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06/06/2002 Entry: "Cultural differences"
One of my main preoccupations at the moment is trying to get a handle on the differences between Britain and the USA, apart from the obvious ones like driving on the wrong side of the road and having upside-down lightswitches. One thing that has struck me powerfully is how much more 'mainstream' Christian faith is here than at home. It isn't quite taken for granted, but at least is something approaching that. For example, we visited a bookstore (Aaaagh! I mean bookshop!) yesterday. I was very surprised to see several shelves devoted to Bibles, and even more space given to Christian books, far more than you would find in a shop in Swansea. From the point-of-view of evangelism, it is pretty clear that churches can begin knowing that at the very least their faith will be taken seriously. We couldn't make any such assumption at home.
Replies:
As an American, I can tell you it isn't that great. Though we aren't as bad as Europe yet, the Christian faith is a joke to most here, it's just that there's more of us left than in post-Christian Europe.
Posted by joel w @ 06/11/2002 02:54 AM CST
Did you send him $20?I'll give you 3 guesses :o)
Posted by richard @ 06/08/2002 11:03 PM CST
Did you send him $20?
Posted by Joshua @ 06/08/2002 04:28 PM CST
Alice - no 'roaches yet, but we've seen some huge bugs!
Craig - you're right. The US scene is not an unmitigated blessing. Apart from anything else, there is some very dodgy religious broadcasting (I hesitate to call it Christian) which would never be legal in Britain. For instance, I've just listened to a bloke tell me that if I'll covenant to send him $20 a month and support his ministry, God will bless me and my family in every conceivable way from a bigger income to better health. No further comment necessary, I think.
Posted by Richard @ 06/07/2002 05:00 AM CST
According to Chris at Reel Issues tonight, your main problem is likely to be the size of the 'roaches over there compared with the Welsh ones... but I prefer your way of comparing things, ie favourably!
Gosh, how encouraging it is that church/faith etc is assumed to be so much more of a big deal over there (or seems to be) :)
Posted by alice @ 06/07/2002 02:27 AM CST
Situation in Oz is similar to that of the UK, I think. I'm not sure that the US situation is an unmitigated blessing, though. I suspect there would be a lot of non-practising church members.
Posted by Craig @ 06/07/2002 01:37 AM CST
