The Dangers of Human Philosophy

The Dangers of Human Philosophy

Introduction

A. 1 Timothy 6:20 avoid worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called knowledge.

B. Philosophy and false doctrines are no small danger. We have all been affected by the doctrines of the unbelieving philosophers

I. Numerous warnings

A. Acts 17:18 epicurean and stoic philosophers

-- doctrines of demons, 1 Timothy 4:1

B. Colossians 2:8 philosophy and empty deception , tradition of men

-- 2:22 elementary principles of the world rather than through Christ.

C. 1 Corinthians 1 - 4

D. Ephesians 4:14 every wind of doctrine ..

.

E. Revelation 2:14/15 doctrines of the Nicolaitans

F. Rather "sound doctrine" -- Apostles' doctrine: Acts 2:42; 13:12 astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.

1. 1 Timothy 1:10; 4:6, 16;

2. 2 Tim 4:3

3. Titus 2:1, 10

II. One outstanding example

A. Friedrich Nietzsche (German philosopher, 1844-1900)

1. outspoken opponent of Jesus Christ.

2. son of a Lutheran pastor (Karl Ludwig). Both grandfathers and one uncle were Lutheran ministers

3. Happened to read Ludwig Feuerbach's skeptical treatise Essence of Christianity (at 17 years of age)

-- it was the era of German Higher Criticism and Humanist Rationalism widely infected the Lutheran church

-- another book by Schopenhaeurs: The World as Will and Representation fully convinced of atheism

-- Easter 1865 refused communion

B. Major leader in dismantling the faith of the West

1. Intended to strike "a destructive blow against Christianity"

2. Wrote The Antichrist -- declaring himself to be the antichrist, 1888. Within 3 months he lost his mind

3. Last 11 years of his life he was certifiably insane and cared for by his sister until he died.

4. Finally wrote "I am dead because I am stupid ... I am stupid because I am dead."

C. Major influence over other giants widely quoted in today's universities

1. Grandfather of modern psychology.

2. Influenced Jean-Paul Sartre of France -- existentialist

3. Influenced famous psychologists:

- Sigmund Freud, 1856-1939

-- Carl Jung, 1875-1961

-- Alfred Adler, 1870-1937: author of "self-realization" "self-actualization" and the entire "human potential movement"

-- Ayn Rand's self-assertive objectivism

4. Influenced playwrights George Bernard Shaw, and Eugene O'Neill

D. Cultural Revolution with Richard Wagner (1813-1883)

1. Germany's greatest creative genius"

2. Adolf Hitler

3. Appealed to Greek god Dionysus: all that is unrestrained, chaotic, dangerous, unexpected, intoxication

4. In his autobiography Ecce Homo Nietzsche pits Dionysus against Christianity

5. Wagner incorporated into music, ultimately in the 1960's popular music.

E. Cultural Revolution with Richard Wagner (1813-1883)

1. Survival of the fittest; and Eugenics

2. produced the bloodshed of Hitler and all later communist dictators

3. fulfilled his written prophecies: "No pain, no gain"

4. Nazi holocaust influenced by 150,000 printed copies made by the German army during the first World War of the book "Thus spake Zarathustra" -- written 4 years before his insanity.

-- odd collection about Zoroastrianism

-- continued in his autobiography Ecce Homo.