It’s the pair of glasses through which you view the world.

1. (Chap 3) W O R L D V I E W • It’s the pair of glasses through which you view the world. • the foundation upon which you build the structure of your life. • the grid which filters and sorts billions of facts and makes sense out of life.

2. “Worldviews operate at an unconscious level . . . . Like the air we breathe, worldviews are a vital part of who we are but not a part we usually think much about.” • “Every social group has a worldview—a set of more or less systematized beliefs and values in terms of which the group evaluates and attaches meaning to the reality that surrounds it.”

3. More succinctly…. “Worldview is a culture’s orientation toward God, humanity, nature, questions of existence, the universe and cosmos, life, moral and ethical reasoning, suffering, death, and other philosophical issues that influence how its members perceive their world.” p 73

4. Worldview, perception, and communication are bound together. How we perceive the world affects how we communicate/behave. • …to understand a person’s worldview, one can, with reasonable accuracy, predict behaviors and motivations.

5. Worldview is “the collective body of ideas that members of a culture generally share concerning the ultimate shape and substance of their reality.”

6. An example of how the original American Worldview is seen in our Declaration of Independence.

7. Three Perspectives of Worldview • Scientific—based on the rules of exact science that people take to be the truth. • Metaphysical—Predicated on what the believers hold to be sound theoretical and abstract reasoning devoid of an empirical base. • Religious—A belief in the existence of a reality greater than man.

8. Metaphysical defined 1--of or relating to metaphysics(a division of philosophy that is concerned with the fundamental nature of reality and being and that includes ontology, cosmology, and often epistemology; abstract philosophical studies:a study of what is outside objective experience.) Metaphysics, which means literally “what comes after physics,” was used to refer to the treatise by Aristotle on what he himself called “first philosophy.” 2--of or relating to the transcendent or to a reality beyond what is perceptible to the senses 3--highly abstract or abstruse Synonyms: conceptual, ideal, ideational, abstract, notional, theoretical Antonyms: concrete, nonabstract Related Words: conjectural, hypothetical, speculative; cosmic, intellectual, mental, spiritual; ethereal, immaterial, incorporeal, insubstantial, nonmaterial, nonphysical, unsubstantial; impalpable, imperceptible, insensible, intangible, invisible; impractical, romantic, transcendent, transcendental, unreal, utopian, visionary Major types of metaphysical theory include Platonism, Aristotelianism, Thomism, Cartesianism (see alsodualism), idealism, realism, and materialism.

9. How do you perceive the world? What is your perception of… • Abortion • Child discipline • The elderly • Immigration • Illegal immigration • Politicians • Casinos • Creation • God • Jehovah’s Witnesses • Muslims • Professional sports • The homeless • Helping the poor • Helping the poor outside the U.S.A. • Guns • Gun control • Hunting • Bull fights • Face lifts • Beauty

10. Religion…. as a worldview • Found in every culture since the beginning of time….provides ideas of right and wrong, acceptable behavior, etc. • Deals with… • the nature of life and death • the creation of the universe • relation of humankind to nature.

11. Religions all address the universal questions: • Where did I come from? • Why am I here? • What happens when I die?

12. Similarities in the world’s great religions… • Sacred Scriptures • Authority • Traditional Rituals • Ethics • Security/Afterlife/Safe Haven

13. Similarities in the world’s great religions…(the details) • Sacred Scriptures • Enables a culture to pass on the insights and traditions from generation to generation. .. The repository of its essential principles and the touchstone for its formulations of doctrine. • Authority • One or two individuals considered to have special significance. • Traditional Rituals • Ritual—symbolic actions that represent religious meaning. Ritual recalls past events, preserving and transmitting the foundations of society. (Most common—Rites of passage. Social occasions marking the transition of members of the group from one important life stage to the next.) • Ethics • Religion is bound to concepts of what a person should or should not do (an ethic). All religions say you should avoid murder, thieving, lying, and adultery. All stress the virtues of humility, charity, and veracity. Through all this, all religions seek to enable adherents to achieve the ultimate objective of the tradition—the attainment of salvation, redemption, enlightenment or the liberation of the soul. • Security/Afterlife/Safe Haven • All religions provide members with sense of identity and security. Religion unites people as they share symbols, values, and norms. Strong feeling of security and unity to know you are part of a religious family that is feasting on the same day, wearing the same attire when praying, bowing in one direction or another, or taking Holy Communion. All traditions provide meaning and purpose.

