The Deadliest Monster

If you are interested in looking more in depth at the nature of man and worldviews, I would recommend you check out The Deadliest Monster by J.F. Baldwin.


It's a really good book; I've gotten my information for my lost few posts from this book. Mr. Baldwin does an excellent exploring the subject and explains it well. He drives into other worldviews and how the view of the nature of man affects us.


In June, I had the honor of meeting Mr. Baldwin and hearing him speak at Worldview Academy. He is a brilliant man. I would highly recommend reading it.

Product Description

What kind of a monster are you? Mr. Hyde? Frankenstein? The answer forms the foundation of your "worldview," says Baldwin, in this thought-provoking discussion about the nature of man. He explores a wide range of assumptions about God, truth, morality, psychology, and politics---and offers a systematic catalog of the ways in which the Christian perspective best matches reality. Ages 14 and up. 272 pages, softcover from Fishermen.

Order the book at Christianbooks.com

The Hyde Monster

According to the Bible, we are all like Hyde. We are born with the evil all ready inside of us. Society doesn’t corrupt us and make us do evil. We are born ready to do evil without any help.

Have you ever noticed that you never have to teach a child to hit, or to lie, or to talk back? Those are skills they devolve all on their own. Mankind is basically evil.

This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of men, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead.
Ecclesiastes 9:3

The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?
Jeremiah 17:8-10

It’s kind of scary. We don’t like the idea that babies are all ready corrupted, or that we are only capable to do wrong and are incapable to do anything good, including saving ourselves from own monster.

This is the biggest separation between worldviews; every other world view believes that man is basically good, and therefore can earn his own salvation. Christianity says that man is basically evil and therefore can’t earn his salvation. An outside force must save him.

As Christians, we are saved by Jesus Christ. We are able to watch our Hyde crucified and die. We are able to be set from slavery to our evil twin, and new are free to serve the One who freed us.

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:24-25

What Kind of Monster are you?

Ok, so you may be wounding why we’ve been talking about these two old books. So what, you might say. Who cares about books written in the 1880s? Well, the reason I brought up the story of Hyde and Frankenstein is because one of these stories is true.

Which story do you think it is? Which monster describes mankind? It can’t be both. Let’s look at the fundamental differences between the two:

Hyde

• Man is inherently evil
• Evil (sin) controls us and leads to death
• Individual is responsible for his wrong actions
• Man can’t save himself

Frankenstein

• Man is basically good
• Society turns him evil, and therefore is responsible for his wrong actions
• Man can save himself

As you can see, both monsters can’t be true. So, what kind of monster are you? Comment your answer.

The Story of Frankenstein

Dr. Victor Frankenstein, like Dr. Henry Jekyll, was a great scientist. He began collecting parts of various corpses, sewed them together, and gave them the spark of life. The monster is large and so horrible, that Frankenstein flees. Victor doesn’t see the monster again for years.

The peaceful time is shattered when Victory’s little brother is murdered. All though a family friend is accused, Victory believes that his monster is responsible.

During a trip in the mountains, Victor meets his monster. In his defense, the monster tells his story; wherever he turned, he found hatred of men. He thought it was because he couldn’t communicate, so he taught himself to read and write. He also preformed good deeds. He wanted to prove that he was good, pure, and, worth of friendship. He claimed,“

"For a long time I could not conceive how one man could go forth and murder his fellow, or even why there were laws and government.”

The innocence didn’t last. Men still hated him and, while saving woman from drowning, he was shot in the shoulder by her fiancé. This is the last straw, and the monster vows vengeance to all mankind.

“I was benevolent and good; misery made me a fiend. Make me happy, and I will again be virtuous.”

The monster begs Victor to make him a companion that would love him. When Victor refuses, the monster swears to kill Victor’s fiancé, which he does. Victor sets out to kill the monster and tracks him up into the frozen arctic. Both Victor and the monster freeze.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Henry Jekyll is a well respected member of London society. In his professional life, he is a medical doctor, scientist and academician.

Dr. Henry Jekyll believes that there are two distinct sides to men - a good and an evil side. He believes that by separating the two man can become liberated. In his experiments, he uses himself as the subject to test his hypothesis. His evil side, who he coins Mr. Hyde, escapes into London, and terrorizes the city. When Hyde drinks the potion, he transforms back into Dr. Jekyll.

When Henry is Hyde, he is purity evil and free to be wicket without hurting Dr. Jekyll’s reputation. When Henry is Dr. Jekyll again, he is not purely good, but a mix of good and evil.

"Hence, although I had now two characters as well as two appearances, one was wholly evil, and the other was still old Henry Jekyll, that incongruous compound of whose reformation and improvement I had all ready learned to despair. The movement was thus wholly toward the worse."

As time goes by, it becomes easier to transform into Hyde, but harder and more painful to transform back into Jekyll. Soon, Henry starts transforming into Hyde without the aid of the potion.

Henry realizes that he can’t be both men, but he will have to choice one twin and stay him. By then, it is too late. Hyde has taken over, and Henry can’t transform back into Jekyll, no matter how much of the potion he drinks. He is trapped in Hyde’s body. He chooses suicide rather than enslavement to his monster.

Worldview Academy

I’ve just gotten back from the best week of my life. I was at Worldview Academy June 6th—11th. Was amazing! The speakers were good, and I learned a lot of great stuff. I would highly recommend going. I can’t wait to share some of the amazing things I’ve learned!

www.worldview.org

Food for Thought: Giving

Food for thought: what if everything you gave away you got again in heaven? How much would you have?