Life Worth LivingLife Worth Living

World ViewWorld ViewChapters 11-13Chapters 11-13

Charles Colson/Nancy PearceyCharles Colson/Nancy PearceyPresented by David M. HaszPresented by David M. Hasz

What happened to human Life?What happened to human Life?

Christians believe God Christians believe God created human beings in His created human beings in His own image.own image.

Naturalistic BeliefNaturalistic Belief

Life arose from the primordial sea Life arose from the primordial sea through a chance collision of through a chance collision of chemicals, and that over billions chemicals, and that over billions of years of chance mutations, this of years of chance mutations, this biological accident gave rise to biological accident gave rise to humans.humans.

Our understanding of the origin of Our understanding of the origin of lifelife

Determines what we believe Determines what we believe about human identity, what we about human identity, what we value, and what we believe is our value, and what we believe is our very reason for living.very reason for living.

Culture of life to culture of DeathCulture of life to culture of Death

Our culture has “advanced” so far Our culture has “advanced” so far that assisted suicide is now a that assisted suicide is now a protected constitutional right in protected constitutional right in one state, infanticide is being one state, infanticide is being openly advocated by respected openly advocated by respected professors.professors.

It’s my body…It’s my body…

This thought became popular This thought became popular largely in the 60’s.largely in the 60’s.

Started in the 17Started in the 17thth century by century by Rene’ Descartes.Rene’ Descartes.

DescartesDescartes

Decided to doubt everything that Decided to doubt everything that could be doubted.could be doubted.

Settled on “I think therefore I am” Settled on “I think therefore I am” The only think that could not be The only think that could not be doubted what his mental doubted what his mental experience.experience.

What happened?What happened?

With this Descartes unleashed With this Descartes unleashed the revolutionary idea that the the revolutionary idea that the human mind, not God, is the human mind, not God, is the source of certainty.source of certainty.

This rendered God irrelevant.This rendered God irrelevant.

What happens when God is dead?What happens when God is dead?

Nietzsche – “Whither is God”, “I Nietzsche – “Whither is God”, “I will tell you, we have killed him - will tell you, we have killed him - you and I. All of us are his you and I. All of us are his murderers!”murderers!”

If you give up your belief in God, If you give up your belief in God, you also give up biblical morality you also give up biblical morality and meaning.and meaning.

The 20The 20thth Century Century

This is what has happened.This is what has happened.Professor Robert George of Princeton:Professor Robert George of Princeton: “… “… the body is not really me, but the body is not really me, but

something separate from my real self- an something separate from my real self- an instrument to be used, like a car or a instrument to be used, like a car or a computer, for whatever purposes I computer, for whatever purposes I choose….. For physical pleasure or even choose….. For physical pleasure or even to discard.to discard.

Carry this thought outCarry this thought out

Sexual acts of any kind have no Sexual acts of any kind have no moral significance.moral significance.

Discarding physical life is not Discarding physical life is not more significant than throwing out more significant than throwing out a dirty diaper.a dirty diaper.

19731973

The court ruled that the fetus is a The court ruled that the fetus is a nonperson, with no rights at all at nonperson, with no rights at all at any stage of pregnancy. any stage of pregnancy.

Choice became the value.Choice became the value.

? Choice cannot be a value? Choice cannot be a value

What you choose is the value!What you choose is the value!Abortion is a wedge used to split Abortion is a wedge used to split

open the historic Western open the historic Western commitment to the dignity of commitment to the dignity of human life!human life!

The next Step.The next Step.

Baby Doe – “The baby was killed Baby Doe – “The baby was killed because it was retarded”because it was retarded”

Come to find out this was Come to find out this was happening in a widespread way.happening in a widespread way.

Keep sliding…Keep sliding…

““Abortion… is one sensible Abortion… is one sensible method of dealing with such method of dealing with such problems as over-population, problems as over-population, illegitimacy, and possible birth illegitimacy, and possible birth defects”defects”

And away we go…And away we go…

Francis Crick. Winner Nobel Francis Crick. Winner Nobel Prize. Advocates all newborns be Prize. Advocates all newborns be screened to determine who screened to determine who should live. All who fail to reach a should live. All who fail to reach a certain score on the Apgar test, certain score on the Apgar test, used to determine health, would used to determine health, would be euthanized.be euthanized.

PinkerPinker

We should have compassion on We should have compassion on and understand mothers who kill and understand mothers who kill their own kids, they are their own kids, they are biologically programmed to do biologically programmed to do this.this.

Peter Singer – Professor of Peter Singer – Professor of Bioethics PrincetonBioethics Princeton

Advocates parents killing disabled Advocates parents killing disabled babies on the basis that they are babies on the basis that they are “nonpersons”. “nonpersons”.

Advocates killing incompetent Advocates killing incompetent persons of any age if their persons of any age if their families decide their lives are “not families decide their lives are “not worth living”worth living”

Who is buying into this?Who is buying into this?

Many well-meaning Americans, Many well-meaning Americans, including Christians!including Christians!

Abortion lobby hates and fights Abortion lobby hates and fights any laws that prohibit any type of any laws that prohibit any type of abortion. They get it.abortion. They get it.

The ConflictThe Conflict

Abortion represents a Abortion represents a worldview conflict: God and worldview conflict: God and the sanctity of live versus the the sanctity of live versus the individual’s moral autonomy.individual’s moral autonomy.

Genetic EngineeringGenetic Engineering

Truly our capabilities have Truly our capabilities have exceeded our ethical and moral exceeded our ethical and moral grasp.grasp.

Question!Question!

Which worldview corresponds with Which worldview corresponds with scientific evidence?scientific evidence?

Professor Fish: “Professor George is Professor Fish: “Professor George is right, and he is right to correct me. right, and he is right to correct me. Today the scientific evidence favors Today the scientific evidence favors the Pro-Life position.”the Pro-Life position.”

Question!Question!

Which worldview provides the Which worldview provides the strongest basis for human dignity?strongest basis for human dignity?

Think about it, wife burning in India, Think about it, wife burning in India, baby sacrifices in some primitive baby sacrifices in some primitive cultures, women’s rights abuses in cultures, women’s rights abuses in Islam.Islam.

Population control…Population control…

Question??Question??

Which worldview gives a sense of Which worldview gives a sense of meaning and purpose?meaning and purpose?

Augustine: “You made us for Augustine: “You made us for yourself, and our hearts find no yourself, and our hearts find no peace until they rest in You.”peace until they rest in You.”

Life Style ThinkingLife Style Thinking

Drinking – Yeah or Nay after Drinking – Yeah or Nay after the internship?the internship?