Introduction: Beyond Man
Beyond Man
One of my first spiritual lessons was, ‘Beyond Man.’ It’s a lesson I wish I had paid more attention to at the beginning of my journey. A lesson that would have saved me a lot of time and heartbreak. It’s a lesson that I hope to impart to the readers of this book.
Beyond Man' isn't some lofty theological idea. It is the name of a greyhound dog I wagered on during a trip with my dad in Daytona Beach, Florida. My father, a confessed atheist at the time, had orchestrated the trip to dissuade me from my recent choice to drop out of college. As we approached the dog track, he leveled with me: 'Don't squander your future because you're uncertain about who you are.' Then he posed a question to challenge my new beliefs: 'If you're so set on believing in God, wouldn't you serve Him more effectively with a college degree?’
Though I was at a racetrack, my thoughts weren't fixated on the bets that night. Instead, I was consumed by the looming dread of asking my father for gas money so I could continue on my pilgrimage. Admitting my financial straits would only confirm his view that I had become disconnected from reality. While skimming the race brochure, an unusual detail caught my attention: the dog in the seventh slot of the seventh race bore the name 'Beyond Man.' A feeling washed over me, a certainty that betting on this dog would win me the needed gas money. Caught in a wave of elation, I turned to my dad, saying, 'I think God wants me to bet on Beyond Man,' as I pointed to the name. His retort was immediate: 'Jesus Christ, John, don’t become a religious nut. Can you please leave God out of your gambling?
A few minutes later, 'Beyond Man' crossed the finish line first, transforming my last $6 into a surprising windfall of a few hundred dollars. With a shake of his head and a look of disbelief, my dad said, 'I still think you're full of shit, but that might have been your god.’
Beyond Man—an enigmatic phrase that I have given multiple meanings to over the years. Initially, it symbolized a readiness to transcend conventional human wisdom by stepping out in faith and embracing choices to delve into the unknown despite the skepticism of others. Later, after my faith in Christianity waned, the term began to signify the untapped potential of humanity's future, especially as my optimism found new avenues in concepts like the Singularity, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies.
However, today, 'Beyond Man' stands out to me as a personal reminder of essential humility—a humility that urges me to acknowledge the vastness of what I don't know about God and the universe. It's a humility that continuously reminds me I am a wayfarer in an unending odyssey of discovery, always in pursuit of deeper understanding yet ever aware of the immeasurable mysteries that lie ahead. ‘Beyond Man’ reminds me to stay clear of dogma even as I boldly seek out Myth.