MAJOR WORLD VIEWS, MERITS, WEAKNESSES AND LIFE APPLICATIONS/KNIGHT

I. Theism

A. The merits of Theism.

1. The belief that there is only One Deity.

2. The belief that God is omnipotent.

3. The belief that God is personally involved in mankind.

4. The belief that the Creation was man out of nothing.

5. The belief that the World is relatively small in the whole Creation.

6. The understanding that the Earth is passing away, and has a definite end planned by the Creator.

7. The belief that God is over the whole universe and involved in the World and mankind.

8. The belief that miracles have and do happen, they are an answer to prayer, and have actual accounts recorded in the Bible.

9. The understanding that both the soul and body have an eternal destiny, and will both rise or be resurrected.

10. The belief that everyone will be resurrected to life everlasting or eternal punishment.

11. The belief that all mankind has freewill, to choice or reject God's plan of salvation.

12. The belief that all evil will be defeated by God in His Day of Judgment.

13. The belief that ethics are grounded in the unmovable God.

14. The belief that the nature of God and His' ethics are absolute.

15. The belief that every day recorded in the Bible are literal, 24 hour days. There is purpose to mankind, in God's plan.

16. The belief that God has a Day of Judgment.

B. The weakness of Theism.

C. The life applications of Theism.

1. One would worship the only true God.

2. One would trust in God's omnipotence.

3. One would pray to the God that listens to and answers prayers.

4. One would have a Creationist view of world history.

5. One would put their trust in God knowing this world is temporal.

6. One would believe that God is omnipotent, and involved personally involved in this world.

7. One would believe Bible accounts of miracles as well as answers to prayers.

8. One would believe that the body and soul will go to it's eternal designation.

9. One would believe in the resurrection to heaven or hell.

10. One would believe that all mankind has free choice between good and evil.

11. One would believe that God can and will defeat evil.

12. One would believe that ethics is grounded in God.

13. One would believe that ethics are unchangeable and absolute.

14. One would believe in the Genesis account of Creation.

15. One would believe that God has a purpose for mankind, and an appointed Day of Judgment.

II. Atheism

A. The merits of Atheism.

B. The weaknesses of Atheism.

1. No belief in God.

2. No belief in Creation.

3. Unbelief that God made the Creation out of nothing.

4. Thinks the World has no relationship, and is by it's self.

5. Does not belief in miracles.

6. Does not believe in the afterlife of the body or soul.

7. Does not believe in any eternal punishment or reward.

8. Believes mankind can be educated out of a sinful nature.

9. A humanistic belief that man has the answer to defeat evil.

10. A humanistic belief that man has ethics by his own merit.

11. A belief that ethics are subject to situations.

12. A belief that God has no purpose for mankind.

13. A disbelief in God's Day of Judgment.

C. The applications of an Atheist.

1. There is no God to worship.

2. A false belief in evolution.

3. A false belief that the World does not have an end.

4. A disbelief in God's miracles.

5. A disbelief in the soul or eternal life.

6. A belief death ends all.

7. Treating the symptoms not the problems. Sin requires repentance not education.

8. World leaders holding peace treaties instead of accepting the Prince of Peace.

9. Humanistic education tries to teach ethics without God.

10. Unbiblical ethics produce situation ethics.

11. A purposeless life with no accountability.

III. Deism

A. The merits of Deism are the same as Theism.

1. Theology Proper view: One, infinite and personal God.

2. Creation view of the world: Created ex nil Hilo.

3. The World is finite and temporal.

4. The nature of ethics are considered absolute.

B. The weakness of the Deism worldview.

1. Relation between God and world is not seen as miraculous.

2. Miracles are viewed with skepticism and doubt they exists.

3. Disbelief in the resurrection of the body to eternal bliss or punishment.

4. Disbelief that the body has a eternal destiny.

5. Not fully committed that man has free will to do good or evil.

6. Humanistic view of God alone being able to defeat evil.

7. Pantheistic view of source of ethics.

8. Unbiblical view of God's appointed Day of Judgment.

C. The applications of the Deist worldview.

1. Live knowing that one is accountable to the Creator.

2. Hold to priorities knowing this world is not the end.

3. Keep high morals knowing ethics are unchanging.

4. One would have a low view of Devine miraculous powers.

5. One would hold a low value of the body after death.

6. One might hold to an evolutionary set of moral ability.

7. One might hold to a humanistic answer of good and evil.

8. One might hold to a pantheistic view of ethic's source.

9. One might live unrestrained without fear of God's Day of Judgment.

IV. Finite Godism

A. The merits of Finite Godism.

1. This view is correct being monotheistic.

2. This view is correct that God is personal.

3. The goal of mankind is purposeful.

B. The weakness of Finite Godism.

