The Problem with Ethnocentrism

Friends:

You should read Salguero's postings closely. He is not saying everyone believes like him nor should they (refer to his other postings). Moreover, he has acknowledged on his blog the evils of the Crusades, witchhunts, religious wars, etc. What he is saying is that for him, everyone is free to agree or disagree, but he is certainly free to say this is his hope. He is not universalizing it by saying it is his conviction. Salguero would agree that Christian imperialism and devastation is just as dangerous as any other sort of abuse (read Las Casas and Bonhoeffer's critique of this type of Christianity).

Moreover, Salguero speaks of all forms of pride in many of his postings including religious pride and idolatry. By stating his faith he is not saying everyone must follow it or agree. Rev. Salguero is careful to in his use of Niebuhr and elsewhere Aristotle and Augustine to critique abuse no matter from what faith it originates. Nothing limits him from using different thinkers in every post... to use just one would be myopic.

Salguero is a Christian and he speaks from that perspective while engaging respectful dialogue and at times disagreement from other traditions, faiths, agnostics, secularists, and atheists (read his other blogs). I would imagine that is why he is willing to be on a "On Faith" blog that intentionally includes such a wide variety of opinions and not just a one-religion blog. In short, there is a perspective here that is open to dialogue and disagreement while being thoroughly grounded in its own tradition. This is the culture humility that this blog implies and is open to.

Facile judgments are easy but usually incomplete and reflect and unwillingness to engage closely the person's writings and thought. Regrettably, this practice is fomented in a world that too often runs on assumptions rather than dialogue.

"The hope in all of this is that there is a God of grace and a Christ of mercy who transforms and forgives. While sin is a reality hope always looms large. In the midst of a consumerism that enslaves humanity to its appetites and a pride that alienates us from one another. There is a promise of a loving God and people from all walks of life who chose the road less traveled."
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I agree that ethnocentrism is the root of many of the evils in today's world. (Witness the actions of our current national leaders and their advisors). However, I believe you betray your own ideals by flatly asserting that God and Christ are a reality for us all. Many do not believe as you do- you should acknowledge that, if you want to practice the cultural humility you preach in your written piece.

Religious ethnocentrism has created the American phenomena of neochristians. Hiding behind the flag (American or Confederate) and brandishing the cross, neochristians cherry pick scriptures for their own political agendas. Instead of following Christ's words of inclusion, love and tolerance, neochristians hate the word tolerance like evil hates the light. Religious ethnocentrism is truly a tool of satan. If you want to experience it first hand, try living as a "Gentile" (non-Mormon) in a small town in Utah or Southern Idaho or attend the Air Force Academy without being "born again".

If there is another civil war in the US, it will be because neochristians, like Mike Huckabee, try to turn the nation into their own private theocracy. As the pilgrims rebelled against England for the same reason, neochristians need to understand that still a majority of Americans will not go along with what neochristians think is their god-given right to judge, convert and control everyone else.

MATT J.:

Correct me if I am mistaken, but I believe it was Augustine who came up with the apostate doctrine of "just wars." What have we had ever since? Just wars.

You'll hear clergypersons of all pursuasions citing this false doctrine to justify continued wars.

Jesus never killed anyone, neither did he advocate killing anyone, nor did he sanction killing anyone. He laid down his life rather than kill, and commanded his disciples to follow his example, which they do.

"...Basically, I wonder if the concept of 'Enough' doesn't exist to some people because their clergy taught them that 'human nature' is evil and thus can't experience it, regardless of excess." by Peganplace

Let me get this straight. What this implies is that some people hear the clergyman at the church tell them that they are born with a sin nature so because of this they believe they are and they are compelled to be greedy. They want more and more. The preacher says that they are evil so they have to act this way. For these people, they are greedy because of that preacher. That clergyman has caused them to be unable to get in touch with the innocent angelic self that they were born to be and would be if not for the clergyman. So because of the clergyman, these poor souls can no longer understand that they have enough or what it is to have enough. Therefore, if they are greedy it is because they were taught to be greedy by both the church and the Bible since both have told them that they were born with a sin nature. If someone would just explain to these people that they are innocent little angels, then they would know that they have enough and greed would vanish.

It is an interesting concept, yes.

It is easy to post pietistic platitudes about "sins impacting our neighbor" and "hope always looms large". What is hard is posting the thoughts, words and ideas that will actually turn people away from the behavior that has that negative impact on their neighbor.

In fact, this is much harder. But it is also worth so much more. A good start on that is what would give us a sound hope "looming large". You could make such a good start if you threw away everything written by Niebuhr and got back to the basics taught by Augustine. For if you _really_ want to understand how "the dangers of hubris, pride, envy, greed, lust, etc." so handily get the upper hand in groups, you must start with Augustine's understanding of "amor sui", and the all-important but all too often ignored distinction between the _good_ "amor sui", and the "amor sui perversus et cavendus".

