Two
Worldviews
in Conflict
Oftentimes in
the mainstream
media, the term
"culture war" is
shown with
quotes, implying
that the battle
over values is
just an
invention of
right-wing
zealots.
Although many
seem oblivious
to it, a culture
clash is
taking place.
America is
becoming more
polarized each
year over the
future direction
of our country.
Political
debates grow
increasingly
vitriolic as we
are becoming
more divided on
issues such as
education,
abortion, drug
use, religion in
public life,
homosexuality,
the homeless,
euthanasia,
premarital sex,
and pornography.
At one time
teachers,
parents,
pastors, and
public officials
were more or
less agreed on
how children
should be
raised.
Most everyone
agreed on what
was right and
what was wrong.
No more.
There is wide
disagreement on
all of these
issues,
sometimes to the
point where the
disputes erupt
in name calling,
smear campaigns,
property damage,
and threats.
What changed?
When did the
differences
begin to emerge
so sharply?
What's a
Worldview?
The deepening
polarization may
be attributed to
shifting
worldviews.
Worldview may be
defined as
outlook on life,
or philosophical
basis.
It's how we see
things.
There are two
basic
worldviews, each
with its own
underlying
assumptions.
One system of
thought has
evolution as its
basis, the
other, creation.
One of the
reasons for the
increasing
polarization is
the increased
emphasis on
teaching
evolution in
school with the
exclusion of any
opposing
viewpoint.
Also
contributing is
the generally
one-sided
approach taken
by the popular
media, which
marginalizes
other
viewpoints.
The seeds for
these
differences were
actually planted
many years ago,
but just now are
coming to
fruition.
So what does
this have to do
with a person's
worldview?
Evolutionism, by
its very nature,
requires a
worldview in
opposition to
Biblical
Christianity.
If evolution is
true, then the
Christian faith
is worthless!
This is because
then:
-
Adam and Eve
were only
mythological;
-
They didn't
disobey God
and
introduce
sin into the
world;
-
"Sin" is
then just
undesirable
traits left
over from
the lower
stages of
evolution,
which
humankind
will
eventually
outgrow;
-
If therefore
there's
really no
such thing
as sin, we
don't need a
Savior to
pay for
them;
-
Jesus then
becomes
merely a
good man,
highly
evolved
ahead of his
time, rather
than the
Savior and
cornerstone
of our
faith.
Therefore
Genesis isn't
really literally
true. This
casts doubt on
the accuracy of
the whole Bible,
such as the
passages where
Jesus indicated
that He believed
in Adam and Eve
and the
creation.
Worldviews in
Contention
The creation -
evolution debate
highlights the
two basic
worldviews or
belief systems:
one in which God
is at the center
of the picture,
and one that
places man at
the center.
The liberal /
humanist view is
that man's
nature is
essentially
good, and that
if given enough
time we will
eventually
outgrow the
problems that
society faces.
This view states
that we need to
throw off past
restraints
(especially
religious and
moral
restraints) so
that we are free
to explore and
develop toward a
higher state of
being.
The conservative
/ Christian view
on the other
hand, is that
man is a fallen
creature-essentially
flawed, selfish,
and in need of a
Savior.
Without God
prominently in
the picture,
culture and
society
inevitably
degenerate to a
state of
disorder and
decay
(de-evolution).
These two views
are the basis of
today's culture
clash.
Generally on the
liberal /
humanist /
evolutionist
side are the
news and
entertainment
media, public
schools and
universities,
government
institutions,
and other
liberal groups.
On the
conservative /
Christian /
creationist side
are the
evangelical and
fundamentalist
churches, and
conservative,
pro-family
groups.
The clash is
becoming more
vocal as liberal
groups demand
ever more
freedom from
traditional
moral values.
Evolution is the
rallying point
of liberal /
humanist groups.
If, as they
claim, we're
just accidents
in space, then
we can set the
rules and don't
have to be
accountable to
any God.
Evolution:
Existence of
Life through
Death and
Struggle
Evolutionism
says that
through constant
struggle, the
fittest survive.
The best are
selected out to
reproduce, and
through this
process
beneficial
traits
accumulate to
propel us to
higher stages on
the evolutionary
ladder.
Though not often
stated, the goal
of the
evolutionary
process is
envisioned as a
humanistic
utopia, in which
war, disease and
poverty are
vanquished.
