Christianity as a Worldview - Essay Example

My Worldview Worldview, as most reference publications define the terminology, is a bundle of beliefs that an individual or similar-trait group has about the universe and the life that thrives within it. In the contemporary universe, there are numerous worldviews in varying partitions of the globe defined by elements such as values, ethics, and religion to mention but a few. For one to term themselves as falling under a certain element thus defend and look at the world from a chosen view, they need to have supportive evidence as to why they would defend that worldview, why they chose it from the rest, and how it directs and informs their purpose and way of living. This essay will go into the depths and define my worldview as a Christian plus why I chose it over Islam, and what consequences my choice of worldview has on my entire life. Christianity as a worldview Christianity disburses sets of rules established by a supreme God, through His son Jesus Christ and chosen messengers from long ago, teachings of whom remain constant in the Holy Bible from the beginning of times. It has solid facts and elements that guide its believers, with answers that give quenching evidence to some of the hardest questions of the universe. Christianity will answer queries such as the origin of man, the purpose of human life, who God is, what is good and wrong, what is the best way to coexist with fellow humans, and just any other that ruffles a human brain in giving definite responses. Christians ape the master, Jesus Christ, and for one to be Christian, they mandatorily act and have the mind of Christ, who set the principles that all His followers should uphold and defend, in gloom or whacky moments. There exist infinite principles that guide Christianity, but some dominate over the others, that is, they form the larger map of what this worldview entails. The most dominant principle that defines Christianity is the unanimous upholding of the existence of one Supreme Being, and that is God (Slick n.p). The most thorough scientific research has not been able to give a sensible explanation regarding the emergence of humankind. Rather, what exists are scrupulous theories with infinite answerless loopholes that do not and never will make any sense. Contrary to this, Christianity gives a chronological and very sensible approach to this, an argument that starts with God creating mankind and establishing a place for him to live. The perfect architecture of the universe, with the complexity of nature within it such as the human brain openly dictates the involvement of a perfect supreme being responsible for them, and that is God. The second most dominant principle of Christianity is that humans are a fallen species, and require the mercy of God to avoid the punishment that may result from rebelling against God through sinning. Sin is part of our breathing. Look at the world today, people acting in ways that interfere with others, some ways that leave even non-living elements in life budging. For one to be a Christian, they have to confess to being sinners, and have to repent in order to acquire forgiveness from the highest God. Why I would die defending this principle is the open sense that no matter how deep in a desert a man can go, he must in a way or two commit an act that is offensive to themselves or to the environment itself, which in God’s sight is sin. It therefore hits the nail on the head that man must fall for sin, and that there must be a way out of sin, which is through confession and repentance. Finally, and uniquely Christian, life after death is the driving force to this worldview. It begins with believing in an eternal God who never changes, and who is immortal. Onto this, add the juicy piece that humans are made in God’s image, which of course includes the immortality! This simply translates to a man dying a physical death, but transiting to a spiritual one, which spirits do not die. Evil spirits exist, as well as angels. Doubting life after death is therefore a no no under the Christian umbrella. Why Christian, not Islamic Christianity and Islam present almost similar traits in terms of theological grounds such as the concurring principle of the existence of a supreme God who rules and sustains the universe. This means that both Christians and Muslims have to live in ways that look to please, and adhere to His laws, meaning sin is part of both. In addition, both believe that God used to send messengers (prophets) to communicate His demands and expectations to the people. Both worldviews mention prophetic icons such as Joseph, David, Abraham, to mention but a few. In both beliefs, there is the rewarding of every living being according to their conduct while alive, of which the supreme God will reward His faithful with an eternal stay in heaven whereas the rebels will earn permanent stays in hellfire. However, there emerges points of conflict between the two religions, resulting in the division thus grouping as different worldviews, and which determine the choice of an individual between them. In my opinion, Christianity offers achievable and supportive teachings and guidance than Islam does, but this does not in any way discriminate against it, rather, it is a case of preference. The doctrine that purports trinity is a core belief in Christianity, but is non-existent in Islam (“Islam versus Christianity” n.p). As earlier stated, both religions believe in God, who is almighty, and has the power to command anything. Why then, would it be impossible for Him to split Himself into the trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) whose mandate is to continue with Jesus’ work and work closely with humankind? To prove that the Holy Spirit exists: when, after His ascension, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to his disciples, they were all speaking in tongues after His arrival. Today, in churches, people still are experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit because they speak in tongues, a thing beyond anyone’s explanation. In evaluation, if the Holy Spirit exists, then no doubt God the Father and Son exist as well. The superiority in this is that through the Trinity, Christians relate closely with God. Another shortfall in Islam is that they allow divorce, contrary to the Bible that is strongly against “separation of what God puts together”. Allowing divorce is likely to weaken the bonds that glue man and woman together in marriage. This is because either of the two might feign false reason to separate from their partners since their teachings are not against divorce. This makes Christianity a notch favorable in that person in marriage does not experience tempting thoughts of divorce because their Holy Book is strongly against it. This means peace of mind for the married. To add to this evidence, Christianity boasts of a membership of over two billion, whereas Islam has an average one point five billion members. Map for purposeful living If during a flight the pilot loses consciousness, the plane loses navigation and eventually ends up under the sea or smashed beyond repair on land. This is what life is likely to be in the absence of a “pilot”, in this case meaning a worldview. Christian values are the reason my affectionate bond to my wife is now seventeen years, and still counting, with two lovely children who will repeat all day that they belong to the best parents ever. The values under this worldview guide one on co-existing with fellow mankind, minimizing or erasing all possible barriers to successful relationships such as marriages. In this worldview, man and woman are equal in God’s eyes, thus men and women should depict and earn respectful approaches always. Again, my career in law enforcement derived its inspiration from the Christian teachings of distinguishing between what is right and wrong, leading me to apply for an academic major in Criminal Justice. Christianity advocates of equality, respect, and peace of mind for all, and that is the reason I chose to choose a path that would assist me in playing a role in that. Lawbreakers and all offenders in general receive correctional measures from law enforcement, which aims at reconciling them to the calmer population. Harvesting without toiling, is not acceptable in this context, and it is the reason I chose to plan for, and work towards my career. To this day, regardless of my age and job, I am still pursuing higher education beyond my academic level. The answer as to what led me to this is the teaching that eating without working is impossible, and that one basket filling depends on the size and efficiency of their hands. My priorities focus on a better future for my family, thanks to the teachings that my worldview installed in me, furthermore, the world is just a path to higher ground where one should toil to their last breath, until God decides its break time. Works Cited Islam Versus Christianity. (2013). Discovering Islam. Web. 9 February 2014 Slick, Matt. What are some Christian Worldview Essentials? Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry. Web. 9 February 2014 Read More