Culture Shock - Part 3

How did Christianity change this culture?


This culture was one of betrayal, cruelty, and devastation. It was supported by two main tenants: treachery, and, as a last resort, the Peace Child. Before Don Richardson showed up in New Guinea, there wasn't an equal balance of these pillars. The pillar of treachery supported something like ninety percent of the culture and lifestyle, whereas the peace child was just the way out of an unlivable situation derived from betrayal and revenge. However, once Christianity came in, it blew the support of the first pillar. 

Christianity has a hard time penetrating the hearts of the people in a culture where murdering a "friend" that has been deceived is the ultimate goal. After Don Richardson had learned enough of the Sawi language, he shared the great news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. To the Sawi, the hero was clear, but he wasn't the savior. They saw Judas, the man who betrayed Jesus with a kiss, as the ultimate hero. Judas followed Jesus, was a chosen friend, and gave him over to death with a symbol of love. These made a perfect man to the Sawi, because Judas was an expert traitor. To the Sawi Jesus was just another unsuspecting victim. However, once Don heard of the Peace Child, he knew what to do.

Don Richardson found the hole in an evil society: the Peace Child. Jesus was presented to the Sawi as the eternal, final, and ultimate peace child, who died for peace and salvation among all people. Upon hearing this, the Sawi practically disowned Judas for all credit,  for the killer of the peace child is the lowest of all lows. The Sawi then grasped real Christianity and real meaning and their culture started changing by shifting the tenants in opposite balances. From then on, the culture started becoming based on peace and the ultimate peace child: Jesus. No longer was treachery an ideal, and it became frowned upon, whereas peace, gentleness, and goodwill became desired and quality attributes. This culture went from wicked darkness to glorious light from God. In short, Christianity saved this culture from itself. 

Culture Shock - Part 2

How different is your modern culture from the Sawi tenants? (Pillars of society)



“You shall have no other gods before me. 

You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them...

You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God...

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy...

Honor your father and your mother...

You shall not murder. 

You shall not commit adultery. 

You shall not steal. 

You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. 

You shall not covet..." (Exodus 20:3-17). These are the Ten Commandments, which are the basic tenants for many modern society. While society has had a falling out with strong Christian values, these tenants still influence modern society. The U.S. Constitution still holds many laws against robbery, murder, some cases of adultery, and lying (in court). In this way smaller forms of many of these things, that aren't against the law, such as lying, cheating, disobedience, and crude language, are still societal faux pas. This are said to be our pillars of modern society, however, I would like to question how much support these pillars offer and how different they really are from the Sawi's. 

The Sawi culture doesn't seem to have these same values, instead, they have two main powers that support everything. The first and most prominent is that of treachery. Betrayal is the medal of honor to the Sawi. To them, the ultimate achievement is to befriend someone, gain trust, and then betray them in cold blood. In the U.S. this is a crime with a life sentence in prison attached. The Sawi live by treachery and vengeance, with only one way to end the wars that are spawned by revenge: the second pillar. The other pillar that supports the culture of the Sawi and can end the madness of war is that of the Peace Child. The Peace Child is a sacred sacrifice that offers atonement and a time of peace between two tribes. This gift of a peace child is the only way to topple the other pillar of betrayal. 

While the Sawi's society may seem completely different, there are some similarities. Both modern and Sawi accept the concept of sacrifice, and because of the ultimate sacrifice, Jesus, we have the Ten Commandments as modern tenants. While our society claims to be based against treachery, it's human nature, and therefore is still haunting modern society. We cheat, we lie, we take revenge, we're greedy, and we even hurt or kill. Modern or Sawi, we're all guilty, to an extent. How different are we really? We have different roots and claim different tenants, but after all, we're only human, and so are they. 

Culture Shock - Part 1

What concepts in the Sawi culture intrigued / reviled / saddened / angered / surprised you?


The Sawi culture is something that I would never want to be immersed in. My culture is vastly different from the Sawi culture. I live in a culture of comfort and luxury. My culture is social-oriented, and friendly. Status is measured in wealth and popularity. Kindness and generosity are prized qualities, where as treachery is illegal in most forms. Families are important and safety is a commodity. Food is abundant, technology is plentiful, and love is everywhere. However, in the Sawi culture, most of this is opposite. Luxury and comfort are foreign ideals to the Sawi. The only social aspect that is common in Sawi culture is using friendship to fatten others for the slaughter. Status is measured in murders and feats of betrayal. Kindness and generosity show weakness, whereas betrayal is the ultimate prize of Sawi culture. Families are important, but safety for them must be fought for. Food is only sago, wild animals, and other humans. Technology has only advanced to stone axes and bamboo spears. Love is a language only shared by few, usually parent and child, not always the parents, as men seek up to five wives as "trophies". 

