Short Quiz

Why can we say that the law of Human Nature is like math?

What is the meaning of the statement “relativism is self-refuting? (for those who missed quiz 1)

Moral Law= Social Convention??

The question is to which class does the Law of Human Nature belong (i.e. “Mathematics” and “Traffic Convention”) There is such a thing as a standard we

are aiming for  People think there are no major

differences in our morality Therefore ,moral standards belong to

the class of mathematics

Good and Bad (Natural Law) is outside the Human Construct (i.e. was not created by man) ◦ The Reality of the Law

Comparison of the Law of Nature and the Law of Human Nature Explanation of the Law of Nature

A Matter of Convenience? The Law of Human Nature is a real (law)

◦ What does this say about the Universe we live in? Two Views: Materialist and Religious View Two Bits of Evidence to “the Somebody” (God) Did God create evil?

The Rich Young Man:(Background to our Discussion)◦ Why are we asking questions about God?

Good and Bad (Natural Law) is outside the Human Construct (i.e. was not created by man) ◦ The Reality of the Law

Comparison of the Law of Nature and the Law of Human Nature Explanation of the Law of Nature

A Matter of Convenience? The Law of Human Nature is a real (law)

◦ What does this say about the Universe we live in? Two Views: Materialist and Religious View Two Bits of Evidence to “the Somebody” (God) Did God create evil?

The Rich Young Man:(Background to our Discussion)◦ Why are we asking questions about God?

Two Views: Materialist and Religious View Two Bits of Evidence to “the Somebody”

(God) Did God create evil?

What does this say about the Universe we live in?

What does this say about the Universe we live in?

Materialist View: By Chance??

Religious View: By a Creator!!

The Reality of Moral Standards: “Someone Behind”

Accidental

Intentional

Moral Standard

Good??

Bad??

Good??Bad??

God

“Someone Behind”

Accidental

Intentional

Moral Standard

Good??

Bad??

Good??Bad??

God

One is the universe He has made. If we used that as our only clue, then I think we

should have toconclude that He was a great artist (for the

universe is a very beautifulplace), but also that He is quite merciless and no

friend to man (for theuniverse is a very dangerous and terrifying place).

We have two bits of evidence about “the Somebody” (God)

The other bit of evidence is that Moral Law which He has put into our minds. ◦ And this is a better bit of evidence than the other,

because it is inside information. You find out more about God from the Moral Law than from the universe in general just as you find out more about a man by listening to his conversation than by looking at a house he has built. Now, from this second bit of evidence we conclude that the Being behind the universe is intensely interested in right conduct -in fair play, unselfishness, courage, good faith, honesty and truthfulness.

We have two bits of evidence about the Somebody

The Rich Young Man Story

And a ruler asked him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.'"

Luk 18:18-30

And he said, "All these I have observed from my youth." And when Jesus heard it, he said to him, "One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." But when he heard this he became sad, for he was very rich.!

Luk 18:18-30

The questionRuler Authority

Eternal Life??God alone is good!!

Good Teacher!!

You know the commandments…I have observed from my youth..

The InvitationYou lack one thing….

Sell all …and you will have…

He heard……became sad..

Because he was rich…

“..for the young man the question is not so much about rules to be followed, but about the meaning of life...the question is ultimately an appeal to the absolute Good which attracts and beckons us; it is the echo of a call from God who is the origin and goal of man's life.." (Veritatis Splendor 7).

Why are we asking questions about God?

What on earth am I here for?

There have been differences between their moralities, but these have never amounted to anything like a total difference.. CS Lewis, Mere Christianity

Is Law of Human Nature(i.e. the concept of right and wrong) man made?

Main Question: What do you think now?

St. Paul’s Experience and the Rich Young

Man

I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.

(Rom 7:15)

Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our

Lord! (Rom 7:24-25)

And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.

(Mar 10:18)

The Young Man: ..no one is good..

Wretched man that I am! Who will

deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God

through Jesus Christ our Lord!

(Rom 7:24-25)

Break

The Rival Conceptions of God, Problem of Evil

and the Unique Christian Message

Who is this God?

Great Artist!

Powerful!Absolutely Good!

GOD

Discussion: What is the problem?

GodEvil!! Powerful

Good

Rival Conceptions of God

What Christians do not believe in?

“If you are a Christian you do not have to believe that all other religions are wrong all through.” CS Lewis, Mere Christianity

What Christians do not believe in?

Christianity

Judaism

Islam

Hinduism

Buddhism

Other Religion

s

Christianity

Judaism

Islam

Hinduism

Buddhism

Conceptions of God

GodGod (Pantheism)

Good Evil

What Christians believe in? "For God so loved the

world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

(Joh 3:16-17)

What Christians believe in?

God GoodEvil

The Problem of Evil and the Unique Christian

Message

The Problem of Evil and the Unique Christian Message

Key Question A Picture Story of Suffering The Focal Point of the

Christian Message: Jesus Christ

The Unique Christian Story!!

Key Question

A Picture Story of Suffering Kevin

Carter (September 13, 1960 in Johannesburg – July 27, 1994) was an award-winning South African photojournalist and member of the Bang-Bang Club.

A Picture Story of Suffering "I am depressed ...

without phone ... money for rent ... money for child support ... money for debts ... money!!! ... I am haunted by the vivid memories of killings and corpses and anger and pain ... of starving or wounded children, of trigger-happy madmen, often police, of killer executioners...I have gone to join Ken if I am that lucky."[4]

The Unique Christian Message "For God so loved the

world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

(Joh 3:16-17)

The Unique Christian MessageReality, in fact, is usually something you could not have guessed. That is one of the reasons I believe Christianity. It is a religion you could not have guessed. If it offered us just the kind of universe we had always expected, I should feel we were making it up. But, in fact, it is not the sort of thing anyone would have made up. It has just that queer twist about it that real things have. CS Lewis, Mere Christianity

The Focal Point of the Christian Message: Jesus Christ

I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: "I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God." That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher.

The End