Spiritual Perspectives
Defining Religion, Culture and Identity

By Ron Polinder
Special to The Independent

More accurately this title should be "Toward Defining Religion, Culture and Identity." It is foolish to think that one could clarify these terms in a mere 750 words. But, can we move toward clearer definition and better understanding?

Having returned to live in New Mexico now five years ago, there is clearly enormous confusion and misuse of these terms. Religion, for many, has become synonymous with culture. Identity is easily complicated and confused by issues of religion and culture. Let's try to unpack the puzzle.

The confusion regarding these concepts crosses cultural lines. Some Native Americans easily equate and interchange culture and religion. Some Anglo Americans want to deny any relationship between religion and culture. Radical Muslims equate everything American with Christianity. All of the above messes with one's identity and sense of self.

Practically, this comes to expression in the following examples:

• Navajo Christians are often made to feel like they are "lesser Navajos" because they no longer subscribe to traditional Navajo religion. Their use of the Navajo language may be impeccable, their family and clan relationships are in harmony, their frybread outstanding, and somehow they are second-class Navajos? Hogwash! Such a projection reflects the inappropriate equation of religion and culture. It is fully possible to be culturally Navajo and spiritually Christian.
  
  
• Secular Americans would deny the right for religious Americans to allow their religion to influence how we live in culturally. They desire religion to be privatized. So they are offended by religious claims in the public square about marriage, sanctity of life or wholesome sexuality. They make the opposite mistake of the above example and desire for religion to have little or no voice in the culture. Here too, I say, "Hogwash!" My religious faith has enormous implications for how I live in the culture. As a Christian, I am always trying to transform culture even this article is an attempt to influence how we live together culturally.
  
  
• Radical Muslims identify America as the great Satan. They too mistakenly equate culture and religion. Because America has a significant percentage of serious Christians, they believe that all American cultural manifestations are a result of Christianity. MTV, Jerry Springer and Howard Stern are the antithesis of Christian faith and morality, but they have failed to make that distinction. So too, Americans must be very careful not to equate every radical cultural or political expression of Islam to be true for all Muslims.

All of the above confusion contributes to serious identity crises. If the only way one can be a true Navajo is to believe in traditional Navajo religion and, let's add, speak the Navajo language, then there are going to be thousands of Navajo youth and adults who will spend much of their lives trying to be someone who they are not. They will over-reach trying to "prove" they are the real thing, and never accept themselves for who they are.

Christians who happen to be Americans, if they believe the secularists, will be, at best, muted (or mutated) Christians who actually buy into the notion that their faith needs to be "separated" and has nothing to say as to how they do business, politics or entertainment. Their identity as Christians has been compromised, even violated.

Then there are those Americans who actually think they are Christians because they believe they live in a "Christian" America. They identify themselves as Christians if they believe in the Constitution, know a couple of the 10 Commandments and recite the Pledge. They need to know that America never was or ever will be a Christian nation. Was/is America influenced by Christianity? Absolutely, and thankfully I would add, but never to be identified as singularly Christian.

All of this is to say:

• Religion is the recognition on the part of humans that there is a transcendent being(s) entitled to obedience, reverence and worship.
  
  
• Culture is a way of living and a set of values built up by a group of human beings which is transmitted from one generation to the next.
  
  
• Identity is the condition of being oneself, which may or may not have a sameness with one or even several groups.

With a little help from a dictionary, these are my concocted definitions. But I think they work. Please observe how these concepts are very different from each other. Yet, they all influence each other.

If we were to stay true to such definitions, I believe there would be much less misunderstanding in our community, our nation and our world.

Remember I started this piece with "toward a definition." I welcome others taking a stab at some needed clarification.

Ron Polinder is the executive director of Rehoboth Christian School. He can be contacted at (505) 863-4412 or rpolinder@rcsnm.org.

This column is the result of a desire by community members, representing different faith communities, wishing to share their ideas about bringing a spiritual perspective into our daily lives and community issues.

For information about contributing a guest column, contact Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola at the Independent: (505) 863-8611, ext. 218 or lizreligion01@yahoo.com.