Point: Presuppositional apologetics is really a worldview apologetics that among other things, analyzes the foundational beliefs of those who challenge the Christian worldview. In other words, Presuppositionalists engages in an internal critique against an opponent’s presuppositions to show how they cannot provide the “solid foundation” to make human experiences intelligible and meaningful. Sometimes people might not understand what the presuppositionalists is doing so an illustration is in order.
Picture: I read this news story about how there are these massive sinkholes in a parish in Louisiana.
The youtube video of it is, well, frightening:
And here’s another video of the same area in Louisiana:
Obviously, with a whole town that has become a sinkhole, it’s not a place with good foundation to do much.
And if you were to have things above it, no matter if it’s a long tree, a house, etc, all these good things will sink away because what’s beneath it is terrible “ground” that does not provide the foundation for these good things to stand. That’s the same way it is with a lot of presuppositions of worldviews against Christianity: their foundational beliefs actually undermines instead of support the second tier beliefs or experiences that they might have. The presuppositions are a problem.
POSSIBLE SCENARIO FOR EMPLOYING THIS ILLUSTRATION DURING APOLOGETIC EVANGELISM
<After employing Presuppositional apologetics in a conversation >
OPPONENT: I don’t get what you are trying to do with my presuppositions. What’s your point?
CHRISTIAN: I’m trying to show how your worldview is self-refuting and how the foundational beliefs you hold ends up undermining the things you use against Christianity such as logic, morality, knowledge, etc. I suppose an illustration would be appropriate. Have you heard about these terrible sinkholes in Louisiana?
OPPONENT: No.
<Give illustration >
CHRISTIAN: Would you go out and build a house with a sinkhole as a foundation?
OPPONENT: (Laughs) Of course not!
CHRISTIAN: I didn’t think so. In the same way, what I’m trying to show you is that you are trying to build all these good things but it rests on your presuppostions, that is, your foundation for your building, on a terrible sink hole that collapses all that is good away.
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Nice illustration.
Appreciate it! Praying that the Lord will grant more illustration useful for apologetics and evangelism
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[…] Apologetics Sermon Illustration # 16: Bad foundations of worldviews and Louisiana Sinkhole […]
[…] Bad foundations of worldviews and Louisiana Sinkhole […]
[…] which he directs against the Christian position?” we see the author of SAB has a bad worldview foundation as problematic as a Louisiana Sinkhole. That is his own worldview just swallows up his “guns” […]
[…] Bad foundations of worldviews and Louisiana Sinkhole […]
A fitting analogy
[…] Bad foundations of worldviews and Louisiana Sinkhole […]
[…] Bad foundations of worldviews and Louisiana Sinkhole […]
[…] Bad foundations of worldviews and Louisiana Sinkhole […]