J. Lamboi Haokip, Glasgow, UK
We live in a world in which cultural differences are often seen as the root cause for divisions, hatred and conflicts between nations, races, tribes, languages and genders instead of as part of God’s beauty in creation. This is evident in the most deadly racial discrimination under the rule of Hitler in the 20th Century, in the ethnic cleansing in the former Yugoslavia in 1990s, in the genocide in Rwanda (Africa) during and after 1994, and in the recent ethnic conflicts among the ‘tribals’ in Northeast India. Human differences continued to dictate people’s decision-making and behaviour.
This raises a few questions: Are people really different from each other? How do we know that they are really different? Do these differences really matter for one’s own existence?
It is generally accepted among sociologists that human groupings under race, ethnicity and nation cannot be understood in a biological terms with clear boundaries. Race or ethnic groups do not exist on their own. They do not exist as some thing out there into which we were born. They are social constructs based on shared idea of common descent and culture. Often boundaries are also created by politicians with vested interests while in some cases the state also plays a part in drawing the boundaries. This reveals the fact that these groupings such as race, ethnicity or nation are contextually constructed and hence falsifies every human claim of superiority or value over others on basis of their racial or ethnic affiliations.
There are two factors that keep us from seeing this truth. The first is self-deception. A person may think that s/he is something s/he is not. S/he may understand a reality from a personal perspective that is altogether false. This misunderstanding can lead a person to feel that s/he is above others and should be protected, loved, served and preferred more than others. In such a situation, one can even think that the God s/he worships is the God of his own people alone. The result of such a self-deception can be alienation among people, conflict and violence.
The second is misunderstanding of ‘others’. All humans are equal in dignity and value. Failure to recognize this risks peaceful coexistence. In fact, we cannot live in harmony with other people when we do not see them—their lives, their gifts and their worth as human beings. The misunderstanding of ‘others’ is seen in the ways in which they are considered as fearful to be scared of, superior or inferior to be more respected or neglected, and someone to be homogenized by way of refusing to recognise their differences. The reason why we often fail to see others is because we look down and only see our own feet. In doing so we enslave ourselves to our own needs. We then become like turtles living in our own shells and like frogs in a well which think that the world is all that can be seen within that well. In failing to recognize others, we also think of them as a threat to our existence and privileges. Often we build walls around ourselves, thinking that separating from others is the way to ensure our security, not realizing the fact that our security is in the hands of others. In ignorance we work against ourselves.
What does the Bible say regarding human differences? About the origin Genesis11:7-9 says, “There the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth.” The differences in language were created and grew from the Tower of Babel. Today, the linguists have identified more than 5,000 totally different language groups in the world. Nigeria alone, for instance, has more than 400 ethnic groups living within the same political border.
The purpose of human differences is that all might know the good news of Jesus Christ (Acts 17:26, Mtt.28:19-20). The purpose according to Rev 5:9-10 is that every tribe and language and people and nation recognizes the Lord and worships Him. The ‘multitude of people’ mentioned in Revelation 7:9 also refers to the people coming from every nation, tribe, people and language.
At the same time, nowhere in the Bible do we see any distinction among ethnic groups. It is true that the Israelites were chosen by God (Rom 9:4-5), but this is not to say that they were superior to others. In fact the Bible says that there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Gal 3:28). The focus is not on who is higher or lower but rather, it is the beauty of diversity displayed in the church.
In this light, knowledge of oneself, others and of God are crucial.
1. Knowing oneself: If I ask the question, “who are you?” what will your answer be? You might answer me by saying, “My name is XYZ,” but ‘XYZ’ is only your name, not you. What were you before you were given this name, XYZ? The question is “’Who’ are you?” or “‘What’ are you?”
Ask a theologian, and most probably s/he will say, “You are the handiwork of God, created in God’s image,” and so you are a human being. But if you ask for detailed information regarding how you were created, you will not get an answer. Ask a scientist, and s/he will say “you are a vast colony of atoms. You are made of about one hundred thousand cells. Each cell is made of fifty thousand millions of atoms. And atoms are formed by myriad particles and waves. These atoms were part of stars. So you were once part of the stars, and so you are a mystery!” In his highly acclaimed introduction to Einstein, Lincoln Barnett wrote in 1957 that Man’s inescapable impasse is that he himself is part of the world he seeks to explore. For Sir Arthur Eddington, the famous Cambridge astronomer, the universe that is worth studying is the one within us. We do not know fully who we are or what we are. We are still in the process of knowing ourselves. We only think that we know who we are, but in reality we do not yet know many things including ourselves. So, do we have a room for pride and arrogance?
