One of the things that really bugs me is today’s “political correctness” run amok! That’s what makes the “Politically Incorrect Guide to …” series so popular among those of us who are fed up with all the “PC” garbage being promoted today.
As you can see, I am not a huge fan of political correctness. Yet, as a testimony to the good news of Jesus Christ, I do not think that it is a good idea to purposefully offend those we would like to win to Christ. As the old saying goes, “You can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar.” The apostle Paul put it this way, “I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some (1 Cor. 9:23).”
One of the reasons for the NTM name change to Ethnos360 has to do with what Paul wrote. Like it or not, there are issues relating to the words tribes and mission as they’re understood in today’s world.
When I was growing up, we used to play “cowboys and Indians.” Today the term Indian is considered by many in Canada to be derogatory. The preferred term there is First Nations. It would be easy to just dismiss the term First Nations as simply being another example of “political correctness” run amok. However, if I wanted to reach these people with the gospel of Jesus Christ, it would not be a good idea to purposefully offend them by using the term Indian. As you travel throughout the world, you find that the term tribe or tribal is also considered offensive.
The name change to Ethnos360, is not simply a matter of political correctness. In choosing this name, the leadership of New Tribes Mission did not just cave in to the “PC crowd” and their warped concept of “tolerance.” And don’t get me going on the new definition of “tolerance” by today’s “PC pundits” or this short letter will turn into a massive book!
On a personal note, I continue to help folks down here with their computer problems which vary greatly. Mabel is 95 years old with macular degeneration. She needs to have the fonts on her computer large enough to be able to read because of her eye sight. That has been a challenge for me since she is using the Linux operating system with which I am totally unfamiliar.
Please pray for wisdom as I encounter various computer problems that I have never run into before. And pray for patience as I get easily frustrated when I cannot find a solution.
Bob
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The Fruit of Legalism
Not a single cluster of living fruit ever was, or ever will be, culled from the tree of legality. Law can only produce ‘dead works,’ from which we need to have conscience purged just as much as from ‘wicked works.’ – C.H. Mackintosh
