Carol McClain

Cultural Identity Applies to Christians Too

by Carol McClain

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others,that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

—Matt. 5: 14-16

Critics complain Christians deny cultural identities when those communities differ from a Christian perspective. In effect, so many “enlightened” pundits claim a Christian has no right to their own cultural ethos.

Let me explain.

I read a poem recently. Here an indigenous man loved the legends his uncle told of coyotes being cultural heroes. Then his mother sent him to a Catholic school. The poet told his coyote tales there, and the school frowned on them. Instead they taught him about Moses and Jesus.

He lamented these Biblical “tales” made him forget about his cultural heroes. He seemed to forget those esteemed creatures  are vicious, carnivorous predators. Yet the poet longed for these.

As people of faith, today’s cultural ethos tells us to place our light under a bushel basket because what we believe counters someone else’s beliefs. However, this young poet was in a Catholic school. He expected the Catholics to not teach their beliefs. To allow him to follow a lie (a lie he called “his truth”).

And here are my questions: Isn’t this dictate–to not speak of God or the Bible an abrogation of a Christian’s cultural identity? Are we to deny what we know as truth so we don’t offend a non-believer?

Christian, don’t fall for the compassionate fallacy. If a doctor has a cure, he has an obligation to let the patient know. We have the cure. We have a right to believe. We have a right to practice.

Do not let the world call your good evil (Is. 5:20). Do not put your lamp under a bowl.