Western Approach
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Hebraic Approach
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Life analyzed in precise categories.
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Everything blurs into everything else.
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A split between natural & supernatural
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Supernatural affects everything.
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Linear logic
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Contextual or "block" logic
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"Rugged Individualism"
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Importance of being part of group
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Equality of persons
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Value comes from place in hierarchies
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Freedom orientation
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Security orientation
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Competition is good
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Competition is evil (cooperation better)
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Man-centered universe
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Yahweh/tribe/family-centered universe
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Worth of person based on money/material possessions/power
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Worth derived from family relationships
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Biological life sacred
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Social life supremely important
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Chance + cause & effect limit what can happen
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Yahweh causes everything in his universe
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Man rules nature through understanding and applying laws of science
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Yahweh rules everything, so relationship with God determines how things turn out.
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Power over others achieved through business, politics and human organizations.
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Power over others is structured by social patterns ordained by Yahweh.
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All that exists is the material
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The universe is filled with powerful spirit beings
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Linear time divided into neat segments. Each event is new.
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Cyclical or spiraling time. Similar events constantly reoccur.
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History is recording facts objectively and chronologically.
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History is an attempt to preserve significant truths in meaningful or memorable ways whether or not details are objective facts.
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Oriented to the near future
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Oriented to lessons of history
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Change is good = progress
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Change is bad = destruction of traditions
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Universe evolved by chance
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Universe created by Yahweh
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Universe dominated and controlled by science and technology
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Yahweh gave man stewardship over his earthly creation. Accountability to God.
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Material goods = measure of personal achievement
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Material goods = measure of Yahweh’s blessing
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Blind faith
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Knowledge-based faith
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Time as points on straight line ("at this point in time…"
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Time determined by content ("In the day that Yahweh did…")
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