Christian Ideas that Influence the Way People See Reality - Assignment Example

Analysis of Religious Questions Christians believe that God is both creator and redeemer. How does this view influence how Christians think about reality and other people? In the religious consciousness God is the main source of moral values and benchmarks that embody his will in various forms of sacred knowledge: precepts, commandments, sacred texts. Biblical worldview can be interpreted as the belief that there is an absolute moral truth, which is definite by Bible and the adoption of six specific religious views. These views include also the belief that God is omnipotent and omniscient Creator of the entire universe, who manages it till nowadays (Gen 2:4-22, Psalm 104) and his will is a law. Thus, religious people, keeping in mind that God is the Father, try to execute his covenants, honoring his will. It was noticed that people who hold a biblical perspective are radically different in their views on common positions about moral principles. In addition, they choose a lifestyle which is very different from other people`s one. Comparing the views of people taking a biblical worldview with the views of the people of unsupported biblical point of view, the researchers came to the following conclusions: People who have a biblical worldview are: Less prone to extramarital or premarital cohabitation; Less prone to drunkenness; Less prone to the approval of homosexuality; Less prone to foul language and profanity; Are less likely to perceive adultery as morally acceptable behavior; A very small percentage of people who have a biblical worldview justify abortion; People with a biblical perspective, have a lower propensity to gambling. People, who believe in the Creator, do not recognize the scientific and pseudo-scientific theories about the origin of the universe. Moreover, they may believe that they came to Earth with a certain purpose, at least, to lead a virtuous life, and then - as the highest award – their souls would reunite with God. They believe that God directs them, and he also sends the tests to them - in some ways it is similar to the ideas of fatalism. In addition, it is difficult to convince the followers of monotheism that other point of view have a right to exist too. The Word of the Creator - as the highest incomprehensible creature, who causes trembling – lead to no distinguish between "religious" and "secular" life; there is only the Christian life. Violence is a key problem for our current society. How is it related to aspect of a religious perspective? Mark Twain vividly expressed opinion on the subject of the cruelty of God, his abuse and violence on his creations: “Our Bible reveals to us the character of our God with minute and remorseless exactness. […] In the Old Testament His acts expose His vindictive, unjust, ungenerous, pitiless and vengeful nature constantly. He is always punishing—punishing trifling misdeeds with thousand-fold severity; punishing innocent children for the misdeeds of their parents; punishing unoffending populations for the misdeeds of their rulers; even descending to wreak bloody vengeance upon harmless calves and lambs and sheep and bullocks, as punishment for inconsequential trespasses committed by their proprietors. […] It makes Nero an angel of light and leading, by contrast”. True, the Bible says not to kill, not to steal, love thy neighbor as thyself, love your enemies and so on. Therefore, when we hear the call for observance of biblical precepts, the call to live according to the laws of God, we usually remember exactly these words. The religion we associate with the image of humane and merciful God, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and we expect them to just love, kindness and mercy. Unfortunately, this is not always true. In principle, everyone, if he has such desire, can find in the Bible confirmation of the thoughts, he wants to see. On the basis of the Bible there appeared a set of ideologies, doctrines and institutions. Not just once someone decides that he understands the Bible and God's will correctly – a fires of the Inquisition flash, the soldiers go on a crusade, Catholics slaughtered Huguenots, anathema found scientists and thinkers. And all this action were justified by the Bible - in part due to the fact that the biblical texts are multifaceted and cover different aspects of life, but to a greater extent due to the fact that the Bible cruelty and violence is often described as a charitable cause. God in the Bible often endorses violence and he often resorted to it. One could not forget about an example of “mercy” of God, as the Flood, which killed on the earth of all people and all animals, except for those who were with Noah in the ark (Gen. 7:23). In the name of God blood is shed, but he still keeps silence. A pretty good argument was given that words and ideas do influence the way people see reality and other people. How can religious words lead to the oppression? Actually, one does not need to have a broad knowledge to find examples for the religious oppression - just look through the popular question raised by feminist movement: if it is true that a woman has been subjected to oppression, according to the biblical texts. It is the idea that “women are inferior in God's hierarchy and must be submissive to men” (Chopp 5). For centuries the Fathers of Church created the situation, based on the sacred texts and Eve`s sin that the women are suffering from “social and personal marginalization, subordination and devaluation” (Chopp 46) now. Christianity gives us an idea to interpret woman, as a creature, appeared for men: “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him (Gen 2:18). Let`s note that initially even name “Eve” was not mentioned in the Bible, there were Adam and his wife. In addition, the important fact concerning the infringement of women's rights Eve remained only one who could be called the first women (according to the Bible), created from a rib – logically – after Adam`s creation (Gen 2:22). Mention of Lilith, supposedly true first woman created by God on a par with Adam were thrown out from Bible, however they left in the Sumerian epic, the Torah, Dead Sea Scrolls and so on. Being created equal, she did not want to submit to the man; so Lilith left Eden and God (who is always representing as man) is putting her kids with quads from that moment. God did not endure the contradiction; He did not tolerate the “disrespect” to his “firstborn” Adam. Now is it possible to say that God is impartial and did not bequeath to humanity this view? Christians have a distinctive perspective of reality based on their connection to Jesus and the belief that Jesus is the Christ. What does this belief mean and how does it make Christian belief distinct? One of the fundamental provisions of Christianity is the idea that Jesus is the Messiah. Since the word “Christ” is the Greek translation of the word “Messiah” (anointed), this idea lies it the heart of the Christian faith. It is the issue that caused a split between the Jews and the early Christians - the recognition of Jesus as the Messiah. It was observed in the chronology from the coming of the Messiah: Christians believe that he has already come, and the Jews are still waiting for him. Jews do not recognize the Christian Savior, because his mission failed. After all the Torah teaches that the Messiah will bring - first of all - political liberation for Israel, but Jesus was unable to accomplish this task. Asking a question, what the purpose of suffering and death of Jesus was, the early Christians invented a contraption and compelling solution: their Savior suffered and died for the sins of all mankind. They claim that Jesus had to atone original sin of Adam, inherited by all the people who lived on the Earth - by descendants of the first man. Some good deeds and even “ordinary” suffering was not enough for such redemption. It took the martyrdom of Jesus. Therefore, the Christian Messiah deliberately took a shameful and painful punishment, thus freeing mankind from the punishment for original sin. The blood of Christ washed away evil, sin, suffering, death and freed mankind from the power of the Devil. Christians claimed that immediately after the crucifixion of Jesus was resurrected to eternal life and went to Heaven. Unlike Christianity, Islam sees a contradiction in terms and prophecies. Therefore, Islam and Judaism fiercely resist planting them Jesus as the Messiah with all the consequences. Works Cited Genesis 2:4-25, 7:23. Holy Bible, New International Version by Biblica. www.biblegateway.com.Web. Psalm 104. Holy Bible, New International Version by Biblica. www.biblegateway.com. Web. Mark Twain, Robert Hirst (2013). Autobiography of Mark Twain, Volume 2: The Complete and Authoritative Edition (Mark Twain Papers). University of California Press; 1st edition. Print. Rebecca S. Chopp, Mark Lewis Taylor (1994). Reconstructing Christian Theology. Fortress Press. Print. Read More