obstacles and opposing forces to christianity
TRANSCRIPT
ObstaclesandOpposingForcestoChristianity
DennisWilsonModule1:Introduction
Michelangelo’sCreationofAdam
Outline
1. Introduction2. ObstaclestoChristianity3. OpposingForcestoChristianity4. Summary
OverallGoalsofSeries
• Premise:God’sword (specialrevelation)andGod’sworld (generalrevelation)mustbeinharmony.
• Goals:– ProvideevidenceforourChristianfaith– Exposeflawsinotherworldviews– DefendChristianfaithfromattacks
• 1Peter3:15..Alwaysbepreparedtogiveananswertoeveryonewhoasksyoutogivethereasonforthehopethatyouhave.
ContextforDiscussionRepresentativeQuotes• “Anunexaminedlifeisnotworthliving”
– Socrates
• “Anunexaminedfaithisnotworthbelieving”
– NormGeislerandTimHawks
• “Religionrequiresfaithbutfactsarecentraltoallreligionsbecauseallreligiousworldviews- includingatheism-maketruthclaims andmanytruthclaimscanbeevaluatedthroughthescientificmethod”
– NormanGeisler&FrankTurek
TruthClaims• Truthclaimsareabsolute,narrow
andexclusive– Accordingto,NormGiesler andFrank
Turek:truthclaimsarediscovered–notinvented;trans-cultural;andunchanging.
• Exampleofaself-defeatingstatements:“Alltruthisrelative”–thisisanabsolutetruth– ThissoundsalotlikePostmodernism’s
basicprinciple
Discussion Questions:1. Why do people demand truth in every area (e.g. safety,
money, health and relationships) except morality & religion?2. Do truth claims evolve with time?
The Christian Worldview asserts that God is the author of universal and immutable ideas of: truth, logic, and the laws of nature.
Since we are created in the image of God (Genesis
1:28 - 29), we are uniquely gifted to discover these
universal ideas using rational thought and
evidence-based reasoning.
Christian Worldview…we have the mind of Christ
1 Corinthians 2:16
Naturalistic WorldviewRandom, undirected evolution would seem to imply there is “no reason for reason”
Outline
1. Introduction2. ObstaclestoChristianity3. OpposingForcestoChristianity4. Summary
ObstaclestoChristianity• Emotional
– HypocrisyoftheChurch• Volitional
– Christianmoralityseemstorestrictourchoicesinlife– wemustyieldourfreedomtoanunseenhigherpower– TheGodoftheBible
• Intellectual/Philosophical/Scientific1. Howtoreconcileevil withthatofadeity
• Howcanthis(apparent)paradoxbeexplained?2. Christianityisonlyoneofmanyreligions
• Religious“pluralism”isamajorproblemtoday’sPCculture3. Sciencehastheanswerto(fillintheblank)
• Originoftheuniverse,humans,lifeingeneral…
1.ProblemofEvil• MajorPhilosophicalObstacle
– ProblemofEvil:"thefactofsufferingundoubtedlyconstitutesthesinglegreatestchallengetotheChristianfaith.”
JohnStott• Therearebasicallytwokindsofevil
– Moralevilresultsfromtheactionsoffreecreatures,suchasmurder,theft,…
– Naturalevilresultsfromnaturalprocessessuchasearthquakesandfloods.
Dr.SamHarrisisaphilosopher,andneuroscientist.Heistheco-founderofProjectReason
2.ReligiousPluralism
• Religioustolerance generallymeansacceptanceofotherreligions.Itdoesnotmeanbelievingthatotherreligionsareequallyvalidandtrue.
• Recently,religiouspluralism hasgenerallybeendefinedasthenotionthatall religionsasequallyvalidandtrue.– Theobviousproblemisthatifdiversebeliefsarealltrue,thenabsolute
truthdoesnotexist.
John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
3.DomainofScienceandReligion
• Religiontacklesthebigissues– Origin– wheredidwecomefrom?– Identity- whoarewe?– Purpose– whyarewehere?– Destiny– wherearewegoing?– Morality– Howshouldwelive?
• Science– Scienceisdesigned todiscoverinformation
aboutthenatural worldandorganizethatinformationintotestablelawsandtheories.
– Transcendentorsupernatural phenomenonarerejected Religion Science
Method: Faith (unseen) Theories (observable)
Reason: Why How
• “Philosophyhasnotkeptupwithmoderndevelopmentsinscience,particularlyphysics.Scientistshavebecomethebearersofthetorchofdiscoveryinourquestforknowledge.”(Hawking2010,p.5)
• AtarecentGoogleZeitgeistconference,StephenHawkingboldlypronouncedthat“philosophyisdead.”
SomeExtremeViewsonScience
Hawking’s comment generated a lot of controversy from Philosophers…
SomeExtremeViews(Cont’d)
… but not from the engineering community
Outline
1. Introduction2. ObstaclestoChristianity3. OpposingForcestoChristianity
– Isms:Scientism,Postmodernism,SecularHumanism
– EducationalSystem,RulingClass,Entertainment4. Summary
Scientism
• Scientism:Amajoropposingforce1. The“belief”(Worldview)thatinvestigative
methodsofthephysicalsciencesareapplicableorjustifiable inallfieldsofinquiry.
