Stumbling into the Multiverse

Whenever I set out to write a story it is inevitably inspired by what I call a "Big Question". A small question would be, "What color car should I buy?". A Big Question would be, "What is the meaning of life?".This is a collection of 4 fictional tales that explore Big Questions about the role of Humanity as it fumbles its way beyond Earth.Clay ManTHE BIG QUESTION; What will be Humanity's role in the universe if we don't somehow get it together and evolve into a socially responsible creature?Ira, Searching for ProfundityTHE BIG QUESTION; Why are there so many stikingly similar legends and historical allegories found around the world despite eons of cultural isolation and independent social evolution?The Hadrite StudentTHE BIG QUESTION; If those great Personages of history, Who were, or claimed to be, or were reported to be Manifestations or Avatars of a great Universal God, or even if they were simply the mechanistic creations of a clock-work universe, shouldn't They influence more than just this one little planet?Pesky and the ParticleTHE BIG QUESTION; Why is religion so hard? Why does it feel like it wants people to be anything but what they naturally are? Is that by design? What possible purpose could God, or the Clock-work Universe, or whatever it is out there, have for evolving such self-loathing, cranky, warlike critters as us?