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I. Worldviews: What’s the Big Idea? Dr. William E. Brown

I. Worldviews: What’s the Big Idea? Dr. William E. Brown.

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I. Worldviews: What’s the Big Idea? Dr. William E. Brown

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  1. I. Worldviews:What’s the Big Idea?Dr. William E. Brown

  2. Around the office, whenever I see a Christian, I scream and run away like a little girl. . . I am more afraid of Christians than I am of getting a flesh eating virus. . . . I am more afraid of Christians than I am of being shipped to Syria and tortured. Al Franken

  3. Houston, TX Dear residents of Dayton, Tenn., I read about your town in the September National Geographic. It seems as though everybody there believes in Jesus and Christianity. As a humanist, I see NO evidence of a god, heaven, hell, devils, angels, fairies or a soul that leaves the body. The story of Adam and Eve is a fairy tale. Noah’s Ark is an impossible dream. The “virgin birth” of Jesus by mother Mary is nonsense. The hundreds of religions around the world all believe they have the answer. Religions are nothing but people’s imagination. Men wrote the Bible, not an imaginary god. Humanists believe in nature and science. We know that people and animals and plants evolved over three billion years on planet Earth.

  4. We do not look for supernatural answers as to why we have thunder or why it rains or why we have tornados. This is all part of nature and physics. We’re proud of being capable of determining right from wrong by using our brains and not some book translated from ancient Holy scrolls. We do not thank Jesus for good fortune because our intelligence knows he has NOTHING to do with anything going on now. Best regards, Jimmy Dunne President, Humanists of Houston

  5. Dear Mr. Dunne: I was disappointed in your letter of August 28 to the people of Dayton. I do not think it accomplished what you intended. Your letter was more of a screed than a creed. People who read it either laughed at what they saw as arrogant pronouncements or clucked their tongues at the patronizing statements. I am enclosing another letter that you are free to use. This better represents your naturalistic worldview and might engender substantive discussion rather than defensive reactions. Best regards, William E. Brown

  6. Dear residents of ___________, As a humanist, I rely on the objective facts discovered by science. By the use of the scientific method, I see no proofs for the existence of God, heaven, hell, angels, or a soul that lives on after we die. If such evidence is discovered, I will gladly believe. I believe in people. I work hard to make this world a better place because this is all the existence we have. Because I believe the natural world is all that exists, I do not need to believe there are anything but natural causes for everything that occurs in the world, good or bad. We do not need a God or a holy book to tell us what is right and wrong. Most of morality is self-evident and we just need to use our reason to decide what is right and wrong.

  7. It is difficult to believe in the existence of a good and powerful God when the world He supposedly created is filled with evil and disasters. I would assume He would intervene in some way to correct these wrongs. Instead, the world seems to be getting worse. When we look at the thousands of religions in the world, which one is correct? They all have conflicting beliefs about God, scriptures, rituals, and morality. This only adds to the confusion. I hope you will consider the rationale I have given here in your quest for truth. Sincerely yours, Jimmy Dunne President, Humanists of Houston

  8. A. Thinking as a Christian

  9. Getting out of the Christian Bubble

  10. WORLDVIEWS Using your mind

  11. The Biblical Challenge Using Your Mind . . . “ . . . Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Matthew 22:37

  12. Using Your Mind . . . Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. . . - Romans 12:1-2

  13. Using Your Mind . . . . . . men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do . . . - 1 Chronicles 12:32

  14. Using Your Mind . . . To these four young men God gave knowledgeand understanding of all kinds of literature and learning . . . In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times betterthan all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom. - Daniel 1:17,20

  15. Religion is the problem “Yes, we are a nation that is unenlightened because of religion. I do believe that. I think that religion stops people from thinking. I think it justifies crazies. I think flying planes into a building was a faith-based initiative. I think religion is a neurological disorder.” Bill Maher

  16. It’s all about me . . . . “I had a crisis of faith. I thought you had to experience things if you want to know right from wrong. I’d go to Christian revivals and be moved by the Holy Spirit and I’d go to rock concerts and feel the same fervor. The I’d be told, ‘That’s the Devil’s music! Don’t partake in that!’ I wanted to experience things religion said not to experience. . . When I got untethered from the comfort of religion, it wasn’t a loss of faith for me, it was a discovery of self. I had faith that I’m capable enough to handle any situation.” Brad Pitt

  17. I never lost my faith… I felt for a time that I had outgrown the church. Now it is a bone of contention in my soul that I did not share my faith with my kids, as my parents did with me. It was a source of grace when I needed it. I have been greatly nurtured and inspired by my faith. Martin Sheen

  18. I love my church, and was . . . raised by intellectuals who were very devout. I was raised to believe that you could question the church . . . What is worthy of satire is the misuse of religion for destructive or political gains. That's totally different from the Word, the blood, the body, and the Christ. His kingdom is not of this earth. -Stephen Colbert

  19. Are we . . . thinking worldviewishly? We think . . . in fragments

  20. Are we . . . thinking worldviewishly? We think . . . in fragments in images

  21. Are we . . . thinking worldviewishly? We think . . . in fragments in images in sounds

  22. B. Thinking Worldviewishly

  23. What is a Worldview?

  24. What is a Worldview? “A worldview is first of all an explanation and interpretation of the world, and second, an application of this view to life.” Brown, Phillips, Stonestreet “Making Sense of Your World”

  25. Your worldview EXPLANATION INTERPRETATION Your view OF the world

  26. Your worldview APPLICATION Your view FOR the world

  27. Behavior Values Worldview

  28. Your worldview answers the ULTIMATE questions… ORIGIN:Where did everything come from? MEANING:Why are we here? MORALITY:How should we live? DESTINY:What happens when we die?

  29. Whatever happens in life is fine-- just trust in that. -Orlando Bloom God has a plan and God is in control of everything. -Beyonce Knowles

  30. It’s all about me . . . . There are no rules. Just follow your heart. -Robin Williams

  31. “Sometimes I feel like I’m living a meaningless life and I get frightened . . . I have no idea where this insecurity comes from, but it’s a God-sized hole. If I knew, I’d fill it and I’d be on my way. . . I have no answers to anything. None. Why am I an alcoholic? I haven’t a clue! What is life about? I don’t know. . . . The best I can do is learn from my mistakes and move forward. And that’s what I’m trying to do.” ~ShiaLeBeouf

  32. O R I G I N M E A N I N G M O R A L I T Y D E S T I N Y

  33. ORI G I N E M EAN I N G L M O R A LIT Y T D E S T I NY

  34. II. The World of Worldviews:Three Basic Approaches to LifeDr. William E. Brown

  35. Naturalism Transcen- dentalism Theism

  36. Naturalism the world as we see it

  37. Naturalism Nature Nothing

  38. Worldviews

  39. Worldviews

  40. Worldviews

  41. Worldviews

  42. Worldviews

  43. “I have never seen the slightest scientific proof of the religious ideas of heaven and hell, of future life for individuals or of a personal God.” Thomas Edison

  44. “I’m an atheist, and that’s it. I believe there’s nothing we can know except that we should be kind to each other and what we can for each other.” Katharine Hepburn

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