What if you asked the spiritual leaders, gurus, scientists, artists, and everyday people of the world why we exist, and what are we supposed to do about it? What started the Universe, and was it a mistake? Does God exist, and why does he seem so interested in our sex lives?
Synopsis of the film:
What is the most important question there is? After exploring the phenomenon of STAR TREK fans in the acclaimed documentary TREKKIES, filmmaker Roger Nygard is taking on THE NATURE OF EXISTENCE, traveling the globe to the source of the world’s philosophies, religions, and belief systems, interviewing spiritual leaders, scholars, scientists, artists and others who have influenced, inspired, or freaked out humanity.
“I made a list of the eighty-five toughest questions I could think of,” said Nygard, “starting with biggest one, ‘why do we exist?’ and then I began interrogating the widest cross-section of humanity possible.” Here are a few more of the questions asked in the movie: What is man’s purpose? What started the Universe? Where was God during the Holocaust? What is Truth? Should people have sex before marriage? What is the best way to find happiness? Where is the afterlife? Where are the voices in my head coming from? …How would YOU answer? What journey is more important than one that takes us closer to finding meaning in our existence?
Profiled in the film are people like Indian holy man, His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (The Art of Living), who described his job as “dehusking” people: “stress is the husk, which covers the light, the joy within a person.” Nygard spoke with Catholic Archbishop D’Ambrosio in Italy, who believed his is the true religion and said, “To believe in Christ is not easy. But it’s not impossible.
In Athens, Georgia, Rob Adonis, founder of Ultimate Christian Wrestling, says he looks forward to the afterlife, “In Heaven I’m going to be perfect, I’ll have abs of steel, I’m going to be chiseled, I’m going to have a great tan.”
24th Generation Taoist Master Zhang Chengda of China’s Azure Cloud Temple on Taishan, China’s holiest mountain, said, “If you do good in this life, then you can continue practicing Tao in the afterlife.”
Islamic scholar Dr. Zakir Naik in Mumbai, India, maintains, “In Islam, the Truth prevails, not majority.”
In England, evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion, said, “Not only do you not need God, it’s positively counterproductive, if you are trying to understand the nature of Existence.”
In Palo Alto, California, Leonard Susskind (co-discovered string theory) explained that modern string theorists are coming to the conclusion that there is not just one Universe, but more likely trillions, if not an infinite number of Universes, all with laws of physics different from ours.
Professor Li Shaoqiang, in Confucious’s hometown of Qufu, China, explained that, “Chinese people worship Mao Ze Tung as god because he founded a country.”
And over 100 others like Harvard psychologist and author Daniel Gilbert (Stumbling on Happiness), film director Irvin Kershner (Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back), novelist and Mormon Orson Scott Card (Ender’s Game), and Stonehenge Druids Rollo Maughfling & King Arthur Pendragon.
After a four-year world-wide odyssey beginning in 2005, the filmmakers had over 450 hours of footage to boil down to an hour and a half, to bring audiences the best and the most transcendental moments, to present a fascinating look at humanity, and our Universe, as seen through the eyes of some of the most interesting people on our planet, and perhaps, some of the most interesting beings in our Universe.
Running time: 93:50
For more information and a schedule of show dates, times and locations, visit thenatureofexistence.com.
All the Mysteries of Human Existence - Explained in One Movie.
How would YOU answer the questions? What journey is more important than one that takes us closer to finding meaning in our existence?
In this bonus from The Nature of Existence, see a rematch debate between Comedian Stevie Ray Fromstein & Confrontational Evangelist Brother Jed. This time they debate morality, damnation, homosexuality, & divine lying. Who do you think wins this match?
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