Class will meet next Sunday, November 1.
Last time, we considered which worldview is the most reasonable. First, we reviewed the qualities of a sound worldview and the properties that indicate an invalid one, plus the evidence from the previous week that the modern culture shows multiple properties of a broken and invalid worldview.
Then, I briefly summarized key aspects of the Christian worldview. We then looked in some detail at the "real life" data about three specific areas of Catholic teaching that are directly opposed by our modern culture: abortion, contraception, and divorce. There is overwhelming evidence of significant negative consequences to each of these choices, for example: to women from abortion; to children and families from divorce and unmarried parenting; and to individuals, marriages, and societies from contraception.
Again, I want to clarify that bad consequences are not the reason these things are wrong, but rather, because they are wrong, they will have bad consequences. On the other hand, our culture tells us that these are all good choices for those who make them, and completely fails to account for the widespread bad consequences. Instead it copes largely by denying that the bad results exist. The benefits it has claimed for these choices have also failed to materialize.
In contrast, we saw that the Christian worldview is not only self-consistent, but also makes sense of all this evidence and engages other viewpoints rationally.
I spent this time looking at worldviews because a person who holds an incoherent worldview isn't just failing a pop quiz, but is wrong about reality itself. So, such a person is also likely to fail to find the true meaning and purpose of life and to be unhappy. Worst of all, the flight from reason and reality is insanity -- and it can't do anything to solve the very real problems that we face as individuals or as a culture.
Finally, we watched two brief Matthew Kelly video clips: "Be a Rebel" and "Decision Point." You might find it odd to hear, "Be a rebel!" at church, but really -- it's good to rebel against the culture and choose freedom instead of slavery.
For your enjoyment:
Abortion Fans Are Bad at Science and Even Worse at Making Rational Arguments (A Fisk of Bill Nye's pro-abortion video)
Next time:
The class workbooks have arrived! So, next time, we will begin our study of the Theology of the Body for Teens based on Pope St. John Paul's profound vision on the "Theology of the Body." I am excited to share this inspiring program that provides satisfying explanations for so much of the Church's teaching on marriage, vocations, and life issues -- the “whys” behind the “whats” -- paving the way to true freedom and happiness.
As always, please let me know if you have questions.