i. worldviews: whats the big idea? dr. william e. brown

I. Worldviews:What’s the Big Idea?

Dr. William E. Brown

Around the office, whenever I see a Christian, I scream and run away like a little girl. . . I am more afraid of Christians than I am of getting a flesh eating virus. . . . I am more afraid of Christians than I am of being shipped to Syria and tortured.

Al Franken

Houston, TX

Dear residents of Dayton, Tenn.,

I read about your town in the September National Geographic. It seems as though everybody there believes in Jesus and Christianity. As a humanist, I see NO evidence of a god, heaven, hell, devils, angels, fairies or a soul that leaves the body. The story of Adam and Eve is a fairy tale. Noah’s Ark is an impossible dream. The “virgin birth” of Jesus by mother Mary is nonsense. The hundreds of religions around the world all believe they have the answer. Religions are nothing but people’s imagination. Men wrote the Bible, not an imaginary god.

Humanists believe in nature and science. We know that people and animals and plants evolved over three billion years on planet Earth.

We do not look for supernatural answers as to why we have thunder or why it rains or why we have tornados. This is all part of nature and physics. We’re proud of being capable of determining right from wrong by using our brains and not some book translated from ancient Holy scrolls.

We do not thank Jesus for good fortune because our intelligence knows he has NOTHING to do with anything going on now.

Best regards,

Jimmy DunnePresident, Humanists of Houston

Dear Mr. Dunne:

I was disappointed in your letter of August 28 to the people of Dayton. I do not think it accomplished what you intended.Your letter was more of a screed than a creed. People who read it either laughed at what they saw as arrogant pronouncements or clucked their tongues at the patronizing statements. I am enclosing another letter that you are free to use. This better represents your naturalistic worldview and might engender substantive discussion rather than defensive reactions.

Best regards,

William E. Brown

Dear residents of ___________,

As a humanist, I rely on the objective facts discovered by science. By the use of the scientific method, I see no proofs for the existence of God, heaven, hell, angels, or a soul that lives on after we die. If such evidence is discovered, I will gladly believe.

I believe in people. I work hard to make this world a better place because this is all the existence we have. Because I believe the natural world is all that exists, I do not need to believe there are anything but natural causes for everything that occurs in the world, good or bad.We do not need a God or a holy book to tell us what is right and wrong. Most of morality is self-evident and we just need to use our reason to decide what is right and wrong.

It is difficult to believe in the existence of a good and powerful God when the world He supposedly created is filled with evil and disasters. I would assume He would intervene in some way to correct these wrongs. Instead, the world seems to be getting worse.

When we look at the thousands of religions in the world, which one is correct? They all have conflicting beliefs about God, scriptures, rituals, and morality. This only adds to the confusion.

I hope you will consider the rationale I have given here in your quest for truth.

Sincerely yours,

Jimmy DunnePresident, Humanists of Houston

A. Thinking as a Christian

WORLDVIEWSWORLDVIEWS

Using your mindUsing your mind

The Biblical ChallengeThe Biblical ChallengeUsing Your Mind . . .

“ . . . Love the Lord your Godwith all your heart

and with all your souland with all your mind.”

Matthew 22:37

Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies asliving sacrifices, holy and pleasing toGod - this is your spiritual act of worship.Do not be conformed any longer to thepattern of this world, but be transformedby the renewing of your mind . . .

- Romans 12:1-2

Using Your Mind . . .

. . . men of Issachar,who understood the times andknew what Israel should do . . .

- 1 Chronicles 12:32

. . . men of Issachar,who understood the times andknew what Israel should do . . .

- 1 Chronicles 12:32


To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning . . .

In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.

- Daniel 1:17,20


“Yes, we are a nation that is unenlightened because of religion. I do believe that. I think that religion stops people from thinking. I think it justifies crazies. I think flying planes into a building was a faith-based initiative. I think religion is a neurological disorder.”

Bill Maher

Religion is the problem

“I had a crisis of faith. I thought you had to experience things if you want to know right from wrong. I’d go to Christian revivals and be moved by the Holy Spirit and I’d go to rock concerts and feel the same fervor. The I’d be told, ‘That’s the Devil’s music! Don’t partake in that!’ I wanted to

experience things religion said not to experience. . . When I got untethered from the comfort of religion, it wasn’t a loss of faith for me, it was a discovery of self. I had faith that I’m capable enough to handle any situation.”

