Ethical Answers in an Unethical World

What is Truth?

John Oakes, PhD

APLA Jan, 2010

Christian and Other World Views

Suggested Resources on World View

Copan, Paul. Thats Just Your Interpretation. Grand Rapids:

Baker Books, 2001.
Oakes, John. Apologetics and the Christian Worldview
www.evidenceforchristianity.org.
Copan, Paul. True for You, But Not for Me. Minneapolis:
Bethany House, 1998.
Pearcey, Nancy J. Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from
Its Cultural Captivity. Study Guide ed. Wheaton, Ill.:
Crossway Books, 2004.
Sire, James W. The Universe Next Door: A Basic Worldview
Catalog. 4th ed. Downers Grove, Ill.: Inter Varsity Press,
2004.
Why Should Anyone Believe Anything At All? Downers
Grove, Ill.: Inter Varsity Press, 1994.

Jesus Christ: I came to testify to the truth.

Pontius Pilate: What is truth?

The Problem as I See It

The Secularization of Culture

The Loss of Morality

The Loss of God

The Loss of the Intellectual High Ground at

the University to Non-Believers.

The Culprits: The Leading Philosophies of Our

Day

Naturalism/Scientism/Materialism

Postmodernism:

The Loss of Truth

Delos B. McKown:
Christianity is scientifically unsupported
and probably insupportable, philosophically
suspect at best and disreputable at worst, and
historically fraudulent.

World View

The perspective one uses to process and

interpret information received about the
world.

James W. Sire A world view is a set of

presuppositions (ie. assumptions) which
we hold about the basic makeup of our
world.
James W. Sire, TheUniverse Next Door

What Makes for a Good World View

1.

It is true

2. It successfully answers the important

questions humans ask
3. Those who ascribe to it are better human
beings for having taken this as their world
view.

Questions That Need an Answer

1. What is the prime reality? (What is the
nature of God?)
2. What am I?
3. What happens to a person at death?
4. Why is it possible for us to know anything at
all?
5. How do we know what is right and wrong?
6. What is my purpose in life?
7. What is the nature of my relationship, with
the prime reality?

Naturalism/Scientism/Materialism

The belief that the only reliable or valid

instrument to deciding the truth or even
the value of any proposition is the
scientific method.

No basis for ethics or morality, no

supernatural, no God, no truth (except
that found by science), no consciousness,
no I. Justice is a figment of our
imagination.

Materialism

We exist as material beings in a material world, all

of whose phenomena are the consequences of
material relations among material entities." In a word,
the public needs to accept materialism, which means
that they must put God in the trash can of history
where such myths belong.
Richard Lewontin
Retrospective essay on Carl Sagan in the January 9, 1997 New York Review of Books,

Richard Dawkins

In the universe of blind physical forces and

genetic replication, some people are going to
get hurt and other people are going to get
lucky: and you wont find any rhyme or reason
to it, nor any justice. The universe we observe
has precisely the properties we should expect
if there is at the bottom, no design, no
purpose, no evil and no good. Nothing but
blind, pitiless indifference. DNA neither knows
nor cares. DNA just is, and we dance to its
music.

Postmodernism: The Loss of Truth

Truth, if such a thing exists, is the

property of culture. There is no absolute
truth. All truth is relative. It is created by
societies. There is no ultimate moral
authority or moral absolute.

A (ridiculously) Brief Intellectual History of

The West:
Roger Bacon (1214-1292)
Bacons advice:
To study Natural Philosophy, use;
External experience, aided by
instruments, and made precise by
mathematics.
Christianity invents science

LaPlace

(17491827)

About God:
I have no
need of that
hypothesis

It is mere rubbish
to think at this
point of the origin
of life. One might
as well think of the
origin of matter.

Charles Darwin

The 20th Century

Science appears triumphant

Scientism proposed. Beyond Morality. Eugenics.

Quantum Mechanics. Is determinism reality?

WWI WWII Hiroshima Modernity loses its

luster. Humans are not getting better and better.

