Book Review : Counter Culture By David Platt Essay

The book The Upside Down Kingdom by Donald B. Kraybill does an analysis of the bible in a different approach taken by readers. The main point of the book is to help readers understand Gods kingdom in a world that is turned upside down. Kraybill shows how upside down and radical the kingdom was in the first century Palestine and how it is the same in today’s society. In other words Kraybill illustrated the image that people who are at the top of the pyramids, the wealthy and the powerful, will be at the bottom of the pyramid in Gods kingdom if they are not humbled towards the poor and hungry. The book also clarifies the importance of practicing religious principle through the teachings of Christ in relation to the poor and suffering. In

This text was helpful in helping me to understand how to relate to different people with different biblical understandings. In this text, McKinlay critically reflects within her culture (New Zealand) and how they come to understand Christianity and their interpretation

Though the world has advanced in science, technology, and cultural advances through literature, music, and philosophy, some bad have lasted throughout the centuries. Violence and addiction are still present in today’s society. Whether in the area of what was labelled “Chi-raq”, where gang violence is reaching highs in homicides, or across the country, where unemployment and job insecurity have made suicides and drug abuse among white middle age men the highest it has ever been. Despite being what could be called modern problems, the Bible has many verses that could help or give spiritual advice to these people struggling in the world today.

David Platt discusses several main stream topics that are worth defining in the Christian perspective in his book “Counter Culture”. Before he commences, he clearly states the people groups (believers, non-believers and that might be reading the book and his hope for them. Where I fell was a question that I had to ponder upon and answer. The word counter means to disagree with, to repute, and to oppose. That right there, is a huge problem for millennials in the 21st century. The pressure of being accepted and being in the “right” is more important than standing for the truth.

Regardless of one’s religious views, or lack thereof, it is fair to say that the Bible has its fair share of potential applications to modern society. A premier example comes through the parable of the prodigal son. In this tale, the younger brother sets out to live an independent life only to blow his inheritance on rather impure things, while the older brother remains by the father’s side and does things in ways that would be considered right by most people’s standards. Upon the younger son’s return, the father elects to throw a feast, leaving the older brother baffled at the seemingly unjust scenario. In a newspaper column, David Brooks writes about the wisdom of the father’s actions and the need for application of these tactics into current government strategies. Now, while Brooks’ points on the

Equal rights, freedom, and worth of all persons have been a struggle for centuries for human beings. Over the years, the struggle for power, the fear of differences, and loss of control are all common factors that separate us from one another. It is through the blessing of Continuing Revelation, individually and in community, we prayerfully listen to understand God’s will for our lives, the church, and creation more completely.

A faithful Christian witness, Dr. Silver has observed the dramatic shift in attitudes towards issues that have divided Christians in the last fifty years. These issues have become politicized – matters decided by politicians and through consensus

While there is a new story for work, there is also a new conception of work. Keller explains that the reason why work done by Christians does not seem different from the work done by non-Christians is that work’s purpose is to serve our neighbor in the best possible way. Anyone could do this, thus it appears no different. Keller warns that Christians can be led to undervalue good work done by nonbelievers. What Christians must do is to “place a high value on all human work, done by all people, as a channel of God’s love for his world.” (182 Keller further explains that when acknowledging this information, this leads to the Christian theological idea of ‘common grace.’ Understanding common grace is important because without it, Christians will not be able to understand why non-Christians exceed them in many aspects. Through doctrine of sin, “believers are never as good as our true worldview should make us’ and the doctrine of grace shows that “unbelievers are never as messed up as their false worldview should make them” (188) Keller concludes the chapter with a problem currently plaguing Christians: disengagement with popular culture. There are three forms: complete renunciation, creation of an alternate Christian subculture, and uncritical consumption of popular culture without worldview discernment. There are two causes: a thin or legalistic