Brad Pitt

It’s all about me . . . .

I never lost my faith… I felt for a time that I had outgrown the church. Now it is a bone of contention in my

soul that I did not share my faith with my kids, as my parents did with me. It was a source of grace when I needed it. I have been greatly nurtured and inspired by my faith.

Martin Sheen

I love my church, and was . . . raised by intellectuals who were very devout. I was raised to believe that you could question the church . . . What is worthy of satire is the misuse of religion for destructive or political gains. That's totally different from the Word, the blood, the body, and the Christ. His kingdom is not of this earth.

-Stephen Colbert

Are we . . . thinking worldviewishly?

We think . . .

in fragments


We think . . .

in fragmentsin images


We think . . .

in fragmentsin imagesin sounds

B. Thinking Worldviewishly

What is a Worldview?What is a

Worldview?

What is a Worldview?What is a Worldview?

“A worldview is first of all an explanation and interpretationof the world, and second, anapplication of this view to life.”

Brown, Phillips, Stonestreet“Making Sense of Your World”

Your worldview

Your view OF the world

EXPLANATION

EXPLANATION

INTERPRETATION

INTERPRETATION

Your worldview

Your view FOR the world

APPLICATION

APPLICATION

Behavior

Values

Worldview

Your worldview answers the ULTIMATE questions…Your worldview answers the ULTIMATE questions…

ORIGIN: Where did everything come from?

MEANING: Why are we here?

MORALITY: How should we live?

DESTINY: What happens when we die?

ORIGIN: Where did everything come from?

MEANING: Why are we here?

MORALITY: How should we live?

DESTINY: What happens when we die?

God has a plan and God is in control of everything.

-Beyonce Knowles

Whatever happens in life is fine-- just trust in that.

-Orlando Bloom

There are no rules. Just follow your heart.

-Robin Williams


“Sometimes I feel like I’m living a meaningless life and I get frightened . . .

I have no idea where this insecurity comes from, but it’s a God-sized hole. If I knew, I’d fill it and I’d be on my way. . .

I have no answers to anything. None. Why am I an alcoholic? I haven’t a clue! What is life about? I don’t know. . . .

The best I can do is learn from my mistakes and move forward. And that’s what I’m trying to do.”

~Shia LeBeouf

O R I G I N

M E A N I N G

M O R A L I T Y

D E S T I N Y

O R I G I N

M E A N I N G

M O R A L I T Y

D E S T I N Y

E

L

T

II. The World of Worldviews:Three Basic Approaches to Life


Naturalism Transcen-

dentalism

Theism

Nothing Nature

Worldview Origin Meaning Morality Destiny

Naturalism

Worldviews


Naturalism Natural means

Worldviews


Naturalism Natural means ?

Worldviews


Naturalism Natural means ? Self-

determined

Worldviews



determinedAnnihilation

Worldviews

“I have never seen the slightest scientific proof of the religious ideas of heaven and hell, of future life for individuals or of a personal God.”

Thomas Edison

“I’m an atheist, and that’s it. I believe there’s nothing we can know except that we should bekind to each other and what we can for each other.”

Katharine Hepburn

“The beauty of religious mania is that it has the power to explain everything. Once God (or Satan) is accepted as the first cause of everything which happens in the mortal world, nothing is left to chance… logic can be happily tossed out the window.”

“The beauty of religious mania is that it has the power to explain everything. Once God (or Satan) is accepted as the first cause of everything which happens in the mortal world, nothing is left to chance… logic can be happily tossed out the window.”

Stephen King

“Dear god, if you were alive,You know we’d kill you.”

Marilyn Manson “Godeatgod” from the album Holy Wood

“Here’s what happens when you die– you sit in a box and get eaten by worms. I guarantee that when you die, nothing cool happens.”

Howard Stern

“I would thank God, but I don’t believe in it.”

Eddie Vedder, Pearl Jam

“I’ve got my own religion… If I get into trouble, there’s no God or Allah to sort me out. I have to do it myself.”

