Cultures vary, touching nuch related to citizens of other cultures. Cultures ebb and flow with change, or no change, rising and declining through generations. Concepts touch and form even the small child. Some cultures have begun the life of a child in binding feet; to placing rings around the neck to stretch the neck for a tribe known to be tall without the stretch; to circumcision of males. or clitoral clip of females; and so the story proceeds This last has been taken to American courts when persons emigrated to the United States have continued the practice of clitoral circumcision on their infant girls, or circumcision for males. The defense relies on the tradition of their people, presumed to be a right. The issues of culture are serious and may be difficult to manage. Culture, without God, is a kind of human religion. It sometimes flirts with abuse, even compulsory sin, but is presumed sacred acts to the devotees of the culture. The culture of voodoo, for example, sometimes means death for the individuals chosen, but more commonly ends with the person mentally maimed for life. Laws in America now include right to abortion, so to insist in some locales that physicians, Christian or not, should perform abortions on request. For most Christians, in an understanding of the gift of life, such a requirement becomes diabolical. Abortion is made a right, so to insist that all physicians be devoid of conscience so to carry it out, is argued for law. It is a distortion of a culture of righteousness. It is odd that a nation where one might go to jail for destroying an eagle’s egg, can be seen as good in taking the life of a human fetus. Nature, which is all humanists have, is to be honored in one event, and violated in another similar event, but higher in status, is contradictory.
It is touchy to the world that Christianity introduces challenges to every culture. Christianity presses for some cultural change, based on affirmative proposals. It does not focus primarily on the faults of the current culture, but holds out for affirmative approval of righteousness that may challenge this or that factor in a culture needing amendment. Amendment may discard, or in some wise change factors. This position can be interpreted in various ways, and may become cause for zealots to kill any persons who challenge or violate the preferred culture. There are periodic reports of persons, usually women, killed by members of their own families because they violated something in their culture. To the American the practice is barbaric. To the brother of the slain woman the murder may have been made an obligation of the culture.
Christian missionaries have funded homes for abandoned babies (female in majority) and have been pressured sometimes negatively in the culture for their efforts. These and others work a fine line on a number of issues that may be understood as culture. Christian culture holds to the sanctity of human life. Conscious life is the gift of God to human beings. No matter what the culture may be, the right of life is to be nurtured, cared for, protected, and treated with dignity – is highly valued. The source of the life holds some rights. This pertains even when the individual, or society, takes a lesser view. The Christian view of righteous society is not only based on holiness in the gift-giver’s nature, but expectations for his gift. Christians argue that righteousness (rightness) is the best context for the person with the gift of life, and the best for the society in which that person lives and functions. Life is an important point here. A live gift is different than any other gift. I may give a rag doll to my little girl. Nothing is deemed lost when the doll becomes frayed, and may be tossed away, especially when a new and better appearing one arrives as a gift. But to give a puppy, or a kitten, to the child is something else. The puppy is now to be cared for, treated well, and loved. It should not be tortured, forced to whine, made miserable by pulling at the tail, or blowing in the ears. The living pet is protected as something special in gifts. The analogy teaches about meaning of life value, of love and care. Whatever God has given in his creative gestures in nature, there is not one factor more important than the living human being. In that context, adults ought to live, to parent wisely, to make laws, to provide models, to seek proper welfare, to offer love, to educate, to cherish their children so to build citizenship for the kingdom of God. To violate that ideal at any stage in the process is to violate God’s purpose of life to mankind. That duty requires considerable work, devotion, protection, sacrifice and nurture at any stage. The awards are enormous and special. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020