Scientific Materialism cannot answer our deepest

questions. Scientism is hubris.

Enter, Postmodernism!

Scientific Materialism
Only

that which can be observed and

measured through the technique of Scientific
Method is real, and everything else is unreal.

Scientific Materialism

Scientific Materialism accepts only one

reality: the physical universe, composed
as it is of matter and energy. Everything
that is not physical, measurable, or
deducible from scientific observations, is
considered unreal. Life is explained in
purely mechanical terms, and phenomena
such as Mind and Consciousness are
considered nothing but epiphenomena curious by-products, of certain complex
physical processes (such as brain
metabolism)

Scientific Materialism
There is no God,
No angels
No Devil
No good
No evil
No survival of physical death,
No non-physical realities, and
No ultimate meaning or purpose to life
No Heaven
No afterlife

A Response to Naturalism/Materialism/Scientism

It is a faith/religious belief based on circular

reasoning.

It cannot answer the questions human beings

care about.

It is patently and demonstrably false.

As a world view it is does not tend to make its

followers better. If fact it is downright
dangerous.

Circular Reasoning
Unprovable assumptions of science.
The universe is ordered and essentially unchanging.
The universe is observable and understandable.
The universe is governed by mathematically precise
laws.
None of these assumptions can be proved by
experiment. In
a sense, science is not scientific.

A recent BBC broadcast forum:

Questioner: How do you know that physical reality is

all there is: that there is no God?

Response of a vehement materialist (after much

prodding): I simply believe it to be true.

Questioner: Well, now we at least have it out on the

table!

In other words, the strongest argument I have that

physical reality is all there is is that I believe
physical reality is all there is.

Questions Science Can Answer

When?
What?
Where?
How

many?
By what means?

Questions Science Cannot Answer:

(That Christianity Does Answer)
Why am I here?
Is that the right thing to do?
How valuable am I?
Does God exist? Does God act
(theism)?
Will that God respond if I pray?
Do supernatural events (miracles)
happen?

Materialism is Patently False

If Materialism/Naturalism is right then;

I do not exist. Consciousness is just random

moving around of chemicals.

No soul, no spirit, no non-physical reality.

Belief in God is just a meme the unfortunate

accidental result of brain evolution.

Life has no value. Human beings have no value.

What is value?

Love is chemicals moving around (vs. God is love)

If the Materialist is right, then

Religious thought is absolute nonsense.

Prayer is chemical moving around in your
brain.

Art, Literature, Music have no intrinsic

value.

Justice is a meaningless word.

Human rights have no basis.

Etc.

Scientism is Patently False Because.

The universe was created.

Life was created.

The Anthropic Principle. The universe is

ridiculously well fine-tuned for us to exist.

No one in their right mind can deny the

existence of right and wrong

The Bible is inspired by God.

Naturalism does not tend to make its believers

better people. Dangerous?
If the naturalist is right then:

Good and evil are meaningless ideas.

Our purpose, if it exists at all, is to pass on

our DNA.

Any kind of sexual behavior is as right as

any other. Stealing is probably good.

There is nothing inherently evil about

genocide.

Racism, slavery etc can be defended.

If the Materialist is Right Then

Violence and greed are acceptable behavior.

Justice is a meaningless construct.

The words ought and should are meaningless.

There is no such thing as sin or wrong behavior.

Consider the only societies in human history

controlled by atheists. USSR, Communist China,
Khmer Rouge.

Is this where human beings want to head?

If the Materialist is Right Then

Violence selfishness greed are acceptable behavior.

Justice is a meaningless construct.

The words ought and should are meaningless.

There is no such thing as sin or wrong behavior.

Consider the only societies in human history

controlled by atheists. French Revolution, USSR,
Communist China, Khmer Rouge, North Korea.

Is this where human beings want to head?

No wonder intellectuals (over)reacted

With the result being postmodernism!

Now, let us discuss postmodernism.

