Multiculturalism

Is Multiculturalism Biblical?

Multiculturalism is defined as the preservation of different cultures or cultural identities within a unified society, as a state or nation.  We will examine what the Bible has to say about this idea, but first let's take a look at some comments from former Colorado Governor Dick Lamm, at an immigration overpopulation conference in Washington, DC in May, 2010.  He described several history-tested "Methods for Destroying America," or actually committing suicide as a nation.  This notion becomes even more frightening when we see that these things are actually occurring in American society today.  Here are Gov. Lamm's main points for destroying America: 

- Turn America into a multi-lingual and multi-cultural country, because no nation can survive the antagonism of two or more competing languages and cultures.  History teaches that societies that do not assimilate will result in tension, turmoil and tragedy. 

- Invent multiculturalism by encouraging immigrants to maintain their culture.  Teach in our schools that all cultures are equal, without any cultural differences.  Teach that the Black and Hispanic dropout rates are due solely to racism by the majority.  Finally, discredit any other viewpoint. 

- Celebrate diversity rather than unity. Include dual citizenship, and promote divided loyalties.  Encourage all immigrants to keep their own language and culture.  Enforce differences in cultural subgroups, instead of living as fellow-Americans which emphasizing their similarities. 

- Make the fastest growing demographic group the least-educated, with a 50% dropout rate from high school.  Add this group as a second underclass; one that is not assimilated and antagonistic to our population. 

- Fund these efforts through big foundations and businesses, investing in ethnic identity and the idea of victimology.  Get all unsuccessful minorities to believe that their lack of success was the fault of the majority. 

- Place all subjects off limits, especially the "cult of diversity."  Let words like "racist" halt any debate, and make it impossible to enforce our immigration laws. 

Now let's examine what the Bible has to say about multiculturalism.  In Genesis 11:1-9, we read about the Tower of Babel, where God "confused the language" of the people.  In verse 1, we see that all of the people of the world had a common language, so they could all communicate with each other.  In verse 4, they schemed to build "a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth."  Then in verses 6 through 8, God disapproved of their scheme, saying, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.  Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.  So, the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city." 

In this passage, God created the institution of nationalism.  It was His will to divide the people of the earth into nations, each with their own language.  Now, of course, this doesn't mean that there will be no mixing of languages or cultures within a nation.  As people began to move around, they sometimes learned other languages, and this wasn't a bad thing.  However, this can be done in a way that violates God's institution of nations. 

For example, during the 17th century, the United States began to be inhabited, primarily by people from the European nations.  A mass migration continued for 300 years, with people from many nations making their new home in America.  The United States became its own nation, made up of a rich diversity of people.  It became known as "the melting pot," where people of many nations came together, blended their cultures, and adopted a common language (which many had to learn).  They mixed together like different kinds of metals melting together in a melting pot, forming a new alloy.  They became a single society with the common goal of their precious freedom, using their diversities to strengthen their unity. 

However, what Gov. Lamm is saying, and what is confirmed by the Bible, is that America is now becoming a land which contains many separate societies within it, and diverse societies are not historically peaceful and stable.  People undervalue the unity that is required in order to keep a nation together.  The various autonomous groups result in divisions in languages, cultures, politics, and goals, where each group remains patriotic to its own heritage. 

We are no longer a melting pot, blending into a new and stronger alloy.  Now we're a salad bowl, where each ingredient in the salad separately maintains its own characteristics.   History suggests that a nation will not stand for long in this condition.