Teaching studentsTo Think from aBiblical Worldview

“Making Sense of Your World”

Houston, TXAug. 28, 2001

Dear residents of Dayton, Tenn.,

I read about your town in the Sept. 2001 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

“I can honestly say I am a Christian, but my spirituality has been developed on the

road and is based on my experiences with God.”

- Justin Timberlake, Rolling Stone

“I believe in the spiritual afterlife. I believe, in some shape or form, in past-life regression and souls coming back to Earth for unfinished business. You know, when you run into people and you're like, 'I know I've met you somewhere?' I think maybe you actually did. I think that's what soul mates means-that you were connected to that person in a past life.“

-Justin Timberlake responding to the question, "What do you think happens to you when you die?" from Blender magazine

"My dad's been a Scientologist for thirty-five years . . . My grandfather was a Presbyterian minister, and my mother raised us Jewish, so I've had lots of influences. But whatever."

- Singer/songwriter Beck, Spin,

“I think a lot of people are losing their religion. Definitely. Even me, I know that when I grew up, I used to go to church every Sunday, and now it’s become holidays. But I think as long as you have your own thing, whether it’s meditation—anything that centers you in life is good. Do I pray? Yeah, I do.” - Actress Kirsten Dunst, Rolling Stone

“First I was ‘angry’, then ‘spiritual’. Now I don't know what I am.”

-Alanis Morissette from Rolling Stone’s daily e-mail

Are we . . . Are we . . . thinking worldviewishly?thinking worldviewishly?

We think . . . We think . . .

in fragmentsin fragments

        

Are we . . . Are we . . . thinking worldviewishly?thinking worldviewishly?

We think . . . We think . . .

in fragmentsin fragmentsin imagesin images

Are we . . . Are we . . . thinking worldviewishly?thinking worldviewishly?

We think . . . We think . . .

in fragmentsin fragmentsin imagesin imagesin soundsin sounds

Cultivating Worldview ThinkingCultivating Worldview Thinking

1. Educating1. Educating

What is a Worldview?““A worldview is first of all an A worldview is first of all an explanationexplanation and and interpretationinterpretationof the world, and second, anof the world, and second, anapplication application of this view to life.”of this view to life.”

W. Gary Phillips and William E. Brown Making Sense of Your World, p. 29.

YourYour worldviewworldview

Your view Your view OFOF the world the world

EXPLANATION

EXPLANATION

INTERPRETATION

INTERPRETATION

Your Your worldviewworldview

Your view Your view FORFOR the world the world

APPLICATION

APPLICATION

Worldview

Values

Behavior

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

ORIGIN:ORIGIN: Where did everything come from?Where did everything come from?

MEANING:MEANING: Why are we here?Why are we here?

MORALITY:MORALITY: How should we live?How should we live?

DESTINY:DESTINY: What happens when we die?What happens when we die?

O R I G I NO R I G I N

M E A N I N GM E A N I N G

M O R A L I T YM O R A L I T Y

D E S T I N YD E S T I N Y

OO RR I G I NI G I N

M EM E AA N I N GN I N G

M O R A LM O R A L II T YT Y

D E S T I ND E S T I N YY

EE

LL

TT

Cultivating Worldview ThinkingCultivating Worldview Thinking

1. Educating1. Educating

2. Integrating2. Integrating

UltimateUltimateQuestionsQuestions

NaturalismNaturalism Transcen-Transcen-dentalismdentalism

TheismTheism

Nothing NATURE

= “GOD”

NATURE

Nothin

g

NATUREGod

NATUREGod

THEISTIC RELIGIONS

JUDAISM(2,000 BC)

CHRISTIANITY(AD 30)

ISLAM(AD 600)

CHRISTUS NEXUSCHRISTUS NEXUSChristianity is Christ. . .Christianity is Christ. . .Take Christ from Christianity, Take Christ from Christianity, and you disembowel it; and you disembowel it; there is practically nothing left.there is practically nothing left.

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

John StottJohn Stott

Cultivating Worldview ThinkingCultivating Worldview Thinking

1. Educating1. Educating

2. Integrating2. Integrating

3. Mentoring3. Mentoring

Elements of Worldview ThinkingElements of Worldview Thinking

ExplanationExplanation

InterpretationInterpretation

ApplicatiApplicationon

Focus: Biblical InstructionFocus: Biblical InstructionGoal: Think BiblicallyGoal: Think Biblically

Focus: Personal and CulturalFocus: Personal and Cultural EvaluationEvaluation

Goal:Goal: Discernment Discernment

Focus: Personal Decision-Focus: Personal Decision- makingmakingGoal: ChristlikenessGoal: Christlikeness

Examples of Worldview TeachingExamples of Worldview Teaching

1.1. Explore the distinctives of the BiblicalExplore the distinctives of the Biblicalworldview. Ask, “What if . . . “worldview. Ask, “What if . . . “

2.2. Explore the distinctives of otherExplore the distinctives of otherworldviews. Ask, “How would a ____worldviews. Ask, “How would a ____explain or interpret this?” explain or interpret this?”

3.3. Ask: “Why?” about everything. Ask: “Why?” about everything.

4.4. Collect worldview current events Collect worldview current events

Examples of Worldview TeachingExamples of Worldview Teaching5. “Enslave” yourself to everyone. Ask:5. “Enslave” yourself to everyone. Ask:

““What are your favorite . . . What are your favorite . . . songs/groups? Why?songs/groups? Why?movies/celebrities? Why?”movies/celebrities? Why?”

6. So What? Ask:6. So What? Ask:““What do these songs/movies/etc.What do these songs/movies/etc. tell us about ourselves? What istell us about ourselves? What is the underlying worldview? What the underlying worldview? What values, actions, beliefs do theyvalues, actions, beliefs do they promote? How do these line uppromote? How do these line up with a biblical view of life?”with a biblical view of life?”

www.cpyu.orgwww.planetwisdom.comwww.allmusic.comwww.screenit.com

www.rottentomatoes.com

Teaching studentsTo Think from aBiblical Worldview

“Making Sense of Your World”

THEISTIC RELIGIONS

JUDAISM(2,000 BC)

CHRISTIANITY(AD 30)

ISLAM(AD 600)