In Transcendent Reality the traditional notion of one Supreme Being as the creator of the universe is a concept relegated to the presently unknown part of Absolute Reality. Instead of a mystical invisible, omniscient and omnipotent super-being, words like 'god' and 'God' are assigned their logical consequences in Transcendent Evolution as the life-force of a cohesive group of humans - analogous to the soul of an individual human. As such, God is acknowledged as the very anthropocentric concept that it is.

To understand Transcendent Reality's concept of God, we start with the soul of a individual. We can observe some characteristics of the soul, even if it is invisible. We can clearly observe the difference between a live animal and a dead one. That difference is its life-force. We can clearly observe the difference between a live human and a dead one. That difference is also its life-force, which in humans we call the soul.

Similarly we can observe some characteristics of the group's life-force. We can clearly see which groups of animals have an identity and act in unity. Wild dogs form packs that last through generations. Even domesticated dogs, by themselves docile and friendly, can be observed aggregating in close proximity, and without much warning, form a pack that acts in unity - attacking animals and even humans - maiming, killing, and even eating them. In science and philosophy this unity would be called a 'packing' phenomena. In Transcendent Reality we go further, and ascribe the pack a 'life-force' of its own, with individual dogs as its components.

In the human animal a similar phenomenon occurs. When human individuals aggregate in close proximity to one another, they more often than not form into groups, with varying levels of cohesion and unity of purpose. Groups with stronger cohesion and unity have an advantage over weaker groups, and will prevail over them in conflicts. Transcendent Reality ascribes the group coherence and unity to the group's 'life force.'

Such groups of animals and humans are component entities. That is to say that the members of the group are not physically glued to each other as are the cells of an organism. Instead the members are bound together by a complex 'attachment' phenomenon. Group animals, such as wild dogs, develop complex attachments to each other that affect their individual behaviors when they come within sight or smell of each other. In humans we describe this complex attachment as emotional attachments, and it is even more complex than in wild dogs. The human emotional complex is very much a group phenomenon. It binds the human group together and controls individual behavior, though individual members might be vast distances apart. It is a characteristic of the group 'soul,' which in Transcendent Reality we term in various forms of the word 'god.'

In Transcendent Reality we recognize a chain of human group transcendences at the family, clan, tribe, and state levels, and perhaps an embryonic transcendence at a super-state level. We pre-suppose a chain of transcendent evolution in these levels. Other human groups that form, such as cities, states, commercial companies, corporations, and military organizations, serve as adjunct organs of the social entity, be it tribe or state.

At the family level we recognize the group unity force as an entity, simply called 'family coherence,' and ascribe it as the basic social unit. At the clan level, we recognize the group unity force as an entity, called simply “clan identity.” At the tribal level we use the term 'god' to describe the group unity force, which is the “soul” of the tribal entity, At the state level we use the term 'God' for the group unity force, which is the soul of the state entity. If there is a higher transcendence level beyond state, we would use the term ‘GOD' for the group unity force. However, the existence of a social transcendence beyond the state is embryonic – or perhaps yet to be evolved. In Transcendent Reality family coherence, clan identity, tribal gods, and state Gods are part of Reality, an intangible thing that can be observed in the behavior and structure of the group. For more on this topic visit Family.

To acknowledge that groups of humans have a 'god' as its 'soul,' is not to say that the group's self-promotion of itself and its claims of linkage to omnipotent protector is accepted. Self-promotion, puffery, claims of linkage to an eternal existence, and an omnipotent and omniscient power are deception strategies for groups that promote group coherence, unity and allegiance - and intimidate, confuse, and deter competitor and enemy groups. Deception strategy is common throughout the life-form kingdoms, typified by the large fake eyes painted on a caterpillar's body to confuse and intimidate its predators by making the tiny head of the caterpillar seem to be much larger than it is. In the end it is scientific observation and realistic philosophical models that must define god, not a group's self-promotions. See the discussions on the Color of God, Deceit, Truth, and Family.

The Transcendent Reality concept of god is further discussed and made clearer in Social Evolution, which is a continuation of Transcendent Evolution. The comparison of traditional religions to Transcendent Reality as a religion is further discussed in Comparative Religions.

