Culture and the Effects it has on Christianity

One of the hardest things a young man or woman can endure, is when several people rise up against them. I don't mean anything aggressive, and that's what this may sound like. Let me better explain with a story about myself and how people used their authority, personalities, and language to changed how I acted as a teenager.


1 year ago, I worked at a place called Jet's Pizza. The store was just opening and I got the chance to work with the first employees and managers of the business. When I first started working there, I was known as the "Christian kid." or the "kid who never sins." Why was this? Well, I got called these names because I wouldn't sing their songs, talk the way they talk about people, swear, and be disrespectful to my bosses. I was a beginner Christian, however, at age 14 (almost 15) I was easily persuaded to the "dark side."

With much persuasion from the employees, which soon made me feel like everyone was nagging me, I started to become a part of their culture. By culture, I mean the way they live, how they act, and all the differences from my own culture to their own.

I started listening to secular music, ones that didn't glorify the Lord at all. I started talking about girls the wrong way, I wasn't giving respect to people, and I continually was slipping away from the relationship I once had with my family. I was removing myself from the Christian and home school culture I had been raised in, and was becoming a sinful punk who didn't do anything that honored the Lord.

I was able to hide the way I acted from my parents, and lived two separate lives that were both dishonoring to my family and to the Lord.

However, a year passed, and my family forced me to quit my job. Not because of how I was acting, but because I was starting High school+college and I didn't have the time to work. I was really mad and this cause my heart to turn away from my family and the Lord all the more.

Although my life was confusing, chaotic, and very sinful during this time; the Lord found me and saved me from all those thoughts, songs and images I had in my mind. Quitting was the BEST option for me. I spent more time with my family, spent more time growing back into my original culture, and started learning more about God and the way Faith works and how Jesus washes away all sins.

I shared this story with you, to hopefully show you how people can influence other people to accept certain characteristics, habits, and/or language. I also shared this story with you, so you can better understand the background I came from, and so you can understand the glory of God; how He saved me and took me from that darkness.

Sure...I know what your thinking, surely all that stuff I learned from those people didn't leave me once I accepted Jesus. That fact is, it didn't. I am still struggling, to this day, with the sinful lusts of the flesh. However, with Jesus's help, I know I can be redeemed from these sins and be able to better serve Him.

Now, back to the main topic I was trying to cover. I know this post is long, but hang with me for a couple more paragraphs! :-)

Culture effects the way Christians behave and act around the world. Sometimes the culture we are a part of is good, and sometimes not so good. Thousands of different cultures live in the world, and every one's stereotypes (the exact characteristics of a person: such as, White, Northern European, Christian, Homeschooler, etc.) are pretty much different!

Let me share with you a conversation I had with someone on Face book. The name of the those who comment on my post will be anonymous. AND I MEAN NO DISRESPECT WHEN POSTING THIS. I am only trying to help prove my point by sharing an example from a couple different people, who are a part of different cultures and have different stereotypes.

As you can see it's a long discussion, however several times "culture" was thrown in there. This is just an example of how culture effects the way Christians think. G is saying that because culture says one way, it's best to just agree with them because you'll fit in as a person better. Does that make sense? There is more details and different lessons that can be learned from the discussion...but that's for another time.

I am sharing all this informmation with you because I am trying to warn you from the effects culture can have on us, as young teenagers, and I want to encourage you to stand your ground! Do not let others persuade you into sin. Instead, pray and ask God to help you stand strong.

Hopefully this makes sense and is an encouragment to you. Please let me know if you have any questions, concerns, opinions, or comments by writing to www.dedicatedchristians.com

Thanks for reading!

Godbless,

Josiah