The Epic of Evolution
Humans take significant comfort in their attachment to history. Religions have long used this component of human nature to motivate and retain their followers. The Epic of Evolution is an attempt to achieve some of those same benefits for proponents of Atheism.
The Epic of Evolution is a story that defines the fundamental world view of evolutionary religion by beginning with the natural world and delineating how the processes physical, biological, and cultural evolution have naturally created the world in which we live. It then uses this history as a tool to explain the meaning of our lives and to create guidelines for how to best live our lives.
Strangely, the concept of an Epic of Evolution has been hijacked by three ypes of groups:
- Traditional religions seeking to maintain their market share of believers in the face of scientific evidence
- Spiritualist groups who seek to use an Epic of Evolution to promote their anti-scientific agendas
- “Environmentalists” who believe that nature is innately good and that man is separate from nature and innately evil
Epic of Evolution: Seven Ages of the Cosmos is probably the closest we have to an Epic of Evolution, but at 504 pages it is a bit unapproachable for the age group of people who have the most to benefit from an understanding of their place in the Universe.
To be truly useful, an epic has to be something which parents in a society use to teach their children. It has to be as well known as Hansel and Gretel or Little Red Riding Hood. In this, we still have considerable progress ahead of us.