On a related tangent, you (Siuyin) should consider writing some editorial length pieces for TMM. You do have some interesting insights to offer as an expatriate Christian with Malaysian cultural roots.

Why Christians Can’t Be Post-Racial
Christian Existence in the Murky Waters of Race and Place

is it too early to ponder ? thanks siuyin, there is a lot of food for thought and discussion…with God’s leading and counsel

Right now, the more immediate context is that ethnic, religious and cultural differences are used to justify violence and oppression. This is what needs to be challenged first. Celebrating our God-given cultural diversity is important but challenging institutionalised racism has priority at the moment.

The assimilation tactics of Satan are often deceptive whereby he will attempt to trick people into believing some change is for the better because on the surface it looks to be somehow assisting the transition from “a society based on discrimination” to “one devoid of discrimination”. There are probably many more culturally and spiritually sustainable ways of preventing and stamping out discrimination in society without pushing a “disconnect from the issue” line or pattern when it comes to acknowledging the variation in race or spiritual tradition.

The more we are either reminded of our culture and spirituality OR are given the opportunity to tell others of it (no matter how small or insignificant this may seem), the more connected we will remain to the purpose of our existance here on this planet. The truth is, making people forget their culture or spirituality is right up the devil’s alley for he wants nothing other than people to suspend all dialogue and activity over such matters so that he can make them become luke-warm if not apathetic to God’s purposes for liberation and this includes cultural liberation and true spiritual freedom.

Forget these matters, become dull and eventually deadened to their significance, and you’ll end up with a society full of dreary drones getting all their excitement from the latest x-box craze or commercially popularized way to excite the senses into getting right into what’s new, what’s cool, and what’s hot! Becoming more secularized, even in the most seemingly mundane of ways is one thing that diminishes the significance of cultural colours in society at large and generally replaces it with an overarching emphasis on commercial satiation of cravings and desires that stem from fleshly pursuits such as hording of material possessions and an unhealthy obsession with money-making.

This is more able to happen where there is lack of attention given to the positive recognition of cultural and spiritual variety as contributing something sustainable to social cohesion and change for the better in ways that affirm difference as creatively valuable rather than a social negative to be silently put to death!