I’m doing a short survey, to complete a class with Biola University. The class was actually over last week, but the results of this survey are due on Friday (IN TWO DAYS).
I asked several people these questions, and got a few responses back. But I need a little more info, and when I followed up with people, they’ve been slow to respond. So I’m turning to my vast reading audience.
But I need a specialized kind of help here. Many of my readers consider themselves born-again Christians. That’s a good thing. However, occasionally I get a reader who is not in that category; that’s always great. I need people who are not Christians, or people who ARE Christians but who are a little outside the mainstream, to answer these questions.
So if that describes you, please help me here! Or, if you know someone and can refer them to this, please do! Again, I need to turn in these responses by Friday night.
Here goes:
1. Do you believe there are moral absolutes; i.e., issues of right and wrong that are the same for everyone, regardless of culture? (yes, no, not sure)
2. Where does morality come from? (each culture defines morality, each person defines morality, there is something else outside of ourselves that defines morality)
3. Which of these statements most closely describes your view of God? (there is no such thing as God; there may or may not be a God but that has little effect on my daily life; there is one God; there are many Gods; each person defines God differently; something else)
4. Which of the following statements about Jesus Christ do you agree with? (He was God; He wasn’t God but had a lot of insight; He rose from the dead; He didn’t rise from the dead; He was right about some things and wrong about others; Something else)
5. Do you believe the universe originated…. (through a series of natural events? through intelligent design?)
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE for your help.
charley's blog 
1) No
2) Each culture defines morality
3) there is one God
4) Something else
5) through a series of natural events
1. Not sure
2. there is something else outside of ourselves that defines morality.
3. there is one God
4. He was God
5. through intelligent design
1. Do you believe there are moral absolutes; i.e., issues of right and wrong that are the same for everyone, regardless of culture? (yes, no, not sure) – yes
2. Where does morality come from? (each culture defines morality, each person defines morality, there is something else outside of ourselves that defines morality) – self
3. Which of these statements most closely describes your view of God? (there is no such thing as God; there may or may not be a God but that has little effect on my daily life; there is one God; there are many Gods; each person defines God differently; something else) – there is one God
4. Which of the following statements about Jesus Christ do you agree with? (He was God; He wasn’t God but had a lot of insight; He rose from the dead; He didn’t rise from the dead; He was right about some things and wrong about others; Something else) – He rose from the dead
5. Do you believe the universe originated…. (through a series of natural events? through intelligent design?) through a series of natural events?
1. There are some moral absolutes across all cultures, but variation on degrees of how stringent these absolutes remain in place.
2. I think morality begins with one’s upbringing, but as one grows into adulthood it can change. Sometimes it reverts back to the original morality as one ages, has kids, etc.
3. Different people/cultures define God differently; I personally believe in God.
4. I tend to focus more on the overall concept of what his life was about, i.e. his message, his life, lessons we can learn, rather than the technical aspects of his life (where/when he was born, did he really rise from the dead or walk on water).
5. Undecided. I don’t discount intelligent design, but I do believe there is something to be said about evolution. I find ID a way to resolve the things I can’t completely understand, but without denying the beliefs I’ve grown up with. I’m not inclined to scientifically explain every last thing–we just can’t know everything.
1. no
2. each culture defines morality
3. there may or may not be a God but that has little effect on my daily life
4. Something else
5. Natural Events
1. I do believe there are moral absolutes.
2. I think our morality is defined by a God-given conscience, our upbringing, and early influences.
3. I believe and feel I am living proof to the existence of a loving and merciful God as expressed in the Bible.
4. I believe that Jesus was God in the flesh, born of a virgin and that he rose 3 days after his death. He was there at Creation and will be waiting when all our days are over. Can’t explain all the intricacies but have yet to see God’s Word or His Son fail me yet! 🙂
5. I believe in intelligent design, aknowledge the “order” (seen and unseen) of life, and believe that evolution has played some part of the emerging design.
1. Do you believe there are moral absolutes; i.e., issues of right and wrong that are the same for everyone, regardless of culture? (yes, no, not sure)
YES- on a macro level. i won’t launch into a long-winded explanation of my thoughts on this, but i think there are a couple moral absolutes, but an individual may face circumstances that make it difficult to judge. for example-genocide is wrong (one of the few moral absolutes i believe in), but a person who is asked to kill another as part of a fascist regime or have his/her family killed is not as easily judged. so i’m going with my totally ambiguous answer of yes, but on a macro level.
2. Where does morality come from?
each culture defines morality
3. Which of these statements most closely describes your view of God?
something else
4. Which of the following statements about Jesus Christ do you agree with?
Something else
5. Do you believe the universe originated…. through a series of natural events
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One of the people I referred to your site said “I like this kid already. He’s funny. I like the post on spilling the coffee.” So she went forward with the info!