I know we have a world reputation for being ethnocentristic and geographically challenged as a Nation, but I had no early idea that things had gotten to this point. We can't even answer basic questions about the world at large! I caught a news clip from the UK interviewing US citizens on the streets of New York. Now I live on the other side of the earth from most of the people reading this, but even to me, these seemed like the basic of all basic questions! It was more than a little appalling to hear some of their answers. No one could answer the following questions correctly:
What State is KFC from? They guy even knew it stood for Kentucky Fried Chicken!
Where is the West Bank? Answers given: New York, on the east coast!
What is the religion of Israel? Answer given: Muslim!
How many World Wars have there been? Answer given: 3
Who is Tony Blair? Answers given: A skateboarder, Linda Blair's brother, an actor
What is a Mosque? Answer given: An animal.
How many Eiffel Towers in France? Answer given: at least 10
How many kidneys does a person have? Answer given: 1!
Star Wars is based on a true story. Answer given: yes.
What have Nagasaki and Hiroshima have in common? Answer given: Some form of Sumo wrestling.
Where was the Berlin Wall? Answer given: respondents could not venture an answer.
The language they speak in Latin America is Latin. True or False? Respondents could not venture an answer.
As Jeff told me when I showed him the clip, they probably took the worst of ignorance shown that day and put it together in a segment to show the world . . . but this was bad.
It reminds me that one can never stop learning and can never stop being teachable. No one can know everything, there is simply too much knowledge in the world and information is expanding ever so rapidly. What this means for us in the church I think, is that we have to be grace on steroids and learners on steroids, to counter-balance the ignorance on steroids.
2 comments:
Growing up as an MK, I had a real superiority complex thinking most Americans were stupid, due to being asked questions like "Do you speak China?" when I told them I lived in Japan. (Of course, Japanese people asked similar questions about my life in America.)
However, thankfully, I've since learned that most of the Americans I know are far better versed in world culture than that, and I've had to admit my own ignorance far more times than I cared to. I once thought I could only marry an MK, but was pleased to learn that some non-MK Americans are indeed people of cultural sensitivity and depth. What an amazing revelation!
Hi Beth: But I did not grow up as an MK . . . I am what they call here a "pure American" and I was appalled at the answers these guys received. Having said that, I believe most of the folks in our CMA churches are much better versed in the world and world events. Thank Jesus!
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