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The Fight for the Soul of the West

The Fight for the Soul of the West. Part 2 The War in the West – Culture Wars. Session 2.9 The Fight for the Soul of the West Session 2.10 Freedom Is Rooted in Biblical Theism Session 2:11 Militant Atheism Session 2:12 The Consequences of Atheism

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The Fight for the Soul of the West

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  1. The Fight for the Soul of the West

  2. Part 2 The War in the West – Culture Wars • Session 2.9 The Fight for the Soul of the West • Session 2.10 Freedom Is Rooted in Biblical Theism • Session 2:11 Militant Atheism • Session 2:12 The Consequences of Atheism • Session 2:13 “The Days Have Come Down in the West!”

  3. Outline • The Nature of the Culture Wars • The Challenge • Two Nations – One Geography • No Neutrality • Battle Ground Issues • Who Is on the Offense? • Changing the Story • A New Metaphor • The Cause of the Culture Wars – Worldview Shift

  4. The Nature of the Culture Wars The Challenge

  5. “Culture Wars” • There is a conflict going on for the soul of the West. • It is a battle of ideas, two conflicting worldviews.

  6. Red & Blue States

  7. Two Americas “[W]hen I see the American flag, I go, 'Oh my God, you're insulting me.' That you can have a gay parade on Christopher Street in New York, with naked men and women on a float cheering, 'We're here, we're queer!' — that's what makes my heart swell. Not the flag, but a gay naked man or woman burning the flag. I get choked up with pride. Janeane Garofalo Comedian and Political Activist

  8. The Nature of the Culture Wars Two Nations – One Geography

  9. Europe and the USA “The biblical references in politics, the division of the world between good and evil, these are things that we simply don't get …. In a number of areas, it seems to me that we are no longer part of the same civilization.” Francois Heisbourg Director The Foundation of Strategic Research, Paris

  10. Two Nations – One Geography “We are no longer one nation under God. We are two separate nations with two distinct and incompatible moral visions.” Rabbi Daniel Lapin America’s Real War

  11. Two Nations – One Geography “We no longer inhabit the same moral universe. We are no longer a moral community. We are two countries. One part of America has seceded, and the other has no interest in re-establishing the Union.” Patrick J. Buchanan

  12. It is not a battle of: Republican vs. Democrat Black vs. White Women vs. Men Rural vs. Urban Old vs. Young Christians vs. Jews Protestant vs. Catholic It is a battle of: Sacred belief systems Worldviews Ideologies “Theologies” – Theists vs. Atheists Different moral visions Cultural stories The Battle

  13. Theism One nation under God Transcendent reality People of The Book - Reason and Revelation Atheism One nation under man Nature People of the Enlightenment -Reason without revelation Two Faith Systems

  14. A House Divided "A House Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand" Abraham Lincoln June 1858

  15. The Nature of the Culture Wars No Neutrality

  16. No Neutrality “These two world views [Judeo-Christian theism and Secular Humanism] stand as totals in complete antithesis to each other in content and also in their natural results —including sociological and governmental results, and specifically including law….” Francis A. Schaeffer

  17. No Neutrality “…. It is not that these two world views are different only in how they understand the nature of reality and existence. They also inevitably produce totally different results. The operative word here is inevitably. It is not just that they happen to bring forth different results, but it is absolutely inevitable that they will bring forth different results.” Francis A. Schaeffer The Christian Manifesto

  18. The Nature of the Culture Wars Battle Ground Issues

  19. Where Are You Firing? • Look at this picture. Who is each ship firing at? What will the results be?

  20. Creation Made for a purpose Life after death Evolution Cosmic accident No life after death ISSUE - Where did we come from?Where are we going?

