BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW - BOOK RECOMMENDATION by BARNA: “American Worldview Inventory 2021-22: The Annual Report on the State of Worldview in the United States” (published 6-7-2022; article #332)

Introduction

Greetings, to my national and international readers! I hope that each person is doing well, by God's grace.

As a quick aside, our car hunt saga (mentioned in the introduction to the Monday, May 30, 2022, article) is over! On the anniversary of D-Day, we completed the purchase of our new, ol' car. Our “long-suffering” '08 Honda Civic was replaced by a new, to us, car. In a few days, I plan to write and publish an article, on the details.

Spin the Bottle!

In childhood, we used to play “spin the bottle.” It was fun. Boys tried to get the bottle to stop and point to a pretty girl. That was when boys were boys, and girls were girls.

In this once great nation, the ongoing spins – on morality, ethics, norms, and culture – are dizzying. The ongoing political spins – on “gun control,” inflation, the national debt, border insecurity, ad nauseam – sicken me intellectually.

For several days, I had been worked – on and off, while searching for another car – on draft articles, for various “spin the bottle” topics, such as the murder of unborn children (euphemistically called abortion), “mass shootings,” “gun control,” inflation, and so forth. I could not keep up! The “bottle” was “spinning” too fast! The USSA decline into Socialist Utopian Oblivion is spinning this once great nation around and down very quickly! (I prefer USSA, for Un-united Socialist States of America.)

The Worldview Spin

After my 5/30/2022 article, I had listened to “Unashamed with Phil & Jase Robertson,” on Blaze Podcast Network. I listened to “Ep 487 | Jase Can't Believe Zach Dasher’s Shocking Info & Phil Warns Against Worldly Friendship” (55 minutes, 5/30/2022).

The conversation referenced an Arizona Christian University survey, by Dr. George Barna, that contained shocking findings, in USA religious culture. I was intrigued! Since the podcast was audio only, no exact source could be cited. I started my online research.

That podcast centered my focus from all the “spin the bottle” points that were dizzying me – to deeper thoughts on worldview conflicts, in this once great nation, which are causing all the “spinning.”

"American Worldview Inventory 2021-22"

On 6/1/2022, my research, inspired by the Robertson's podcast, found the Arizona Christian University, Cultural Research Center, Dr. George Barna, Director of Research. From that Cultural Research Center research link, I found, purchased, and downloaded the 146-page book, “American Worldview Inventory 2021-22: The Annual Report on the State of Worldview in the United States,” by George Barna, Arizona Christian University Press, Kindle Edition.

That research link includes links to several free PDF file downloads. I downloaded two of them: “Release #5: Shocking Results Concerning the Worldview of Christian Pastors (Dr. George Barna, Director of Research, Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, Release Date May 10, 2022)” and “Release #6: Only Half of Evangelical Pastors Possess a Biblical Worldview; Incidence Even Lower for Most Denominations (Dr. George Barna, Director of Research, Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, Release Date May 24, 2022).”

The following is a quote, from the “Introduction,” on page 8, to the book, “American Worldview Inventory 2021-22: The Annual Report on the State of Worldview in the United States:”

Only 6 percent of American adults possess a biblical worldview. The incidence was higher in certain portions of the population, such as theologically defined born-again Christians (19% had a biblical worldview), people who regularly attend an evangelical Christian church (21%), and SAGE Cons (44% among those who are Spiritually Active Governance Engaged Conservative Christians).

The Robertson podcast, mentioned previously, was a discussion on the biblical worldview decline, among those who call themselves Christians.

Conclusion

I suggest strongly that you listen to the Robertson podcast that I have mentioned. I also suggest strongly that you visit the Arizona Christian University, Cultural Research Center, website that I have referenced and read or download the free PDF files – or buy the book.

As I listened to Phil Robertson and his family, on 5/30/2022, I thought that Phil Robertson is like a voice crying in the wilderness. To this once great nation, he is trying to warn the majority, who have unbiblical worldviews, and trying to guide them to the straight and narrow, biblical, worldview.

The inspired Apostle John wrote about John the immersionist:

He [John the Immersionist] said: I am The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Make straight the way of the LORD,’ as the prophet Isaiah said. (John 1:23, NKJV).

John the Immersionist referenced Isaiah 40:3. I suggest that you read all thirty-one verses in Isaiah chapter 40 and John chapter 1, verses 1-28, in context.

Dr. Barna -- in chapter five of his book that I have referenced -- lists, explains, and discusses “TEN SEDUCTIVE UNBIBLICAL IDEAS WIDELY EMBRACED BY AMERICANS” (Barna. American Worldview Inventory 2021-22, p. 55. Arizona Christian University Press. Kindle Edition.):

• Having faith matters more than what faith you have.
• All faiths are of equal value.
• Belief in “karma,” the idea rooted in Eastern religions that “you get what you give.”
• There is no absolute moral truth.
• All moral truth is personal and subjective.
• People are “basically good.”
• Success is determined by happiness, comfort, goodness, or fulfilled potential.
• Sexual relations apart from marriage are morally acceptable.
• People are not inherently sinful.
• The accumulation of personal wealth is unrelated to God’s blessings or purposes.

– Barna. American Worldview Inventory 2021-22 (pp. 55-56). Arizona Christian University Press. Kindle Edition.

The ten (or more) worldviews that are not biblical are creating the “spin the bottle” moral and ethical conflicts and agendas – in this once great nation.

Voices are crying in the wilderness – to warn of the many wrong worldview paths and to encourage the straight and narrow, biblical, worldview path. I have always speculated that much of so called “Christianity” is not following the biblical worldview. Dr. Barna has confirmed this. I am thankful to Phil Robertson and his family for directing me to Dr. Barna's book.

To readers, who follow the biblical worldview, join or continue the effort to be voices crying in the wilderness! To readers, who are not following the biblical worldview, even if claiming to be Christian, examine yourselves, please! You need to change direction – before it is too late, everlastingly.

I still have several rough draft articles on “spin the bottle.” I may finish and publish the various “spins,” but they will be within the context of this overarching article of today.