2. Thebeliefthatphysicalreality,asmadeavailabletothenaturalsciences,isallthattrulyexists.
– Thus,bydefinition,scientismrejectsexplanationsthatrelyuponthesupernatural.
• “Deepdown,creationistsrealizetheywillneverwinfactualargumentswithscience.”
NYTimes10/17/2010MoralswithoutGod?
ScientismandScienceareDifferent
• Science looksfornatural causesandrejectssupernaturalcauses– bydefinition– andthat’sOK
• Science isnotaworldview – butscientismis.
• Thescientificmethodrestsonthefoundationalbeliefthatthereisanorderanduniversality intheUniverse.
• PhysicistPaulC.Davies:"...tobeascientist,youhadtohavefaiththattheuniverseisgovernedbydependable,immutable,absolute,universal,mathematicallawsofanunspecifiedorigin.
Science&Scientistsare(Obviously)Different
• Science- bydefinition- isworldviewneutralbut scientistsarenotworldviewneutral.
“Atheismissosenseless.WhenIlookatthesolarsystem,Iseetheearthattherightdistancefromthesun toreceivetheproperamountsofheatandlight.Thisdidnothappenbychance”IsaacNewton:InventorofCalculus,FounderofClassicalPhysics(1643to1727)
Neil Degrasse Tyson, host of NOVA & Cosmoscommenting on the 15% of people on the National Academy of Sciences that believe in a personal God:
“That’s a problem that needs to be addressed. How come the number isn't zero? That should be the subject of …investigation.”
ScientificTheories(TruthClaims)Evolve
• Static/InfiniteUniverse:Universeisinfiniteandalwaysexisted– Viewheldbyscientistsforcenturiesuntilmiddleof20thcentury
• BigBang:Theuniversehadabeginningabout13.7billionyearsagothatmarksthecreationofspaceandtime.
Example:OriginoftheUniverse
– Widelyacceptedtheorywithsignificantscientificevidence
– ProfRichardFeynman(NobelLaureate):“Ifyouthoughtthatsciencewascertain- wellthatisjustanerroronyourpart.”
ChristianTruthClaimsareConstantGodspeaksthroughScripture:Inthebeginning,Godcreated(Baraʹ)theheavensandtheearth(Genesis1:1)• Hebrewworddefinition:Baraʹ
– Tosupernaturallycreatesomethingthatistotallynew orextraordinary(not fashionedfromsomethingelse)
• Godbroughttheuniverseintoexistencefromnothing
• ThissoundsalotliketheBigBang– Properlyinterpreted,thereisagreementorharmonybetweenscience(cosmologyandastrophysics)andscripture.
ChristianVersesaboutSpace-Time
1. Godexistedbeforethebeginningoftimeandcreatedtheuniverse
– Genesis1:1InthebeginningGodcreatedtheheavensandtheearth…– Colossians1:16- 17Forinhimallthingswerecreated:thingsin
heavenandonearth,visibleandinvisible,whetherthronesorpowersorrulersorauthorities;allthingshavebeencreatedthroughhimandforhim.17Heisbeforeallthings,andinhimallthingsholdtogether.
2. Godcreatedtheuniversefromthingsunseenbyoursenses– Hebrews11:3Byfaithweunderstandthattheuniversewasformed
atGod’scommand,sothatwhatisseenwasnotmadeoutofwhatwasvisible.
3. Godexistedbeforethebeginningoftime– 2Timothy1:9…thisgracewasgivenusinChristJesusbeforethe
beginningoftime.
Postmodernism• Postmodernism:Amajoropposingforce
– Postmodernismfollowedmodernisminthemid-20th century• Modernismaffirmedthepowerofhumanstocreateandimprovetheirenvironmentwithpractical,scientificknowledgeortechnology.
– Today,someacademicsrejectChristianitybecauseitclaimstobetrue.Theyregardanyoneclaimingtoknowanyobjectiveoruniversaltruthasintolerant andarrogant
• NietzscheandSartrepreparedthewayforpostmodernism
Postmodernism• Postmodernism
– GeorgeBarna:“Over80%ofAmericanstodayarebasicallyrelativistic,andtheevangelicalchurchisnotfarbehind.”
– ChristianityToday,AndyCouch:“Theattentiontothemarginalizedhasledmanypostmodernistsintoaprofoundskepticismtowardmodernity'sassumptionsaboutknowledge,truth,andreason.”
SecularHumanism• SecularHumanism
– Worldview basedonatheism,naturalism,randomevolutionandethicalrelativism
– Embracesreason,ethicsandjusticeandrejectsreligionandsupernatural
– “Beginningabouteightyyearsago,webegantomovefromaJudeo-Christianconsensusinthiscountrytoahumanistconsensus,andithascometoaspecialclimaxinthelastfortyyears…Andtoday…theconsensusinourcountryandthewesternworld,isnolongerJudeo-Christian,butthegeneralconsensusishumanist.”
