Challenges to our children Living and thriving in a sea of relativism By Dr. David Geisler.

Challenges to our children Living and thriving Challenges to our children Living and thriving in a sea of relativism in a sea of relativism

By Dr. David Geisler

OUR WORLD IS CHANGING…

1955 – FIRST MICROWAVE OVEN1955 – FIRST MICROWAVE OVEN

1958 – FIRST COMMERICAL JET AIRLINER 1958 – FIRST COMMERICAL JET AIRLINER

1961 – FIRST INDUSTRIAL ROBOT1961 – FIRST INDUSTRIAL ROBOT

1964 – FIRST UNMANNED AERIAL 1964 – FIRST UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLESVEHICLES

1969 – FIRST AUTOMATED TELLER 1969 – FIRST AUTOMATED TELLER MACHINEMACHINE

1970 – FIRST DIGITAL MUSIC1970 – FIRST DIGITAL MUSIC

1973 – FIRST CELL PHONE1973 – FIRST CELL PHONE

1979 – FIRST SONY WALKMAN1979 – FIRST SONY WALKMAN

1984 – DNA FINGERPRINTING USED 1984 – DNA FINGERPRINTING USED

1998 – FIRST MP3 PLAYER1998 – FIRST MP3 PLAYER

Our World Has Changed And We Are In Trouble

“As we approach the twenty-first century, It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to recognize that our entire culture is in trouble. We are staring down the barrel of a loaded gun and we can no longer afford to act like it is loaded with blanks.”

J. P. Moreland, Love Your God with All Your Mind, p.21

* We are losing our moral Fiber!

In recent years, we have seen a surge in divorce, cohabitation, sexual promiscuity, perversion, teen pregnancy, abortions, child abuse, drug abuse, rape, cheating, shoplifting, embezzling, bankruptcy, incivility, and violent crime.

Statistical Proof…

85% of Americans self-identify as Christians. (The Barna Update 2002)

Yet 83% of Americans said moral truth depends on

the circumstances, and only 6% of whom said moral truth is absolute (2002).

60% said living with someone of the opposite sex without being married, sometimes called co-habitation, is morally acceptable behavior.

(2003)

We are losing our moral Fiber among our Churched Youth!

A report in the Los Angeles Times on Barna Research on 2002-SEP-17 quoted Barna as determining that: Only 44% of born-again adults are certain that absolute moral truth exists. But only 9% of born-again teenagers believe in absolute moral truth.

http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_poll5.htm

We are facing the breakdown of the moral fabric of society.

“While people have always committed sins, they at least acknowledged these were sins…What we have today is not only immoral behavior, but a loss of moral criteria.”Gene Veith, Postmodern Times, p. 18


* We are losing the content of our faith.

A Misunderstanding of Faith’s Relationship to Reason

“ About one out of four (26%) born again Christians believe that it doesn’t matter what faith you follow because they all teach the same lessons.”

Born Again Christians, 2000, George

Barna, Barna Web-site

We are becoming less certain about our religious beliefs

57 percent of evangelical church attendees said they believe many religions can lead to eternal life.

70 percent of Americans with a religious affiliation shared this same

view .

Pew Forum on Religion and Public Lifehttp://pewforum.org/news/display.php?NewsID=15915


* We are losing the content of our faith.

* We are facing the death of Truth.

“During the past thirty years, society has progressively thrown off every moral constraint….Yet today…people are casting off even the final constraints of reality, truth, and reason itself. We are witnessing the complete abandonment of reason and truth.”Dennis McCallum, ed., The Death of Truth. (Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1996). p. 235

The Danger For Our Children:Connection Between Beliefs and

Behavior

“Our children today face unprecedented pressure. They are exposed to sexual temptations, school violence, alcohol, illegal drugs, and a variety of influences that threaten to undo all that we teach them. And while we need to fear what our kids could be tempted to do, we need to be more concerned with what our kids are led to believe.”

Josh McDowell, Beyond Belief To Conviction, p. 5.

Without a Belief System For Our Children There Are Some Dangers

Of the more than 3,700 kids who regularly attend church, those who lack a basic biblical belief system are:

600% more likely to attempt suicide, 300% more likely to use illegal drugs, 200% more likely to physically hurt someone, 200% more likely to steal, 36% more likely to lie to a friend, 225 percent more likely to be angry with life.Josh McDowell, Beyond Belief To Conviction, pages 6-7.

Our Churches Are Failing Our Children!

“Based on interviews with 22,000 adults and over 2,000 teenagers in 25 separate surveys, Barna unquestionably quantified the seriousness of the situation; six out of ten 20-somethings who were involved in a church during their teen years are already gone .”

Barna Research Online, Teenagers Embrace Religion but Are not Excited About Christianity,”Jan. 10, 2000, as cited by Ken Ham and Britt Beemer, Already Gone, p. 23.

