I believe we've moved into the "Age of Spirituality." It's a time when people from all walks of life are considering their spiritual lives and are trying to get beyond the real struggles and obstacles they face. The problem and challenge is "What kind of spirituality is it?" Is every spiritual journey just as valuable and important, and are all searches the same? Especially in light of 9-1-1, we have to ask ourselves is a Muslim on his Jihad journey, determined to destroy anyone outside the faith, just as "spiritual" as a Christian in Kansas going to a local Baptist church? Or is Wicca just as viable a religion as Judaism or Buddhism?

Today, we live in a culture where frankly, few want to deal with a transcendent being who provides everyone a framework for living. Instead, it seems much more "tolerant" to just make up the rules as we need them - to control our own destiny, and have a "relative" sense of what's right and wrong. After all, who are you to tell me how to live?

But the problem with that approach is when we all make up our own rules, "what's right" becomes "what's right for me" - so how can we judge anything? How can we judge others for their behavior? Who's to say murder isn't permissible? Who's to say adultery, cheating on taxes, or giant corporations stealing investor's money is wrong?

It's a tough question, that only seems to resolve itself when we're willing to acknowledge a transcendent force that we all defer to - dare I say a "God" who created us, understands our situation, and wants us to live in peace and justice. The bottom line? A God who cares about our frustrations, challenges, and failures.

That vision of a transcendent being who is actually interested in our personal situation is the crux of my work, and to figure out how He can transform people's lives is my journey. But in a "spiritual" culture where most feel that every journey is the same, and all bets are off - it's very difficult to say the least.

But the difference can transform a culture and provide real answers in the darkness...

Phil Cooke is an award winning commercial, music video, television and film producer and director, who's work has been profiled in the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Los Angeles Times. Recently, selected projects have been placed in the permanent archive on the History of Broadcasting at the Newhouse School of Communication at Syracuse University representing landmark work in inspirational broadcasting. He also lectures at numerous media conferences, universities and workshops, and has recently taught directing techniques as far away as Russia and Central America. He has also recently completed a Ph.D., writing a doctoral dissertation titled: "Through a Glass Darkly: Revelation as a New Paradigm for Understanding Modern Cinema."