A pinch of this, a dab of that, and I can be palatable to those who call themselves Christians and still be popular with those who do not identify in this way. A little Jesus will get me sober. A little Jesus will comfort me when I mess up. A little Jesus comes in handy when I need to feel that I am more than just me. A little Jesus means I can be what I am while claiming to be something more.
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… there are a lot of old sayings. For some, old means outdated. For others old means tested and true. Some will scoff, others will listen and apply, still others will avoid anything remotely linked to the wisdom of the past or even present day. From Shakespeare to Plato, from Jung to Nietzsche, from Grandma and Grandpa to schoolteachers or preachers, there will always be old (maybe not very old) saying(s) that are adopted or rejected not because we have thought them through but because we have relegated them to live or die in our minds based on how comfortable or uncomfortable they make us feel. Maybe the graveyard in our brains is full of life cut short because I don’t like to feel uncomfortable.
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The dictionary defines culture as, “the beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a particular society, group, place, or time” (merriam-webster). There are variations of the definition, but they all point to a way of acting and interacting based on shared values/beliefs in a group of people. To have a culture is to have an identity or at least the beginnings of an identity on which we can build who we are and how we interact. I am fine with an accepted set of values defining how we involve ourselves in each other’s lives especially when they are based in the Bible. But even in communities of believers, it doesn’t take much to go from biblical culture to biblically based unbiblical behaviours.
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The simple answer is NO! I am not sure how you are reacting to this assertion of mine or even if you will continue reading but one thing I am sure of is that if you go beyond the basic idea and actually attempt to conceptualize what a Christian country would look like you will most likely arrive at a similar conclusion. If you are still along for the ride, let’s work through this together.
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Oh, the good old days when everything was perfect; how I long for the days of my youth when life was simpler and cheaper. Well, to be honest, one of the reasons life was simpler was because I didn’t know how much things cost because I didn’t have to buy them, which is part of the reason that life was simpler. Sunday was church day, Tuesday was laundry day for clothes and Thursday was laundry day for towels and sheets. Dinner was at 6 PM, lunch always at noon. All I had to do was put my dirty laundry in its place and it would show up clean, and respond to my parent’s call for food and it would show up on my plate. Oh, The good old days!
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…an outside observer with no actual issue taking issue with something or someone on another’s behalf. There was a time when the best offence was a good defence, but things have changed. Instead of playing defence people have taken to making others go on the defence because they find what they are saying offensive. Yes, there are universally offensive actions, at least there used to be, but what was once black and white has become grey while what was once no big deal has become the thing most offensive to a select group of self-appointed defenders of those they perceive in need of defence.
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