...there is anything wrong with reading or studying secular literature. I disagree with the early Church Fathers and the Puritans who all felt tat literature was unmoral because fiction was a lie and everyone should avoid fictions pleasures. It is a form of entertainment. Just because you may like to read fictional literature or listen to rap music that may contain fornication, violence, or any other subject that is not of God does not mean that you are not a Christian and have committed a sin. Nor does it mean you will mimic what you have heard or read. Not all fiction or literature contains these subjects. Fiction is created from imagination. Reading secular literature can help people with understanding the Scripture that were once difficult for them to understand. I have a hard time reading and understanding the Bible and understand it better when my Pastor uses examples from rap lyrics or television shows that he incorporates into his sermons. My Pastor breaks it down for us and puts everything into perspective. Does that mean he is less of a Christian? This type of teaching allows young adults to appreciate the beauty sand the power of the Bible and Christianity and understand concepts such as irony and metaphors. Even some scriptures from the Bible included quotes from secular writers, in Acts 17 Paul quoted from Greek poets, which means he too studied secular literature. I believe that in this day and time if secular literature or art is used to spread the word of the gospel...
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...The Importance for Christians to Study Secular Literature - APA Style After careful review and analyzes of this week’s material the topic I believe that has one of the greatest impacts on our American society is the electronic curriculum verses traditional classroom/printed curriculum. Research shows that the average child has viewed over 20,000 hours of media. To me that is an alarming amount for a child! Electronic curriculum does have its place in our society in this century but there is a time and place for that type of curriculum and the amount must be balanced. The electronic media stimulates the individual and does the work for them. Where with a traditional curriculum one must read, comprehend and think in order to process what was read. Being an informed and habitual reader a person is able to control what they are retaining and learning verses what television is feeding their mind. Prior to World War I morals and values were taught in the educational curriculum. Honoring God and His Word was the very thing our nation was founded upon and is what kept it strong for so many years. After World War I this was no longer the case. As Christians it is vital to be diligent and intentionally motivated to keep a balance of what is allowed to enter our minds and what we allow to go out. Often what we say and how we behave will have a major impact on the outcome of our studies, our daily Christian walk, often affecting those around us and most importantly our intimate relationship...
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...Population Trends and Debate Introduction Population growth is really only a recent phenomenon, where the world population increased from 2.5bn to 6bn in the last 50 years. At present, 75 million people are being added each year, 97% of which occurs in the developing world (Todaro, 2012). To determine if this has any implication on development, I will talk about the demographic transition and the context to developing nations, determine how fertility decisions in the household are made, and finish with three different arguments regarding a resulting relationship between population growth and development. Trends The 19th Century saw a vast improvement in medicine and technology, fundamentally overseen by European industrialisation. Further still, improvements in global sanitation and medicinal advancements in the last 50 years means that human mortality is now lower than at any other point in human existence. These trends are the result of a demographic transition. Accelerated technological progress brought about higher income and a demand for human capital, which in turn led to better education, lower mortality and lower fertility. These effects are reinforced by an increased opportunity cost for child labour, and women entering the labour force so as to increase the costs of child rearing. However, many developing countries are struggling to enter the final stage of the demographic transition, and are still experiencing...
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...The lessons presented this week were informative and interesting. Choosing only one reason to study secular literature is difficult to do, but, I have chosen to expand on the indication that literature helps us to understand human behavior. I chose this area because as I am reading books and other material, I am building the visual picture of what, how, and why the characters act or react as they do. And sometimes I am surprised that the way I envisioned the outcome is completely different than what is actually written. When reading about the way that circumstance causes a certain reaction I think we are able to broaden our ability to relate to the differences among people in our society. If we only apply our own experiences and cultural background to everyone around us we are almost certain to judge and interpret reactions or behaviors incorrectly. By having a broader understanding that circumstances and reactions differ among people of different ages, cultures and even in people within our own families and same cultures we can better communicate and appreciate people as a whole. It may not always be that we agree with their reaction, but, we can certainly understand why the reaction may or may not be like our own. Lesson three indicates that when we are studying literature that we should consider the motivation, intention or plausible reasons that the characters react as they do. By doing this with multiple circumstances and different outcomes, we can reason that...
