Ethnocentrism and propinquity

By Jim Killebrew

[December 26, 2013]  Every few days a giant issue rocks our world, having at its core a set of values with polar opposites. I think the dilemma our nation faces today has its roots in ethnocentrism and propinquity. Simply put, the groups of which we are each a part believe their foundational values are superior to all other values, and we seek out those people who believe the same way as we believe. The process has come to be called "multiculturalism."

Ours is a unique nation built on immigrants who have assembled from all over the world. Through the years people have left their home of origin and migrated toward the United States, some voluntary, others by force. With each individual or people group, a homeland with a unique culture and society was left behind. Some were fleeing from that culture; others wanted to bring it with them to transplant in their new world.

We have a nation where perhaps the majority of people believe in God, at least by some measure. Yet we have all but discarded Christian principles in favor of a secular form of government that through the years of growth and maturity has become powerful and strong. It has developed into a form of government that is believed to be "we the people," yet it has become a government with men and women holding powerful offices for limitless terms, building for themselves spheres of personal power and great wealth. Their will prevails through the laws, regulations, taxing powers and bestowed favors. Oftentimes they exempt themselves from the adverse effect of the laws they pass for others. They secure for themselves special interest groups who surround them with protection and favors, allowing them to write special "riders" to major legislative laws, providing special favors to the special interests that favor the individual lawmaker. It is simply another byproduct of the secular form of government.

In our own government, as well as others throughout history, we eventually embrace the secularism and humanism to dilute God's absolute truth to a form of "situational ethics." To control the larger population, the ideas of secularism must be infused throughout the citizens of the "collective." This has been done in our culture and society through the mandated public education system, higher education and through the dissemination of employment in both the public and private sectors. Social justice issues are brought to the fore as "humanistic" efforts that reinforce the pervasive learning through the educational systems in the communities by "standardization" of curriculum and texts. Those who resist the influence of a growing, powerful government are ostracized by those who have "bought" into the system. Members of the media are rewarded for partnering with the powerful figures in government and reap plentiful rewards of associations and privilege and celebrity positions in society for supporting those powerful lawmakers. The cycle of dependency permeates those whose livelihood is sustained by the "entitlements" endowed by those who "represent" them. The entitlement is purposely kept at subsistence levels to ensure dependency, but at the same time not build motivation and strength to leave the dependency model.

Secular society measures morality against the social mores accepted by society at large; Christians measure morality against the standards established by the God of the universe. It always comes back to our individual choices. The Christian should never totally depend on the government to sustain their livelihood. The government may be sustained for many more years; or it could end abruptly. For the Christian, it is their belief in the God of creation and His plan of salvation through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross that sustains, not the dependency model of government. We must remember it is God Who is the Righteous Judge in the long run, not a society.

[By JIM KILLEBREW]