2. Knowing others: Who are others? What are they to us? Do we know them well? Sometimes, we misunderstand others, thinking that they are lower than us because of their backgrounds. In a similar way, we also think of some as higher than us because of their backgrounds. The practice of the caste system is a good example. In this system, no matter how brilliant we may be, how talented we become, our future is already decided when we are born. The caste system is already banned by the law of India, but treatment based on caste is still happening. In fact, this can be practiced by anybody at any time, anywhere. When I look at you as lower as or higher than me because of your backgrounds, I am practicing the caste system. By practicing this, I am practicing Hinduism, and then the question becomes, “Am I a Christian?”
It is generally accepted among sociologists that human groupings under race, ethnicity and nation cannot be understood in a biological terms with clear boundaries. Race or ethnic groups do not exist on their own. They do not exist as some thing out there into which we were born. They are social constructs based on shared idea of common descent and culture. Often boundaries are also created by politicians with vested interests while in some cases the state also plays a part in drawing the boundaries. This reveals the fact that these groupings such as race, ethnicity or nation are contextually constructed and hence falsifies every human claim of superiority or value over others on basis of their racial or ethnic affiliations.
There are two factors that keep us from seeing this truth. The first is self-deception. A person may think that s/he is something s/he is not. S/he may understand a reality from a personal perspective that is altogether false. This misunderstanding can lead a person to feel that s/he is above others and should be protected, loved, served and preferred more than others. In such a situation, one can even think that the God s/he worships is the God of his own people alone. The result of such a self-deception can be alienation among people, conflict and violence.
The second is misunderstanding of ‘others’. All humans are equal in dignity and value. Failure to recognize this risks peaceful coexistence. In fact, we cannot live in harmony with other people when we do not see them—their lives, their gifts and their worth as human beings. The misunderstanding of ‘others’ is seen in the ways in which they are considered as fearful to be scared of, superior or inferior to be more respected or neglected, and someone to be homogenized by way of refusing to recognise their differences. The reason why we often fail to see others is because we look down and only see our own feet. In doing so we enslave ourselves to our own needs. We then become like turtles living in our own shells and like frogs in a well which think that the world is all that can be seen within that well. In failing to recognize others, we also think of them as a threat to our existence and privileges. Often we build walls around ourselves, thinking that separating from others is the way to ensure our security, not realizing the fact that our security is in the hands of others. In ignorance we work against ourselves.
What does the Bible say regarding human differences? About the origin Genesis11:7-9 says, “There the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth.” The differences in language were created and grew from the Tower of Babel. Today, the linguists have identified more than 5,000 totally different language groups in the world. Nigeria alone, for instance, has more than 400 ethnic groups living within the same political border.
The purpose of human differences is that all might know the good news of Jesus Christ (Acts 17:26, Mtt.28:19-20). The purpose according to Rev 5:9-10 is that every tribe and language and people and nation recognizes the Lord and worships Him. The ‘multitude of people’ mentioned in Revelation 7:9 also refers to the people coming from every nation, tribe, people and language.
At the same time, nowhere in the Bible do we see any distinction among ethnic groups. It is true that the Israelites were chosen by God (Rom 9:4-5), but this is not to say that they were superior to others. In fact the Bible says that there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Gal 3:28). The focus is not on who is higher or lower but rather, it is the beauty of diversity displayed in the church.
In this light, knowledge of oneself, others and of God are crucial.
1. Knowing oneself: If I ask the question, “who are you?” what will your answer be? You might answer me by saying, “My name is XYZ,” but ‘XYZ’ is only your name, not you. What were you before you were given this name, XYZ? The question is “’Who’ are you?” or “‘What’ are you?”
