World View Comparison

In breaking down my worldview, I discovered that I am not oriented towards one major view of life but a combination of many. One view that dominates is the Christian theistic view. It is a view that was taught to me from early childhood. I have come to realize and accept this view from general life experiences and from church teachings. I was taught to believe in God without question. I have never questioned the existence of God as I have felt Him with me at all times. I believe He has revealed himself to me many times. In my ignorance, I ignore Him from time to time and end up on the wrong path but I'm working on it. Our discussions in class have brought me to many questions about God. I have not questioned God as a result of this discussion but I have questioned my own belief in God. There have been many unanswered questions about my beliefs circulating in my mind. Our class discussions have cleared up many of these questions if not all of them as well as provide!

d me with believable proof. After discovering the concept of worldviews from class learning, I have decided that there are other portions of major worldviews that still hold some truth to me as well. In this paper I am attempting

Existentialism escapes the hopelessness of Nihilism. There are basically two forms of Existentialism, which are Atheistic and Theistic. Atheistic Existentialism is Naturalism revisited. At least it escapes the suicidal tendencies of Nihilism. Again this worldview denies the existence of God. I disagree with this as I feel that God is real and immanent. However it does describe the world as objective. In that the world surrounding us can be known through science and logic. I agree with the fact that we can learn about the universe through observation and experimentation. I think that science and logic will lead even the most critical person to see God in the cosmos and as the creator of the cosmos.

ing and non-living thing in the universe. I think that someone searching for the truth can discover the truth by studying the universe, as they will eventually see God as the ultimate immanent creator.

The New Age Movement is a collection of ideas and views from other worldviews. They include Theism, Existentialism, Eastern Pantheism, Naturalism and Animism. Some of the New Age beliefs are centered in the occult and various rituals from other quaint religions. They picked up the belief that all is One and all is God from Pantheism as well as reincarnation, meditation and Karma. This worldview rejects Christian beliefs while at the same time uses terms and ideas from it. The New Age movement makes one distinction in that it focuses on the self instead of focusing away from the self. This worldview also makes its followers into personal gods. Basically I see the New Age Movement as nothing more than convenience for its followers. It allows them to make up the rules as they wish with out consequence. I think this worldview leaves the door wide open for perversion associated with religious occults. I can somewhat agree with one idea in this worldview. Truth is found !

The most important aspect of education to me is learning. At this point I am beginning to realize the difference between being trained and being educated. My worldview has now incorporated education rather than training as a major goal and responsibility in my life. One reason is I feel that I am inadequate to perform my duties at work at times. This usually occurs during difficult situations when I find that my training has failed me. Another reason is that I have friends that have completed or have almost completed their degrees and I see a totally different person. They are more rounded and aware of the world around them. At the time when I enrolled at this Christian College it was no more than an easy way to transfer the credits I had earned. I feel that God has pointed me in this direction and now it is up to me to continue. I am beginning to see there is a bigger picture to education and God and I am looking forward to embracing both. I am pleased with the !

Naturalism is one step further beyond Deism. Naturalism takes the stance that the cosmos is all there is, all there was, and all there ever will be. It also defines man a merely a complex animal whose nature has been determined. It brings about the belief that there is no need for spiritual salvation. I find it hard to beli