Learn how to read the bible
  • Welcome
    • (Check your worldview)
    • 1. Check your bible
    • 2-I. Why you are going to hell
    • 2-II. How to avoid hell
    • 2-III. Check your salvation
    • 3-I. God's word is all authority
    • 3-II. Audio lessons
    • Warning
  • Learn how to read the bible
    • 1-I. Learn the establishment commandment
    • 1-II. Watch the video
    • 2. Put the establishment commandment into practice
    • Tips and warning
  • Get established in the faith

Prove all things.
by what standard, you decide


Prove all things. By what standard, you decide. Your standard by which you judge, your frame of reference, determines how you think the world works - and vice versa. This is your worldview. 

If you want your worldview to be realistic, you must be well versed in science: having understanding of truth or facts.

Is your worldview realistic?


Whether your worldview is realistic depends on your comprehension of truth or facts. And whether you recognize truth or facts depends on your standard of evidence: the burden of proof that you set. For instance, your standard of evidence to recognize creation. 

If you want your worldview to be realistic, you must understand:
  1. what truth is,
  2. your standard of evidence,
  3. that your standard of evidence determines your worldview.

These things are clarified below:

Truth


'Truth' is the conformity to fact or reality. 

'Truth' is the exact accordance with that:  
  • which is,
  • has been, or
  • shall be.

Speaking "the truth" means speaking conform the facts.
Two examples of acknowledging the truth, in conformity to the facts:
'Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the LORD said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years'
'Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll. And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I answered, I see a flying roll.'

Whether you recognize truth depends on your standard of evidence


Example.

Things exist. And things testify of their creator.

How? 

By their existence. 

'Existence' is the standard of evidence.

Under this standard of evidence, it follows that the existence of a thing is the sufficient evidence that proves that the thing is created. After establishing that a thing is created, it could be examined: 
  1. how the thing is created, 
  2. by whom, or
  3. both.
However, the answer to any of these two 'follow up' questions is no condition precedent to establish that the thing is created.

'Existence' is the standard of evidence to recognize creation. Two examples


Two examples of the probative witness of a thing, under the same standard of evidence. ('Probative' means 'serving for proof'.)

First example

I spot an airplane:
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I see the airplane exists. Therefore, I know the airplane is created. 

I don't know: 
  1. how this airplane is produced, or
  2. who caused it to exist. 
Yet I have no doubt that the airplane was brought into being. 

I don't need a factory visit or a meeting with Mr. Boeing to be persuaded. To see the airplane's existence is enough to have this fact established. Simple.

Second example

I see a bird:
Picture
I know the bird exists. Therefore, I know the bird is created.

The same standard of evidence can be used for all things


Things testify of their creator by their existence. 
​

This standard of evidence to recognize creation applies to all things that exist.

Evidence of your Creator


Understanding what truth is, and being aware that 'existence' is the standard of evidence for creation, it follows that:
  1. all things that exist testify of their Creator, his power and Godhead authority: from the creation of the world until now,
  2. our conscience testifies of the laws of our Creator, and
  3. our inevitable death shows that we are subject to the judgment of our Creator.

Given this evidence of our Creator, you are without excuse when you fail to recognize his existence.

These things are confirmed in the King James bible, the book of Romans, chapters 1 and 2 (you can read it here on page 792 and 793).

Is your worldview realistic? This is your responsibility


Reality versus your perception

'Reality' is the actual being of any thing; truth; fact; in distinction from mere appearance. Your worldview is your perception of reality: how you think the world works. 

These are two different things:
  • Reality.
  • Your perception.
Are you aware of this distinction? You should be. Because reality isn't defined by our perception or limited by it. Notwithstanding, some people unwittingly have this assumption. And if you are one of them, your intellectual sight is defected or limited.

You determine your perspective

You decide which facts you:
  • accept (believe), or
  • reject (don't believe).
And you decide by what criteria.

The truth versus your desired appearance

The ensuing frame of reference is your worldview. And it's your choice to either:
  • align your view to reality, or
  • support your preferred view in spite of reality: a desired appearance, contrary to reality.

Either the truth...

Worldview correction

Aligning your worldview to reality is simple. You must allow your view to be corrected by the truth. For this purpose, make sure that your standard of evidence is realistic (see above).

...or your desired appearance

Worldview validation

Willful ignorance
If you want to embrace your view in spite of truth, you embrace a lie. Notwithstanding, you can persuade yourself that your view is true. 

You can do this by:
  • lowering your standard of evidence for your own view; while simultaneously
  • increasing your standard of evidence for any contradiction to your view. 
It follows that you will not recognize contrary facts to be true, because they don't satisfy your increased burden of proof. 

This is willful ignorance. Or tactical stupidity.

Presented without further comment:
The increased burden of proof blinds you to reality.

Circular reasoning
Moreover, you can seek to validate your view by 'cherry-picking' supporting evidence. This will yield self assurance. However, you select this evidence by the standard you seek to validate. This is self-referential. And validating your view by your view is circular reasoning. And self deceit.

In other words...

'Worldview validation', in spite of truth, translates into 'self justification' in spite of truth. Hence it requires willful ignorance and circular reasoning.

Self justification


Self justification requires willful ignorance, which is self deception. The required willful ignorance ensues from the adjustment of your standard of evidence to justify either:
  • your acceptance of desirable facts, which could require you to lower your standard burden of proof (e.g. base your acceptance of a concerning fact on nothing more than your desire to accept it), or
  • reject undesirable facts by increasing your standard burden of proof ('raising the bar').

By using your personal worldview as your private measure to confirm your worldview (self justification), you commit a form of circular reasoning (willful ignorance), which is a fallacy that gives you false assurance (self deception).

By embracing this false assurance, you are not aware that you are deceiving yourself. And if you think you know, you actually don't know. Otherwise, you would not be doing it.

This however is only realized when your self justification can no longer be sustained. This can happen by personal choice or by personal failure, which failure will happen inevitably when you die. 

And then what? 
'God is not the author of confusion'
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