What's Your Perspective?

I have a strange hobby.  I read lot's of obscure, technical books, articles and reports about a variety of historical subjects.  I have just recently slogged through the three-volume set of Shelby Foote's Anthology of the Civil War.  It took me a while to get through all 2,000+ pages, but I did and I found it very interesting.  I tell you this, so you will hopefully not think me crazy!  I recently stumbled across several writings and film documentaries about Biblical archaeology.  I have been fascinated by the lengths some authors will go to "prove" their own pet, implausible ideas about how events happened in the Bible.

Most secular scientists start their writing by telling us that they come at the study from a scientific and unbiased perspective.  They usually make some kind of statement about letting the facts and the evidence speak for themselves.  I believe there is a technical term for this...hogwash!  I do not believe there is anyone alive, who has the ability to approach anything from a completely unbiased perspective!  We all have a "worldview", that pervades all that we do, say and think...and that is not necessarily a bad thing!  However, when you claim you have no bias from your own worldview, you are trying to pull the wool over your audience's eyes.  Worse still, you are blinding your own eyes to the truth!  I will tell you that I am very much biased by my worldview.  You see, I believe that the universe and all that is in it was created by God.  I also believe that God loved mankind so much that He sent His son, Jesus Christ, to be the perfect sacrifice for our sin debt and that same Jesus died on a Roman cross but was resurrected three days later.  Every interpretation of data that I make, has this as the grounding perspective.  However, I also recognize that there are many who totally discount this perspective and have a secular or postmodern worldview as their perspective.  This secular worldview generally rejects the idea of God and certainly does not accept the idea that God can and does perform miraculous acts on this earth.  They also, in order to remain true to their worldview, reject the idea of the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ!  So, when I hear someone tell me they have no bias, my response is one of great skepticism.

I recently came across an article titled, "Alternate Theories of Resurrection."  It was written by Norman Geisler.  In the article, Geisler puts forth the alternative theories that many with a postmodern worldview offer as "proof" that the resurrection of Jesus either did not happen or that there is a rational explanation that would explain it away.  He then proceeds to point out the very real problems with all of the alternatives, except of course the real resurrection story.  Anyone who reads this article and still denies the resurrection must suspend reality and rational thought in order to retain their secular, postmodern worldview. 

At the end of the day, we are left with a choice between two worldviews...Christian or postmodern.  There is no middle ground.  You cannot have both.  Either you accept that God is who He says He is or He is not.  If you accept that God is who He says He is, then you have one more choice...to bow the knee and your heart and acknowledge Him as your Lord or to admit the truth, that you refuse to acknowledge Him as your Lord.  The second choice places you squarely in the camp of the secular, postmodern worldview...in direct rebellion toward and rejection of God and His Son.  So what's your perspective?

For interesting reading you can go to Associates For Bible Research for a variety of technical articles from a Christian worldview perspective.