Quote:
Originally Posted by aron
For an example of the cultural divide, look at attitudes toward family. Jesus taught to "hate your mother and father and sister and brother" for the sake of the kingdom. But the Chinese value of respect for elders trumped that. The Caucasians, without a cultural lens to receive it, took it literally.
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And I recognize the truth in what you said.
But "hate your mother and father and sister and brother" was not the only thing Jesus said on the subject. And it was probably a form of hyperbole for the purpose of putting things into proper perspective. God and his kingdom comes first. Not mother, father, sister, and brother are at the bottom or are not even in consideration.
There is something that we do not like about the Chinese culture. And there are things that we should see where our own culture is not God's culture. I believe that Nee and Lee were foolishly believing that Chinese culture somehow was the answer to being Christ-like. They probably didn't even recognize it is such. How much do we do the same (meaning we, generally, as Americans). We believe that capitalism is the Christian method of economics. We think that being independent and doing things for yourself is a Christian virtue. And thinking that my thoughts are better and therefore right (every man does what is right in his own eyes).
There is much that is wrong with the LCM and with the substitution of Chinese worship of elders, family, etc., for the life that Christ calls us to live. That makes so much of the LCM a spiritual sham. But to the extent that we simply substitute American values for "Christian" living, we are no better.
I start singing "Substitute" by the Who when I consider all the "this is simply that" stuff that Lee pushed on us. And the one that mostly comes through is "Substitute your lies for fact."