Postmodernism/Cultural Relativism

Positive Contributions

Importance of groups and relationships between

groups.
Gives honor to culture, beauty, wonder,
imagination.
More accurate description of history (including the
history of science).
The Western mindset is not the only valid one.

Problems

Very confusing.
No world view is preferred.
The idea of truth, for all practical purposes,
disappears.

Postmodernism: Cultural Relativism

Reality is a social construction.

Truth: It is true for you, but it is not true for

me.

Meaning, if it exists, lies in a community of

believers.

No rational way to discover which is the best

world view.

Theories of Truth

Correspondence Theory of Truth: A

statement is true if reality corresponds to
that which is predicted by the statement.

Relativism (postmodernism): A claim is

made true for those who accept it by that
very act (of accepting it).

Truth is either discovered or created.

Truth is either absolute or relative.

If The Postmodernists are Right Then

Reality is a social construction.

It is true for you, but it is not true for me.
Truth is found in an accepted narrative.
No universal trans-cultural standard of truth or
value.
No authorial prerogative. The truth of a text is
determined by the culture reading the text.
There is no such thing as the book of Romans.
Methodist Romans, Lutheran Romans, Buddhist Romans,
Atheist Romans.

Can You Accept This???

Consciousness is social, not individual. Self is a

construction (mother, British, grad student)

All truth is relative. All truth is cultural.

Individual has no authority to determine what is

true.

Problems With Postmodernism

Self-refuting.
If nothing is true, then postmodernism is not true.
Its authors insist on authorial privilege.

I do not care what they say, some things are

just true.

Either God is real or he is not. Even if I cannot

prove it one way or another.

If you culture told you it was safe to jump off a

cliff, would you jump?

Scientism is Bogus, But Science is Not

The naturally convincing explanation of the

success of science is that it is gaining a tightening
grasp of an actual reality. The goal of scientific
endeavor is to gain an understanding of the
structure of the physical world. The conclusions
are always tentative, but they are dictated by the
way things actually are.

What is Wrong With Postmodernism?

It does not agree with realitywith the

world as it is. Our understanding of truth
may be relative, but truth is not.

It can be dangerous.
Which is better, the Nazi culture or Christianity?
On what basis?
Sin is a cultural creation. Why prefer one
moral system to another?
Why listen to reformers like Jesus Christ or
Siddhartha Buddha? By definition, our culture
is always right!

The Christian World View

1. The physical world is: (Genesis 1)

a. real

b. created

and

c. essentially good.

2. There exists a parallel unseen spiritual reality which is not

limited to or defined by the physical reality.
3. The creator of both the physical and spiritual realm is the
God who is revealed and who reveals himself in the Bible.
4. Human beings have both a physical and a spiritual nature,
but the spiritual nature is more essential as it is eternal.
5. Although the physical world is good, evil does exist. Such
evil is the result of freedom of will given to created beings
and their subsequent decision to use that freedom to sin
(defined as transgressing the will of God).
6. There is a definite right and wrong for human behavior
which is determined by God.

The Christian World View Is True

The Universe is Real

The creation is good.

Evil exists.

Despite what Naturalists say, there is a spiritual

reality. For example, I exist. Consciousness is not
simply an epiphenomenon.

Science and the Christian world view do not

contradict.

Christian World View Answers the Big

Questions

How did I get here?

Why am I here?

Where am I going?

Why are human beings able to comprehend the

universe?

Why is there pain and suffering and evil in the

world?

Christianity Offers Solutions to the Big Problems of

Human Beings

The Problem of Sin (the substitutionary death of

Jesus)
Romans 7:24,25

The Problem of Suffering (compassion)

Matthew 9:35-36

The Problem of Death

1 Corinthians 15:54-56

The Christian World View Has Given Us:

Science

Abolition of Slavery (Wilberforce)

Civil Rights

Womens Rights

Christian groups do a majority of all benevolent

work in the world (James 1:27, Micah 6:8)

World Views

Naturalism (already discussed)

Postmodernism: No World View (already discussed)

Deism

Pantheism

Animism/Polytheism

Dualism

Biblical Theism (already discussed)

The Naturalists Response:

What about the evil done in the name of Christianity?

