I Belong; Therefore, I Am

In America and western culture broadly we value critical thinking. Oftentimes we are completely baffled when people are unable to clearly think through situations. We are even more baffled when people believe things without critically assessing the validity of the “truths” which they claim to believe. It makes no sense to us. The freedom to think and evaluate is at the core of western culture. Those who do not value critical thought are strange to us.

The western mantra of personal identity can be summed up: I think; therefore, I am. If we lost the opportunity to think critically, many of us would feel like this is as good as dying. Seriously imagine for a moment that someone asked you stop thinking critically about the world around you. Imagine if they asked you to just accept everything you are told by your elders. No thinking about it, just do what you are told. Believe what you are told. Not only should you not think critically about what you are told, you shouldn’t even let your mind wander with questions for even a moment. Most of us cherish the ability to think critically so deeply that, I suspect, we would find life hardly worth living if we were to discard our critical thinking skills.

Now let’s add another layer to it. Imagine someone coming along, telling you that they can help you get to heaven for sure. It is different then the religion you grew up with, but in order to accept this religion you had to stop thinking critically. They go hand and hand. Of course, the person bringing you the message tells you that you only have to believe but you know that there are other consequences to believing this new message. And one of those consequences is that you need to stop questioning things that don’t make sense in the new religion. You need to stop thinking critically and just accept what the new religion teaches you. Most of us wouldn’t even let the proverbial horse out of the gate. The message would be dead on arrival. We wouldn’t ever seriously consider the message because it conflicts so deeply with our value of critical thinking.

Now what if I told you that West African culture had a different mantra? What if I told you that their mantra was: I belong; therefore, I am? If they lost the the ability to be part of the group, this would feel like death to many West Africans. To be cut off from family, friends and even broader society is akin to the death penalty. Better to be dead then cut off.

Try to imagine what goes through their minds when someone comes with the message of salvation. This person tells them that there is hope to be forgiven by God in the afterlife. But they know, they know, that if they accept this message they will very likely be cut off from their family, friends and broader society. This to them, is our equivalent of being asked to stop thinking critically. It kills them. The message is often dead on arrival to them because it demands something that is of such value to their culture. And that is why the greatest obstacle to West Africans coming to faith in Christ is actually not Islam itself. It is the threat of being cut off from family, friends and community.

Many unreached peoples in the world follow a mindset much more similar to the West African mantra rather than the American mantra. As you reach out to those of other ethnicities in your community, consider the ways in which these people think. If they have a mantra more like West Africans, how can you create a hybrid community where seekers already sense a new community, a new place to belong? How can you show a Christian community that surpasses even their greatest understanding of community?

It is important that we not be so naive to think we only need to be sharing the Gospel and the rest will take care of itself. Gospel proclamation is essential but it must be met with actions that touch, not only the heart, but also the worldview of the people being reached.