It’s Who’s Up Front That Counts

Published in the Braintree Observer Forum on March 8, 1970
Written by Donald W. Smith

THE GERMAN LANGUAGE uses the term “Weltanschauung.” It means “Conception of the world, philosophy of life.” Each of us has one of these a view of life, that is Our philosophies range from “hedonism,” which is “eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow to die” to “Biblicalism” which says. “listen, obey and be serious for tomorrow we are judged.”

There is not one of us that can avoid expressing our “philosophy” either implicitly or explicitly. We tell on our selves by what we say and the way we live. Some are what they are and believe what they believe by the molding of circumstances, influences and events. They never try to make head nor tail of life or find any sense in it; they just are. Others try to formulate a “Weltanschauung”-they try to weave knowledge into a fabric which has a pattern in which all parts are interrelated. They try to make sense out of things.

In trying to “make sense out of life” we must consider as much data or knowledge as can be gleaned. (For those philosophically oriented this presupposes that knowledge is possible.) In order to build the facts into a structure of understanding we must have a “starting point.” This involves. such assumptions or beliefs as, “I can know,” “there is something to know, “life has meaning or purpose.” etc. Yet what about God? Does He fit into our pattern? Do we begin our “philosophy” by believing In Him, or do we end it with Him as a conclusion?

Perhaps you have concluded by now that we are involved in pretty weighty stuff. Well, maybe so, but come along anyhow.

We live in an age in which the scope of facts or knowledge is so vast that one man in one life can only scratch the surface. So much happening so much seems wrong. The human scene is as a giant organism with the festering sores of war, racism, pride, greed, despotism, etc. Man, with six thousand years of recorded history behind him and computerized knowledge that staggers his capacity, is not one whit better today than several thousand years ago. He, seems determined to consume himself.

So the question comes, is there a God who is in control of the situation here on earth? Is this God working out the affairs and destiny of men and nations? Is there a sovereign being. known in our language as “God,” who have everything under control? This question each man must answer if he is going to try to find sense and meaning in what he is and does. Because man has made such a pathetic mess of his big chance to live; because he struts on the
stage of life instead of walking humbly before God is no reason to question that He is in control. Maybe we’re confused and bewildered, but God is not. He’s still Up Front.

Consider the alternatives, Either God is or is not! Either He is dead or alive! If God is not, then certain conclusions follow. One conclusion is that man has spent much time writing and talking about a non-existent being! Man’s belief in God has been without content or object. Simply, how can one believe in that which does not exist? Surely, if God is not then a lot of people have been
wrong.

Yet, more important is another conclusion which follows if God does not exist in control of us and our affairs. If this be the case, then there is absolutely no basis for Ethics -the science or study of human behavior. You see, Ethics becomes under these circumstances, merely a descriptive science, it tells us what men do. If God is not, and is not in absolute control, then Ethics cannot use words like ‘must,” and “should”. No one can say, with any authority, that another person should or must act in a certain way.

There is, of course, the human authority of force when one group of humans gains control over another. Without God there is no such thing as morality; there is no reason why a man should consider another’s well being before his own. Selfishness, egotism, materialism. deception. murder and despotism are beyond criticism and reproach!

If God is not, Ethics becomes a matter of personal opinion, expediency, (obey the law to stay out of jail, although disobedience is not wrong-just a difference of opinion) and description (this is how men act, but no one has any ultimate authoritative basis upon which to say anyone should improve for improvement” implies a standard).

Either God is, or a lot of us are wasting our time and energy obeying a lot of rules that are just the pontification of some well-meaning (whatever that means if God is not) people who have expressed opinions as to what is good (?) for society. And worse yet, if God is not, we’ve missed a lot of fun. The only risk in bank robbing would be getting caught – not God’s judgment – incidentally, this would hold for murder and adultery, too.

I trust it is clear “starting point” is “Weltanschauung” must be GOD IS. Certain conclusions fallow from this. We will look at these next week.