What about the Crusades and the Inquisition?

Response: So you DO believe in evil?

At least we have a standard which tells us that these

things are to be condemned. Christianity gives us a
basis to know that these things should not be done
by Christians or anyone else for that matter.

Definitions

Animism: Anima = spirit. A religious system which

includes the belief that spirits inhabit inanimate objects
and phenomena

Polytheism: Poly = many. A belief that the universe is

governed by many gods. (Hinduism, Shinto)

Pantheism: Pan = all. A belief that a spirit fills the

universe. God is the universe, and we are part of God.
(Hinduism, Epicureanism)

Dualism: A belief that the universe is governed by

nearly equally matched forces of good and evil.
(Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism)

Deism: A monotheistic view which sees God as distant

and not involved in human affairs. (Stoicism)

One Point of View:

Wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to
destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate
and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
-Jesus of Nazareth (Matthew 7:13-14)
I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through me.
Jesus of Nazareth (John 14:6)

Another Point of
View: Different
Paths to the
Same Goal?

God

Islam

Mysticis
m

Bahai

Buddhis
m

The Bible and Other World Views

If Genesis 1:1 is true, then animism, polytheism,

pantheism, dualism, naturalism, deism,
postmodernism and every other ism is false.

Conflicting world views cannot be accommodated

with one another. Biblical theism is incompatable
with all these other world views.

The Bible and Other World Views (cont.)

Acts 17:16-34 Paul shares the gospel by

arguing for the Christian World View.
v. 22-23 Paul finds common ground.

v. 24-28 Paul argues for the superiority and the truth

of the Christian world view as opposed to
Epicureanism/pantheism and Stoicism/deism
v. 28 Paul quotes from Aretas a Stoic philosopher.
For we are his offspring.
v. 29-31 Having laid the groundwork, Paul points
them to Jesus.
v. 32-34 Some, but not all were converted.

World View and Other Religions

HINDUISM

The principle religion of India.

Approximately 900,000,000
adherents.

Began as animism/polytheism

Evolved into
polytheism/pantheism

Syncretistic. Hinduism is not

really a single religion.

Ganesh: a Hindu deity

God of wisdom and
intellect

Principle gods of Hinduism

Lakshmi

Brahma Chief god of the pantheon.

Shiva God of destruction. Worshipped

as a male phalus.

Vishnu Preserver and protector.

Krishna

Rama Seventh incarnation of Vishna. Hero of the Ramayana.

Devi Chief female deity. The power (shakti) that animates

the cosmos.

Lakshmi Female consort of Vishnu. Godess of prosperity.

The eighth emanation of Vishna.

Krishna, Incarnation of deity

Rama, Hero of the Ramayana

Scriptures of Hinduism

Vedas Poems. Ritualistic, priestly. 1500-1000 BC.

Especially the Rig Veda. Include the Brahmanas.

Upanishads Highly philosophical essays about brahman,

atman, transmigration of atman, karma and so forth. 800600 BC.

Epics (Ramayana, Mahabarata, Bhagavad Gita) Mythic

adventures of Rama, Krishna and others.

Puranas Largely local legends, myths, many local deities.

AD 400-1000. This is the scripture of most local Hindus.

Tantras

Religious discussions/teachings.

Hindu Cosmology
Time is cycliclike a snake that bites its own tail.
Remember, the world is not real.
Hindu apologetics?

Hindu World View

Maya. The physical world is an illusion. The physical world is

evil. Suffering is an illusion.

Brahman.

Atman (soul). When we die, atman is swallowed up in

Brahman

The goal: Escape cycle of karma and reincarnation

Nirvana; oneness with the universal soul which is within

yourself.

The Hindu world view has man looking inward, not outward.

Universal soul. Pantheism.

Is The Hindu World View a Good One?

