I know this is nothing new- the thought of the bible being just a story and a blend of culture and of how people interpreted the world around them and recorded it as such. It's very athiest..y, even if don't consider myself an athiest. Where am i going with this?
Because culture and class also affects how people look at the bible whether they believe it or not. This isn't another "gay thread" (but gimme a second and I can make it that way) this is about how people interject their culture into the bible in a way to connect with it, and to make it personal, yet how that also affects the message of the bible.
Case in point. I have been to predominately white halls and predominately black halls, and yes just like predominately white/black churches, they hold different aspects to them. For instance, in white halls, when children acted up, at times their parents would take them outside and walk with them until the child calmed down.
In black halls, when a child acted up... it was that child's ass! and we would all snicker too, omg.. I loved it. We'd all look at each other as the lil kid would fight not to go to the back of the hall and into the bathroom because he/she knew what was next! It sounds sick, but its not... really, and its not even a black/white thing at times as it is much an issue with class. Middle-to-upper classes have that freedom with children where they tend to pander to kids at times and dont necessarliy have to beat their kids. While Working -to-poor class tend to demand obediance since they to have to obey a lot of the rules and structures in society. Two different viewpoints and opinions....
HOWEVER two different viewpoint and perspectives (and not just in raising and discipling children, but that too does pop up) can be heard from the podiums of meetings from talks as brothers relate the bible to the audience. I've heard white brothers in middle-to-upper families (and let's be honest if congregations are situated localy then the congregation as a whole typically comes from the same class... but not always since .. "Jehovahs people do not have those same barriers like the world does!" but you all know thats typially no the case. ;-) ) preach how usin the rod was metaphorical and that it was just instilling discipline in kids.. while in working to poor congregations it seems to be a big issues as they feel children are very disrespectful and need to be beaten. "Mr and Ms.! DON'T YOU HAVE IN MANNERS?!111one!" I've heard one sister make a comment during a watchtower at one time.
And other views such as schooling... working-to-poor congregations seem to be firmly opposed to college and higher education (when they are the ones that mostly need it!), while uppper class families tended to "understand" the economy and the need for an eduction in a trade or some schooling, bot "Not alot"! Does anybody else get where I'm going?
This might be hard if you have only been apart of one congregation and could not pick up on the differences in culture, race, and class, but I just had to put it out there since lately I've been hearing talks that have been in total conflict with talks I've heard before.
Has anybody else noticed the same thing?
