Culture vs. Spiritual Oppression

Why do you want to change their culture?

This is a question that I have been running across lately while exploring how missionaries have gone out into the world to share Christ with those who not have heard. Why do I want to change their culture by sharing Christ with them? What most people in this world do not understand is that, in most cases, "culture" is the special packaging that the world-centered view puts on spiritual oppression. Hinduism is a prime example of this. India's religion is mostly Hindu. And do you think it is a cooincidence that India has the largest number of people groups in the world who have never heard of Jesus? Not only that, but the fact that the Hindu religion have over 3 million gods? The rules and regulations that are in place for those gods, not even mentioning the oppression of society that comes from it, are enough to send an entire nation into spiritual darkness forever.

So why do I hear this question? Ignorance? Most likely. Most people in the world (i.e. the United States as that is our mindset as Americans) do not have a clue as to what Hinduism and other world religions do to a society of people.

A simple analogy: I live in the Pacific Northwest and there is a lot of moss and mildew here. Why? Because there is a lot of cold rain and darkness. If there was less rain there would be less darkness because of lack of clouds. Where the sun is, mildew and moss cannot survive. The same can be said of world religions. "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through the me." -Jesus (John 14:6). Without the son darkness prevails and oppression flourishes. Are the people at fault for denying Jesus? Maybe, maybe not. I would say that most have never even heard his name, and of those who have they do not know the significance of his existence.

Bottom line is I love people. "Hate the sin, love the sinner" as it's been said. I have looked into the eyes and faces of many, many Hindu people. How can I walk by them without sharing the hope and love that I KNOW in my heart of hearts will change their lives for eternity? I cannot. In my eyes, to do so would be to condemn them to hell. Maybe someone else may tell them... but I can't take that chance. I want to share my hope with as many people as I can because I know that hope is real.