Is it true?
Hindu cosmology (cyclic time, earth on the back of four
elephants on a turtle swimming in a bowl of milk) is
patently false.
The physical world is real and it is good.
Evil is NOT an illusion

Does it answer the important questions?

It does better than postmodernism or naturalism!

Does accepting this world view make one a better

person?
Debatable. Better than naturalism. Karma. Self-focus
and dispassion are not helpful.
Suffering is not real.
Evil is not real.

Buddhism

Principle religion of Korea, Japan,

Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand,
Burma Sri Lanka and China?

400,000,000 adherents.

A reaction against the rigid

priestly system of Hinduism.

Pantheistic, or arguably nontheistic. A philosophy, a

psychology.

Life of Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha)

Born into a wealthy family in north India about

550 BC.

Renounced his birthright. Sought nirvana/god

through asceticism.

Decided on a middle path between asceticism and

sensuality.

Created the eight-fold path to enlightenment

(nirvana).

Important Terms to Understand Buddhism

Nirvana

awakened state, lack of suffering.

Bodhi

Bodhisattva

Dharma

the Buddhas teachings.

Sangha
nuns.

the Buddhist community of monks and

Maitreya

awakenment, enlightenment.
an awakened being.

the second coming of Buddha prophesied.

The Four Noble Truths of Siddhartha

Suffering is not getting what one wants.

The cause of suffering is desire which leads to

rebirth.

The way to end suffering is to end desire.

The way to the end of desire and of suffering is

the eight-fold path.

The eight-fold path to bodhi/dharma/nirvana/lack of

suffering

Right
Right
Right
Right
Right
Right
Right
Right

viewpoint (the four noble truths).

values.
speech.
actions.
livelihood
effort
mindfulness
meditation

Schools/Sects of Buddhism

Mahayana (the greater vehicle) China, Korea, Japan.

Ideal of the bodhisattva. Stresses the divine nature
of the Buddha. Many mini-buddhas (bodhisattvas).

Theravada Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma. A more pure

form of Buddhism?

Zen. An offshoot of Mahayana which emphasizes

meditation to achieve nirvana.

Vajrayana Stresses tantric practices, rituals,

initiations, mystical power. Tibet, Mongolia. Similar
to Gnosticism.

Buddhist Scripture

The Tripitaka three baskets Three sets of the

supposedly original sayings and teachings and
philosophy of Buddha. These were oral only for
about 400 years.

Disputes over the content of the Tripitaka led

eventually to the Theravada, Mahayana and other
sects.

Jatakas Mahayana stories of previous

incarnations of Siddhartha Buddha. Buddhism is a
striving through many lives to come to a
bodhisattva state.

Buddhist
Scripture

Practices of Buddhism

Many monks and nuns who live ascetic lives

Lay Buddhists follow the five precepts, which

are, 1. do not kill 2. do not steal. 3. do not
have sex. 4. do not lie and 5. do not get
drunk

Meditation is a big part of many Buddhist

traditions, involving the saying of a mantra. (Om
Mani Padme Hum).

Buddhist
Cosmology

The Buddhist World View

Is Buddhism pantheist or agnostic?

The physical world is an illusion and not good.

Suffering is an illusion.

Cyclic cosmology. Reincarnation.

The goal to lose oneself

Is the Buddhist World View a Good One?

Is it true?
The world is an illusion?
Cosmology appears to be refuted by science.

Does in answer the important questions?

Like Hinduism, superior to Naturalism, Postmodernism
Does not answer the question of God

Does it make one a better person?

Less self-focused than Hinduism
Suffering is not real.
Goal: dispassion, rather than compassion

Jainism

Founder: Mahavira ~600-540

BC

Last of 24 gurus. Parshva 750

BC?

Location: India mostly.

About 5,000,000 practitioners

A reaction to worldly, priestly

Hinduism

Jaina Theology

The Svastika
a symbol of
samsara
(rebirth)

Very strong emphasis on asceticism

Siddhartha may have been a follower

before finding a middle way.