We Are Losing Our Church Youth Before College!

“Of the thousand 20-29 year old evangelicals who attended church regularly (as youth) but no longer do so: 95% of them attended church regularly during their elementary and middle school years; 55% attended church regularly during high school; Of the thousand, only 11% were still going to church during their early college years.”

Ken Ham and Britt Beemer, Already Gone, p. 31.

Only 1/3 of those who leave plan to return!

Of the thousand 20-29 year old evangelicals who attended church regularly (as youth) but no longer do so: Only 38% percent agreed that they would return when they have children: 32% said they would not; Another 30% said they didn’t know.

See Ken Ham and Britt Beemer, Already Gone, p. 61.

Our Failure In The Church For Changing Beliefs

“Continuing to preach more sermons, teach more Sunday school classes and enroll more people in Bible study groups won't solve the problem since most of these people don't accept the basis of the principles being taught in those venues. The failure to address this issue at its root, and to do so quickly and persuasively, will undermine the strength of the church for at least another generation, and probably longer."

George Barna, The Barna Update: "Americans Are Most Likely to Base Truth on Feelings" from Feb 12, 2002

* How can they become better prepared to face the challenges of living in this kind of world?

How Can Our Children Live and Thrive in a Sea of Relativism?

We Must Help Them To Build The Right Foundation

“ When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do.”

Psalm 11:3 (N.I.V.)

The Erosion of Truth

To build stronger foundations…

A.We must understand what are the conditions that led to this crisis today.

A World View Shift

“ …a major cause of our current crisis consists of a world view shift from a Judeo-Christian understanding of reality to a post-Christian one.”

- J. P. Moreland, Love Your God with All Your Mind, p.21

The Tsunami of Post-Modernism

The Matrix

Morpheus asks “ What is Real?”

From the movie

The Matrix

A Good Example of Postmodernism

Is The Movie “The Matrix”

The DaVinci Code is an example of postmodern influences on society

• The heart of Postmodernism is that you construct your own truth

• This is what Dan Brown is doing with the Biblical story of Jesus

Historical Development of Western World ViewsChanging Beliefs - Pluralism

THEISM ATHEISM PLURALISM

Theism Deism Naturalism Nihilism Existentialism Fill in the blank

GODGOD GODGOD GODGOD

COSMOS

Postmodernism Weak Theism

New Age: Pantheism,

MonismBottom line: “What works

for you.”

Pre-modern

Modern Postmodern

COSMOS

COSMOS

SOCIETY

This Explains Why Many Are Questioning The

Biblical Story of JesusThe DaVinci Code

The Lost Gospel of JudasThe Lost Tomb of Christ

The Golden Compass

We should not be surprised by this!

“ For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” (2 Timothy 4: 3-4 N.I.V.)

To build stronger foundations…

A. We must understand what are the conditions that led to this crisis today.

B.We must reaffirm our commitment to foundational principles.

A Perspective To Consider…A Perspective To Consider…

•We as a people cannot deny the existence of foundational principles and then live our lives like it doesn’t matter what we do.

* The fact is…it is one thing to say we don’t believe something, it is another to live our lives consistently with our beliefs!

•We also can’t live our lives by any standard and then hope our children will follow the “right path.”

What does our culture says about truth:What does our culture says about truth:

•Truth is relative

•Truth is whatever you want it to be

•Everyone determines his own truth

•Whatever you believe is true, that is what is true for you

We must remember that…


1. Beliefs do matter.

Beliefs affect how you

live!

Beliefs have practical consequences!




* Because beliefs matter we shouldn’t just arbitrarily decide to belief in anything!



Why?

* Some beliefs can not be meaningfully expressed.

Example: Winnie the Pooh

Just because a statement is sayable does not mean that it is meaningful.

Example: I cannot utter a word in English!

• You should be skeptical about everything.

• Always avoid making absolute statements.

• God is so far beyond us that we can not really know anything about Him.

• There is really no absolute truth.

What is wrong with these statements?

• Everything is relative.

• You can’t really know anything.

• I know for sure there is no god.

Apply the claim to itself!

Your Greatest Tool in Answering False Claims:

For Example. . .

1. There is no such thing as truth!2. You can’t know truth!3. All truth is relative!4. It’s true for you but not for me!5. No one has the truth!6. All truth depends on your

perspective!



1. Beliefs do matter (Heb. 9:27).* Because beliefs matter we shouldn’t just

arbitrarily decide to belief in anything!

* Because beliefs matter, we can’t make the Bible to say

whatever we want!

* Biblical Truth IS Not a Matter of Your Own Perspective

“Above all you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

2 Peter 1:20-21 NIV

Beliefs matter because they have eternal consequences!

“ And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment.”

Hebrews 9:27



1. Beliefs do matter (Heb. 9:27).

2. Not all religious viewpoints can be right.

Which View of Jesus Christ is True?

