War of Worldviews
Ryan Cox • September 24, 2021
War of Worldviews
For over a year and a half, it has been the topic of the majority of discussions. It has been debated, argued, attacked, and defended. It has caused rifts in families and with friends. It has been at the heart of political elections. As you have personally experienced over and over again, there is a great divide over whether or not America should be in Afghanistan.
It has… wait… it hasn’t been a major topic over the last year? It wasn’t what you discussed at the Thanksgiving dinner table last November? You mean it wasn’t a major concern for the vast majority of Americans? Then why has it been such an issue as of late?
The reason, as with most issues, comes down to the war of worldviews. Creation Truth Foundation exists for the sole purpose of sharing and promoting a Biblical worldview. We constantly engage in the battle between the two combatants: Biblical Worldview vs. Non-biblical Worldview.
The events in Afghanistan are a clear example of the battle. It began 20 years ago when the non-biblical worldview of the Al-Qaeda terrorists attacked the United States, a country founded on a Biblical worldview. The United States retaliated with successful military action in Afghanistan. This resulted in an American and Allied presence in the country, which also led to the promulgation of a Biblical worldview. Missionaries had much greater protection and security through which they could share the Gospel, and thousands responded! Men and women were allowed to live in freedom, engage in elections, receive an education, pursue careers, and share their Christian faith.
There were still continued threats, but progress was consistently gained. Thanks to the incredible efforts of our men and women in uniform, after hitting a peak of 496 US fatalities in 2010, that number fell each year to a low of 9 fatalities in 2016. This was achieved at the same time the number of deployed forces went from 99,800 in 2011¹ to 2,500 by January 2021² (not counting Allied forces). After June of 2014, no month saw double digit fatalities until August 2021 when remaining American forces were withdrawing.
In a matter of months, America removed all protections for the Afghan people, and the Taliban seized control. The world witnessed people frantically scrambling to Kabul airport, clinging to planes and falling to their death, parents desperately trying to lift children over walls into the security of American forces, and Taliban soldiers seizing abandoned US military equipment, conducting door-to-door executions, kidnapping young girls, and systematically killing Christians.
But even in the midst of ensuing chaos from such un-biblical worldviews, across the world thousands of people influenced by a Biblical worldview have taken action. To attempt the rescue of thousands of Afghan and United States citizens left behind in Afghanistan, scores of people have given tens of millions of dollars to or worked in extremely dangerous efforts to save lives. Such groups and efforts would be Mighty Oaks Foundation, The Nazarene Fund, Human First Coalition, DeliverFund, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, Project Dynamo, Save Our Allies, Team America, Commercial Task Force, Pineapple Express, and others.³
Why, though, would the US government allow such tragedy to occur after 20 years? These grievous actions are in accordance with the non-biblical worldviews enacted by those currently in power. The apparent disregard for Afghan lives coincides with the disregard for the lives of babies still in their womb of their mothers. It coincides with the willingness to work hand-in-hand with China while simultaneously admitting they are committing genocide of the Uyghur people in Xinjiang province.⁴
Meanwhile, the non-biblical worldview is so pervasive in the federal government, that when a state passes a law to prohibit the murder of babies with beating hearts, the federal government pledges, “…the Office of the White House Counsel to launch a whole-of-government effort to respond to this decision, looking specifically to the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice to see what steps the Federal Government can take to ensure that women in Texas have access to safe and legal abortions”.⁵
“But your eyes and your heart are intent only upon your own dishonest gain, and on shedding innocent blood and on practicing oppression and extortion” (Jeremiah 22:17).