FrancisSchaeffer,1982TheSecularHumanisticWorldView
versustheChristianWorldView
SecularHumanism• SecularHumanismcanbeveryhostiletoChristianity
– Anationalmultimediaadcampaign– thelargest,mostextensiveeverbyagodlessorganization– launchestodayandwillincludeaspotonNBCDatelineonFriday,November12,2010aswellasothertelevisionads,thatdirectlychallengebiblicalmoralityandfundamentalistChristianity.
• Confrontingsecularhumanismisamajorchallenge
EducationalSystems• EducationalSystems
– PublicSchools:U.S.SupremeCourthasinterpretedthe1stamendmenttomeanthatreligionandgovernmentmuststayseparate…(Inprinciplethisisnotabadthing)
– Universities:Academicshaveapre-dispositiontobedismissiveandderisiveofaChristianworldviewbecauseitisunscientificandconsequently,untrue.
• Effect:70%ofevangelicalyoungpeoplewillabandontheirChristianworldviewafterfouryearsatasecularuniversity-GeorgeBarna Research
• SecularuniversityorChristianUniversity?– Preparingouryouthtodefendtheirfaithatasecular
universityisthepropercourseofactionandChristianApologeticsisessential.
HigherEducation
AcademicDisciplineswithNaturalisticAgenda• BigThree:EvolutionaryGenetics,EvolutionaryBiologyandPaleoanthropology
• Others…– Anatomy,Anthropology,Astrobiology– Biochemistry,Biology,Biophysics,Botany– Ecology,Entomology,Epidemiology,EvolutionaryTaxonomy– Genetics,Geology,Geophysics– MolecularBiology,Microbiology,Paleontology,Physiology,VirologyorZoologyAcademicDisciplineswithChristianAgenda
• ??
TheRulingClass
• The“RulingClass”– “Today'srulingclass,wasformedbyaneducationalsystemthatexposed
themtothesameideasandgavethemremarkablyuniformguidance,aswellastastesandhabits.Theseamounttoasocialcanonofjudgmentsaboutgoodandevil,completewithsecularsacredhistory,sins,andsaints…”AmericanSpectatorJuly-August,2010
– Thisideainnotnew…
Entertainment
• Hollywood– Hollywoodisaggressivelysecularandmaterialistic,anditdoes
stereotypeChristians…TimemagazineMarch1,2007
– Sixty-onepercentsayHollywoodhastoomuchinfluenceonAmericanpoliticsandsocialvalues,while26percentthinkithastherightamount,and9percentthinkithastoolittle.
CBSNewsMarch2,2014
Outline
1. Introduction2. ObstaclestoChristianity3. OpposingForcestoChristianity4. Summary
ChristianWorldview
• TheChristianworldviewassertsthatGodistheauthorofuniversalideasoftruth,logic,andthelawsofnature.– SincehumansarecreatedintheimageofGod(Genesis1:28-29),weareuniquelygiftedtodiscovertheseuniversalideas.
– TheapostleJohndescribesJesusas“thetruelightthatgiveslighttoeveryman” (John1:9).
• ThemindofGodprovidesaframeworkforrationalhumanthought(whetherbelieverornonbeliever).
• Thenaturalisticperspectiveassertsthatlife,death,decay,andevilservenorealpurpose.Theyaretheconsequenceofarandomsetofcosmiccoincidences…– NobelLaureate,ProfRichardFeynman:“Ibelievethatascientistlookingatnonscientificproblemsisjustasdumbasthenextguy.”
Non-ChristiansseetheHandofaCreator• PaulDavies’sbestsellerTheMindof
God(1992) tacklesthebigquestions.– Daviescomestothesubjectasan
unbeliever.– Hisconclusionisthattheuniverseis"no
minorbyproductofmindless,purposelessforces.Wearetrulymeanttobehere.Bythemeansofscience,wecantrulyseeintothemindofGod.”
“…it becomes sensible to think that the favorable properties of physics on which life depends are in every respect deliberate ... It is therefore almost inevitable that our own measure of intelligence must reflect ... higher intelligences ... even to the limit of God ... such a theory is so obvious that one wonders why it is not widely accepted as being self-evident. The reasons are psychological rather than scientific.”
Evolution from Space, Fred Hoyle 1984
Sir Prof Fred Hoyle was an atheists
Summary:ScholarsDisagree
Astronomer, PhD & Theologian
Physician, Dir NIH & Geneticist
Physicist, PhD & Studied Theology
Legal Journalists
Physicist, PhD atheists Evolutionary Biologists, DSc atheists
Let’sbeRational
• Science,reason,andlogicarewaysweinteractwithandlearnabouttheuniverse.
• Thus,let’susesciencetosupport ourposition– LookattheevidenceofGod’sfingerprintintheworldthat
supportandcomplementstatementsintheHolyBible.
• Don’ttakepositionsthatareindefensible– Forexample,ItisillogicaltorejectRedshift(Dopplereffect)that
supportstheageoftheuniverseat13.7Byr– butrelyonDopplerradarforweatherwarnings
Red Shift
NaturalismandScientism