Surveys tell us that upward of 60 percent of Americans feel our country is “headed in the wrong direction.” Passions are on the rise and civil discourse is, well, less civil than it should be. The media call it a “culture war,” but from my corner, it seems to be an issue of clashing worldviews. Don’t let the term worldview throw you. Though it sounds like something from the lips of a pipe-smoking, tweed-wearing, bearded philosopher, it simply describes the sum of our beliefs about the world. It’s the big picture. I’m of the opinion that the increasing chasm between opposing sides in this culture war is not simply politics as usual. Rather, what we’re seeing are opposing worldviews.
Just for fun, here’s a short worldview test for you to find yours.
Just for fun, here’s a short worldview test for you to find yours.
1. What is ultimate reality? a. A creative, personal God b. The cosmos, no God c. Matter only, no God d. “God is dead” — reality is what humans decide it is.
2. What is the nature of the world we live in? a. A distinct creation of God b. An evolved order operating by laws of cause and effect c. Universe is only matter, but it is running down. d. No objective reality or way to tell because of a lack of absolutes to define “reality”
3. What is a human being? a. Created in the “image of God” b. Entirely material — evolved by chance c. We are only matter, evolved by chance, but we define ourselves by our choices. d. We are what we decide we are.
4. What happens to a person at death? a. Ultimate redemption or judgment b. Oblivion — pushing up daisies c. Our “matter” becomes part of the world, and the circle of life continues. d. See “B” above.
5. How can we know anything? a. Truth exists and is derived from God. b. By examining the natural world c. We discover knowledge through science and logic. d. There is no objective knowledge — “whatever you think.”
6. How do we know right from wrong? a. Values are derived from an absolute God. b. Ethics are situational and utilitarian. c. Ethics are created by individual choice. d. No objective ethics — “whatever you want”
7. What is the meaning and purpose of life? a. History is linear and has consequences — here and hereafter. b. History is linear and evolving. c. History is linear but has no ultimate purpose. d. History is what we define it as. Bonus question: Which movie do you like best? a. Chronicles of Narnia b. The Lion King c. Pleasantville; Superbad d. The Golden Compass; The Matrix; anything by Quentin Tarantino
* Here’s the key to the test. For the record, there are many other worldviews to choose from in the philosophical buffet line. These are just four of the most prominent in the U.S. for the last 50 years. If you answered mostly letter “A,” you are what we call a theist. You have an “old-fashioned” Judeo-Christian worldview shared by our nation’s founders. You might be part of the 60 percent upset about the direction of our nation. If you answered “B” most often, you’re a naturalist. Chances are you developed your worldview in the ’60s, man. If “C” was your answer, you’re an existentialist, the next step from naturalism. In existentialism, what you see is what you get. There’s no spiritual core to humans and no purpose in life. When you’re done, you’re done. If a tree falls in the forest. … If you answered “D,” your worldview is postmodern. This is the fastest-growing of the worldviews represented here. If you’re postmodern, chances are you’re pleased with the direction the nation is heading. You’re probably not reading this in an actual newspaper, because you downloaded it to your smartphone.
As you can see, the issues in the nation today aren’t just political — they’re more fundamental than that. Worldview is important because it plays out in how we treat people, how we govern, how we conduct trade and ultimately how we live our lives. Analyzing how we view the universe isn’t a question for Washington; it’s a question for us. Join a local church this week and discover the big picture. I’ll see you there.
