It's been on my mind lately how often we see the lines blurred between religion and culture, and how that entanglement has historically led to a lot of pain and bad theology.
It’s true that during periods where Christians were accused of being misogynists or persecutors, nearly all other societal structures—religious and secular—were doing the same. That tells us the deep-seated problem wasn't inherently the faith, but the culture of the time, which simply used religion's authority to enforce its own patriarchal and cruel power structures. Culture and religion become so closely tied that they are almost indistinguishable.
But here is the core of what Christ actually teaches, especially when you strip away that cultural baggage: the opposite of condemnation.
Look at the story in John 8, where a woman was about to be stoned for adultery. It was the prevailing culture that demanded her death. Jesus stopped the whole barbaric spectacle with one simple, eternal challenge: "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her." He didn’t just change the law; he injected a radical, counter-cultural demand for self-reflection and mercy right into the heart of a bloodthirsty mob.
The reality is that religion is often a byproduct of the culture it grows in. The good news for us as Christians is that Jesus was functioning within that flawed culture, yet constantly challenging it toward love, radical inclusion, and forgiveness.
As Christians, we need to remember this: Our duty is never to mischaracterize or ridicule others. Our duty is to meet everyone with love and respect, demonstrating that our faith is not defined by ancient cultural baggage, but by a rational, compassionate, and beautiful ethical framework that is a truly viable way to live a meaningful life today. We are called to drop the stone, not pick it up. 🙏
#FaithAndCulture #John8 #MercyOverJudgment #ChristianEthics #LoveYourNeighbor
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