We are souls trapped in a body. The

goal: escape the body to reach nirvana
through ascetic practices.

Reincarnation

Karma

Pantheistic

Jaina Scriptures

The Purvas. Sayings of the 24 gurus

all the original Purvas were lost.

Agama Sutras Sayings of Mahavira

Jaina Sects
Digambaras: Monks are nude, only
males can reach enlightenment.

Shvetambaras: Wear white robes.

Women can be ordained as nuns.

The Heart of Jainism: Asceticism

Five Mahavrata or rules of ascetic living

Ahimsa. Non-harming (fly-whisk, strain liquids,
etc)
Satya. Truthfulness
Asteya. Non-stealing
Celibacy
Non-attachment

Jaina Worldview

A very strange cosmology. The universe is an

infinitely repeating pattern of cycles of time.

One of the gurus lived 70 trillion years and was 3000

ft. tall.

The earth is the center of the universe.

The universe has existed forever.

Pantheism.

Reincarnation/karma.

The physical world is evil.

Is this a good world view? (essentially same as

Hindu)

Sikhism

Nanak, founder
of Jaina

Location: India, especially the

Punjab. 25,000,000 adherents.

Founder: Nanak (1469-1539)

A compromise between Islam and

Hinduism.

Avowedly monotheistic, but with

many Hindu ideas.

Sikh Teaching and Theology

Reject polytheism but keep ideas

of maya (illusion), samsara
(reincarnation), karma

Reject priestly system. All are

equal before the True Name.

Reject caste system.

Opposition to idolatry and to

asceticism.

Sikhs do not try to escape the

world, but to participate in it.

The Golden Temple

Amristar, India

Scriptures of Sikkhism

The Adi Granth

in 1604

Compiled by the fifth guru Arjun

The Ganth of the Tenth King: Written by the last

of the ten great gurus of Sikhism Gobind Singh.

The Janamsakhis Legends. Obviously mythical

accounts of the life of Nanak, including miracles.
(Nanak never claimed to be a miracle worker).

Works salvation: Sin and sorrow are destroyed by

hearkening.

Sikh Practices

The wearing of the male turban is

very characteristic.

Baptism in sugar water holding a

dagger.

Sikhs have been warriors. They have

been very militaristic.

Sikhs are immersed in worldly affairs.

Businessmen, merchants etc.

Think of Sikhs as the opposite of

Jains.

Sikh World View

Monotheistic

Yet it maintains much of the Hindu World View

Maya. The world is an illusion

Karma, reincarnation.

Works salvation.

Is it a good world view?

True? Cyclic cosmology.
Much in common with Islam.

Confucianism

Founded by Confucius Kung Fu Tzu 551478 BC.

Principle religion in China? Is it a

religion?
Also influential in Korea and Viet Nam.

Not a religious leaderhe accepted the

religious superstition of his day as
sufficient.

AgnosticKeep aloof from spiritual

matters, but perform the ceremony
correctly.

Utilitarian, conservative philosophy.

Each person should accept his position in
society for righteousness and stability.
Strong emphasis on proper government,
training for holding government office.

Confucianism (cont.)

Practical rather than esoteric.

Ancestor worship stressed.

Later Confucian philosophy involved emphasis on

ying and yangthe competing balance between
good vs. evil, physical vs. spiritual, hate vs. love.
(Dualism)

Confucianism competed with two other

philosophies: Taoism and Moism. Confucianism,
being more practical, generally won out.

Confucian Scriptures

I-Ching 1000 BC. Book of divination, magic.

Shu-Ching. History, ancient documents,
speeches.
Shin-Ching 800-600 BC. Poetry used extensively
by Confucius. Customs concerning courtship,
marriage, war, agriculture, feasts, sacrifices, etc.
Li Chi. Book of ceremonial etiquite. 200 BC
200 AD.
Chun Chiu. History of one Chinese province.
Collected by Confucius?
Lun Yu. Written down 400 BC. The sayings of
Confucius, especially on ethics and government
Analects of Confucius, etc

Confucian World View

Dualism

In some ways world-view neutral, as it is more a

collection of aphorisms and wise advice than a
religion.