“ Either Jesus is the Only “Way The Truth and the Life…” (Jn. 14:6)

or

He is not the Only Way the Truth and the Life



1. Beliefs do matter (Heb. 9:27).


* If not all religious viewpoints can be right then some must be wrong.

Not all views of “Salvation” can be right?

Christianity– by faith alone in Christ alone

Islam– by belief in Allah, his prophetMuhammad, and good works

Hinduism– by overcoming karma anincarnations with good works

Buddhism– by cessation of desire through

eight-fold path


B. We must reaffirm our commitment to foundational principles.

1. Beliefs do matter 2. Not all religious viewpoints can be right.

3. Not all religious leaders made equal claims.

I am without sin (John 8:46)

I have always existed (John 8:58)

I am the only Son of God (John 3:16)

I am the light of the world (John 8:12)

I have come to save the world (John 3:17)

I have authority to forgive sins (Mark 2:10)

I was born to testify to the truth (John 18:37)

You trust in God; Trust also in me (John 14:1)

I am the Truth and only way to God (John 14:6)

I will come again to judge the world (Matt 25:31-46)

The Unique Claims of JesusWhich religious leader ever made these claims?

Take from “The Top Twenty-three Presentations” By Norm Geisler and Frank Turek






4. The proof of Christ claims have no parallel.

Comparing Christianity and other Religions is not like comparing

apples with apples!

No Comparison!

Other ReligionsChristianity

==//

All Views Are Not Equal







* Our faith in Christ is more than a feeling

(1 Cor. 15:14).

Christianity is Based on a Historical Event

“ And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” I Corinthians 15:14 (NIV)

* Biblical faith must have an object to be valid.







5. Without a belief in God some people may find it difficult to find meaning and purpose in life.

Friedrich Nietzsche 1844-1900 “ God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. How shall we, the murderers of all murderers, comfort ourselves?”

The Gay Science, 125

God

Fyodor Dostoevshi (1821-1881)The Brothers Karamazov

If God is dead, anything is permissible!

12 million murder

ed

18 million

murdered

The Death of God Leads to the Death of Man

We must remember that…B. We must reaffirm our commitment to

foundational principles.





5. Without a belief in God some people may find it difficult to find meaning and purpose in life.

6. Without Christ’s resurrection power none of us will ever be the person we know we should be (Rom. 8:11).

That Same Resurrection Power is Available To Us…

“If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through the Spirit who dwells in you.” (Rom. 8:11 E.S.V.)

Key Question: How Can We Help Our Children Live in

Thrive and a Sea of Relativism?

I. Building stronger foundations

A. We must understand what are the conditions that led to this crisis today.


II. Taking the next step: some practical suggestions

. We must teach our children to be Berean-like in their search for the truth (Acts 17:11).(Acts 17:11).

“Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. .” (Acts 17:11 – N.I.V.)

What does it mean to be Berean in our thinking?

Key Question: How Can We Help Our Children Live in

Thrive and a Sea of Relativism?

II. Taking the next step: some practical suggestions

. We must teach our children to be Berean-like in their search for the truth (Acts 17:11).(Acts 17:11).

.. We must teach them about God regularly We must teach them about God regularly (Deut 6)(Deut 6)

.. We must help them to connect with God by We must help them to connect with God by sharing sharing about our journey with God.about our journey with God.

. We must guide them towards good friends that have the right values.

But What If Your Child Says, I Don’t Believe In God Any More?

Suggestions:

Don’t preach at them!

But What If Your Child Says, I Don’t Believe In God Any More?

Suggestions:

Allow your children to discover the truth for themselves by asking them probing questions about what they say they believe!

The Joy of Self-discovery

“ We need to make him

think it was his idea.”

From the movie

My Big Fat Greek Wedding

The Joy of Self-Discovery

Conversation with Chinese Gal

““ As a free thinker have you As a free thinker have you come to any conclusions come to any conclusions about about who Jesus is?who Jesus is?



““ Do you think there is Do you think there is anything different about anything different about Jesus compared to other Jesus compared to other religious leaders?religious leaders?



““ Do you believe that Jesus did Do you believe that Jesus did miraculous things and in fact miraculous things and in fact died on the cross and rose from died on the cross and rose from the dead?the dead?

““ Now that you know that Now that you know that Jesus died on the cross for Jesus died on the cross for you because He loves you you because He loves you and desires to have a and desires to have a relationship with you, why do relationship with you, why do you still consider yourself a you still consider yourself a free thinker?free thinker?



Challenges to our children Living and thriving Challenges to our children Living and thriving in a sea of relativism in a sea of relativism

By Dr. David Geisler

Challenges to our children Living and thriving in a sea of relativism By Dr. David Geisler.

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Transcript of Challenges to our children Living and thriving in a sea of relativism By Dr. David Geisler.