Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Can You Defend Your Faith? -Theology



Christianity- Christians believe that God is the one and only true God, they have a theism outlook. They also believe in Trinitarian theism, “The belief in one God who exists as three separate persons- Father, Son, and Spirit” (UTT 47). While this may be very hard to understand and grasp it plays a very big part in the Christian worldview. Christianity also believes that God sent his son, Jesus Christ, down on this earth to save us from eternal damnation, because of our sins. And that if you believe in him you will be forgiven and saved of your sins. They also believe that God is the final judge, and on one special day God will judge everybody justly. If you have asked Jesus to save you and you believe in him God promises you eternal life in Heaven, but if you do not accept him God tells us they will be damned. 

Islam- Muslims also believe in a one true God, thus having a theism look, but they believe in a Unitarian theism, not a Trinitarian theism, meaning that there are no other parts of God. Muslims do not believe in the deity of Christ, they do believe He was a good man and even a prophet of God, but most definitely not God’s son or equal to Him. Islam also believes in an afterlife, were God will choose who goes to Paradise and who goes to Hell. Because they do not believe in the deity of Christ Muslims believe that if you do enough good deeds to outweigh your bad ones then God will allow you into Paradise.

Secular Humanism- Secular Humanists do not believe in any god at all, they are atheist. Because they do not believe in a god they believe that “humanity is the highest of all beings and truth and knowledge rest in science and human reason.”(UTT 60) . They do not deny Christ being on this earth, they think of him as a good moral man, but nothing more than just a man. Secular Humanists see absolutely no need for a god that the human race is good enough to help itself, all they need is good science. They think that humans should be in control of everything. Because they do not believe in any supernatural higher power, they also do not believe in an afterlife; especially one that is determined by a god or your deeds.

Marxism-Leninism- Marxism-Leninists are full blown atheists, believing that there is no god. They rely on science and facts, and the facts prove that there is no God. They also believe that man is the highest form of being out there in the world, humanity is God. They think that believing in a god and in an afterlife is completely absurd.

Cosmic Humanism- Or also known as the New Age movement does not believe in theism or atheism. They in a way just combine what they want of each religion “We can take all the scriptures, and all the teachings… and all the marshmallows and have a jolly good bonfire and marshmallow roast, because that is all they are worth.” (UTT 72) They are still Humanists; they believe that they in a way gods. As for afterlife most Cosmic Humanists believe in reincarnation, meaning after your body dies your soul comes back in a different form.

Postmodernism- Postmodernists believe that there is no God; there atheistic view sees that there is no logical way there was or can ever be a God. Postmodernists believe in a strong science, that with science there is no reason for a God, Friedrich Nietzsche said, “God is dead; we have killed him.” (UTT 78) As for afterlife, they do not believe in such a thing.

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