"It's culture"

“It’s culture”.  For the most part, this statement annoys and frustrates me.  I think too many cultures in this world use this reasoning as an excuse to continue to do vile, hideous, and ungodly things to their people.  Sometimes the “it’s culture” statement is used in matters that in the grand scheme of the world don’t actually mean anything.  For example, Ethiopians primarily use “squatty potties”.  I, of course, prefer “western” toilets.  But is it really my place to tell people that they need to install “western” toilets in their homes, offices, or schools?  No.  Because after all “it’s culture” but more importantly, it isn’t hurting anyone (other than me, perhaps!).

Before I start in on my tirade let me just say: I love different cultures.  I love that different cultures have huge customs that are celebrated.  I love the different dress, colors, music, dances, food, and celebrations that each culture has to offer.  I wish I could travel all over the world (actually, Africa would be just fine. . .I would even start with just Ethiopia) and see how they all live.  I have heard of some pretty crazy (by my standards) things that different cultures in Ethiopia do but I would like to go and experience it.  

It makes me sad when countries lose their culture because another country (and it is usually somewhere from the Western world) moves in and takes over.  I love that Ethiopia has fought to keep their culture.  I have been to some other countries that try to look and act like America or whoever.  I think that you can learn things from different cultures and you can take something from them to enhance your own country but it just makes me sad when another country strives to become westernized and they lose themselves in the process.  This isn’t good for anyone.  It isn’t good for these particular countries and it isn’t good for the world.  

The amazing thing about this World is that there is so many different ways of doing things.  We can learn from each other.  Just because America or Canada or England does something a certain way doesn’t mean it is the right way.  Perhaps we are just the loudest?  I know America is guilty of pushing our culture on the rest of the world.  Seriously, how many big companies and aid organizations have to fail (sometimes at a huge embarrassment level) because an American shows up in some third-world country and tries to push “America” on them?  Maybe we need to take a step back and see why these countries are doing these things before we knock ‘em and try to push ourselves on them. 

Okay, I got off on a tangent.  Anyway, there are times when “it’s culture” doesn’t bother me, actually it makes me happy when different people groups fight for their culture.  However, it annoys and frustrates me when people use the “it’s culture” excuse to do things that are against God.

Beating your children, beating your wives, feeding your sons but not your daughters, not tithing, female genital mutilation, living in your posh life and ignoring the horrors of the rest of the world, “honor” killings, polygamy, and keeping up with the Joneses are a few examples of attitudes and actions around the world that people love to use the “it’s culture” statement to excuse their behavior.  I believe that it is culture but I believe it is culture of the devil-not necessarily culture of specific countries or tribes.  Sounds harsh, I know, but that is my opinion.

Let’s look at female genital mutilation (fgm): how did this start?  It doesn’t say to do it in the Bible, in the Torah, or in the Koran.  So we can hardly argue that it is religious.  From research I have read about it the sole purpose of fgm is to prevent women from enjoying sex and to prevent them from cheating on their husbands.  That sounds like a lie from the devil to me.  “If you mutilate little girls they will be good wives”.  Really?  The Bible says a good wife is to honor her husband.  Do you really think your wife will honor you if every time you have sex with her it is sheer torture for her?  Granted, the men are not the ones that are actually doing the mutilation but in these tribes the men will not marry women who have not been “cut”.  

Lest we as Americans are thinking right now “that is horrible, we don’t do anything that disgusting”.  Let’s take a look at our American culture of “more is better” or “we can never have enough”.  The Bible says in Colossians 3:5 “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.”  Greed is in the same list as sexual immorality and evil desires.  How many of us have thought “well, I am not perfect but at least I haven’t cheated on my husband like Suzy Q”?  We, as Christians, like to compare our sins to others.  But on judgement day we are not going to be compared to the person in front or behind us-we are going to be compared to Jesus.  

  

In Colossians 3:5 we also see that God considers greed as idolatry.  This greed could be in relation to money, food, or possessions just as an example.  Exodus 20:3 states “you shall have no other gods before me”.  We can see clearly in Colossians that greed is considered a god before God.  Some people may think “I may be sinning because of my greed but I am not hurting anyone”.  Actually yes you are.  Because if you live in a perpetual state of greed then you can not fulfill James 1:27.  It says:  “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world”.  If you are living in constant greed are you really helping orphans and widows?

We should not be so concerned about our own culture-we should be concerned about Kingdom Culture.  If something in our culture (or another) goes against Kingdom Culture then we should fight it.  After all, when you are standing in front of God accounting for your sins are you going to say “well that is the way we have always done it”?

What things in your culture do you need to stand up against?  I have a list of my own that I am working on.