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...There is a lot of focus on what a Christian should or should not read in today’s society. We often are told that we should not read secular fiction because they do not show Gods work. I would disagree with this idea. In 2nd Samuel, the prophet Nathan tells David a story about a poor man whose lamb was stolen and killed by a rich man to feed a traveler.(2 Samuel 12:1-4 English Standard Version). Nathan told this story so David could understand better what he had done. We can also look at the parables of Jesus, none of which were true stories. Although these stories are fictitious, they were written to create an atmosphere that makes the reader think about their actions and how we should treat others. I think there is a lot that we can learn from non-Christian fiction as well. When we look at fiction, such as Lord of the Rings, many Christians will not read them. Some will say it is because it a fantasy, or because it involves magic and demons. There is so much more that can be taken away from the story. The books exhibit loyalty to your friends and neighbors. We are shown the struggles between good and evil inside a person, and we are shown that faith in something can be real. Stories just like that are found all throughout the Bible. I do think many books out there that are not appropriate for a Christian life, and it is important to know the difference. If we only limit ourselves to only Christian writings, we, in turn, limit ourselves from many great works of...
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...Secular Humanism Vs Biblical/Christian Worldview Richard Puller Liberty University Secular humanism is defined as a theory of ethics and human fulfillment devoid of spirituality, the supernatural, or God. Man becomes the measure of all things, (Secular Humanism and Evolution by Caleb Colley, PH.D). Tom Flynn executive director of the Council for Secular Humanism and editor of Free Inquiry magazine defined Secular humanism as a comprehensive nonreligious life stance that incorporates a naturalistic philosophy, a cosmic outlook rooted in science, and a consequentialist ethical system. Secular Humanistic beliefs regarding origin, identity, meaning/purpose, morality and destiny are as follows. The Secular Humanist believes in the Evolutionary Theory. They believe that the universe already existed, that man is a part of nature and that he has emerged as a result of a continuous process. Secular Humanist believes man is a result of naturally occurring chemical reactions that have occurred through the evolutionary process and that we have no particular purpose. Secular Humanist see mankind’s existence again as a result of the evolutionary process, mankind is just matter and has no more importance than any other living thing. Secular Humanism utilizes the Ethical relativism theory, where morality is relative to the norms of one's culture. Whether an action is right or wrong depends on the moral norms of the society in which it is practiced. Secular Humanist believes that...
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...doesn’t mean one thing. Instead we must define secularism from the historical context of its usage. In the readings “Introduction: Contemporary Secularity and Secularism” and “Rethinking Secularism” the authors do just that. What we find is that secularism is related to differentiation—keeping different aspects of social life separate and specifically differentiating between religion and the state. The forms of secularism vary depending on the religious composition of the nation. Secular is derived from the Latin word saeculum, a unit of time roughly equal to the maximum life expectancy of person (Calhoun 38). In the Middle Ages, this notion of impermanence was extended to mean ‘the world’, as opposed to the Church. ‘Secular’ priests worked out in the world at local parishes while ‘religious’ priests worked within the seclusion of a monetary (Kosmin 2). Later, during the Reformation, secularization referred to the seizure and reappropriation of Church property for non-religious use (Kosmin 2). Thus secular began to indicate a separation from the Church or the divine. However, It wasn’t until the 18th century that secularism as a core element of a nation’s political realm developed. The American and the French Revolutions produced the two main “intellectual and constitutional traditions of secularism”— a “soft secularism” and a “hard secularism” (Kosmin 2). The variations are a reflection of the symbolic and cultural encoding of the religious legacies in national institutions and...
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...Secular Humanism Todd J Colosimo Sr. Liberty University In modern culture, a consistent, discernable line of secular humanist activism is evident from the late nineteenth century to the present. (Hinson & Caner, 2008, pg.443). Thomas Hurley and his followers whole agenda was to over throw Christianity as whole. Their stated goal was to “replace the Christian worldview” with what they termed “the church scientific.” (Hindson & Caner, 2008, pg.443). We begin to understand secular humanism by understanding their concepts on origin, identity, purpose, morality and destiny. The secular humanist believes that their origin began 4.5 billion years ago on coincidence. Secular humanists believe there is no place in their view for either deity or immorality. Humanism contends that instead of the gods creating the cosmos, the cosmos created the gods. (Hindson & Caner, 2008, pg. 444). We see that in the Christian worldview that cause of our origin is because God created the universe and world into existence. The Bible states, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”(Genesis 1:1, NIV). The secular humanists believe that the world we know today occurred by accident. We as believers understand that by God’s spoken word that the mysteries of the universe and the world was spoken into existence. We see in Genesis 1:3-26, where God spoke 8 different times the existence of the world we see today. Next we discuss the secular humanism thoughts...
