Worldviews and Its Formation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Worldviews and Its Formation - Research Paper Example One of the areas of contention is religion and the belief in God. In the world, there are thousands of distinct religions, each purporting to follow a certain faith. However, all these religions can be grouped into seven major categories, which include all the dominant worldviews. These worldviews include Monotheism, Deism, Naturalism, Nihilism, Existentialism, Pantheism and New Consciousness. This paper will thus discuss all the major worldviews, and compare and contrast them with a Christian Biblical worldview. Worldview and its formation Generally, a worldview is a group of presuppositions that people hold concerning the basic setup or makeup of the world. Specifically, it is an explanation of the divergent views of the people concerning the makeup of the world. People try to apply these views in their day-to-day existence. Some authors go further to suppose that a worldview is a model of the world that is used to guide the various assumptions of a set of people (Futrell, 2006). H owever, not all presuppositions of the people consist of a worldview, as the assumptions have to pass certain tests. The first test is rationality, in which case people should not be asked to believe contradictory events. The second test is that there should be enough evidence to support the theory, mostly from the things that are observable. Another test is that of reality, as it should be able to provide a comprehensive explanation of the way things are. This explanation should be satisfying to those who believe in it. Lastly, the worldview should be in a position to provide a purpose for life. People should not borrow elements from other worldviews to explain their purpose on earth (Solomon, 2001). A worldview is formed by joining certain components together, which serve as self-evident. Infants have no worldview, and the perception of life for everyone takes shape as the he grows and develop. The surrounding environment shapes most of the components of individual worldviews (Sir e, 2009). This environment starts to take charge at an early age, when the infant is under the care of the parent. Parents are the one who shape the first perception of the infants (Futrell, 2006). As the children grow, they develop their unique worldview based on the four fundamental components. The first component is the belief that something exist. This is because the experiences of the people have causes and effects that must be in existence. The second component is the belief that all people have absolutes, which serves as a reference point for their existence. Some people take God as their reference point, while others take love or power (Solomon, 2001). Another component for the formation of a worldview is the belief that two contradictory statements cannot both be right. In this regard, the basic law of logic applies as only one worldview can reflect the reality of life. For a worldview to be formed, it must thus have a unique belief from the others. The last fundamental com ponent in the formation of a worldview is the belief that all people exercise faith. Everyone in the world must assume at one point that certain things or events happen without absolute proof. One of the common beliefs in many worldviews is that a personal God exist (Solomon, 2001). Comparison and contrast of the seven worldviews with a Christian biblical worldview Monotheism The Monotheistic worldview is based on the people’s belief that there is only one God. This personal God has a distinctive personality and not just a divine power. In addition, there is a belief that humankind is a special creation of God in His own image. God manifests Himself though revelation and the truth about Him is beyond all rational