Response to:
"If you grew up in India, you'd be a Hindu. Beliefs are culturally conditioned."
Response: Just because people grow up in one religion doesn't mean they can't evaluate the merits of other religions.
This challenge begins with the premise that we tend to adopt the religious (and other) beliefs of the culture in which we are raised and make them our own. It is based on the premise that a person is a Christian or a Hindu or whatever simply because of his upbringing. Since there are a variety of religious beliefs and people are culturally conditioned, we can not claim that our beliefs are superior to that elsewhere. Therefore, we should respect each others' beliefs and accept them all as equally valid. Truth, especially religious truth, is invented by the culture and passed on through it. In this way, we can have a plurality of truths (pluralism) instead of just one absolute truth that is found somewhere outside or above cultures. Truth is relative, not absolute.
The first premise is correct. Our beliefs are taken and learned from the predominant beliefs of our culture. Even some people who have not gone to church since childhood will identify themselves as Christians. But does this mean that one culture's beliefs are no truer than those found in another culture or religion and therefore we should not evaluate them on their own merits? And does this also mean that people can't change their beliefs?
A hypothetical conversation with the challenger might help clarify the issues.
Responder: "Yes, if I grew up in India I probably would be a Hindu. So what is your point?" (They will probably explain that it proves that people are culturally conditioned to believe what they do and therefore no one set of beliefs is better or truer than another.)
Responder: "Let me get this straight. You're saying that just because beliefs are culturally conditioned I shouldn't try to evaluate those beliefs to see if one is better than another?"
Challenger: If they are consistent they should say, "No."
Responder: "Let's get the subject off of religion for a moment and apply your line of reasoning to political alternatives. If you were raised under extreme Islamic Fundamentalism you would probably be an extreme Islamic Fundamentalist, right?"
Challenger: (Reluctantly) "Yeah, I guess."
Responder: "So does that mean it would be OK for you to engage in terrorist activities?"
Challenger: "No."
Responder: "If we apply your view about religions to this situation it would mean you shouldn't look at other political systems to find out if there is another way to solve your problems. And you can't let anyone from another political system challenge you on your views. Of course, this would apply to other tyrannical political systems like Communism and Fascism. Now, I have something else to ask you."
Challenger: "What's that?"
Responder: "When I asked you if you should engage in terrorist activities, why did you say, 'No."?
Challenger: "Because it is wrong to blow up buildings and people with whom you disagree."
Responder: "But then aren't you judging another person's beliefs as wrong? You have to get the belief that it is wrong either from within your culture's belief system, which you say isn't any better than another's, or from a source outside of and above all cultures. But that would be admitting there is a truth that is absolute. So you see, although religious pluralism sounds nice it doesn't really work. No one can actually live it.”
In addition, the pluralist is claiming that his pluralism is the one true correct view and therefore superior to any view that claims it is the exclusively correct view. That would make the pluralist exclusive, which is nonsense.
One could say that the pluralist is also culturally conditioned (pluralism wasn't invented until recently). So, in order to be logically consistent he would have to concede that his view isn't any more true or correct than an exclusivist Christian or Muslim.
One day Jesus encountered a woman who had been living a sexually promiscuous lifestyle. She happened to be a member of a community whose religious ideas were slightly different. The major difference was over the location of where one was supposed to worship. They believed the only true place of worship was on a certain mountain that had historical significance and the Jews maintained the only true place of worship was at the Temple in the city of Jerusalem. Jesus settled the question very simply. He said the true place of worship wasn't a geographical location but a spiritual location in our own heart. He said, "God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship him in spirit and in truth." She then realized that not only must she worship God in spirit but also live her life according to the truth revealed to her. She not only saw the truth of what He told her she ran to tell everyone in her village about Jesus and we can safely assume she made a radical change in her lifestyle.
It doesn't matter what religion we are brought up in. What matters is whether it is a religion that is oriented toward worshipping God not only in Spirit but also in Truth. Jesus' resurrection shows us that He is the one true God and He is not concerned with physical geography but rather the spiritual geography of our hearts.
Conclusion
True Christianity cuts across cultural boundaries. In fact, millions of people around the world choose to become Christians every year because their culture's beliefs simply don't work. And in most cases they don't divorce themselves from their culture. They use their customary styles of art and music to express their newly acquired Christian beliefs. But how do we know that Jesus Christ cares about people in every culture? Jesus said,
"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him." (John 3:16-17)
In addition, John wrote,
"Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God--children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God." (John 1:12-13)
These verses show us that Jesus Christ is for people in all cultures.
References
Copan, Paul. True for You, But Not For Me: Deflating the Slogans that Leave Christians Speechless. Minneapolis: Bethany House. 1998. p. 82-85
Copyright 2005. Gary C. Burger and New Media Ministries. This article may be reproduced and distributed freely as long as it is done so in its entirety. If quoted it must be properly cited as a reference.