Most of these aspects of the Sawi culture either depressed my spirit or caused anger inside of me. Sawi culture is a cruel one,  focused on killing and headhunting. This torments and puzzles me about why and how this way of living is still in existence. I think to myself, "Many other nations advanced, why not the Sawi? Is it just geographical luck or something else entirely?" The Sawi are isolated in wickedness, whereas the outside world is clothed in comfort. A culture such is this, so strange to an outsider, has many things that puzzle and intrigue me. 


Aside from the already mentioned, I wonder about many of their traditions and "curses", such as the "Waness" bind and "Gefam Ason". These practices, upon closer research, seemed to revolve around public image and supernatural consequences. The Sawi world is full of superstition and spirits, because of this there are many "cleansing" rituals. Public humiliation and the binding power that the debt held in it seem to over pass any further standard. Things, such as these, that seem so crazy to me often make me wonder about the roots of this culture as a whole. Overall, it's a culture that shakes me to the core of depression and intrigue, and leaves a constant search for answers and solutions. These conflicts of cannibalism versus Christianity will always affect me with the knowledge of what's out in the world.

Action

What does Jesus want us to do for the Sawi?


Last post I wrote about The Great Commission and what we are called to do, as believers, for other cultures and faiths. While all of that rings true for the Sawi, the questions of action towards modern Sawi people is more than just a "should-do" idea. With other cultures of faiths, most of the presented expectations were, "when this happens, do this" instances: hypothetical. However, with these very real Sawi people, we have more focused calls to ministry with them.

The Sawi today are still people in need of help. They remain in New Guinea, out of touch with most of the outside world, surrounded in native jungle and culture. As a society and as a "religion", of Christianity, we hold an obligation to these people. They are far worse off than any American or Korean, as we live in the lap of luxury, especially compared to the Sawi. More than others, Christians have to greatest obligation to these people and others like them.

From a social aspect, there is a certain feeling of responsibility due to this great digital divide, however, each nation has it's own problems and cannot support the rest of the world. Because of this, one cannot simply say, "You should solve this" because it is completely unreasonable. Social imbalance is a part of life, however, those who are wealthy have every opportunity to donate and help others less fortunate than them, in any way.

• However, as Christians, believers should be more ministry-centered towards these people in specific. They should reach out to them and go to the Sawi. They should teach and disciple them, training them to lead other Sawi people to Christ. As one man once said "Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. teach a man to fish; you have fed him for a lifetime." This quote exemplifies the chain reaction catalyzed by instruction. One can always give a sermon to the Sawi people, but if someone trains the Sawi to become pastors, they will then be able to go out to many other tribes in New Guinea and spread the word, without massive cultural and lingual barriers that a foreigner would have to work past.
 

We are called, by God, Jesus, and The Holy Spirit: The Perfect Trinity, to be a light in the darkness. He wants us to reach out to the Sawi, teach them, help them develop, and bring them up in a Christ-saturated society. A duty of humanity and religion is this: treat others as you would like to be treated. We should show mercy, grace, love, and salvation to this people and never lose hope in an almighty God.

Questions of Faith - Part Four

What does God expect us to do for other cultures and faiths?


Last post, I talked about what we should do when confronted with other cultures, however, there is so much more that we can, and should, do for other cultures. In Matthew 28:19-20, also known as The Great Commission, God says. "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” This command has become a universal basis for missions when it comes to other cultures and faiths. God doesn't simply want us to accept other faiths, nor does he desire us to force them to change. However, God has laid out a clear message.


The message of Love, Grace, and Mercy, which are undying gifts from God, is coupled with his perfect gospel to teach and witness to the many lost souls of this world. God does not merely want his followers to reach out and teach the lost, but rather he expects us to do this out of faith. This call is not just an invitation, but moreover, it's a command. To some, this command is more clear and specific, much like the call that Don Richardson received to minister to the Sawi. 

