A Clash of Worldviews

Just scroll through your social media feed (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) or view any news media headlines, and it's hard not to think, “There is something very wrong here!” Everywhere you look, social norms have been turned upside down. Good is now called evil, and evil is called good. A few examples can illustrate. Media outlets and Hollywood openly promote the most extreme social views they can find in attempts to sway society to adopt lifestyles and sexual practices that destroy life.

· On almost every campus, students shout down and in many cases physically attack anyone who disagrees with their point of view and life choices.

· State and local government departments threaten and fine individuals and businesses if they don’t provide services that violate their religious beliefs.

· Women demand the right to kill their unborn children and expect taxpayers to pay for it.

· Biological men claim they are women, and compete in women's sporting events and demand open access to women’s bathroom and changing rooms.

· Talk show hosts shamelessly mock and attack Christianity while promoting deviant sin.

The explanation for all of the above is not complex. These are all perfectly normal actions and views for those with a secular humanistic worldview. What we are experiencing is truly a clash of ideas and cultures as worldviews collide.

The Bible clearly describes our world today in 2 Timothy 3.1-4

“You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God.”

The Christian worldview that prevailed over much of US culture for many years has largely been replaced with a secular humanistic worldview that dominates most of Western culture. This is especially evident among millennials and later generations (those born from the early 1980s onwards). With no absolute morality, the secular humanist worldview is totally "me-centered." It teaches that morals and ethics are individual preferences, which are subject to change as sociality “evolves.” So what was considered good and acceptable in the past is no longer acceptable today.  This confused fluid view of life ignores science and facts and relies totally on the individuals “feelings” and how they “identify” or see themselves. The result is a culture increasingly at odds with Biblical Christianity and a Christian worldview with its clear moral code.

What exactly is a worldview?

A worldview is how you “see” the world and what you believe to be true. It’s the conscious and subconscious assumptions we have that drive our thoughts, decisions, and actions related to issues ranging from ethics and morals to science, politics, the sanctity of life, law and order, family, and more.

Everyone has a worldview whether they realize it or not. Your worldview starts to develop from early childhood and continues through to adulthood. Most scientists agree the brain is not fully developed until our mid-twenties, yet a large part of your core beliefs are formed from ages four through the late teens.

Secular humanism is now firmly established as the “religion of choice” in the education system and academia, the entertainment industry and most of the media.

Unfortunately, many Christian parents and even some pastors seem almost oblivious of this fact. The statistics showing that around 75% of church-going families see their teenage and college-age children leave the church should be a huge warning sign, yet in many cases, this goes unheeded. Unless students are well prepared, secular universities will indoctrinate them into a secular humanistic mindset and behavior lifestyle. The result is young adults who view liberal and socialist ideas favorably and see big government as the answer for almost every problem.

Confronting secular humanistic deception.

Realize this is a spiritual issue. The growing predominance of the secular humanistic worldview in the West is a sign of the closeness of the return of Christ as per 2 Thessalonians 2:7-10:

"For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved."

The saving power of the gospel is the only answer to confront secular humanism.

· Pray for your secular friends, family, and co-workers, that God would remove the scales from their eyes. They have been deceived into believing the devil’s lies.

· Love people, hate sin. Yes, the devil works through people; however, our battle is NOT against people. Jesus loves them and wants to set them free.

· Parents need to be more pro-active in teaching their children Biblical truths at home. If possible consider homeschooling or sending them to a Christian school and university. Or at least try and do classes online.

· Pastors need to address real issues, including what the Bible teaches about racism, creation and evolution, gender, sex, marriage, politics, and the responsibility of parenting. These are many of the areas that secular humanism has used to deceive people. By avoiding them, we give ground to the enemy to continue his lies unchallenged.