Creation: Death
Is a Result of
Man's Actions
The Bible
teaches that
because of our
fallen nature we
are separated
from God.
Our tendency to
want to question
what God has
said started in
the Garden of
Eden, and has
carried over to
modern culture.
Instead of
trusting God,
we'd rather have
our own way, and
find out what
evil is all
about by
experiencing it:
Genesis 2:17
"but you must
not eat from the
tree of the
knowledge of
good and evil,
for when you eat
of it you will
surely die."
Genesis 3:1b "He
[the serpent]
said to the
woman, "Did God
really say, 'You
must not eat
from any tree in
the garden'?"
Genesis 3:4 -
5 "You will not
surely die," the
serpent said to
the woman.
"For God knows
that when you
eat of it your
eyes will be
opened, and you
will be like
God, knowing
good and evil."
2 Thessalonians
2:10b -11 They
perish because
they refused to
love the truth
and so be saved.
For this reason
God sends them a
powerful
delusion so that
they will
believe the lie
[New
International
Version]
Outlook
on Life
If we're not
creations of God
with a purpose
and meaning in
life, we're left
with a sense of
emptiness.
After all, if we
came from
nowhere and are
going nowhere,
what's there to
live for?
This is one of
the reasons for
the rise in teen
suicide, and
often expresses
itself in the
drug culture.
Some people try
to find meaning
in life through
drugs, which
offer a sort of
substitute
religion.
Moral
Relativism
If evolution is
true, there is
no God to set
any standards of
behavior.
Biblical
concepts then
become relics of
the past, and
there is no
right or wrong,
no such thing as
immorality ("If
it's right for
you then its
okay").
It's now
considered
"immoral" to
restrict the
"rights" of
those wanting to
practice
premarital sex,
adultery,
homosexuality,
etc. Since
humans are just
animals that are
a little higher
on the
evolutionary
scale, and
animals do these
things, then
what's wrong
with doing them?
The overall
result has been
a general
lowering of
standards of
behavior and
expectations,
even in the
Christian
community.
The
entertainment
industry is a
prime example.
People take for
granted today TV
programs,
movies, video
games, music
that would have
caused outrage
in previous
generations.
Isaiah 5:20-21
Woe to those
who call evil
good and good
evil,
who put darkness
for light and
light for
darkness,
who put bitter
for sweet and
sweet for
bitter. Woe to
those who are
wise in their
own eyes and
clever in their
own sight.
The
Devaluation of
Human Life
Abortion:
since the fetus
is not really
human yet, but
still going
through the
early stages of
evolution,
abortion is
okay-you're not
really killing a
human being.
Euthanasia:
this practice
can be justified
on the grounds
of moral
relativism
("what's right
for me is my
choice") as
discussed above.
God's will is
usually left out
of the picture.
Evolutionism
provides the
same basis for
discarding or
ignoring moral
values as
Epicureanism did
with the ancient
Greeks.
(Epicureans
wanted freedom
to indulge in
every pleasure
without
consequence:
"Eat, drink, &
be merry, for
tomorrow we
die.")
Many
evolutionists
also seek
unbridled
freedom in every
area.
Evolution
justifies
freedom from
morality, using
science to avoid
consequences
such as
pregnancy, STDs,
etc. The
only remaining
obstacle is
Christianity.
Proverbs 14:12
There is a way
that seems right
to a man, but in
the end it leads
to death.
"Evolution is
not merely a
biological
theory of little
significance.
It is a world
view-the
world view
diametrically
opposing the
Christian world
view.
Therefore
Christians
ignore it or
compromise with
it at great
peril!"
-Dr. Henry
Morris
A New
Heart
It is only
through God's
provision that
we can change
our outlook on
life.
Matthew 19:26
"With man this
is impossible,
but with God all
things are
possible."
Ezekiel
36:36-37 "I will
give you a new
heart and put a
new spirit in
you; I will
remove from you
your heart of
stone and give
you a heart of
flesh. And
I will put my
Spirit in you
and move you to
follow my
decrees and be
careful to keep
my laws."
How is this
possible?
It is only
through the
Christian "born
again"
experience that
it can be
accomplished:
Acts 3:19-20
"Repent, then,
and turn to God,
so that your
sins may be
wiped out, that
times of
refreshing may
come from the
Lord, and that
he may send the
Christ, who has
been appointed
for you--even
Jesus."
