Culture vs Religion

Much is said about the role of religion in Tibetan culture. Virtually all Tibetans are Buddhist, and with that come various beliefs about what can be eaten, rituals they perform, and even the role of their leader, the Dalai Lama, who cannot be mentioned in China.

Before I came here, I read much about how the Tibetan culture is being slowly destroyed, either by the Chinese government, the immigrating Han Chinese, or both. It made me wonder whether or not I was helping to contribute to the loss of culture by being here.

My eyes were opened when we first met Eddie. When Tyrone brought us to their house, I noticed there were many flies. Eddie mentioned that the reason there are so many flies is because Tibetans believe flies are important living creatures and they should not be swatted. Waving them away is okay, but killing them is not. He said he was important to keep with the Tibetan tradition, despite how annoying the flies are, because it shows respect to their culture and it helps to build relationships.

There is also the issue of the gift of the Tibetan kata, which is a scarf symbolizing respect for the receiver, as well as prosperity and fortune. The kata is seen all over Tibet, on cars, houses, as well as temples and monasteries. Eddie explained that the kata is also an important cultural item, and it is good to respect it by accepting the gift if it is given to you.

It reminded me of parts of 1 Corinthians, Chapters 8-10: "To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some." In order to win the Tibetan people for Christ, we must first respect them and their culture. If that means living with flies at home, so be it. Even though we know killing a fly is okay, we should be okay to hold back if it prevents someone from stumbling.

I have realized many traditions associated with Christianity have had other origins. The Christmas tree, for example, started out as a pagan symbol. The Easter bunny apparently has its roots in a Germanic goddess dating back to the 8th century. What's stopping the kata from being used within the context of Christianity as well?