Words of Wisdom from the Babylon Bee – My take on the matter …

Ethnic phobias abound in this world. Man against man, culture against culture, religion against religion, and so on. Islamophobia (against Muslims), anti-Semitism (against Jews), Americaphobia (against Americans), and Xenophobia (against foreigners in general). And then there are those who are Aporophobic (against poor people), Ethnocentric (against all other ethnic groups), Sinophobic (against China), Indophobic (against India), and Russophobic (against Russia)… and the list goes on and on.

The Impact of Phobias

These are not new terms, or if they are, they are certainly not new opinions. What is significant is that the rhetoric and silo mentality seems to be increasing as we find our own personal niche and support it through cultural isolationism. America was once a melting pot of various immigrant groups wishing for a better life through hard work and assimilation. Today we are seen by the 3rd world as more of a socialized safety net for those who are looking for a relatively comfortable rather than successful life. The latest example comes out of Minnesota and the Somali community.

Of Somali-headed households in Minnesota …

• 54% receive food stamps vs. 7% of native households
• 73% have at least one family member on Medicaid vs. 18% of native households
• 89% of those households with children receive some form of welfare

What speaks to the deeper issue is that “among working-age adults who have lived in America for more than ten years, half still cannot speak English very well.”

The Result of Phobias

Much of the increase in “phobias” listed in the first paragraph above comes from an unwillingness to engage in the broader American society and its work ethic. If government support structures are geared for sustainability rather than the “American Dream” and immigrants come here seeing our version of poverty as a better and safer life than their originating home, there is little motivation to step out, learn the language, get an education or training, and assimilate into the country, as has been seen in the past. With so many narrowed sources of social and news media available, each culture further isolates itself in what it views and reads within its own network. No longer are we all listening to a single Peter Jennings every evening as he paints the same worldview to the country. This all breeds resentment, isolation, anger, and displaced bias … hence phobias. The Babylon Bee headline is only funny because many believe it to be true, that Muslims kill people “all the time.”

Phobias and Evangelism

Finally, and more significantly, this same isolation and resulting phobias significantly inhibit Christian evangelism in America. People are afraid to share the gospel because of potential backlash. Immigrant communities are reluctant to explore American culture, including Judeo-Christian beliefs. Further, the government, in an attempt to sledgehammer solutions to these phobias, continues to broaden the term “hate speech” to include evangelistic conversations or Christian worldviews outside of the pulpit. That trajectory was clear under President Biden and will return with a vengeance at some point in the future, as is currently taking place in other countries.

What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. - James 4:14b

As Biblical Christians, despite our phobias and fears, we need to be sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with a lost and dying world. That is what the Lord has called us to do with the time we have left.

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. - Ephesians 5:15-16

Salvation – Eternal Life in Less Than 150 Words

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