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...1. Secular Humanism has its positive and negative sides. For the positive side, since Secular Humanism rejects the idea of a Transcendent power, it emphasizes the importance for humans to take responsibility for their actions. It further encourages the growth of moral awareness and the capacity for free choice and an understanding of the consequences of these choices. It makes man focus on the here-and-now, instead of making him focus his attention to a world beyond this earth that may or may not be an illusion. Secular humanism also stresses the fact that it is man who can create and develop his future, making him realize that it is him that is in control, and not some Supreme Being. The negative or the problematic side of Secular Humanism is that it could lead to our captivity to the iron cage of Scientism, – claiming that humans are only complex biological beings --, of technology, -- dominating the human lives --, and of materialism and hedonism. This iron cage is a limitation to the capabilities of a human person to exercise his creative freedom and discover the answers for his natural yearnings for the more or the greater. It is also in contradiction to the nature of humans as embodied spirits since it fully rejects divine truths and anything that Science could not explain, thus preventing man to explore the unthought-of-possibilities of the human spirit. 2. Secularism will not succeed in leading us to greater humanization. This is because it rejects the fact that...
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...certain amount of time. Your life has no meaning or significance. The question of meaning or purpose answered by a humanist will mean that all your thoughts and dreams, are deceptions because mankind has no significance. Everyone has a diverse impression about happiness. Humanist have to make the most out of their lives meaning that it is up to them have a good life by their standards and good deeds. Humanists want to build a humane society through an ethics based on human and other natural values, and they reject “supernatural views of reality” (International Humanist and Ethical Union, 2009). There are no genuine values. For secular humanist the answers to questions about destiny are when you die life is over. Humanist believe that there is no life after death. Your legacy is the only thing that comes after death in the eyes of the humanist. Secular humanists believe the judge of a person will be those left behind, and how those left behind remembers them. Part 2 The question of origin by a Christian in contrast to the Secularist’s view that everything was by fate, the Christian believes that God created the universe and all life. The Bible says man was made in God’s image, formed from the ground, and God breathed life into him. The question of identity is believed in theism that God has created mankind. Humanist...
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...c. Use correct APA, MLA, or Turabian style. Content: Instructions: o Fulfill all of the requirements as listed above. o Select 1 of the following worldviews (Secular Humanism, Hinduism, Buddhism, or Islam) that have been considered in the course content. o Identify the worldview that you have selected on your Title page (APA, MLA, or Turabian). o Using course content and additional sources outside of the course, complete the following: Note: This is a “Critical Thinking” assignment so you must go beyond just giving factual content, and demonstrate your comprehension of the material. To accomplish this, the assignment will be asking you to “compare and contrast” your selected worldview (Secular Humanism, Hinduism, Buddhism, or Islam) with the biblical worldview. • Compare: To speak of or represent as similar; to liken. • Contrast: To set in opposition … in order to show strikingly their different qualities or characteristics, and compare their superiorities or defects. In your paper, you must follow the outline and answer the questions below. How would the worldview that you selected answer these 5 worldview questions: 1. The Question of Origin – (How did life begin? How did mankind come into existence?) i. How would your selected worldview answer this question? ii. Compare and Contrast this with how the biblical worldview would answer this question. 2. The Question of Identity – (What does it mean to be human? Are humans more important than animals?) ...