Is it a good world view?

Is it true?

Individual not assigned much value

Does chi exist?

Taoism (Daoism)

Founded by Lao Tzua contemporary of Confucius.

Scripture: The Tao Te Ching. Tao = way Te = power Ching

= teaching

Basic doctrine: Through non-involvement and withdrawal,

we come to know god/deity. Emphasis on self-interest.
The religion of selfishness.

Pantheistic.

Emphasis on mysticism and magic.

Experience God by contemplating nature.

He would not pluck so much as a hair out of his head for

the benefit of his fellow man.

Taoist World View

Pantheism

Self-focus, emphasis on mysticism and magic.

Bahai

Founded by Baha-Ullah 1817-1892

The Bab 1819-1850 The John the Baptist of Bahai

Begun in Iran, moved to Iraq, Lebanon. Very

widely spread today.

About 7,000,000 adherents.

A reform movement within Islam?

History and Teaching

The Bab was martyred in 1850

in 1852 Baha-Ullah claims to have received a

vision, while in prison, of a divine woman who
declared him to be The Beauty of God amongst
you. ie the next prophet.

Bahai is the culmination of all the worlds

religions. Moses, Krishna, Buddha, Jesus,
Muhammad, BahaUllah.

No priests, no ceremony.

Theology and Teaching

Monotheistic.

God is unknowable The most Exalted, the Inaccessible.

Baha-Ullah claimed to be

The
The
The
The

second coming of Christthat John 14:16 was about him.

Maitreyathe second coming of Buddha.
new incarnation of Krishna
fulfillment of the Day of God in the Koran.

Strong emphasis on equality, education, peace.

Progressive Revelation. Religious truth is not absolute but

relative.

Bahai Theology

Salvation through keeping the law as handed

down by Baha-Ullah

Emphasis on good deeds, helping the poor,

education

Jesus did not die for our sins, because he did not
have to. We are imperfect, but not lost.

Scripture: The writings of Baha-Ullah. There are

many!

New Age: A Very Confusing Religion

Is it:
Palm reading?
Channeling?
Seances?
Meditation?
Reincarnation?
Occultism?
Gurus?
Paganism?
Gnosticism?
Mother Goddess worship?
Yes all the above.

So, What is New Age, Really?

You are God, I am God, the trees are God, we all are
God!

New Age is Western pantheism

New Age is a syncretistic blend of Gnosticism,

Hinduism, Spiritualism, Mysticism, Buddhism and
Paganism.

New Age is Monism! God is everything I am God!!!

Once we begin to see that we are all God, then I think

the whole purpose of life is to re-own the God-likeness
within us.

ISLAM & JIHAD:

A RELIGION OF PEACE?

ISLAM, 7th century AD

FIVE PILLARS
Confession
Almsgiving
Prayer
Fasting
(Ramadan)
Pilgrimage
(Hadj)

ISLAM, 7th century AD

SIX PILLARS?
Confession
Almsgiving
Prayer
Fasting
(Ramadan)
Pilgrimage
(Hadj)
Jihad

MOHAMMED

Claimed Gabriel spoke to him

when he was 40 (610 AD)
Turned from persuasion to warfare
Attacked caravans attack
cities/nations
Conversion at sword-point
Mohammed ordered assassination of
those who mocked him in their
poems.
Massacred 700 Jews in Medina
Fifteen wives

 Early Period in Mecca. Muhammad sees

himself as following tradition of Judaism.
Muslims pray toward Jerusalem.
Early Medina period. Mohammad begins
to be politically powerful. The idea of Jihad
introduced.
Later Medina and Meccan period.
Muhammad strongly opposed to Jews and
Christianity. Islam definitely a distinct
religion.

