Writings, and an attitude toward them as having Divine authority. Exposure
to a distinctly New Church culture in one of our communities also helps form
their worldview.
There are two main worldviews competing for disciples today (and in
every age): materialism and theism. These categories are often mislabeled and
misrepresented as a choice between “science and religion,” as if those were
mutually exclusive alternatives, but the real choice is between materialism and
theism.
In the secular culture around us, and especially in the universities, the
materialist view is very widespread and is promulgated with evangelistic fervor.
As a church, and as parents and educators, we need to be very aware of
what we are up against and meet it head on. The contrast between what the
Lord teaches in His Word and the attitudes and beliefs that prevail in the world
around us should be pointed out and clearly explained to our young people.
It is our responsibility to give them the truth they need to choose wisely, to
choose life.
(WEO)
two views
In the materialist view nature is everything. The only source of truth is human
reason aided by science. Belief in God and the spiritual world is the product
of ignorance and superstition. The human “species” is essentially no different
from other animals; the modern habit of constantly calling us a “species” helps
drive this point home.
In this view, life after death is a “myth.” Morals are human constructs
unrelated to any absolute or universal good and truth. Marriage is just a social
convention and legal category. People still speak of “soul mates,” but it’s often
just an empty romantic expression, as many don’t believe in the soul.
Religion is viewed as relatively harmless nonsense that offers comfort
to the stupid, or, more and more these days, as a downright wicked cause of
wars and crimes against humanity. This view of it is encouraged by pointing to
crimes committed by some in the name of “religion” as representing religion
generally. This makes as much sense as using the fact that Darwinism was the
justification for eugenics experiments to discredit all science.
In the theistic worldview, creation is from God and encompasses both a
spiritual and a natural world, which are as distinct and yet as closely connected
as the soul and body of a person. In fact, even during our lives in this world we
exist in both worlds – the mind in the spiritual world, the body in the natural
world.
There is a Divine purpose to our lives, which is to regenerate and prepare
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