As I read through the three stages that a person takes as they transition through cultural “defiance”, I couldn't help to think about my own experience with this. I have traveled through 39 countries, and lived in a total of four different countries. I currently live in Casablanca, Morocco, and I have lived in both Brazil and the Dominican Republic. Of course, I was born and raised in the United States. My parents were both born in the United States, but my mother's ethnic background is Danish and German, and my father's ethnic background is Lebanese. His parents both immigrated to the United States from Lebanon. My father's parents were Muslim, but after they died, my father

Some people believe that Christianity highlights human nature is sinful, yet this slightly opposes what Christ’s message is: benevolence and love for all. Christian leaders, such a priests and preachers, must try to prevent people in their community from sinning, so they persuade their community into being sin-free. This allows the people to enter Heaven when they die, though it creates guilt for some people. This theme’s relevance to the world is prevalent in the literary work and society today.

“The surface of Western consumer society conceals a darker, more desperate reality beneath the barrage of carefully crafted images incessantly for our attention” (pg.37). John Hayes points out that living in the first-world, we are fed an allusion to what the world really looks like, and we rarely and minimally see the world for what it truly is. The truth is that even in our own prosperous nation that “one child in four is born below the official poverty line”, and that the number of poor people in our own country increased by 1.3 million in one year (pg.37-8). He exposes the truth that as Christians in America poverty in our own nation and around the world is disenfranchising people, and that as Christians we need to listen and adhere to Christ’s call to serve the least.

Thinking about God’s teachings and looking at society today is becoming hard to see God’s teachings; the only thing that

Western Society portrays Christianity as a giving and charitable faith; the word of God is used to improve the world. But not all people see it this way, some say people should give because their heart tells them to, not because a divine creator wills them. Yet Chimamanda Adichie paints a picture of Christianity that is far from than flattering and as one of the focal points in the reasoning for horrible actions. Adichie’s view rings true around the world, as often this type of devotion instigates abuse and conflict worldwide. Adichie’s portrayal of Christianity in Purple Hibiscus is a harsh and demeaning, portraying Christianity as negative and controlling, the story still succeeds because this portrayal successfully drives the plot of the book, but could create large and meaningful misconceptions of Christians and Christianity.

The course, Cross-Cultural Dynamics, is a transformative and dynamic program at Oxford Graduate School that prepares students to meet the 21st-century challenges of diversity in cultures to impact both global and national workforce, organizations, and political institutions. The program also incorporates religion, especially Christianity as an enduring and possibly inexorable factor, fostering growth and understanding within and across cultures, values, norms and traditions to promote communication and peace worldwide. This trend is closely aligned with philosophical issues of humanity, beginning with the historical precedence set by Jesus working within and across varied cultures, reconciling the ills of the world with the laws of God that not only peace must abound but that salvation is assured for all who believe in the Word of God. The principal elements of the course consist of cross-cultural work that deals with complex worldviews on human relations, communicating the Gospel in a complex and changing demography, and cross-cultural framework built on the integration of theological, biblical, and philosophical concepts on a global and postmodern society.

Why is the world engrossed in sinful ways, a world seemingly full of corrupt and lawless men?Pornography, homosexuality, abortions, and massacres are a common thing of this era, runningrampant everywhere. No one seems to have any self control, apparently no decency. The reasonfor this is a lack of regret. Sinning is now a thing that seems to be welcomed, instead ofregretted. Because of this, people have become emboldened with their sin, which has led to pornindustries, drug trafficking, and other illegal businesses. The main reasons why is that either thepeople try to keep it secret, they confess but don’t feel regret, or they haven’t accepted christ intotheir hearts as their savior. The people of this world should, and shall, have the worst about themexposed freely to each other, but the worse should not be thought of as admirable, but in regret.At this moment, approximately two thirds of all men in the United States watchpornography. In 2006, eighty two percent of all men in the age range of eighteen and forty nineyears old have looked at pornographic magazines, eighty four percent have viewed pornographicfilms, and thirty four percent have seen pornography online. Even juveniles under the age of tenhave stumbled onto pornography by accessing phones and mistyping website’s URLs.Homosexual individuals have a high rate of potential suicide, drug use, and psychologicaldisorders. They also have a high potential that they will be transmitted diseases, and have alower