Ed, It depends on whether the world was created (Theism). Or the world ‘just happened ’ (Atheism). Theism lay behind world history until the 1800s. Ancient civilisations believed in various gods. But Hebrews believed in one God who would fully reveal Himself as the Messiah. Christians believe that Messiah is Jesus Christ, who said we are: – – Made in God’s image. – Able to love God 100% and others as self. (When reconciled to God) (1). – Morally accountable, reconciliation being both present and eternal (2). This was the moral basis of Western civilisation till the 1800’s (4). But then evolution theory made atheism respectable. Lacking its original world changing dynamic, Christianity has since then, allowed atheism to dominate world history. Resulting in dictatorships, world wars, the cold war and a revitalised Islam. Atheism is now promoted by ‘progressives’. Using dictatorial political correctness, they silence opposition by replacing conscience and morality with fear of the law eg ‘human rights’ laws. So what’s the world coming to? It depends on which world view prevails. Atheism’s dictatorial amorality (3) or Theism’s (Judeo/Christian) morality (4) above. Good government is based on objective moral foundations. The alternative is government based on ideological relativism. As someone famously said “I’m neither right nor left wing, they’re both flapping on the same tired old bird”. Notes 1. According to the bible, the world is God’s masterpiece, where man was made in His image, enjoyed life in a personal relationship with Him. But man used freewill to reject that life, the penalty being death. So God came in the person of the tradesman Jesus Christ and paid everyone’s death penalty. Belief He did and sorrow it was necessary, brings reconciliation with God, life in a personal relationship with Him and acquittal on Judgment day. 2. Answering the basis human questions ‘who am I, what am I here for, where am I going, and will justice and truth ultimately prevail’? 3. Atheists (unlike Theists) have no external objective moral foundations such as the ten Commandments (summed up by the ‘golden rule’ – 1). Therefore they give their own subjective meanings to moral terms like fairness, equality etc. More information about the Judeo/Christian ethic is on the net at ‘easyreadbible.com’ Bill Newton, Yamba