Marbaniang, Domenic

I do not think that it is right to turn to cultural anthropologies in order to either affirm or negate a doctrine. Human experience is not the criteria of biblical doctrine. For instance, there have been cultures where people lived nude, without any covering whatsoever, and felt no sense of shame--that doesn't falsify the Genesis account in which Adam and Eve felt ashamed that they were naked, after the Fall. There have been certain cultures where cannibalism was practiced and people ate their neighbors--that doesn't become an experiential argument for the ethical innocence of cannibalism. I think we must be careful not to bring in the experience of man in a culture to validate or invalidate a biblical doctrine.

It is important for us to affirm some of the absolutes that Paul highlights about God-Christ-Man-Woman relationship: 1. The head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God (1Cor.11:3). Certainly, this is not with reference to the Church; for, Christ is the head of the Church and in Christ there is neither male nor female (Gal.3:28). So, this is with reference to creation-order of authority. 2. Man is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man (in the Creation-order) (1Cor.11:7). However, in the absolute sense, both male and female are created as man in the image of God (Gen.1:27). 3. Man is not from woman, but woman from man (in the Creation-order) (1Cor.11:8). 4. Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord . For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God. (1Cor. 11:11-12) 5. Man was not created for the woman, but woman for the man (...

In the past, empires and regimes identified national integrity with a cultural, ideological or religious unity of some kind. Thus, from Nebuchadnezzar's Golden Image and Alexander's Hellenization to Nazi Fascism and Soviet Communism, the attempt was to unify on the basis of symbols, forms, and slogans. However, it didn't unite but only divide turning a nation against itself and its own people, in some cases leading to persecution by the government of the very people it was called to protect. Opposed to such false ideals of national integrity, modern secular constitutions envisage justice, equality, fraternity, and liberty as the chief principles of nationhood. In an increasingly globalizing era, cultural pride and cultural monism can never be the answer. The parade and propagation of symbols and slogans don't help much in the improvement of the nation. Pride goes before destruction. The Parable of the Good Samaritan is one of the best illustrations of the real need. The...

Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations-- "Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle," which all concern things which perish with the using-- according to the commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. (Col 2:20-23 NKJ) Paul is referring here to an essential principle of Christian doctrine: Commandments that relate to perishable things are basic to the material world, but not basic to the Kingdom of God. In such a sense they are relative to the world but are not absolutely absolute. 1. These commandments concern things which perish with the using; therefore, they cannot be imperishable. Thus, for instance, customs related to washing of hands and feet before sitting for dinner may apply in one culture bu...

NOTE: This is not a dogmatic stance, but only an hypothetical exploration attempting linguistic clarification. Culture and Religion are not the same, though they are very close. There are various theories that suggest a model of relationship between them. One of them tries to see Religion as the soul of culture. This view doesn't consider the fact that there could also be non-religious cultures. Perhaps, one may quote the Pirahas as an example of such a culture. ( Wiki ) Of course, this doesn't rule out the fact that some kind of belief-system may be involved in a culture. Another view looks at Religion as an organic part of Culture, but in such a manner that it affects the other parts. We suggest here that the elements that can be altered through religious effect are religious elements, and the basic elements that religion may use (e.g. language, art, science) for its own purposes are cultural. Of course, there are cases where the usage takes on religious flavors; however, the...

Apathy may be defined as the absence of interest, empathy, sympathy, concern, and care. It is the breeding ground of evil. There are at least three sources of apathy that are evil-prone: 1. False Understanding (Ignorance, Dehumanization, Deindividuation) It may come from a false understanding of facts regarding life and the world. Philip Zimbardo highlights two mechanisms that steer the mind towards evil: dehumanization and deindividuation. If a person treats other humans as less than humans (dehumanization), then he cannot sympathize (feel along) with them. Similarly, if one can't see the other as persons, one cannot sympathize. For instance, it is easier for a man to push a button to launch a missile and kill thousands, without feeling moral pain, than for one to kill people in person. This is a form of "ignorance" in which you "do not know" the others; they might just be numbers and statistics. Daily Example: People who feel nothing about, but feel exultant, ...

Clothing and culture are closely knit together. Often, clothing is identified with culture. However, in modern times, people in most parts of the world are embracing a plurality of inter-cultural dress culture. The dominating influence is Western. People of some cultures have protested against the new dress forms (imported or innovated) as threatening the indigenous forms. Much can be written on the variety of issues that concern the dress ethic and theology. However, that is not the goal here. One can take any of the many approaches to understand the origin, nature, function, and end of clothing. For instance, one can take the historical approach and study the origin and evolution of one or many dress forms; similarly, one can take the psychological approach and study human behavior and attitudes towards clothing from childhood to old age. Likewise, one can also take the religious approach and see what religion has to say about clothing with regard to sin, purity, ritual, and salvatio...