Quran and women

Men have authority over women

because Allah has made the one
superior to the other, and because
they spend their wealth to support
them. Good women are obedient
If they are rebellious, rebuke them,
beat them, and send them to bed.
-- 4:34

Quran and Jihad

Wage war on them until the infidels are no
more
and Allahs religion reigns
supreme.

8:12 Cut off their finger tips, stab them in

the neck.
48:16,17 Atone for sin by killing in war.

47:4-6 Martyrdom Heaven.

Quran and punishment of enemies

The punishment of those who
wage war against God and his
Apostle, and strive with might and
main for mischief through the land
is: execution, or crucifixion, or
cutting off of hands and feet from
opposite sides, or exile from the
land. (5:36)

Islamic Theology

Like Christianity and Judaism, Islam is

monotheistic

But there are several differences in the theology

of these religions.

In Islam God is more like the neo-Platonic idea of

Godvery distant and removed from man.

Islamic Theology
Surely good deeds take away evil deeds
(11:114).
Kabira (big sins)murder, adultery, drunkenness,
disobeying parents, neglecting Ramadan or Friday
prayers, gambling, dancing, shaving the beard,
forgetting the Koran after reading it, usury
Forgiveness with repentance.
Saghira (little sins)deceit, anger, lust. Forgiveness if
greater sins are avoided and good deeds are performed.
Shirkassociation (of other gods with Allah). No
forgiveness.

Salvation by own effort

(40:9, 39:61, 7:43)
Charity atones for sins
(2:271,277)
Earn

grace.
Earn favor of Allah.
Earn salvation.
Earn paradise.

Islam: Salvation is earned through the

efforts of those who were pre-selected by
Allah to inhabit a very sensual paradise.
Christianity: Salvation is granted by
the grace of a loving God to those who,
through faith and repentance and
baptism accept that love.

A Question: Who reaches out to

whom?

Initiative
Human approach
God

Mankind

Truth
God

Mankind

Works Salvation:
Man reaches out to
God.

Salvation by Grace:
God reaches out to
man.

Islam

Judaism

Hinduism

Christianity

Jaina
Sikkhism
Gnosticism
New Age
Buddhism?

Islam: Salvation is earned through the

efforts of those who were pre-selected by
Allah to inhabit a very sensual paradise.
Christianity: Salvation is granted by
the grace of a loving God to those who,
through faith and repentance and
baptism accept that love.

Islamic Worldview:
Obviously closer to the Christian world view than Eastern
Religions, but
God is very distant from mankind
In Islam, Allah determines everything, even who will
choose to follow him.
Sura 2:142, 6:39 6:125
Inshallah God willing. It is Gods will that people suffer.

Is Islam a Good World View?

Is it true? Is Mohammed a prophet?

Fifteen wives
Massacre of 700 Jews
Doctrine of Abrogation
Science errors

Does it make its followers better?

Motivation to help others?
Are women respected?
Does emphasis on Jihad lead to loving non-Muslims?

Summary

The theologies of world religions are fundamentally

and diametrically opposed to one another. Many
paths to the same God is a ludicrous philosophy.

The world view of Christianity is radically different

from any other religion. They cannot both be right!

The truth of the Bible is confirmed by

Clear evidence of inspiration (fulfilled prophecy,
types and foreshadows, historical accuracy,
scientific evidence, etc)
Public miracles worked by Moses, Elijah and others,
and especially by Jesus Christ (Hebrews 2:3,4).

So, What is Truth?

John 14:6 I AM the way the TRUTH and the life.

no one comes to the Father, except by me.

Why are Postmodernism, Scientism, Animism,

Polytheism, Pantheism, Dualism and every other
ism wrong?

Genesis Chapter One

Because Jesus is truth.

Two Possibilities: Either Jesus is truth or he is

not..

How Do I Know Jesus is Truth?

Fulfilled prophecies of the Messiah.

John 6:48 I am the bread of life.

John 11:25 I am the resurrection and the life.

John 2:19 Destroy this temple and I will raise it

in three days. Jesus was resurrected from the
dead.