14. ChristianityLargest religion (over 2 billion followers) Basic Assumptions: One God, the eternal creator who transcends creation and yet is active in the world and desires intimate relationship with mankind. Scripture: The Bible Authority: God inspired people through the power of the Holy Spirit to write it. 2 Timothy 3:16 Tradition/Rituals: Baptism, Communion, organized worship Teachings: Based on faith in God and in Jesus Christ, the Savior and redeemer of humankind. God became incarnate—fully human—as Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus died on a cross for the sins of the world and 3 days later was resurrected, physically, and seen by hundreds of people in various settings. Belief in the Trinity, the sacred mystery of the Father, Son, and Holy spirit as one, triune God. Ten Commandments; Jesus taught to love your neighbor as yourself. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Actively go about doing good (as Jesus did). Yes, do good deeds, but they do not get you into heaven; only faith in Jesus does. (big diff. from other religions) Individualism: God desires a personal relationship with his creation. Christianity stresses personal conversion.

15. Judaism Basic Assumptions: The smallest of all the major religions. (less than ½ of 1 percent or 14 million Jews). Monotheistic. Believe people of Israel are God’s chosen people, having made a covenant with God. Still waiting for their Messiah or King/Redeemer. Scripture: The Law as found in the books of Moses (Torah) Oppression & Persecution: Anti-Semitism powerful in Hitler’s day and today too (Aryan Nations). Jews have hard time trusting non-Jews. Tradition/Rituals: circumcision, keeping of the Sabbath. Learning: Love of learning (Wisdom is better than jewels). Justice: Strong sense of justice Family: Family is the active participant in Jewish life.

16. Islam(fastest growing religion) Basics: 1.3 billion or one person in five. Fastest growing religion on earth. Basic Assumption: 1) One, unique, incomparable God. “There is no god at all but Allah.” 2) Submission (“Islam” means submission to the will of God. A Muslim is one who submits.) 3) divine decrees (predestination); Fatalism (in sha’a Allah”—if God wills it) Origins: Muhammad (570-632 AD) was the messenger of God. Beliefs: 5 Pillars of Faith; 5 Pillars of Practice (repeating the Creed; Prayer; Almsgiving; Fasting; Pilgrimage; Jihad) Scripture: The Koran Way of Life: “Islam governs all affairs, public and private.” Women are considered inferior to men; need husband’s blessing to get into heaven; must share their wifely role with other women, if the husband so desires and can afford it!

17. Hinduism Basics: Complicated religion. No single founder, creed, teacher, or prophet acknowledged by all Hindus, no single Holy book…“the more gods the better!” Scriptures: Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita (poem in dialogue form between a warrior Arjuna and the God Krishna. Beliefs: God is an “exalted, inspiring, and sublime force within us. Thus we can rise above our mortal limitations and be liberated.” Find the divine in everything. Another Reality: Material world is not the only reality. Finding satisfaction in the material and physical world might gratify us for many lifetimes, but it’ll eventually get old. To experience nirvana, or liberation, one needs to discover the spiritual existence found outside traditional concepts of reality. Nirvana releases man from the cycle of birth, suffering, death, and all other forms of worldly bondage. Dharma: Actions characterized by consideration of righteousness and duty. Multiple paths to God. “Truth is one but sages call it by different names.”

18. Buddhism Basics: 400 million followers. (small compared to Chnty, Islam and Hinduism) “A system which… • knows no God in the Western sense, • denies a soul to man, • counts the belief in immortality a blunder, • refuses any efficacy (value) to prayer and sacrifice, • bids men look to nothing but their own efforts for salvation.” Founder: Siddhartha Gautama in about 563 B.C. The Enlightened One. (gave up his home, family, wealth to search for enlightenment. Key Concepts: Buddha taught that 1) he was not a god but simply a man. “I am awake.” 2) people can seek truth on their own. Work out your own emancipation, for you have the power to liberate yourself from all bondage through your own personal effort and intelligence. Be lamps unto yourself. 4 Noble Truths: Suffering is the problem in the world and it’s caused by craving, self-desire, envy, greed, and ignorance. Meditate to rid self of desires and end suffering; follow Eightfold Path to remove suffering and achieve Nirvana. Karma: Action and reaction/cause and effect. Good deeds bring good results.

19. Confucianism Basics: Confucius is perhaps the most influential individual in Asian history for his teachings on proper relationships and conduct among people. Born in 551 B.C. Confucius started teaching at about 30 years. Followers increased. Beliefs: No deep conviction in God. Government must be founded on goodness. Deep commitment to social harmony vs. individual pursuits. Proper human relationships are the basis of society. “Proper” means protection of “face,” dignity, self-respect, reputation, honor, and prestige. Understand this and you’ll understand Asian perception and interaction. Confucius’ Goal: to make social relationships work without strife. Encouraged the use of indirect language. Requests are implied. Westerners have a hard time with this.

20. In conclusion…. Since the beginning, religion has had a pronounced impact on the life and behavior of every culture and the lives of the members of those cultures. And today, perhaps more than ever before, that impact cannot be ignored.