Guest Columnist Connects Some Dots
From guest Columnist Allen Merritt.
When I became fascinated with Biblical creation and prophecy, I became aware of the clash of competing worldviews. Not just the war between terrorists and civilization or Obama vs. conservatives, but of inner conflicts we all face. In the opening of my favorite Ozark book, Shepherd Of The Hills, The Old Shepherd refers to the two opposing world views this way: “This, my story, is a very old story. In the hills of life, there are two trails. One lies along the higher sunlit fields where those who journey see afar, and the light lingers even when the sun is down; and one leads to the lower ground, where those who travel, as they go, look always over their shoulders with eyes of dread, and gloomy shadows gather long before the day is done...In life it has all happened many times, in many places before. The two trails lead afar. The story, so very old, is still in the telling.”
Don Wildmon, of American Family Association/American Family Radio describes the two trails this way, “We are in the midst of a spiritual war, not only in our country but in western civilization. This spiritual struggle is between opposite and competing views of the world and humankind. One view is what we can best describe as the Christian view of man… that God is God and man is man; that God loved man so much that He gave His only son to suffer and die for man’s rebellion; that we are created in the image of God; that our worth is based on the fact that we are God’s children and not on anything that we have done to deserve God’s love.
“The other view of the world and humankind has several names --- secularism, materialism, or humanism --- but it says in essence that the God of the Christian perspective doesn’t exist, and if He does exist, He doesn’t matter. Simply put, this other view says that man is his own god, and no other god if there is one, makes any difference.”
continued on the jump.....
When I became fascinated with Biblical creation and prophecy, I became aware of the clash of competing worldviews. Not just the war between terrorists and civilization or Obama vs. conservatives, but of inner conflicts we all face. In the opening of my favorite Ozark book, Shepherd Of The Hills, The Old Shepherd refers to the two opposing world views this way: “This, my story, is a very old story. In the hills of life, there are two trails. One lies along the higher sunlit fields where those who journey see afar, and the light lingers even when the sun is down; and one leads to the lower ground, where those who travel, as they go, look always over their shoulders with eyes of dread, and gloomy shadows gather long before the day is done...In life it has all happened many times, in many places before. The two trails lead afar. The story, so very old, is still in the telling.”
Don Wildmon, of American Family Association/American Family Radio describes the two trails this way, “We are in the midst of a spiritual war, not only in our country but in western civilization. This spiritual struggle is between opposite and competing views of the world and humankind. One view is what we can best describe as the Christian view of man… that God is God and man is man; that God loved man so much that He gave His only son to suffer and die for man’s rebellion; that we are created in the image of God; that our worth is based on the fact that we are God’s children and not on anything that we have done to deserve God’s love.
“The other view of the world and humankind has several names --- secularism, materialism, or humanism --- but it says in essence that the God of the Christian perspective doesn’t exist, and if He does exist, He doesn’t matter. Simply put, this other view says that man is his own god, and no other god if there is one, makes any difference.”
continued on the jump.....
posted by Mark Moore (Moderator) at Thursday, October 14, 2010
3 Comments:
Secularism, materialism, or humanism base their views on evolution; that the universe and earth resulted from an explosion of dead, random elements ages ago; then within the mix of chemicals, a simple life-form accidentally developed, and over the ages it reproduced and mutated into all the other plants and animals. Therefore, if life is the result of random accidents, there is no higher authority; nothing is absolutely right; and nothing is absolutely wrong; life is all about the survival of the fittest. If the Ten Commandments are just myths, then hating others, stealing, and killing unborn babies are acceptable lifestyles.
Joseph Farah, founder and editor of WorldNetDaily.com says, "There are very few issues as important as the subject of origins and what we are teaching our children about it. What we believe in this area affects everything else, our entire worldview. It affects our religious beliefs, our view of the proper role of government, even our views regarding the sacredness of life itself."
If you have paid any attention to the news lately, you know that Americans were strongly divided on the appointment of a new Supreme Court Justice. The secular side demanded that the next judge must: support abortion; redefine marriage; repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell; insist on the removal of the Ten Commandments and any other aspect of America’s Judeo-Christian heritage from schools and public areas.
Since WWII, schools have taught that “evolution is absolutely true, therefore there are no absolute truths.” Evolution infers that Scripture is myth and Jesus is no more real than Santa or the Easter Bunny. Adults with that view rationalize that if there is no God, there are no unalienable [God Given] Rights; therefore, rights are given by governments; and what governments give, governments can take away. Thus governments and judges do not feel compelled to recognize the rights of the people listed in the Constitution and Bill of Rights. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable , that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Therefore, the state becomes the ultimate authority or god.
At a national gathering of Scouts, President Bush said, “Always remember where you come from and what you believe. At times, you may come across people who say that moral truth is relative, or call a religious faith a comforting allusion. They may question the values you learn in scouting. But remember, lives of purpose are constructed on the conviction there is right and there is wrong, and we can know the difference.”
In the current healthcare debate, conservatives, who believe that abortion is murder, have submitted amendments to the various proposed bills to exclude taxpayer funded abortion from public healthcare. Unfortunately, the House and the Senate committees have vetoed all restrictions on abortion.
It takes less faith to believe, “In the beginning God,” than to believe, “Everything exploded from nothing and became life.” Those who choose the Biblical Worldview live lives that, “Lie along the higher sunlit fields where those who journey see afar, and the light lingers even when the sun is down.” They have inner peace even in troubling times, and they look forward to eternity in paradise with our Creator/Savior. In contrast, those who choose the secular worldview, “Look always over their shoulders with eyes of dread, and gloomy shadows gather long before the day is done.” They have no inner peace, they resent people of faith, and they condemn themselves to the Creator’s eternal wrath. “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36.)
Shalom
Allen Merritt
While not my personal view, the secular view sees no difference in validity for morals and ethics between viewpoints, as they don't recognize your source as even existing.
I'm sure you reject, in much the same way, the morals of Islam, Hindu, etc.
"It takes less faith to believe, “In the beginning God,” than to believe, “Everything exploded from nothing and became life.” "
They also would claim this is nonsense, as they have zero faith at all. It's like saying it takes less faith to believe Santa Claus made and delivered your bike on Christmas than to only believe what you can logically deduce using physical evidence in your home.
I agree with your first paragraph, and to a large extent the second, although as a believer I would say I am closer in beliefs to the Hindu and Islam than the secular view. The Islamic view on money and banking for example, seems better to me than the anything-goes disaster we are watching in the secular west.
Now on your final example I do have a bit of an issue. It is easier to believe that my parents brought the gifts out at night than to believe a single individual drops all of those gifts off around the world. I was not even in kidegarden before I knew that did not add up and feigned sleep so as to catch my parents red-handed!
Post a Comment
<< Home