This year I’ve had discussions with some ex-ICOC leaders about culture issues that I witnessed from my time in some Asian ICOC congregations. Of particular interest were issues raised around the Henry Kriete letter in 2003 while it impacted congregations around the world.
At the time some Asian leaders explained concepts of Western “Individualism” and the need Westerners have for “personal space”. No doubt there are great differences in “Eastern” and “Western” values in society, and I’ve experienced both having lived in China, taiwan and South Korea. Of course, we know Asia has been greatly influenced by Daoism, Confucianism and Buddhism -not just directly but in the general way of thinking. And likewise Judea-Christian ethics have influenced the Western development for centuries, as well as Greco-Roman culture. (Interesting to note, I saw Australian Question Time opened with the Lord’s Prayer in parliament.)
However, there’s one concern I raise, and that is whether some of the Asian ex-ICOC/ICOC leaders have used these cultural differences in mindset to deflect responsibility for abuses under the one-on-one discipling system. To say that “discipling is okay for us, those Westerners are alway about ‘my rights’” is not sufficient in my opinion. Nor are token apologies just to allow the status quo to continue without addressing serious issues that need to be addressed in the eyes of God and not just man.
That’s why I believe that in many ways there are discrepencies that haven’t been resolved, and I’m determined to maintain the position on opposing one-on-one discipling, rather than just say “it’s wrong sometimes, but it can be right, if it feels good for some people and their culture, it’s okay, … ” Christianity is still Christianity, and exploitation is still exploitation, no matter the country, language or culture.