Pop these words into the search engine as key words at http://www.augustinus.it/ricerca/index.htm and you should get a pretty good idea of why this is so -- even if you do have to switch to the Italian translation after finding the citations in the original;)

So, let's see if I understand this correctly. You don't like what you call "ethnocentrism", which leads to "tribal warfare, genocides, and the Shoah." Yet, you are a follower of Christianity, which teaches that there's only one path to salvation, through Jesus, and that hell awaits all those who reject Jesus. In light of the brutality of Christian history, including the Crusades, Inquisition, Thirty Years War, American slavery, Shoah, etc., please explain why ethnocentrism is more dangerous than Christianity.

Senor Salguero,
Since Paul stipulated that not all sins are sins unto death, there must therefore be a hierarchy of sins. I do, however, agree that no sin should be taken lightly. Any sin separates us from God, and it is our sins, collectively, that necessitated the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to redeem mankind. Anyone who loves Jesus has to be sad about the gruesome death he endured.

Vaya con Dios.

Considering that our planet is being damaged daily by factors at least in part due to
overpopulation, it seem to me that a gargantuan sin is made by some heads of religion or leaders of some ethnic groups to ban their followers from practicing birth control.

"Unrestrained consumerism (I too am guilty) is a present-day manifestation of human insatiable appetites for more."

Actually, they aren't insatiable. That's the funny thing. Certain religious ways of thinking were really codified when excess was all but impossible unless one hurt others to get it.

Satiation is possible, if not, really, inevitable. We may have excesses here in the West, but we still tend to *think* in terms of scarcity and a desperate need to acquire and divert ourselves from it...

It's not about the stuff... It's about having and accepting the luxury of *not hoarding and cluttering and overstimulating our lives, then going to a church and spanking ourselves about it on the very same terms.*

" This has lead many to debts, wars, strife, bankruptcy, etc. Simplicity and restraint must find their way into a culture saturated by "give-me more." "

They have. Derided as a 'liberal affectation' as they may be, they are.

It's not about privation, ...it's about knowing 'Enough' when you see it. I think humanity can be forgiven for being unfamiliar with the sensation, culturally.

Seriously. This is only about fifty years old, in the West: this real-possibility-and-actuality of-satiation. It's turned into a big identity crisis, with people trying to re-scale 'privation' to incorporate plasma TVs and all.

It seems to be this big internal war between still-trying-to-grasp-more-cause-it's-all-some are-culturally-prepared-to-know... And religious *spankings* for having *anything.*

What if we just ran a little past 'enough' cause we didn't know it when we saw it?

"Consumerism run amok also threatens the natural resources of this earth and future generations. Consumerism is the sin of greed that says it's all about me."

Personally, I think consumerism is an attempt to *fill holes* that certain religious establishments count on existing for their power, and which consumerist corporations have learned to exploit.

I've always found it a really impressive thing about my Pagan co-religionists... while Christians are conflicted and aggressive about 'putting the Christ back' in holiday traditions of spending into debt on what's proffered by labor-outsourcers... and blaming non-Christians for their own helpless behavior, ...well, we can have as much stuff and sex and pleasure as we can *get* without harming others, and, while we like nice stuff and good times, we just don't act out of those guilty 'holes'... (then spank later)

...Basically, I wonder if the concept of 'Enough' doesn't exist to some people because their clergy taught them that 'human nature' is evil and thus can't experience it, regardless of excess.

'Enough' happens. Really.

Somehow in our pursuit of religious or ethnic tribalism, we have lost the sacred call for us to restore human dignity. It is consumerism at the expense of the poor that evangelical have lost our spiritual sensitivity. We need a lens that embraces a gospel that calls for a story that enters into relationship (not paternal charity) with those whom are in need. In my experience I have found that I need them more than they need me. To experience their naked and unabashed faith that makes my spiritual musings seem like shallow whispers. I am reminded of New York Faith and Justice's reflection that these apparently "poor" neighbors will be "Oaks of Righteousness." We need to yearn and work towards the "sanctity of live" in all forms and not just those in evangelical camps who have hijacked the gospel to narrow it to political issues.

Somehow in our pursuit of religious or ethnic tribalism, we have lost the sacred call for us to restore human dignity. It is consumerism at the expense of the poor that evangelical have lost our spiritual sensitivity. We need a lens that embraces a gospel that calls for a story that enters into relationship (not paternal charity) with those whom are in need. In my experience I have found that I need them more than they need me. To experience their naked and unabashed faith that makes my spiritual musings seem like shallow whispers. I am reminded of New York Faith and Justice's reflection that these apparently "poor" neighbors will be "Oaks of Righteousness." We need to yearn and work towards the "sanctity of live" in all forms and not just those in evangelical camps who have hijacked the gospel to narrow it to political issues.

and selfishness is at the heart of all.