D'Nous Acadeny: Worldview Introduction 4
Transcript of D'Nous Acadeny: Worldview Introduction 4
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The modern man, like the folksin Babel, was self-sufficient
and believed that giventechnological know-how, hewill be able to achieve greatheights, even touching
heaven. Progress in scienceconvinces humanity that lifecan be rationally controlled.With two world wars and all
the turmoils of the 20thcentury, the tower is nowcollapsed. And suddenly, themany different ideologies of
man become a "babble".
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The step-child of Babel ispostmodernism. When the
proud tower of modernitycrumbled, we have becomeutterly confused . Thepostmodern man finally gave
up and in a pluralistic society,when a multiple choices of'ism' is offered, it is virtue toconsider all of them andaccept none of them.Fragmentation into diversecultures, languages and social
constructs
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Star Trek Ambitions
man as measure of allthings, power ofreason
and science
debunking inheritedauthorities, traditions
and superstitions
Life can be rationallycontrolled and socially
engineered
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Question Authority!
Materialism: everything thatexists is either physical ordependent upon the physical.
Naturalism: "the hypothesis thatthe physical world is a 'closedsystem' in the sense that nothingthat is neither a part nor a
product of it can affect it." It isthe denial of the existence ofsupernatural causes.
http://www.infidels.org/
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Materialism: Basic Beliefs
God or miracles are irrelevant. Matter andenergy are all that exists. Progress and
evolutionary change are inevitable. Man is
an autonomous biological machine andcease to exist upon death. Morality is
behavior that helps our species survive.
Only what can be proven by scientificexperiments (reason and senses) is fact and
technological progress will save us
www.probe.org
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Waking From Modern Dream?
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The Calling
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The Impact Of Naturalism Human Dignity Nothing has
transcendent value, including humanbeings - just a highly evolved animal.There is a life not worth living babieswith serious disability, unproductive
elderly folks.
Science Must we assume naturalism?Why not follow the evidence wherever it
leads even if it points to design in theuniverse? Distinguish the discipline ofscience from philosophical naturalism.
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The Impact Of Naturalism
Law In the traditional view, just law reflectstranscendent moral order (natural law, whichis generally conceived as ultimately the divinelaw). But if naturalism is true, then it is no
longer the law is king, but the king is law.Or might is right.
Christian Life - God is able to supernaturally
intervene or suspend natural laws in Hiscreation. Miracles are possible. How we readthe Bible?
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Question Reality!
Postmodernism revolts against order, system,representation and meta-narrative
Displays a tendency towards irony, parody,
indeterminacy, many ways of looking at it The image of a Food Court Western steak,
rojak, koay teow, capati, ABC. So it is with
lifestyles, values and choices multiple,
individually valuable and equally accessible.
No one option is privileged.
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Whatever.
In postmodern thinking, we are led to consider Theres no discovered Truth, only constructed truths
Truth claims are masks for power interests
Truth is what works today (Richard Rorty) Reality is determined by our perception,
interpretive community, social construct
We are prisoners of limits ofLanguage. Gapbetween reality and words to convey meaning
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I Shop Therefore I Am
Hyper-Consumerism: If life is a supermarket,and moral choices are like the products on the
shelves, then all that matters is personal
choice.
The only problem of the lack of freedom to
choose. A determined failure to acknowledge
limits and boundaries
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Gospel: Opportunities
Weakened pride in autonomous reason andnaturalistic scientism
Openness to the supernatural
Yearning forauthentic relationships Need to see gospel embodied before it is
proclaimed
Be sensitive to context, history, culture,locality, earthiness, here-and-now rather than
extreme other-worldliness
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Gospel: Challenges
Suspicion ofpropaganda, more conversation False dichotomy Love versus Truth. Speak
the Truth In Love (Eph 4:15)
Gospel subverted as one of many storiesSocial pressure of relativism which is intolerant
of Christian faith in particular
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The Calling
Understand the times, every era has itschallenges
Confidence in God and His truth
Indwell the gospel, take the risk toeffective persuasion
Demonstrate earthly good
Dialogue What Would Jesus Ask?
C. S. Lewis argument from desire,longing? (1 Peter 3:15-16)