Episode 24E02a – How to Defend your Faith Session 2: Worldview & You (Part 1 of 4)
(Transcript from Dr. Kip Wehrman 01/14/2024)
I want to start with a song today. I’m going to sing along so please join in with Lighthouse by Anthem Lights.
God provides all people with the light to find there way back home. We are that light. We must be that light. The Lighthouse for the world.
Let’s Pray.
OBJECT LESSON Building Blocks Missing parts result in lost message.
So, what is a worldview. Watch this short video by Impact 360 Institute that demonstrates what a worldview is.
Here are some books if you want to study deeper on this subject of worldviews.
Donald Johnson’s “How to talk to a skeptic”, Keith Yandell’s “Philosophy of Religion,” and James Sire, “the Universe next door.” These are all books I read in seminary. Great books that will broaden your understanding of worldviews and other religions.
We are going to be discussing Worldview. But before I define what that is.
I want to share the ancient Indian fable of the six blind men and the elephant. Now this is the Kip-version, so if you have heard it before bear with me. The story goes, six blind men happened upon an elephant. None of them had ever seen or heard of an elephant.
One man reached out and grabbed the tail. He proclaimed, it’s like a rope.
Another man standing near the head, reached out and touched the tusks. He proclaimed proudly, NO, it’s like a spear.
A third man standing near the side, reached out and touched the elephant’s side. He declared, NO, it’s like a wall.
Yet another man standing near the head, reached out and grabbed the trunk. He proclaimed loudly, NO, it’s like a snake.
Another man standing near a leg, embraced the leg. He said, NO, it’s like a great tree.
Another man reached out and touched an ear. He proclaimed you fools it’s like a Fan,
All described accurately what they knew.
This fable ends this way. “and so, these men of Indostan Disputed loud and long, Each in his own opinion. Exceeding stiff and strong, Though each was partly in the right And all were in the wrong!”
Do you understand? This old fable demonstrates that we can’t always see the whole picture. We can be partially right but also fully wrong. Only a complete perspective is truly true. This is the idea of seeing the tree but missing the forest.
Here is another short video from Greg Koukl talking about how worldview affects how we perceive the world.
This is the simple power and fallacy of worldviews. Most worldviews are describing what the person perceives as right or wrong. It is the way the person sees the world and how they act in the world.
What is it and why it is very important to clearly define your worldview.
Simply put your worldview is how we process the world around us. It is a comprehensive collection of attitudes, values, and expectations about the world around us. It’s how we live and interact with others.
The rules, ethics, and morals which shape our decisions and attitudes about everything. Sadly, most people have a constantly changing worldview.
Everyone starts with this basic question, what is real? Is it God, is it material, is it nothing, Is it the God of the Bible. That is the basis for our worldview. Then everyone has to determine, What is true? Believe it or not this is a question many struggle with but it is how we form our
beliefs. Our beliefs or what we believe are firmly mounted on the foundation which is our worldview. Next, is what is good? Once we determine how we formulate truth, then we form our values or morals. Our values, morals, and ethics are built on our perception of what is true, our beliefs. And the foundation of this is our worldview. Last once we have formulated our beliefs, they ultimately determine what we do or our behavior in the world. So, I hope you can see the importance of not only defining our worldview but we need to systematically formulate the basis for our worldview so it is not shifting constantly. The structure of our lives is built on it, our beliefs, values, and ultimately our behavior. But like most things in life, if our foundation is shaky, then everything else will fall apart. so that is worldview.
This is the end of How to Defend your Faith Session 2: Worldview & You (Part 1of 4)
