Continuing to answer your questions: (You can see the post declaring this Ask Johnny and Kate Week here)
Terri asks a question that is difficult to answer in one blog posting:
What is the biggest cultural difference's that you see..both as a Christian ( because I found the Christianity much more fundamentist than what I practice, so it would be interesting to here from you guys) also just as people living in another country raising children from that country along with your own?
I think I’ll let Kate answer the parenting related question,(which she does here) as I am often times accused of not being able to parent, and I will make an attempt at the fundamentalist related inquiry.
Fundamentalism in my mind is basically narrow mindedness. It is not accepting anything different than what you believe or practice as being legitimate. This narrow mindset is rampant here in Kenya, as far as the Christian church is concerned. It is destroying the Kingdom of God with one act of intolerance at a time. The church here loves to condemn, which is amazing seeing as to how there is no condemnation in Jesus.
I have struggled with how to relate to this more radical or fundamentalist out look on faith for about five years now, and have come to an uneasy truce with my enemy.
When someone refuses to even consider something just because it is different, it tends to be counterproductive. So many pastors here approach me with proposals for projects meant to aid in development. Yet these same pastors are not willing to embrace a more holistic Gospel, one that is inclusive and not exclusive. They tend to accept my differences, at least the ones they can see on the outside, as just me being a white man. However they cannot accept that things such as H.I.V. are caused by a virus and not a demonic force. Or they will literally refuse to fellowship with a young woman who becomes pregnant outside of marriage. (Reminds me of a story I read on a blog recently about a group of Israelis who turned their back on a guy just because he spoke Arabic and had lived in a certain part of Jerusalem. I see that sort of thing here all the time. This is not a proper reflection of Yahweh or His son Jesus.)
It has been tough. I mentioned a truce earlier, that cease fire has been for my own sanity. God, for reasons He has not disclosed to me, continues to have me involved with Charismatic, Pentecostal, Baptist, and other more fundamentalist groups. I need a way to interact with them without going insane.
My differences limit my ability to enjoy their meetings, gatherings, rituals, or whatever. Good thing is that I don’t really need those things to thrive anyway, in fact I tend to thrive more when I am free of religion.
Johnny Brooks
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