Multiculturalism & Belief

Not all values, beliefs, and lifestyles are equal.

Does this sound contrary to “All men are created equal?“ It is true that all men and women are created equal. But all cultural values and lifestyles are not equal.

The Bible backs this view. The message from God to Pharoah in the midst of the Old Testament plagues was, “I will make a distinction between my people and your people.” (Ex 8:23) God Himself declares a difference between my and your.

Christian leader Josh McDowell writes, “The basic belief of multiculturalism … is that all cultural values, beliefs, lifestyles, and truth claims are equal; there is no standard by which one can judge one cultural value as “better” or “worse” than that which exists in another culture.”1

German Chancellor Angela Merkel recently said multiculturalism has failed in Germany. She challenged Turkish immigrants in Germany to embrace her countries ‘Christian’ values. Not to become Christians, but to adapt to the cultural values, lifestyle, and language of Germany rooted in a Judeo-Christian worldview.

In the New Testament Paul draws a distinction between the believers and the worldly. “All of us also lived among them at one time … like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath… But … God … made us alive…” (Eph 2:3-4) Us and them. In another place he writes, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.” (2 Cor 6:14)

Today, many tell us that all beliefs and lifestyles are equal. If that is true, then the Ku Klux Klan lifestyle is equal to our current pop culture lifestyle.

As Christians we’re called to love all people and to hold what is true. We are not to give equal value to every belief.

How do we do this? We can begin by heeding the advice of Paul: “… speaking the truth in love” (Eph 4:15) Not just speaking truth – and not just “love” that compromises our convictions. McDowell says, “strike the biblical balance of aggressively living in love while humbly standing for truth.”2 Aggressive in love… humble in truth!

1 - Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler, The New Tolerance (Carol Stream, Ill: Tyndale House Publishers) 63
2 - Ibid, 97

Hey... That's Not Right!

I love Sci-Fi movies. As a kid, a favorite was the 1951 “The Day the Earth Stood Still.” When the remake came out, I couldn’t wait to see it. I did not remember the child character Jaden Smith played in the film. Inwardly I fumed, “Will Smith’ must have used his power to get his son into that script. That’s so unfair. They ruined a classic movie.” My daughter heard my gripes along these lines. I told her, “It’s nepotism.” She said, “How do you know that? Do you know the facts?”

Uhhhhh. Guess who was right?

Nepotism is “Favoritism to a relation, as by granting employment.”1 The operative word being “favoritism.” That’s the issue. There is nothing wrong with granting employment to a relative or letting Junior take over the family business. That is commendable. But when it’s done with favoritism, it is wrong. Favoritism implies someone else got the shaft.

Showing partiality, respect of persons, unabashed bias, being unfair, these are traits despised by our society. That’s the underlying suspicion that upset me about “The Day the Earth Stood Still.”

Nepotism has to do with the exercise of authority. How the authority is applied determines if it’s nepotism or love. If it involves favoritism and injustice, it’s wrong. If it is done fairly, then it’s virtue.

The Bible says “with the Lord our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.”2 God’s character is fair, for “all His ways are just.”3 Authors Bickel and Jantz say, “God doesn’t grade on a curve, and He doesn’t play favorites.”4 All His ways are just! Because the Lord is perfectly impartial we admire impartiality in human beings. Social admiration is often directed to behavior congruent with the character of God.

Now we humans are a different kettle of fish. With a couple of rightly placed questions my bad attitude toward the Smiths was revealed. I had to admit I was accusing them. Why was I not so critical about others. How did George W. Bush get into politics? Doesn’t respected Christian author Josh McDowell get his son Sean exposure on a major level? That didn’t bother me. I was making assumptions without facts.

My bad. Will and Jaden … sorry.

To add insult to injury, I found out there was a child character in the original “Day...” Go figure?

Let’s face it, playing favorites and judging others often happens among us. One of Job’s comforters in the Bible, young Elihu boasted, “I will show partiality to no one.”5 Words are cheap, buddy. We tend to give close friends more stock than a stranger. Our kid is likely to get the nod over an acquaintance’s child sometimes.

So the next time you’re ready to rail on “the teacher’s pet,” the boss, or a fellow employee – repeat this prayer: “Lord, don’t let me be partial and unjust. Stop me from glibly accusing others of being that way. Enable me to be like you, fair and impartial, while not failing to bless my family and close friends. Amen.”

Well, I have to go. I’m gonna check out Billy Gray as “Bobby” in the original “Day the Earth Stood Still.”
Say, I wonder if Billy Gray had connections? How did that kid get the role anyway?

1 - Webster’s Standard Dictionary, (USA: Trident Reference Publishing, 2006)
2 - 2 Chronicles 19:7
3 - Deuteronomy 32:4
4 - Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz, Evidence for Faith 101, (Eugene, Ore: Harvest House Publishers, 2008) 70
5 - Job 32:21