A Higher Power

If Transcendent Reality rejects traditional claims of religious groups linking themselves to an omnipotent, omniscient, and eternal God, what then does it look to that qualifies it as a religion? The answer is as follows.

First, Transcendent Reality does not claim that a seemingly eternal, omniscient, and omnipotent being could not exist, merely that such a being is not consistent with Reality as we know it, and thus would be unknown, not necessarily non-existent. We can not rationally ascribe infinite capability to any being in reality, though we might accede that a super-being might have a life span measured in centuries or millenniums, an intelligence equivalent to a myriad of super-computers, and control power equivalent to stars - still, it is limited and finite.

Second, the behavior of the various religious groups is not consistent with their claims of linkage and protection from such being. For specific examples visit Comparative Religions.

Third, Transcendent Reality judges other religions by what the majority of their adherents do, not by their exaggerated claims about their God. Indeed, we allude that such claims are more than vaguely reminiscent of deception - like the aforementioned fake eyes anointing the body of a caterpillar, designed to make it appear larger than it is, and confuse it predators.

To some adherents of Transcendent Reality, transcendent evolution may be caused by some great and mysterious organizing force, As a religion, Transcendent Reality may to some degree personify such force and calls it The One. Other adherents may prefer to think of the One as a path to follow to better insure our collective survival, continuance-in-kind, and prosperity. Whether we consider The One as an entity, GOD, a force, or a path, we do not claim to know its extent or source, nor that we ourselves are its specific beneficiaries. We adopt the term The One as symbol to rally ourselves around and unify ourselves into a coherent and powerful component entity - able to leap to the stars and galaxies. Indeed - that is our aim. It is not by accident that our icon, our logo, resembles a space ship. We believe that discovering the will and the way of the One, through its works in Transcendent Evolution, will enhance our survival, continuance in kind, and prosperity. For more on this topic visit The One.

The Revealer

All religions have their founders. In the revealed religions it was prophets communicating with supernatural beings such as God, angels, and devils. In the inspired religions, it was a philosopher. In a way, these founders were social geniuses - they met the needs of the society at the time, and provided the cohesion and unity necessary to compete with other paradigms.

In the Transcendent Evolution web page we allude that geniuses among us occur from time to time and provide us glimpses of systems in Reality. Such systems are hard to detect because they are complex, cycle over long periods of time, occur within our sensory range only partially and sporadically, and are too large or too small for our senses or instruments to easily recognize as a system. In Transcendent reality, the Seer is such a genius. We honor him for revealing to us the theory of Transcendent Evolution, and for establishing the paradigm of Transcendent Reality.

Destiny

To properly see where we are going, and where we should be going requires that we consider ourselves in the light of where we have been, and how we got here. We do not believe that we have absolute free will to choose our path. Our larger environment is a given to us. We can manipulate it only a little during out lifetime. However, if each generation preserves and builds on the efforts of prior generations, then we collectively over time can have a very significant influence on our environment. For additional Discussion visit Manifest Destiny , and Seventh Transcendence.

Beliefs

The Great Organizing Force or path we call the One, which we believe causes transcendent evolution and morphological evolution to occur, is a belief - a belief that probably cannot be verified by our scientific investigations. We personalize this great organizing force in our religion, and attempt to rally around it as our God or GOD, so that we enhance our survival, continuance in kind, and our prosperity.

Morality

We believe Transcendent Reality as a religion gives us a realistic and useful sense of how to value our knowledge, how to make choices, and what is right and what is wrong. Transcendent Reality requires our religion to be inspirational, and consistent, and complimentary with our scientific discoveries and our philosophical models. Our religion provides us with our will to continue under adversity pursuing our immediate mission with vigor, and to visualize our future rewards because of our devotion to our faith. Our religion colors much of our philosophy in politics and human affairs.

Transcendent Reality requires our morality to further existence of the individual, continuance of generations, and prosperity to the faithful. Our religion colors much of our philosophy in politics and human affairs.

For further discussion visit Morality and our Prohibited Practices.