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Thoughts on Atonement

If you recall, the four parts that must be included in every world view are
  1. How did it begin
  2. What is the problem
  3. How is the problem fixed
  4. How does it end
Asking about the problem, in number 2 will usually concern itself with the problem between people and God. That is the only universal type problem that can exist. There may be a problem of poverty but that would be localized. All world views, except humanism, state the universal problem in terms of a theological situation. Humanism’s definition of the problem varies from moment to moment. Their universal problem these days is either trans-gender, LGBTQ issues or climate change.

However, every religious world view sees the universal problem as some offense that people have committed and God is angry or upset. The more transcendent the view of God, the less immediate effects are felt with this offense.

Atonement is a world that means to fix the problem in number 2.  Atonement can be behavior or sacrifice or prayer.  Anything that is done to calm the offended god is atonement.  How a person atones is based on their world view. This is what I mean:

Sikhism has a view of God that is fully transcendent. Their god only spoke to ten prophets and speaks to no one else. The Sikhs see their atonement as works and behavior. If they live correctly, their hope is that their god will judge them favorably and accept them at the end of time. Sikhs self-atone.

Hindus and Buddhists believe that reincarnation is the way people pay for past sins and correct past wrongs. Therefore they also believe in self-atonement. There is no relationship between the Hindu gods and people, although Hindus do pray to Ganesha and other gods to have problems fixed. Many Buddhists pray to ancestors to fix things in life. Hindus and Buddhists self-atone.

Muslims also self-atone. They are involved in a works salvation where the requirements are vague and not guaranteed. They hope they do enough to impress Allah. Flying the planes into the World Trade Center was an act of self-atonement where the Muslims on the planes hoped they did enough to gain Allah’s approval. 9/11 was a 100% religious/theological act.  Secular humanists cannot conceive of that idea.  Muslims self-atone.

Christianity is the only system where God himself made a way to atone for people’s sin. The Bible explains that people cannot do anything right or good or holy, so there is nothing people can do to impress God. Therefore God the Father sent God the Son to die and applies his blood to people’s sin. Because there is no way to earn that blood and no one is worthy of that blood, God makes it free. It is called grace because it is undeserved favor from God. God atones for Christians.

There are many problems in life. Most are local, a few are worldwide. A person’s world view will determine how they try and fix these problems. In America our DC government makes regulations and taxes people and throws money at situations because their world view is fundamental secularist. They need to change people’s behavior with laws and programs. However this sort of plan will do nothing to solve a universal problem, like people’s relationship with God.  Humanists have no hope of atonement.

#Thoughts on World Views#

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