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...Critical Thinking Part One: Secular Humanism The Question of Origin Secular Humanist believes that the universe created itself 4.5 billion years ago and that the Universe and life are a coincidence. Secular Humanist believes that combinations of chemicals combined themselves to form a single-celled life and have mutated over millions of years to the life we now have on Earth. The Question of Identity To Human Secularist we are simply a bunch of cells and atoms otherwise, nothing more than an advanced animal (Weider & Gutierrez, 2011, p. 57). The Question of Meaning or Purpose Secular Humanist believes that we have the same purpose as any other life form. We must survive, acquire matter, reproduce and gain knowledge. They also support the belief that the human must deal with the matter at hand since they are who deals with all human issues and not a God or supernatural force. They have a primary concern with fulfillment, growth, and creativity for both the individual and humankind in general. The main purpose is the pursuit of some sort of temporal happiness. The Question of Morality Human Secularists do not necessarily deny God’s existence, they simply find him irrelevant. Secularists feel you can build “a more humane society through ethics based on human and other natural values…” and they reject “supernatural views of reality.” (IHEU 2009) Secular Humanists feel as if progress can be made in building a better world for themselves and their children with...
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...selecting the worldview of Secular Humanism for this assignment. (This sentence not included in word count) The Question of Origin, from a Secular Humanist worldview, is that there is no God but that humans evolved over time, from nonliving matter, into complex living beings. Science explains creation and any thought of a deity or Supreme Being, be it the God of Abraham or pagan gods, and is disregarded. Secular Humanist answer the Question of Identity through Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. Since all animals, including humans, evolved from nonliving matter, a Secular Humanist sees mankind as “a more sophisticated animal” (Weider and Gutierrez, 2013). In the eyes of a Secular Humanist, man has as much worth as an animal. For a Secular Humanist, the Question of Purpose is best summarized in the Preface of the Humanist Manifesto (1933) which states that their purpose is “furnishing adequate social goals and personal satisfactions”. In other words, leaving a positive influence on society. The Secular Humanist’s’ goal is to leave a legacy through their works. The meaning of life is through the actions of the individual. Morality and ethics is relative for a Secular Humanist. Since there is no absolute truth, it is difficult for a Secular Humanist to determine what is right and wrong. The Question of Morality and Ethics is answered by the influences of the society they live in. The answer to the Question of Destiny can be found in Naturalism. In the eyes of a Secular Humanist, since we...
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...World View By Origins The secular humanists believe that the entire universe and life were just something that happened and it was like a coincidence. Their beliefs are that 4.5 years ago this world was created by a bunch of chemicals that were combined to make a single celled life that over billions of years mutated itself into the world as we see it today. Identity To the secularist, we are no greater than an advanced animal, but no greater than the animal kingdom (Weider & Gutierrez, 2011, p. 57), or a bunch of cells and atoms. Meaning/ Purpose I would say that what the Secularist is looking for, would be seeking out as much happiness as the can. I’m sure that there are a lot of people that would have an idea of what their happiness would look like. Some look to any love they can find, some might try out drugs, and some gambling . When these people do not believe in God, that happiness can lead to extremes. Their lives would be considered either cheap or if taken to over to the other side of it, they would consider life as precious and humans are no more value than other animals (Weider & Gutierrez, 2011, p. 57). Morality The International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) bylaws say that humanists want to build “a more humane society through an ethics based on human and other natural values…”and they reject “supernatural views of reality” (IHEU,2009). “You can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.” (Commonly attributed...
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...Mashanna Hartley Mr. Robert Hunter APOL 104 3 October 2015 Critical Thinking Paper What is Secular Humanism? Secular Humanism is a compressive, nonreligious, and life stance incorporating natural philosophy, a cosmic outlook rooted in science, and a consequentialist ethical system (What). Secular Humanism uses science, intellect, and personal opinion to answer life’s most difficult questions. Paul Kurtz said, “Humanism cannot in any fair sense of the word apply to one who still believes in God as the source and creator of the universe,” (Noebel, p.444). The question of Origin Secular Humanism View: Matter always existed and given enough time, the end result is what you see. The Human Manifesto II, secular humanism finds no evidence to belief in supernatural. God is not necessary for morals and God does not answer mankind’s existence, according to atheists, Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins (Weiner and Gutierrez, p.64). Man is a machine, according to naturalism. Man has little or no control over his/her existence. Since man is considered to be a machine, if the machine breaks, the man’s life is over (Weiner and Gutierrez, p.65). Christian View: Christians believes God created universe and all life (Genesis 1:1-25). Christians believe animals will change to adapt to their surroundings (Genesis 1;11-12, 21-25). God created us in His own image (Genesis 1:11-12). God made man out of dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7) and made woman from Adam’s rib (Genesis 2:22). She...
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