Comparing and Contrasting Different Worldviews.

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Read the following articles, one written by Bayard Taylor and another one by Brannon Howse. Compare and contrast their worldviews. Share with your peers what you have learned about your own worldview after analyzing the differences and similarities in Taylor and Howse’s approaches. Write a paragraph (200 words or more).

Respond to one of your peers to receive a full grade.

Adapted from Blah, Blah, Blah by Bayard Taylor.doc 

Published by Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group, Bloomington, Mn,   www.bethanyhouse.com  (Links to an external site.).     

Bayard Taylor holds an M.Div. degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and is Biblical and Theological Editor at a major Christian publishing house. He teaches on worldview to high school, college, homecoming, and parenting gr

All around you, people are talking about spirituality. Those from different religions and philosophies express competing claims, and the noise from their debates often creates a cacophony of noise and confusion.

But you can make sense of the chatter, and help others discern what’s ultimately true along the way. So don’t shy away from the spiritual conversation around you.  Here’s how you can join in effectively:

* Gain confidence. Realize that, in the marketplace of ideas, you have just as much right to present your understanding of truth as anyone else does. So join in the public debate. Understand that it’s okay to make waves to get people’s attention. Don’t be concerned about any ability you lack (such as a sharp wit or a gift for public speaking). Understand that you don’t have to be genius to discern truth or hold to a solid and legitimate worldview. 

* Let your actions speak, too. Make sure your actions line up with your words. Regularly be kind to other people and devote significant time and energy to service. Give your best to every task you undertake, striving for excellence.

* Recognize what you have in common with others. Realize that, despite cultural and other differences, you have much in common with other people because you share the experience of being human. Keep that in mind whenever you talk with someone whose views diverge from yours.

* Understand the six basic worldviews. Whenever you meet people, think about the remarks they make and ask yourself what worldview they’re promoting.

The biblical worldview says: “Serve the one true God – the Creator of the universe – alone. Since God loves you personally, love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. God’s rules are good and are for our good.”

The Haunted worldview says: “Eclectic. Syncretistic. Don’t judge anybody. Get in contact with spiritual power, which spiritual power works for you.”

The What You See is What You Get (WYSIWYG) worldview says: “The physical world is the only reality. You can only know what is material. Any appeal to spiritual reality is outlawed from the start as mere superstition, hype, hokum, wishful thinking, or deception. All morals and ideas of good, evil, truth, and beauty are man-made.”

The Dueling Yodas worldview says: “Good and evil are in an eternal battle in a moral universe, but neither side ever wins. It is an eternal struggle.”

The Omnipresent Supergalactic Oneness worldview says: “Absorption of all things into pantheism or monism. Evil and good are only apparent opposites. There are no innocent sufferers, since suffering is exactly proportionate to one’s karma. You create your own reality with your mind. You are ‘Go

The Designer Religion worldview says: “It’s okay to mix and match religions. Never judge anybody. Get in contact with a spiritual power that works for you.”

* Let challenges from other worldviews strengthen your faith. Don’t be afraid of views that differ from yours. Instead, learn from them. Ask hard questions and wrestle with ideas. Confront your doubts and fears. Be humble enough to know that you don’t know everything.

* Ask creative questions. Ask questions to invite people into dialogue, gain a better understanding of what they believe, and possibly build friendships with them. Use questions that define key terms you’re discussing, clarify, classify, challenge, and point out what is assumed. Be confident, polite, humble, and persistent. Respect people’s dignity and don’t engage them in unnecessary arguments. Keep a sense of humor. Help people think about their own beliefs and the biblical worldview in ways they may never have previously considered.

* Be patient. Rather than becoming exasperated or giving up when people with different worldviews cling to them for a long time, continue to pray for them and love them. Trust that God is already working in their lives. Give them the time and space they need to work through their issues

“Building a Biblical Worldview” by Brannon Howse

Each worldview question digs into a core Christian doctrine,

and taken together, they construct a clear picture of how

to apply Biblical Worldview to every issue and action in life.

Use these questions (if you desire) to explore

your worldview:

Who created the universe?

Why is there evil in the world?

For what primary purpose was man created?

What is God?

What is sin?

What role does the heart and mind play in salvation?

What is the fear?

Why is it important to think Biblically?

What should be the standard for our thought life and entertainment?

Where did the Scriptures come from and for what do they prepare us?

What are we to do with every thought?

What is the purpose of civil government?

What does the Bible say about self-defense?

What does the Bible say about civil disobedience?

What does the Bible say concerning a nation’s laws?

What is a Christians responsibility concerning money and wealth?

In what are Christians to place their confidence?

From where does every good gift come from?

1. What does Satan desire to do to every person?

What does the Bible say about being lazy?

1. What does the Bible say concerning gambling?

Contrast the person that gains wealth over time through hard work against the person

1. that strives to get rich quick?