Worldview Comparison Essay, Research Paper
Worldviews are defined as, ” the comprehensive framework of one’s basic
beliefs about things and their relationships.” Beliefs are something somebody
commits themselves to, something they are willing to stand up for and promote
with their time, money, and energy. Worldviews deal with basic beliefs, not just
any kind of beliefs. They deal with the ultimate questions about life and the
world in general. The answers to these questions form a framework or pattern;
they hang together in a certain way. Everyone has beliefs, things they would
stand up for, things they would commit their time to, therefore, everyone has a
worldview. However, everyone has their own individual answers to those
ultimate questions, and the answers to those questions form their worldview.
This makes up various different worldviews. Secular Humanism and Reformed
Christian are but two of those worldviews which show diversity within the issues
of death, sexuality, and family life.
A Reformed Christian portrays an opposite view of death in comparison to
the Secular Humanist. A Christian considers death not as the end, but as a new
beginning. A new life on a new earth where there will be no more death or
suffering: ” . . . we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth” (2
Peter 3:13), ” There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the
old order of things has passed away,” (Revelation 21:4). On the other hand, the
Secular Humanist looks at death as the absolute end, nothing comes afterwards,
that is just it. Arthur Chappell, a Secular Humanist, explains death as basically
the same as never being born. He states, “death, like income tax, is
inevitable.”(www.arthurchappell.clara.net/faq.htm) His perspective of death
along with other Secular Humanists is that death happens, no one can stop it.
After death there is no consciousness or understandings of anything that is or
what might have been, death is the end. Therefore, enjoy life while living it.
Secular Humanist’s think that death is like these two examples in a sense.
Where does the picture go when you turn off the television? Where does your
shopping list go when you turn off your computer without saving it? To them,
death has no real significance. Reformed Christians believe there is hope after
death, unfortunately the Secular Humanist believes otherwise.
Yet another example of controversy between the Reformed Christian and
Secular Humanist worldview is the issue of sexuality. Reformed Christian’s
strongly forbid sex before marriage. God says in Genesis 1:22, “be fruitful and
increase in number. . .” However, God also declares in Deuteronomy 5:18, “do
not commit adultery.” Just looking at a woman/man with lust is committing
adultery which is stated in Matthew 5:28. The only time when it is right to look
upon someone with desire is when you are happily married and that the person
your are looking at is your spouse. Otherwise it is adultery, the breaking of the
seventh commandment. With the attitude that any type of sexual activity,
longings, or urges are appropriate, the Secular Humanist contrasts completely
with all of the beliefs of a Christian, based on sexuality. For example the
characters, Ryan Phillipe and Sarah Michelle Gellar, in the movie Cruel
Intentions portray a life full of casual sex. Casual meaning, day to day sex with
a different person each time. This video promotes sex, it says to all viewers that
sex is all right at all times and under all circumstances with anyone, male or
female. A Secular Humanist would find nothing wrong with this video’s portrayal
of sex, likewise, a Reformed Christian would not recommend it.
What is a family? Through a Reformed Christian perspective, a family is
a father, mother, and perhaps children, who respect and love each other, as well
as, committed to each other, are united in marriage. A husband, “must manage
his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect.”
(1 Timothy 3:4) A family is also the congregation of the church. The church is a
group of true believers who care for each other, pray for each other, and are
always there when someone is having hard times. The congregation of the
church has many of the characteristics of a family, therefore it can be called a
family. “The church is the family of God, a spiritual family.”(www.crcna.org) In
an article submitted into a magazine called the Humanist which can also be
viewed on the internet at www.humanist.net, it defines a family as the following.
“Any two people or group of people wishing to make a commitment to one
another over time and to share resources, responsibilities, goals, and values
should be considered a family, if they so consider themselves, and receive those
benefits accorded families by society.” To a secular humanist, if someone wants
to be a family, then they can consider themselves a family, marriage or blood
kinship is not required. Reformed Christian families are very much different from
Secular Humanist families.
Reformed Christian and Secular Humanist are two different worldviews.
Each has a different perspective on life and everything having to do with life. A
Reformed Christian worldview has strict rules and barriers. One rule, for
instance is that sex is only permitted if it is between a married couple who love
each other. Sex before marriage is looked down upon. Another is the structure
of a family, which is to be made up of a husband and wife who love each other
and who are united in marriage. Secular Humanist seems to have no rules no
barriers. For example, sex is okay at all times and under any conditions, and a
family can be any group of people who want to consider themselves as a family.
Worldviews partially derive from the environment in which someone is born into
or that they live in. A child born into a Catholic home will grow up and tend to
trust the beliefs they were taught all throughout their childhood. This is the
reason there are different worldviews. Everybody in this world was made
different. Everyone’s life is different, everybody grew up different. Everybody
has a different view of life and of this world. Worldviews are obtained from
people’s perspectives. I am a Christian, and I believe everything within the
Reformed Christian worldview. Personally, I think that Secular Humanism is a
worldview that needs some discipline or guidelines. It seems that a Secular
Humanist can’t go wrong in life. Almost like someone said it is okay to do: this,
this , this and this, just as long as it benefits themselves. “I am the most
important,” is their way of looking at life. I think that the Secular Humanist
worldview is incorrect, and that they are going about life with the wrong
perspective. However, a Secular Humanist may also think the same of my
worldview(that it is not correct), Reformed Christian. In conclusion, Reformed
Christian and Secular Humanist worldviews, when compared are extremely
different especially when related to the issues of death, sexuality, and family life.