1. A convolution between a temporal and eternal world.

2. A mixture of a Creation from nothing and from material.

3. A confusion of believing God is in the World or not.

4. A disbelief that the body will be raised in the resurrection.

5. Belief in future rewards or punishment, but no resurrection?

6. Strange belief that God struggles with man's sin.

7. Humanistic belief that it takes both God and man to defeat evil.

8. A delusional belief that any part of ethic's was authored by man.

9. The lukewarm view that ethics are relative. “Situation ethics.”

10. The false notion that the World will continue for ever.

C. The application of a Finite Godism would view.

1. One must believe that God needs help in this world.

2. One must believe that God does not have a definite plan for this world.

3. One must believe that miracles are all metaphoric.

4. One must not believe that God has respect for the body even after death.

5. One must believe that God is perplexed by evil.

6. One must be perplexed by who is the author of ethics.

7. One must believe the ethics mutate.

8. One must believe that God does not have a Day of judgment planned for this world.

V. Panentheism

A. The merits of Panentheism.

1. One would be monotheistic.

2. One might believe that God is personally involved in the World.

3. One might care for the immortal soul.

4. One might believe God has a purpose for life.

B. The weaknesses of Panentheism.

1. One having a low view of God.

2. One believing the world was made from something, being contrary to Scripture.

3. One might not believe in God's Day of Judgment.

4. Belief that God is not personally involved in humanity.

5. May not believe in miracles.

6. Does not believe in the resurrection of the body.

7. Believes God has memory of mankind, with no punishment or reward.

8. Belief that evil originated with God.

9. Belief that evil cannot be defeated by God or man.

10. Belief that ethics is grounded in God, but He is changing.

11. Belief that ethics change and are not absolute.

C. The applications of Panentheism.

1. Belief in only One God.

2. One might direct prayers to God for answers.

3. One might cremate the body of the deceased.

4. One might live responsibly and purposefully.

5. One might have a low view of God and His omnipotence.

6. Their view of God may be humanistic.

VI. Pantheism

A. The merits of Pantheism.

1. Belief that God is monotheistic.

2. Belief that God is omnipotent.

3. Belief that the soul is immortal.

B. The weaknesses of Pantheism.

1. Belief that God is not personally involved in mankind.

2. Belief that the Creation was immaterial.

3. Belief that God is in the world but not beyond the world.

4. Belief that miracles are not possible.

5. Does not believe in the resurrection of the body.

6. A false hope in reincarnation.

7. A delusional view of the origin of evil.

8. A low view of God's righteousness.

9. A irresponsible view of accountability.

10. Belief in history and the future is meaningless.

C. The life application of Pantheism.

1. One might believe worship a single, all powerful God.

2. One might put a hope on space exploration.

3. One might doubt the miracle accounts in the Bible.

4. One might have loved ones cremated after death.

5. One might practice New Age false religion.

6. One might try to deify man and humanize God.

7. One might practice situation ethics.

8. One might not bring glory to God through one's life.

VII. Polytheism

A. The merits of Polytheism.

1. The belief that their Deity is personally involved with mankind.

2. The belief that God is in the world.

3. The belief that the soul is immortal.

4. The belief that eternity holds punishment or reward for everyone.

5. The belief that mankind's history and future holds purpose.

B. The weaknesses of Polytheism.

1. The false belief in multiple Deities.

2. A false belief that God is not omnipotent.

3. A false belief that the Creation began with material.

4. A false belief that the World is eternal.

5. A false belief that God is not beyond the World.

6. A false belief that miracles do not happen.

7. A false belief that the body does not resurrect.

8. A false belief that there is a struggle between gods on the source of evil.

9. A false belief that God will not be able to defeat evil.

10. A false belief that ethics are grounded in multiple gods, and not the single true Dirty.

11. A false belief that ethics are relative, and anything else but absolute.

C. The life applications of Polytheism.

1. One might belief in multiple gods.

2. One might hold a low view of God's omnipotence's.

3. One might believe in a Deities personal involvement in the World.

4. One might hold to a Creation/evolution belief of the World.

5. One might look for life in outer space.

6. One might refer to God's demonstration of might as “mother nature.”

7. One might practice cremation instead of embalming.

8. One might believe that one's reward or punishment might be here on Earth.

9. One might devoice themselves from personal responsibility.

10. One might be humanistic in their worldview and politics.

11. One might have personal ethics that are as shifting sands.

12. One might be irresponsible in their ethics.

13. One may live with some sense of purpose.

14. One might not live responsible thinking there is no day of judgment.