Don Richardson knew that God wanted him to go teach and preach to the Sawi people, no matter how dangerous. He followed this call by blind faith in God. God expects all of us to do the same: Love others, preach his message of redemption, and make disciples of all others. With the Sawi, Don Richardson worked and worked, constantly in prayer, in order to effectively minister to the Sawi. First he had to put in an enormous amount of effort to learn the language, and after that, the gospel could not just be read. Because of the Sawi's preconceptions and idealization of treachery, Judas, the antagonist of the gospel message, became the savior. In order to fix this counter-cultural view of the bible, that the Sawi held,   Don Richardson had to pray and pray for a piece of the Sawi's culture to fit in with the Bible. Finally, God revealed the peace child, and after explained Jesus as the peace child, Don was able to show them the true savior.


God expects this kind of effort from all of us. He does not want us to be half-hearted and not give our full effort, but instead he requires 110%. God is a loving and merciful God, and he wants to use you to tell that to the unreached nations of the world. This instruction for preaching and ministering is not just a wish of an almighty God, but a duty that every Christian has.

Questions of Faith - Part Three

What should we do when we are confronted with other cultures?


"Culture - a particular form or stage of civilization, as that of a certain nation or period" This dictionary definition of culture doesn't quite give a full insight into what a real culture is. Cultures are rich and filled with tradition. Culture is powerful, meaning full, and vital to a countries nationalism. Culture gives it's claimers a sense of identity and passion. A culture is swollen with emotion and pride. However, some cultures hold a nasty side, much like the Sawi culture.


The Sawi live by treachery, deceit, and brutality. They enjoy misery and murder, as well as feasting on their victims. The Sawi culture is based on deception and cannibalism. This culture is wicked and twisted to the ends of the spectrum. Some would say that this is an unredeemable culture, however, that is never an option. For missionaries and believers like Don Richardson, each new culture is like a new field of sago, ready for the harvest.

Don Richardson was someone who was confronted, head on, by an opposing culture. However, unlike the many who would turn and run from such savagery, he loved them and continued to pour out Christ onto the seeds of their souls. Even when it seemed hopeless, Don never gave up, he handed up his worries to God, and God showed himself in miraculous ways. Through Don's ministry, a whole culture was watered by God's grace, and eventually it grew this savage and untamed culture into shining children of Christ. Don's leap of faith has shown the world how we should act towards a confronting culture.


There are hundreds of different cultures, some are very similar, while others are complete opposites. Often times these opposites conflict and cause counter-cultural confrontation. When we are confronted with other cultures that we can't accept, the only thing to do is reach out in love. In doing this and showing the unending mercy from God, we can shine a radiant light through our lives that, by God's hand, will touch everyones heart. Sometimes it's all we can do, and more often than not, it's enough for an almighty God!

Questions of Faith - Part Two

How do I relate to faith? How did Don Richardson relate to Faith? How do the Sawi relate to faith?

"Faith is the confidence in what we hope for and the assurance about what we do not see." This verse, from Hebrews 11:1, is the purest form of understanding for this concept of faith. In simpler words, Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This sums up my understanding of faith, and from this, I relate to faith in a personal way. 


Throughout my sixteen and a half years of life, only about 13 of them have been viewed through any concept of faith. I grew up in a Christian home and quickly adapted my own faith to my life. However, once I had my own faith I had to make choices in view of it. I had to hope and believe that what I read and what I was taught was the truth. I had to be sure of the metaphysical even when I had no physical proof. But that metaphysical faith became that proof, and from then own I can only relate to faith as a way of life. Faith is not just some object or subject to me, but rather something that allows me to trust in what I know. To me, it's how I live, and without it, hopelessness sets in. Faith is my light in the darkness. 

Don Richardson, a fellow Christian, seems to view faith in a similar way. However, Don Richardson lives his faith to it's limits, and then some. To him, faith isn't just a way of life, it's the way of life. His life can be described as one "leap of faith" after another. This man, who wholeheartedly loves God, takes God's call, regardless of the physical dangers. Don Richardson is driven by faith, it leads his life, and that's how it should be. In the heart of war he was helpless on his own, but his faith in God was all he needed. He trusted God 110%, and it paid off. Because of his incredible faith, God was able to use him to completely change the Sawi's view of faith.

