The Danger in Judging Other Cultures

by Dr. John David Smith

Western missionaries face many cultural issues when adjusting to most other cultures in the world. We must remember that everyone in the world typically judges other cultures through the filter of their own . . . that makes sense. The problem with this view is that most of the time we judge the other culture as “wrong” simply because it is different. 

People in the West tend to be very “universalist” when it comes to cultural norms. This means that they live by universal principles that guide all of us in the majority of situations.

Many people in other cultures are “particularist,” which means they will judge each situation on its own merit and according to who is involved. 

The universalist views the particularist as wishy washy and dishonest. The particularist views the universalist as rigid and uncaring. 

If you are judging this cultural reality by your own culture, this is a no brainer. It is very clear to us, right? Well, unfortunately when adapting to new cultures, it is not that easy . . . 

Let’s imagine that you, a westerner, heard a fellow employee, who is your friend, constantly spreading rumors about the boss. What would you do when confronted by the boss asking if your colleague has indeed been spreading rumors? The universalist will usually not cover up wrong behavior because “right is right”.

By contrast, if you live in a particularistic culture, when asked about the same situation, you would do whatever it takes to preserve the relationship with your friend; and to them they are doing the “right” thing. You can see where cultural issues like this can cause great difficulty in building relationships and communicating the gospel. 

We are thankful that the gospel is way bigger than cultural issues; however, we all live and minister in our own cultural realities that are not always easy to navigate. We praise the Lord for ChangeMakers all over the world who are ministering in culturally difficult contexts and, many times, in physically dangerous environments.