A worldview is a picture of what we believe is real and true about the universe. Our worldview helps us make sense of our interaction with the world. It gives us a place to live intellectually. Every person has a world view. As Latter-day Saints, we had a particular perspective about God, humanity, and the created world. But most people are not conscious of their own view of reality or intentional about building a consistent worldview.
It takes time to develop a coherent worldview.
As you come out of one worldview, the question arises: what are you going to replace that with? What ideas will now shape your reality? What will you believe? It’s not just about learning a variety of particular truths. You will need to construct those truths into a coherent whole that makes sense. Until you put all the pieces together into a consistent worldview, you will continue to go around in circles. This takes time. It won’t happen over a weekend.
[Related: What Is a Biblical Wordview?]
There are many competing worldviews.
There are many worldviews that people believe, and every one of them is in competition with every other one, because every worldview will assert some kind of universal claim. Every worldview makes absolute claims about what is the right way to think about the universe. You can evaluate these claims by asking some basic questions. Is this worldview credible? Does it add up? Does it explain what we actually observe? Can it be verified? Can it be tested? How does it affect the lives of the people who believe it?
[Related: How Much Proof Do I Need to Believe?]
Consider the Christian worldview.
One option is the Christian worldview – the view of reality presented in the Bible. We encourage you to evaluate the Christian worldview like any other. : Is it credible? Does it add up? Can the Bible be tested and verified? Does the Christian story explain what you actually observe in life? For example, does what the Bible says about human nature fit with what we see in experience? Does the Christian worldview bear fruit? Does it change people’s lives? We believe that the Christian worldview makes the best sense of all the data.
[Related: Study the Truth After Mormonism]
The ultimate worldview question to solve is “Who is Jesus?”.
There is one worldview issue for people leaving Mormonism that trumps everything else: the question of Jesus’ identity. In Matthew 16:13, Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” They gave him some answers: “Some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets” (verse 14). Then in verse 15 he confronted them, “But who do YOU say I am?” That question was a monumental turning point in their relationship with him. Peter declared, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” Jesus is asking us the same question. A person can make it pretty far toward a healthy new faith life after Mormonism without resolving every question or issue. But you won’t make it very far until you resolve this one: “Who is Jesus?” Is he who he said he is? What is the purpose of his activity in the world? Why did he go to the cross? Is Jesus enough?
[Related: Jesus – Older Brother or Eternal God?]
[Related: Who Is Jesus?]
[Related: Make Sure You Get Jesus Right]
The Christian worldview is not all about the details of every doctrine. It’s not about traditions that have been passed down over the centuries. There is value in that heritage and in those conversations, but that’s not what defines Christianity. Christianity is not about what church you’re a member of. It’s about Jesus. He is the core of our entire worldview. That’s why this is the most important question to figure out as you seek to frame a coherent new worldview.