.. if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you. (Exo 23:33  NKJ ) 1. Gods of IMAGINATION - The Gods of Craving (Deut 4:28; Jer 1:16) They are unreal and based on human imagination and wishful desire. Examples: Barbie doll, Heman, James Bond, Playboy, False ideals, etc. 2. Gods of INSPIRATION - The Gods of Charisma (Ex.32:1) They are figures that inspire at the cost of the gifts that God has given to us. The Israelites got the jewelry as God's gift from the Egyptians; but, now the devil is taking all of that so that they can have dead gods (powerless in themselves) to lead by false inspiration. Examples: Career icons, Movie stars (the Hero-worship, Fan culture), Charismatic personalities (empty within themselves), Musicians, Artists, Skeptics, Ungodly peers & friends, etc 3. Gods of INFIDELITY - The Gods of Compromise (EX. 34:15,16) These are gods that promote infidelity and immorality and compel you to cheat on God and sell children to harlotry with the d...

In his paper "Indic Christian Theology of Religious Pluralism" (K. Pathil (ed), Religious Pluralism, ISPCK, 1991, pp. 252-299), R. Panikkar points out 29 ways in which cultural change can be brought about. Below is a short outline of them: Cultural change can be brought about by: 1. Growth . It comes from a natural exchange with the surrounding cultures. Growth comes from within, but it is nourished from the outside. 2. Development . Its meaning extends from a shared belief generating compulsory practices transforming "social relations and nature into commodities to be bought and sold on the market" (Gilbert Rist) to any type of social progress according generally to modern Western standards. 3. Evolution . It implies a change promoted by a more or less natural selection of cultural values. The fittest culture, that is well adapted, will survive. 4. Involution . It expresses the retrieval from more recent changes, in one particular society, because the latter chang...

‎ "...on some occasions, child rights are violated and even justified in the name of preserving cultural practices and tradition. When there is a conflict between culture and child rights, children’s rights must take precedence and old cultures and traditions must adjust to give primacy to children’s needs and rights." ~ Shantha Sinha , National Commission for Protection of Child Rights. Please download the latest In Focus  here . The advertisers know the primacy of children as targets of their products. If they are won, they'll woo their parents anyway. But, rights? The rights activists understand. Where do theologians and Christian workers stand? What are we offering to transform the system in order to protect the child? What contextual questions in this area have we addressed yet? Methodology Required "to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God " ( Acts 27:18). Unless their eyes are first open, the...

Message delivered at Pentecostal Church, Itarsi. Tuesday, March 16, 2010. "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrew 12:2 He despised the shame.... The consciousness of shame that the world has is warped, distorted, confused; its values are determined by the shame culture. Luke 16:15: "what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God." Note: It says "abomination in the sight of God", NIV - "detestable": it denotes the extent to which man's system of beliefs, world-view, is opposed to the mind of God. The Evil Spring: Autonomous Heart: "Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone s...

Any religion best relates to a culture by relating well with other components of the culture. A healthy religion is one that contributes to the constructive development of the whole culture by elimination of destructive elements and development of edifying ones. Since man is a rational, emotional, truth loving, political, sociological, and religious being, each of his needs must be healthily met. And so it is not practically possible for any religion not to contribute in any way to the culture. But the question is "Can Christianity maintain a healthy relationship with culture by being a significant factor in its development?" Relationship with nature has been a significant feature of many religions. Totally segregating from any relationship with nature is impossible since survival requires relationships with nature. Even in religions like Hinduism, Catholicism, Buddhism, and Jainism ascetism has been the pursuit of a few, while the majority liberal, considered the common laym...

An adequate definition of either religion or culture is not easy to come by. Normally, by religion we understand a system or system of systems that on the basis of certain authorities (like scriptures or traditions) provide its adherents with guidelines of belief and practice. Psychologists view religion as one's response to the supernatural power or powers in keeping with given or discovered beliefs resulting in religious behavior. As such religion is both an individual and conglomerate experience. The word "culture," today, often refers to customs and civilization of a particular time or people. A particular culture is made up of world views (religious and secular), values, society (family, social systems, educational systems, law and order), and customs. It is well accepted that cultures are not static but dynamic. As the elements of culture undergo change, so does culture undergo change. It can be seen that religion influences the various elements of culture in a vari...