The White Man's God

One of my friends told me the story of a Christian missionary in Africa. On his first day he invited the whole village into the church. He told them the gospel and warned that anyone who did not repent and turn from their sins would suffer eternity in hell. The next week only half the people came to hear the massage. The missionary was shocked by the low attendance and decided to show them pictures and videos to explain how serious he was and how awful hell really is. To his surprise the next no one attended his service! When he went to the villagers and asked why, they replied that hell was only for white men, so it didn't apply to them. Because all the pictures he showed of Hell only had white people.

My friend added at the end of the story, that as an Asian he feels the same way. Many people see missionaries as an extension of the western aggression, trying to make the eastern world more like the west. It was shocking for me to hear this, but I can see the misconception. It’s a dangerous idea either way. Even my boyfriend told me when I first bought him to church that he the reason he wanted to come was to learn American culture. This particularly worries me, because it makes it seems that Jesus only dies for me or people like me. But think about where that idea comes from. How often do Christians act that they are superior and pass judgment workout admitting they own sin? And even in Israel the Church of Nativity has a white baby doll in the manger, although we know that Jesus would have been of Middle Eastern descent. Think of all the Christian artwork with a blond-haired blue-eyed Jesus. We want to think that Jesus looks like us, because it makes it easier for us to understand him as our brother with God the father. But how do we combat that image when sharing our faith?

I am also disheartened by the thought that American culture is seen as Christian culture. Not because I don't believe that America’s founding fathers were Christians, but because I think our country today is not a good representation of Christian values. Imagine how people must view our Christian values in the context of American movies, rap and pop music, celebrity gossip, politics, and school shootings.

I regret I have mostly concerns and few answers. But for me, I vow to do my best to oppose these views and not allow myself to be conformed to them. I remember during the sniper attacks when I was in high school, I told myself I refuse to be afraid. I refuse to be changed. And as a Christian and as an American, I refuse to be the person people assume me to be. If we don't like the negative stereotypes, the only thing we can do is create new ones to replace the old.