In defending and sharing Biblical worldview, Dr. Sharp has challenged the staff of Creation Truth Foundation to be Jeremiahs in our day. In Jeremiah 22, God instructed Jeremiah to confront the government and those who served and supported it, saying:
³
Thus says the LORD, “Do justice and righteousness, and deliver the one who has been robbed from the power of his oppressor. Also do not mistreat or do violence to the stranger, the orphan, or the widow; and do not shed innocent blood in this place…
⁵
But if you will not obey these words, I swear by Myself,” declares the LORD, “that this house will become a desolation.” (Jer. 22:3,5)
Therefore, we call on those in government and the medical community who have supported abortion to repent of the sin of shedding innocent blood. “Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent or the righteous, for I will not acquit the guilty” (Exodus 23:7).
We call on those who have ever voted for or supported a government official or candidate who supports abortion, including the excuse that other issues were more important, to repent of empowering people to commit the sin of shedding innocent blood. “Cursed is he who accepts a bribe to strike down an innocent person” (Deuteronomy 27:25).
When one understands the Biblical worldview of life⁶ and the Biblically-based foundation of America,⁷ every Christian in the United States should be emboldened and impassioned to remove this sin from the land.
“So you shall remove the guilt of innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in the eyes of the LORD” (Deut. 2:19).
“So innocent blood will not be shed in the midst of your land” (Deut. 19:10).
O may all who come behind us find us faithful in our day, repenting of our sin, offering love, grace and forgiveness to those who have sinned and repented, and cleansing our nation from the blood on its hands.
End Notes:
1. Congressional Research Service, “Department of Defense Contractor and Troop Levels in Afghanistan and Iraq: 2007-2020”, Feb. 22, 2021, p. 7, <https://sgp.fas.org/crs/natsec/R44116.pdf>.
2. US Dept of Defense Release, “Statement by Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller on Force Levels in Afghanistan”, Jan. 15, 2021, <https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Releases/Release/Article/2473337/statement-by-acting-defense-secretary-christopher-miller-on-force-levels-in-afg/>.
3. National Review, “Outraged by Horror at Kabul Airport, Civilian Rescue Groups Offer Lifeline to Those Left in Afghanistan”, Sept. 21, 2021, <https://www.nationalreview.com/news/outraged-by-horrific-kabul-airport-images-these-u-s-vets-offered-a-lifeline-to-desperate-afghans/?utm_source=recirc-desktop&utm_medium=blog-post&utm_campaign=river&utm_content=top-bar-latest&utm_term=fifth>.
4. Washington Examiner, “Pelosi: Put aside China’s genocide, we need to work together on ‘overriding issue’ of climate change", Sept. 16, 2021, <https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/pelosi-put-aside-chinas-genocide-we-need-to-work-together-on-the-overriding-issue-of-climate-change>.
National Review, “Pelosi: U.S. Must Work with China on ‘Overriding’ Climate Issue Despite Uyghur ‘Genocide’”, Sept. 16, 2021, <https://www.nationalreview.com/news/pelosi-u-s-must-work-with-china-on-overriding-climate-issue-despite-uyghur-genocide/>.
Microsoft Network, “John Kerry dismisses Biden admin’s lack of focus on Uyghur genocide In China: Life ‘full of tough choices’”, Sept. 22, 2021, <https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/john-kerry-dismisses-biden-admins-lack-of-focus-on-the-uyghur-genocide-in-china-life-full-of-tough-choices/ar-AAOIoJx>.
5. The White House Briefing Room, “Statement by President Joe Biden on Supreme Court Ruling on Texas Law SB8”, Sept. 2, 2021, <https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/09/02/statement-by-president-joe-biden-on-supreme-court-ruling-on-texas-law-sb8/>.
