Transcript A Morality Tale (Presentation Final)

A Morality Tale
Choose Your Worldview Wisely
Conversational Apologetics
Our Day-to-Day Interactions
Common Issues
• Presuppositions
• Talking Past each other
• Political Correctness
• Fear of Being Wrong
• Uncertain of one’s
beliefs
• Uncomfortable with
Confrontation
Sherlockian Observation
1. Use of Language and
Vocabulary
1.
Define Vocabulary Preferences
2.
Define or express Truth claims
2. Worldview and Personal
Philosophy
3. Conversations about Life
4. Filtering Your thoughts
5. Linear Logic
“Crime is Common but
Logic is Rare…”
-Sherlock Holmes
Adventure of the Copper Beeches.
Common Logical Fallacies
Affirming the Consequent
Other Classic Fallacies
Modus Ponens:
 Straw man
If P, then Q
 Ad Hominem
P
 Begging the Question
Therefore Q
 False Dilemma
If it's raining then the streets
are wet.
 Slippery Slope
The streets are wet.
 Questionable Cause
Therefore, it's raining.
 Red Herring
Saying, Meaning, & Truth
What we say:
What we mean:
 I think abortion is wrong,
but it is not my place to tell
other people what to think.
 I really want to be nice to
everyone, tolerant and get
along with people. I don’t
want to be judgmental
and push my opinions on
others.
What we actually said:
 I think abortion is murder,
but it is not my place to tell
someone they can’t
murder their children.
Classical Apologetics
The Fundamental Question - Morality
3 Main Parts of Worldviews:
1. Epistemology
2. Morality
3. Metaphysics
Painting by Jacob Cecil
Building a Defense
The Word of God can take care of itself, and will do so if we preach it, and cease
defending it. See you that lion. They have caged him for his preservation; shut him up
behind iron bars to secure him from his foes! See how a band of armed men have
gathered together to protect the lion. What a clatter they make with their swords and
spears! These mighty men are intent upon defending a lion. O fools, and slow of heart!
Open that door! Let the lord of the forest come forth free. Who will dare to encounter
him? What does he want with your guardian care? Let the pure gospel go forth in all
its lion-like majesty, and it will soon clear its own way and ease itself of its adversaries.
Morality
Am I Good or Bad? Does it matter?
Necessity of Morality
• Guilt & Shame
•
Release from
• Human Condition
•
Capacity for Good
•
Propensity for Evil
• Human Flourishing
•
Furthering of Human
Experience and
happiness/enrichment
• Eradicating Evil
•
#endsin
Determining Morality
•
What is Morality?
•
•
How human behavior and intentions are
determined to be either Good or Bad/Good
or Evil.
Determined Types
•
Objective
•
•
Subjective
•
•
Irrespective of personal preferences,
culture, or situations,
Respective of personal preferences,
culture, or situations,
Factors
•
Human Experience
•
Life Experience
•
Education
•
Discipline
•
Spheres of Influence
•
Media, TV, & Music
•
Relationships
•
Family
See No Evil. Hear No Evil. Speak No
Evil
Disciplines / Doctrines of Morality
• Disciplines / Doctrines
•
Theism
•
Objective
•
•
Christianity/Judaism
•
10 Commandments
•
Conscience
Islam
•
•
Penance
Atheism
•
Relativism
•
Determinism
•
Darwinism
•
Evolution
•
Humanism
•
Hedonism
Good Person Test

Do you consider yourself to be a good person?

Are you innately, or naturally good or evil?

Have you ever broken any of the Commandments?


Theft, irrespective of value
Lying

Lust (Adultery of the Heart)



Murder (Hate)
Envy
Etc.

If you were judged by the 10 Commandments, would you be innocent of guilty?

Would you go to Heaven or Hell?

Does this concern you?
Biblical Morality
 10 Commandments
 Romans 7 – The Law Chapter

Romans 2 – Those w/o Law become a law unto themselves.

Romans 2:15 “They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes
accusing them and at other times even defending them.)”
 Hebrews / King David – Law written on our hearts so that we might not sin
against God.

Hebrews 8:10 “This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their
hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:31-35)

Psalm 119:11 “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

Psalm 40:8 “I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart."
 None of us Righteous


Romans 3:10 “As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one”
The Whole world guilty before the Law

Romans 3:19-20 “Now we know that whatever the law says speaks to those who are subject to the law, so that every mouth may be shut and the whole world may
become subject to God's judgment. 20 For no flesh will be justified in His sight by the works of the law, for through the law [comes] the knowledge of sin.”
Does Being a Christian make you more Moral than Non-Christians?
Major Moral Differences
Objective
Subjective (Relativism)
 A transcendent moral
framework that irrespective
of personal experience,
personal preferences,
and/or religious doctrines.
 A moral Framework that is
dependent upon each
individuals experience,
preference, and/or religious
doctrines to structure, modify,
and implement.
 E.G.
 Torturing babies for Fun
 Willful Injustice
 Conscience, Guilt, and
conviction for “X”.
 E.G.
 All Opinions (morals) are of
equal value.
 Everyone knows it is wrong,
or right to do “X”.
 Will my actions cause
detrimental harm to myself
or others.
Who Can You Trust?
Are you a dependable?
Have you every lied to yourself or
rationalized away a concern for
your own benefit?
Why should I trust you?
Why should you trust me?
Can we overcome our Human
Condition?
Can you trust governments (made
up of humans)?
Can you trust God to be a good
judge?
Homework
Get a Sheet of Paper and
answer these questions:
1. What do you Believe?
2. Why?
3. Share it with Friends
4. Defend Your Position
5. Refine your worldview
1.
Philosophy
2.
Theology
3.
Language / Grammar
Repeat Steps 1,2,3,4, & 5
Roll up your sleeves and prepare to wrestle and fight!
Questions ?
The Floor is Yours