The Sawi are, or were, by no means Christian. To them, faith was not belief in God or trust in his power. To them faith was fear. The Sawi constantly feared evil spirits that they faithfully believed were real. To the Sawi faith was a shunned lifestyle. Trust and belief of good will was thought of as foolish. If some one had faith, they would likely be killed because of it. An old Sawi tradition is "Tuwi asonai makaerin" Which is fattening someone, for the slaughter, with friendship. This taught the Sawi to live in opposition to faith. However the Sawi did have undying faith in one thing: The Peace Child. To the Sawi, the peace child was the most precious show of good faith. In this manner Don Richardson taught the Sawi to have true faith in the ultimate peace child: Jesus Christ. The Sawi's culture had finally been infiltrated by God's love, and from then on, the Sawi had a faith like Don's, a faith like mine: a faith in God.

Questions of Faith - Part One

How does Faith relate to the world in which we live?

In a way, the world in which we live only exists from and by faith. Without faith, what would our world be? This is, honestly, a question that I don't want to hear the answer to. Modern society, as corrupt as it is now, was based on pillars of faith. Many societies are based on The Ten Commandments, The Golden Rule, or other similar biblical principles. However, in modern times we seem to have forgotten our divine roots. Though I carry my own faith and can see God in everything, this is not the case for the entire world. One could argue that many aspects of our current world are, indeed, Godless. However, I know that, no matter how far gone we seem to be, there is no point in which we are unredeemable.

In the beginning of my junior year I was introduced to the famous works of Flannery O'Connor. Because it was only the start, I did not notice the outstanding theme that O'Connor portrays in almost every story. However, as the year progressed, I noticed that at least one, if not more, of the main characters is always offered redemption, no matter how iniquitous they were. This opened my eyes wider to the power of God's saving grace, and at that point I realized that this world, crumbling in it's prodigality, is far from unreachable.

In my reading of Don Richardson's Peace Child, this view of almighty mercy was intensified. I saw the horror of the cannibalistic Sawi, and after all of that, I saw the purity of God's redemption being poured out on them, embellished with God's love. This was the final piece of the puzzle for me to see that faith and God are all around me, and they reach out to everyone, not just believers.

As far as other relations go, faith is the like an invisible skeleton to our global community. In the places where language, race, culture, and education create clear separations among the people of this world, faith translates into every tongue, every nation, every custom, and every level of knowledge. Countless stories of idolatry and false gods fill the bible and history text books. This proves that man was created to worship, whether it be God or not, we were created with that desire. We created society with this need, and live life with it as well. In light of this, it is impossible to say that faith is not a part of the world in which we live.

Who am I?

What factors of your native culture have informed your religious world view? Explain the impact of these factors:

Socrates once said "I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing." In a strange way, this is who I am. I am someone who is not fooled by a good grade, for I know it is only a fraction of the knowledge to be learned in this world. I have experienced two cultures, and these two are the only ones I know well. I do not pretend to be an expert, for I know I am not. I do not claim either culture as my own, for I can not longer belong to just one, and yet, I cannot belong to both.
                                                 
Natively, I come from the culture that I have spent most of my time immersed in: North Carolinian culture. I was born and raised in The United States in Raleigh, North Carolina. Here I was home schooled and raised by loving, Christian parents. I grew up with three brothers two sisters, I was the fifth born out of six. I was raised to love others, love knowledge, and, ultimately, to love God. In this environment of being home schooled and church-going, my friends were nearly all Christians. However, it wasn't until I made the choice to accept Christ that my religious world views started to truly take form. All the things I'd been taught, the things I'd seen, and the values that had been instilled in me changed my neutral perspective to see the world through Christian eyes. Life in The States continued own while I clutched to what I've always known, and for the most part, I had no drastic change.When I was fifteen, my roots were shaken and I had to accept a drastic change, in every way. My parents were offered a job, a ministry, and an adventure. This adventure took as as far from our comfort zones as possible: South Korea.

Currently, I live in Daejon, South Korea and am experiencing this entirely new culture.I remain in a Christian environment, however, I face more challenges. Through the secular immersion I've experienced through a private school, I have seen another side of my world view. Because of the new exposure, I must define my view and my standards even more and choose what I believe is best. I've seen the other side of religion and world views. While this is not always a pretty site, it is one I must face. Because of this I can see the world in a new light of "religion", because I do not see my choice of Christianity as religion, but rather, a relationship with the one being who will never stop loving me, and that's God.