Theology essay

Lewis once said, â€Å"l believe In Charlatanry as I believe that the sun has risen not only because I see It, but because by It I see everything else. † I think this Is an extremely insightful quote to live by, especially if you are of the Catholic or Christian faith. I think what Lewis is trying to say is that we all know the sun exists because we see it rise every day, but because of the sun it is possible to see everything else on Earth. This relates back to Christianity because for Lewis he is saying that he can look t life in a different way than some people because he has the faith of God inside him.For example, I know someone who is completely immersed in their Catholic faith and to me they honestly seem to enjoy life every single day. Sure they have some bad days when some things don't go right, but even then they say that God has a reason for what has happened. When I think back to my friend and how they feel about life, and then compare that to my own faith and feel ings, there Is a complete difference. I am not proud to say this but I will: I have lost my faith throughout the years and moieties life Is Just a bleak thing I have to go through some days.After reading this quote I seriously considered how my life would be different if I had full faith in the Lord, and I think it would be more optimistic than how I feel now. There is a show on television called â€Å"19 kids and counting† and they are a very religious family who puts the Lord before anything else. One day while watching the show the older children were talking about a topic and then they proceeded to say how if you can't be happy even with God, how can you be happy without him? This is another statement I believe makes sense and goes along with Lewis' quote.For many, God is the one who lights the path for them to walk, and I really do believe being religious makes a person happier. Some may say that it Is the congregation of people and friends that gather In a church and sh are the same beliefs, but I think It Is the knowing and believing In a higher power always being there and never leaving your side that makes one happier than someone who does not believe in God. Christianity affects one's worldview significantly. A worldview is the framework from which we view reality and make sense of life and the world. [It's] any ideology, philosophy, theology, movement or religion that provides an overarching approach to understanding God, the world and man's relations to God and the world,† says David Nobel, author of Understanding the Times. For example, a 2-year-old is egocentric and believes they're the center of his or her own world, a secular humanist believes that the material world is all that exists, and a Buddhist believes he can be liberated from suffering by self-purification. Someone with a biblical worldview believes their primary reason for existence Is to love and serve God.Whether they know It or not, every person has some type of worldvi ew. A personal worldview Is a combination of all you believe to be true, and what you believe becomes the driving force behind every emotion, decision and action. Therefore, it affects your response to every area of life: from everything. A biblical worldview is based on the Word of God. When you believe the Bible is entirely true, then you allow it to be the foundation of everything you say and o. There is a problem though: nonpolitical worldview ideas bombard us constantly from television, film, music, newspapers, magazines, and books.For example, most Christians would agree with 1 Thessalonians 4:3 and other Scriptures that command us to avoid sexual impurity, but how often do Christians fall into lust or premarital sexual sin? If we don't really believe the truth of God and live it, then our witness will be confusing and misleading. Most of us go through life not recognizing that our personal worldviews have been deeply affected by the world. Through the media and other influenc es, the secularists American view of history, law, politics, science, God and man affects our thinking more than we realize.We then are taken â€Å"captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ† (Colombians 2:8). However, by learning, applying and trusting God's truths in all area of our lives -? whether it's watching a movie, going to school, raising a family or working at the office -? we can egging to develop a deep comprehensive faith that will stand against the evil of our culture's nonpolitical ideas (Wordsmith. Mom). If we embrace more of God's worldview and trust it with unquestioning faith, then we begin to make the right decisions and form the appropriate responses to questions on abortion, same-sex marriage, cloning, stem-cell research and even media choices. Because, in the end, it is our decisions and actions that reveal what we really believe. â€Å"Do not conform a ny longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.