The National Soul – American version

(Pt 7 in the Culture series)

During my first week of living in Germany, I was in a Bible discussion group, where we opened up the word and kicked around ideas about a particular text.  This week our passage was Luke 19:11-27  which starts this way:

” ‘A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’ “

What follows is an account of how the different servants managed differently what God had given them. Some were given more and some were given less. Some did well and some did poorly. One servant came and said that he was afraid, so he hid the money, refusing to invest it. The master was furious and ordered the servants to take away his money and give it to the one who had managed it well.

The master concluded the story by saying, “I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away.”

The discussion among the German students was fascinating and I heard a perspective I’ve NEVER heard from an American. They wanted to know why the man who was given much didn’t share what he had with those who didn’t.

That question had never, ever occurred to me, yet it was the first thought of several Europeans. Why?

Because individual responsibility has been pressed on the American soul. America was founded by people who wanted to get away from “how it has always been done”, and strike out on their own. They were looking for freedom to live and believe how they chose, to create the lives they wanted, not the one they were handed by a government, culture, family, society, church or economics.

But with freedom comes responsibility. If you are going to strike out on your own into the wilderness, you had better understand that while you can reap tremendous blessings, things can also go horribly wrong in a heartbeat. If you are going to play the game, you had better understand that you just might lose. It’s a historically American idea that you should be prepared to lie down in whatever bed you make.

So when Americans read a story like the one found in Luke, we read it through a lens of individual responsibility. From this perspective, it’s easy to see that you reap what you sow. Good choices = reward. Bad choices = punishment. And you don’t punish the successful person by making them carry the bad choices of the unsuccessful one.

And apparently when a European reads this story, they see it through different lenses.

What is it that’s pressed on the soul of a European? Stay tuned for an American’s opinion on it in the next blog.

The National Soul – What is it?

(Part 6 of the Culture Series)

(Just an idea I’m kicking around.)

It is impossible to generalize and stereotype when describing Americans. Not that people haven’t tried (Europeans, I’m good-naturedly talking to you.) But how can you? There are 300 million of us from all corners of the globe, with countless people groups, languages and subcultures spread across a geographic region of 8 time zones and over 3000 miles, not including Hawaii? “It’s impossible to say “All Americans are… anything.” We are a people known for our individuality, non-conformity and diversity. And there are just so dang many of us.

BUT…each nationality has some things imprinted on their souls. These are the characteristics that make each culture unique, that are a default position we slide to. They are one of the things that unite a culture and separate it from others. You see it when someone is confronted with something different, a value judgement, a political conversation, etc. You feel it when traveling overseas and meet another person from the same area as you and you can say, “You know what I mean?”. And you know they actually do.  Or when you meet someone from another culture and just cannot understand how they can be that way. Most things pressed on the national soul involve something that ultimately is a matter of preference, but is often confused with an absolute right and wrong. Until you travel that is, and realize that millions of people live everyday with a different opinion and somehow manage to make their society work just fine.

Examples to flesh this idea out:

Some people, when confronted with pineapple on their pizza say, “That’s just wrong on so many levels.” Some people can’t conceive of soft drinks with no ice, eating with no utensils or in the car while driving. Some people think no coffee in the morning or afternoon is wrong, wrong, wrong. (Again, Europeans, I’m good-naturedly talking to you:) Some people think big government is wrong, or that small government is wrong. Some people think too much wealth is wrong, while others reject being forced to share what they’ve earned. Some react with heartfelt emotion to different music styles in worship or on the radio, different food or traffic rules because they are just so sure it is wrong. What is it that makes you say, “That’s just wrong.”? (Das geht gar nicht.) That question can give you an idea of what is pressed on your national soul.

It’s an idea I’d like to explore in a blog or two.