Ask a theologian, and most probably s/he will say, “You are the handiwork of God, created in God’s image,” and so you are a human being. But if you ask for detailed information regarding how you were created, you will not get an answer. Ask a scientist, and s/he will say “you are a vast colony of atoms. You are made of about one hundred thousand cells. Each cell is made of fifty thousand millions of atoms. And atoms are formed by myriad particles and waves. These atoms were part of stars. So you were once part of the stars, and so you are a mystery!” In his highly acclaimed introduction to Einstein, Lincoln Barnett wrote in 1957 that Man’s inescapable impasse is that he himself is part of the world he seeks to explore. For Sir Arthur Eddington, the famous Cambridge astronomer, the universe that is worth studying is the one within us. We do not know fully who we are or what we are. We are still in the process of knowing ourselves. We only think that we know who we are, but in reality we do not yet know many things including ourselves. So, do we have a room for pride and arrogance?
2. Knowing others: Who are others? What are they to us? Do we know them well? Sometimes, we misunderstand others, thinking that they are lower than us because of their backgrounds. In a similar way, we also think of some as higher than us because of their backgrounds. The practice of the caste system is a good example. In this system, no matter how brilliant we may be, how talented we become, our future is already decided when we are born. The caste system is already banned by the law of India, but treatment based on caste is still happening. In fact, this can be practiced by anybody at any time, anywhere. When I look at you as lower as or higher than me because of your backgrounds, I am practicing the caste system. By practicing this, I am practicing Hinduism, and then the question becomes, “Am I a Christian?”
We need to know that every person is created in God’s image, equally valuable and important. Everyone is unique in some way or other. God gives different talents with a purpose according to God’s own plan and desire. Undermining others is disapproving their gifts, which is sin against the God who has plans and purposes for their lives by giving those gifts. What we need is recognition, acceptance and an egalitarian community. Africans say, “because of you I am.” You are important for my well-being, for my survival, and for my security. Often we undermine others because we do not know that they our security is in their hands.
3. Knowing God: How do we know God? Can we know our Creator? If we can know God, can He be the God who created us? The question is ‘can a creature know his creator?’ These questions arise when we talk about knowing God. But for our interest here let me put it in this way, “what does it mean to know God in the context of a violent solution?” We know God in Jesus who, in order to deal with sin, died on the cross. In this case, we need to connect the salvific death of Christ with the fall of human beings. Christ died because of them, but more, also for them. The death of Christ was the result of human sin, that is, the desire to become God himself. This desire brought pride, self-centeredness, ego and disobedience. In dealing with sin, that is pride, God shows the opposite way. The Bible tells us that God was incarnated in the person of Jesus, and those who believed in him called him Christ. This Christ died on the cross. Phil 2:6f says “[Jesus], being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness … He humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross.” Jesus Christ emptied himself. In love he gave up his own will, his own desire and ego. He gave up his own SELF.
It is clear that ‘humility’ is the key to peaceful relationship with God and with one another. Humility is not humiliation. Humility is accepting our nothingness without God and our total dependency on Him for everything. When we all submit to the same Lord who, for the sake of others, chooses to suffer at the hands of those whom he created, we shall see others through his eyes, and embrace one another as brothers and sisters.
3. Knowing God: How do we know God? Can we know our Creator? If we can know God, can He be the God who created us? The question is ‘can a creature know his creator?’ These questions arise when we talk about knowing God. But for our interest here let me put it in this way, “what does it mean to know God in the context of a violent solution?” We know God in Jesus who, in order to deal with sin, died on the cross. In this case, we need to connect the salvific death of Christ with the fall of human beings. Christ died because of them, but more, also for them. The death of Christ was the result of human sin, that is, the desire to become God himself. This desire brought pride, self-centeredness, ego and disobedience. In dealing with sin, that is pride, God shows the opposite way. The Bible tells us that God was incarnated in the person of Jesus, and those who believed in him called him Christ. This Christ died on the cross. Phil 2:6f says “[Jesus], being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness … He humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross.” Jesus Christ emptied himself. In love he gave up his own will, his own desire and ego. He gave up his own SELF.
It is clear that ‘humility’ is the key to peaceful relationship with God and with one another. Humility is not humiliation. Humility is accepting our nothingness without God and our total dependency on Him for everything. When we all submit to the same Lord who, for the sake of others, chooses to suffer at the hands of those whom he created, we shall see others through his eyes, and embrace one another as brothers and sisters.
Can the UNAUs in the 21st century surrender our feeling of both pride and insecurity to God’s rule and open our arms wide to embrace one another?
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