6. Consult articles “When Life Truly Begins” and the 3-part “America’s Molech Worship” recently posted at creationtruth.com/thescroll
7. Consult The American Story
available at creationtruth.com/store
The Flood during Noah’s day was a devastating judgement against the sin and wickedness of the time. Most people focus on what the Lord did as He saved the eight people and animals on the Ark. Yet while they were being saved, the Flood destroyed the earth and left behind some remarkable things. Geology around the globe shows water burial of plants and animals. Many of the animal remains show signs of drowning and then burial. One particular reptile that shows this is the Ichthyosaurus. From what we can understand, water was her home for everything in life, even giving birth to live young. This well designed creature may even help us trust the Word of God when it comes to the history of the Flood. In our Mobile Museum of Earth History we exhibit a research replica of an ichthyosaur called Stenopterygius quadriscissus . She is from Holzmaden, Germany and is one example of hundreds that have been found in the area. The reason we can so confidently state this fossil is a “her,” when we rarely know for sure about fossil animals, is because she is pregnant. She has three babies present with her remains: one under her tail, one in or near the birth canal, and one still inside. Our fossil is in situ, which means the fossil remains in the rock matrix it was buried in. So, the presence of momma and babies are how they were buried and not articulated in some manner after excavation. This is important to show the rapid, watery burial that must have taken place to lock this scene in the fossil record. The Flood trapped organisms all over the world in different life positions. Sometimes the fossils left behind have shown eating, hunting, sleeping, swimming, nesting, or drowning. When it comes to ichthyosaurs around the planet, there is a significant number of females that seem to be pregnant. They have been found in the fossil record on at least four continents. A fair assumption would be that Ichthyosaurs had a certain time of year they mated and gave birth to young, much like sea turtles today that nest from late spring to late fall depending on the region around the world. So it should come as no surprise that we find pregnant ichthyosaurs all around the world as the Flood lasted an entire year. It would have buried the females that were pregnant near their location of habitat. Evolutionists maintain that ichthyosaurs lived tens to hundreds of million years ago and each of the mothers found in the fossil record just died while giving birth. This is difficult to support in a millions magnitude time scale. That would mean every time a disaster happened, millions of years apart, the right conditions existed to quickly bury ichthyosaurs that just so happened to be pregnant. It just might take some “faith” to trust that “miracle” would happen over and over again through eons of time. Or you can have faith that the Word of God’s history is correct with a judgement of man’s sin bringing global devastation through the Flood during Noah’s 600th year of life. The Word of God is trustworthy, with even the fossil record showing us glimpses of historical evidence in support of our faith. I’m so thankful we don’t need blind faith to trust our salvation! Blessings.
14 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? 15 …if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?” 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 18 But if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.” Daniel 3:14-18 In the 6th century BC, three young men stood up for their faith in the one true God, for which someone attempted to kill them. Today, in the 21st century AD, one young man was gunned down for his faith in the one true God. And sadly, Charlie Kirk is not the only one. According to The Esther Project, martyrdom for the cause of Christ is commonplace around the world ( theestherproject.com/statistics ). On average: 322 Christians are killed monthly. 214 churches or Christian properties are destroyed monthly. 772 forms of violence (beatings, kidnappings, etc.) against Christians are committed monthly. 100,000 to 160,000 Christians are killed annually in the 21st century. 1.093 million Christians were martyred between 2000 and 2010. And more than 70 million Christians are believed to have been martyred since the 1st century, with more than half killed in the 20th century alone under communist and fascist governments. And how should Christians respond? Peter wrote, “ if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but glorify God in this name ” (I Peter 4:16). Jesus took this a step further; He told us, “ …love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you ” (Matthew 5:44). Now, as Shawn Grant, minister at Kissimmee Christian Church, FL, preached on the Sunday following the assassination, th at may not be what you want to hear right now, but that is what Jesus has told us we must do. Why? So the world will see the difference Jesus makes! The night of and the days after the assassination, businesses did not have to board up their stores. Police and soldiers did not have to be deployed. There were no riots, no property damages, no police spat upon – only tears, prayers, and a witness to the world that Jesus is the answer. So noticeable is this to the world, there were more international press requests for the Charlie Kirk memorial service than are requested for Super Bowls. Within seven days of his death, Kirk’s ministry Turning Point USA had received over 54,000 campus chapter requests. And most importantly, scores of videos of young people considering or even deciding to give their lives to Jesus have been posted to social media platforms.