Bjork

“I believe in the good message that you can find in religion. But whether there is some ruler up there, above the clouds, I doubt it.”

Annika Sorenstam

“It isn’t just that I don’t believe in God…I don’t want there to be a God; I don’t want the universe to be like that…”

Thomas NagelProfessor of Law andPhilosophyNYU

“It isn’t just that I don’t believe in God…I don’t want there to be a God; I don’t want the universe to be like that…”

Thomas NagelProfessor of Law andPhilosophyNYU

"If I was having a bad day, or if something was really getting me down -boy troubles, whatever- I wanted to go out and get a new piercing. It was definitely a release for me. Something that made me feel a little more strong or empowered. Because it was something that had to do with me and no one else."

Christina Aguilera Rolling Stone


= “GOD”= “GOD”

NATURENATURE

Nothin

gNothin

g

“I just find the evangelical church, too, well, restrictive. But the School of Practical Philosophy is non-

confrontational. We believe there are many forms of Scripture. What is true will never change, whether it’s in the Bible or in Shakespeare. It’s about oneness. Its basic philosophy is that if the Buddha and Krishna and Jesus were all at a dinner table together, they wouldn’t be arguing. There is an essential truth. And we are limitless.”

Hugh Jackman,

“Ultimately the Force is the larger mystery of the universe. And to trust your feelings is your way to that.”

George Lucas

“Ultimately the Force is the larger mystery of the universe. And to trust your feelings is your way to that.”

George Lucas

“I think I was a tree or something in a past life. I’ve always been attracted to nature.”

Tommy Lee

I am a blank slate—therefore I can create anything I want.

-Tobey Maguire


I don't necessarily believe in organized religion.I love my God, my higher power, but it is mine and mine alone, and I create my connection, and I decide how my connection is going to be.

-Will Smith

You know when I feel inwardly beautiful? When I am with my girlfriends and we are having a "goddess circle."

-Jennifer Aniston





Transcenden- talism

Worldviews




Transcenden- talism

Derived from the “One”

Worldviews




Transcenden- talism


Recognize “oneness”

Worldviews




Transcenden- talism



Determined by unity/harmony

Worldviews




Transcenden- talism




Rebirth; back to the “One”

Worldviews

I don't believe in God now...I can still work up an envy for someone who has faith. I can see how that could be a deeply soothing experience.

-Jack Nicholson


“I must say that when I go to church – and I do go to church – I ponder the mystery. I meditate on the ‘why?’ of ‘Why people are as they are?’ and ‘Why bad things happen to good people?’ and ‘Why good things happen to bad people?’ . . . The mystery is what I think is, almost, the grand unifying theory of all mankind.”

Tom Hanks

“Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment . . .”

Hebrews 9:27

NATURENATUREGodGod

NATURENATUREGod

God

THEISTIC RELIGIONS

JUDAISM(2,000 BC)

CHRISTIANITY(AD 30)

ISLAM(AD 600)


Naturalism Natural means ? Self-determined

Annihilation

Transcenden- talism





Theism

Worldviews



Annihilation

Transcenden- talism





Theism Created by God

Worldviews



Annihilation

Transcenden- talism






Determined by God

Worldviews



Annihilation

Transcenden- talism






Determined by God

Determined by God

Worldviews



Annihilation

Transcenden- talism






Determined by God

Determined by God

Eternity with or apart from God

Worldviews

“Our father, God, Allah, we thank you for thismoment in time. Bless Kanye, bless his album, take over his album and take it to the highest place possible . . . In the name of Allah and the spirit of our inner essence. Amen.”Prayer by Kanye West prior to a concert, Blender

THEISTIC RELIGIONS

JUDAISM(2,000 BC)

CHRISTIANITY(AD 30)

ISLAM(AD 600)

CHRISTUS NEXUS

Christianity is Christ. . .Take Christ from Christianity, and youdisembowel it; there is practically nothing left.

Christ is the center of Christianity, all else is circumference.

John Stott

Christianity is Christ. . .Take Christ from Christianity, and youdisembowel it; there is practically nothing left.

Christ is the center of Christianity, all else is circumference.

John Stott

When all is said and done and my life is over, all that will have truly mattered is that I made a choice in this life to believe in and serve the Lord Jesus Christ.

