Short Quiz

2. Short Quiz • Why can we say that the law of Human Nature is like math? • What is the meaning of the statement “relativism is self-refuting? (for those who missed quiz 1)

4. Moral Law= Social Convention?? • The question is to which class does the Law of Human Nature belong (i.e. “Mathematics” and “Traffic Convention”) • There is such a thing as a standard we are aiming for •  People think there are no major differences in our morality • Therefore ,moral standards belong to the class of mathematics

5. Good and Bad (Natural Law) is outside the Human Construct (i.e. was not created by man) • The Reality of the Law • Comparison of the Law of Nature and the Law of Human Nature • Explanation of the Law of Nature • A Matter of Convenience? • The Law of Human Nature is a real (law) • What does this say about the Universe we live in? • Two Views: Materialist and Religious View • Two Bits of Evidence to “the Somebody” (God) • Did God create evil? • The Rich Young Man:(Background to our Discussion) • Why are we asking questions about God?

6. Good and Bad (Natural Law) is outside the Human Construct (i.e. was not created by man) • The Reality of the Law • Comparison of the Law of Nature and the Law of Human Nature • Explanation of the Law of Nature • A Matter of Convenience? • The Law of Human Nature is a real (law) • What does this say about the Universe we live in? • Two Views: Materialist and Religious View • Two Bits of Evidence to “the Somebody” (God) • Did God create evil? • The Rich Young Man:(Background to our Discussion) • Why are we asking questions about God?

7. What does this say about the Universe we live in? • Two Views: Materialist and Religious View • Two Bits of Evidence to “the Somebody” (God) • Did God create evil?

8. What does this say about the Universe we live in? Materialist View: By Chance?? Religious View: By a Creator!!

9. The Reality of Moral Standards: “Someone Behind” Good?? Bad?? Moral Standard Accidental God Good?? Bad?? Intentional

10. “Someone Behind” Good?? Bad?? Moral Standard Accidental God Good?? Bad?? Intentional

11. We have two bits of evidence about “the Somebody” (God) • One is the universe He has made. If we used that as our only clue, then I think we should have to conclude that He was a great artist (for the universe is a very beautiful place), but also that He is quite merciless and no friend to man (for the universe is a very dangerous and terrifying place).

12. We have two bits of evidence about the Somebody • The other bit of evidence is that Moral Law which He has put into our minds. • And this is a better bit of evidence than the other, because it is inside information. You find out more about God from the Moral Law than from the universe in general just as you find out more about a man by listening to his conversation than by looking at a house he has built. Now, from this second bit of evidence we conclude that the Being behind the universe is intensely interested in right conduct -in fair play, unselfishness, courage, good faith, honesty and truthfulness.

13. The Rich Young Man Story

14. Luk 18:18-30 • And a ruler asked him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.'"

15. Luk 18:18-30 • And he said, "All these I have observed from my youth." And when Jesus heard it, he said to him, "One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." But when he heard this he became sad, for he was very rich.!

16. The question Ruler Authority Good Teacher!! God alone is good!! Eternal Life?? I have observed from my youth.. You know the commandments…

17. The Invitation He heard… You lack one thing…. …became sad.. Sell all …and you will have… Because he was rich…

18. Why are we asking questions about God? • “..for the young man the question is not so much about rules to be followed, but about the meaning of life...the question is ultimately an appeal to the absolute Good which attracts and beckons us; it is the echo of a call from God who is the origin and goal of man's life.." (Veritatis Splendor 7).

19. What on earth am I here for?

20. There have been differences between their moralities, but these have never amounted to anything like a total difference.. CS Lewis, Mere Christianity

21. Main Question: What do you think now? • Is Law of Human Nature(i.e. the concept of right and wrong) man made?

22. St. Paul’s Experience and the Rich Young Man

23. I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. (Rom 7:15) Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Rom 7:24-25)

24. The Young Man: ..no one is good.. • And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. • (Mar 10:18)

25. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! • (Rom 7:24-25)

26. Break

27. The Rival Conceptions of God, Problem of Evil and the Unique Christian Message

28. Who is this God? Great Artist! God Powerful! Absolutely Good!

29. Discussion: What is the problem? Evil!! Powerful God Good

30. Rival Conceptions of God

31. What Christians do not believe in? • “If you are a Christian you do not have to believe that all other religions are wrong all through.” CS Lewis, Mere Christianity

32. What Christians do not believe in? Hinduism Christianity Judaism Buddhism Islam

33. Conceptions of God Good Evil God God (Pantheism)

34. What Christians believe in? • "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. • (Joh 3:16-17)

35. What Christians believe in? Good God Evil

36. The Problem of Evil and the Unique Christian Message

37. The Problem of Evil and the Unique Christian Message • Key Question • A Picture Story of Suffering • The Focal Point of the Christian Message: Jesus Christ • The Unique Christian Story!!

38. Key Question All Good! God ?? Evil All Powerful!

39. A Picture Story of Suffering • Kevin Carter (September 13, 1960 in Johannesburg – July 27, 1994) was an award-winning South African photojournalist and member of the Bang-Bang Club.

40. A Picture Story of Suffering • "I am depressed ... without phone ... money for rent ... money for child support ... money for debts ... money!!! ... I am haunted by the vivid memories of killings and corpses and anger and pain ... of starving or wounded children, of trigger-happy madmen, often police, of killer executioners...I have gone to join Ken if I am that lucky."[4]

41. The Unique Christian Message • "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. • (Joh 3:16-17)

42. The Unique Christian Message Reality, in fact, is usually something you could not have guessed. That is one of the reasons I believe Christianity. It is a religion you could not have guessed. If it offered us just the kind of universe we had always expected, I should feel we were making it up. But, in fact, it is not the sort of thing anyone would have made up. It has just that queer twist about it that real things have. CS Lewis, Mere Christianity

43. The Focal Point of the Christian Message: Jesus Christ I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: "I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God." That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher.

44. The End