  21. Imago Dei Inalienable rights Sacredness of life Pro-life Active euthanasia is murder Female & male valued Human beings responsible for their actions An Animal Survival of the fittest Quality of life Pro-abortion Active euthanasia “Male value system” Actions result from neuro-chemical responses; no human responsibility Issue - Humankind

  22. Issue – Human Life “To the one side, the 25 million abortions in 20 years are a testament to freedom and progress; to the other, they are the benchmark of a society literally hellbent on suicide.” Patrick J. Buchanan The Cultural War for the Soul of America

  23. Moral absolutes Absolute truth Freedom of religion The Book has authority over man Moral relativism Relative truth Freedom from religion Man has authority over The Book Issues

  24. Marriage

  25. The Nature of the Culture Wars Who Is on the Offense?

  26. Who Is on the Offense? “The great conflict of the 21st century may be between the West and terrorism. But terrorism is a tactic, not a belief. The underlying battle will be between modern civilization and anti-modernist fanatics; between those who believe in the primacy of the individual and those who believe that human beings owe blind allegiance to a higher authority; ….” Robert B. Reich Former Secretary of Labor

  27. Who Is on the Offense? “…between those who give priority to life in this world and those who believe that human life is no more than preparation for an existence beyond life; between those who believe that truth is revealed solely through scripture and religious dogma, and those who rely primarily on science, reason, and logic. Terrorism will disrupt and destroy lives. But terrorism is not the only danger we face….”

  28. Freedom from Religion Hitler and the Third Reich were fighting against “… the God of the deserts, that crazed, stupid, vengeful, Asiatic despot, with the power to make laws! … that poison with which both Jews and Christians have spoiled and soiled the free, wonderful instincts of man….” Adolph Hitler

  29. Freedom from Religion “ “The greatest blow that ever struck humanity was the coming of Christianity.” Adolph Hitler “WeshallnotrestuntilwehaverootedoutChristianity.” Heinrich Himmler Head of the Nazi Gestapo

  30. The Nature of the Culture Wars Changing the Story

  31. Changing the StoryChanging the Language Theology - Psychology Sin - Sickness Pastor/Priest - Psychiatrist Words - Images

  32. The Nature of the Culture Wars A New Metaphor

  33. “Take Captive Every Thought” 3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. St. Paul 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

  34. “Take Captive Every Thought”” • Greek • aichmalotizo /aheekh·mal·o·tid·zo/ • Translated - “bring into captivity” • Metaphorically: to capture one’s mind, captivate • English – To overpower and gain with excellence or beauty; to charm; to engage the affections; to bind in love.

  35. The Cause of the Culture Wars Worldview Shift

  36. THEISM DEISM ATHEISM MONISM EVANGELICAL GNOSTICISM Worldview Shift

  37. Biblical Theism-Foundation of Western Civilization

  38. Biblical Worldview

  39. Coram Deo: before the face of God

  40. Deism – The Enlightenment

  41. Atheism - Modernism

  42. Coram Deo: before the face of God

  43. Don’t Hide!

  44. Reaction “Fundamentalists” Evangelicals Pentecostals Charismatics Accommodation “Liberals” Old-Line Denominations Secularism Church Church Divided

  45. Faith Theology Ethics Missions Devotional Life Gospel Reason Science Business/economics Politics Art/music Physical ministry Bread The Greek Dichotomy Higher more important SPIRITUAL (sacred) GRACE Sunday Lower less important PHYSICAL (secular) NATURE Weekdays

  46. Sacred Secular Evangelical Gnosticism GOD

  47. Moral *Faith *Grace *Missions *Ethics Sacred * Theology * Evangelism * Discipleship * Devotions Physical * Works * Reason * Business * Politics Secular * Science * Economics * Mass Media * The Arts ‘Physical’ Ministries Social Justice Weekdays Evangelical Gnosticism GOD Spiritual Spiritual Disciplines Spiritual Warfare Sundays

  48. A Sinking Ship “I look upon the world as a wrecked vessel. God has given me a lifeboat and said to me, ‘Moody, save all you can!’” Dwight L. Moody

  49. When Nations Die “But one of the greatest reasons for the decline of American society over the past century has been the tendency of Christians who have practical solutions to abandon the forum at the first sign of resistance. Evangelicals in particular have been quick to run and slow to stand by their beliefs….” Jim Nelson Black When Nations Die

  50. When Nations Die “… In reality, most Christians had already vacated ‘the public square’ of moral and political debate by their own free will, long before civil libertarians and others came forth to drive us back to our churches.” Jim Nelson Black When Nations Die

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