-Kerry Livgren of Kansas“Dust in the Wind”

Naturalism

Transcen-

dentalismTheism




Transcenden- talism






Determined by God

Determined by God


Christianity

Worldviews




Transcenden- talism






Determined by God

Determined by God


Christianity Created by God

Worldviews




Transcenden- talism






Determined by God

Determined by God



Glorify/love God; love others

Worldviews




Transcenden- talism






Determined by God

Determined by God




Determined by character/will of God

Worldviews




Transcenden- talism






Determined by God

Determined by God




Determined by character/will of God

Determined by relationship with Christ

Worldviews

III. Worldviews:Why Does it Matter?


Cedarville UniversityHealth Science Center

DeMaurice SmithNFL Players’ Association

Will SchenckFairchild Fashion GroupRolling Stone, Men’s Journal (prev.)

Mac McQuistonCEO Forum

Michael FranzeseMafia BossColombo crime family

Dr. Ramesh RichardRReach

A. Broadening Your Perspective

Let it snow!!!

B. Giving an Answer

Christopher HitchensAuthor, God is NOT Good:How Religion Poisons Everything

Marilyn SewellUnitarian Universalist Minister

Interview, Portland Monthly Magazine, Jan 2010

The religion you cite in your book is generally the fundamentalist faith of various kinds. I’m a liberal

Christian, and I don’t take the stories from the scripture literally. I don’t believe in the doctrine of the atonement (that Jesus died for our sins, for example). Do you make and distinction between fundamentalist faith and liberal religion?

Only in this respect: I would say that if you don’t believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ, in other words, the Messiah, and that he rose again from the dead and by his sacrifice our sins are forgiven, you’re really not in any meaningful sense a Christian.

I disagree with that. I consider myself a Christian. I believe in the Jesus story as

story, as narrative, and Jesus as a person whose life is exemplary that I want to follow. But I do not believe in all that stuff that I just outlined.

I simply have to tell you that every major Christian, including theologians, has said that without the resurrection and without the forgiveness of sins, what I call the vicarious redemption, it’s meaningless. In fact, without that, it isn’t even a nice story - even if it’s true . . .

It doesn’t really matter to me if it’s true literally. It matters to me whether the story has efficacy for my life.

Well, that’s what I meant to say. When C.S. Lewis, for example, says, . . ‘if this man was not the son of God, then his teachings were evil’ because if you don’t believe that the kingdom of heaven is at hand and you can get to it by the way, the truth, and the life, offered by the gospel, then there’s no excuse for telling people to take no thought for the morrow, for example, as he did. . . It would be an evil nonsense.

C. Walking the Path of Wisdom and Knowledge

The Path of Wisdom and Knowledge

1. Know God

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 9:10

Knowing God


1. Know God

2. Know God’s Word

“I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.”

Matthew 5:18

“Scripture cannot be broken.” John 10:35

“All Scripture is God-breathed.” 2 Timothy 3:16

Knowing God’s Word

1. Knowing the content

2. Understanding the content

3. Applying the content

Knowing God’s Word


1. Know God

2. Know God’s Word

3. Know God’s World

Out in the open wisdom calls aloud, she raises her voice in the public square; on top of the wall she cries out, at the city gate she makes her speech: “How long will you who are simple love your

simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings.

Proverbs 1:20-22

Knowing God’s World

Out in the open wisdom calls aloud, she raises her voice in the public square; on top of the wall she cries out, at the city gate she makes her speech: “How long will you who are simple love your

simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings.


1 Wisdom has built her house . . . 3 She has sent out her servants, and she calls from the highest point of the city, 4 “Let all who are simple come to my house!” To those who have no sense she says, 5 “Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed. 6 Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of insight.”

Proverbs 9:1,3-6


Folly is an unruly woman; she is simple and knows nothing. She sits at the door of her house, on a seat at the highest point of the city, calling out to those who pass by, who go straight on their way, “Let all who are simple come to my house!” To those who have no sense she says, “Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious!” But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.

Proverbs 9:13-18


Worldviews:Why Does it Matter?


i. worldviews: whats the big idea? dr. william e. brown

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