Faith, Politics, and Mental Health with Dr. Bryan Loritts (The Post-Christian Podcast)

In this episode, I interviewed Dr. Bryan Loritts, the founder and president of The Kainos Movement, and the author of several books including The Offensive Church: Breaking the Cycle of Ethnic Disunity and Enduring Friendship: Sticking Together in an Age of Unfriending.

Bryan and I discuss the way followers of Jesus should approach politics in a counter cultural way, the importance of the multi-ethnic church, and how to avoid a mental health crisis like the one Moses had while leading the people of Israel.

THE POST-CHRISTIAN PODCAST AND GIVEAWAYS:

We help you make disciples in our increasingly post-Christian world.
We discuss reaching new people and raising up leaders while removing the barriers of churchianity.

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LISTEN OR WATCH HERE:

APPLE PODCASTS – An Interview with Dr. Bryan Loritts

Why Multi-Culturalism Fails

In a fascinating article about the failure of multi-culturalism, Yahoo News writes:

“French President Nicolas Sarkozy declared Thursday that multiculturalism had failed, joining a growing number of world leaders or ex-leaders who have condemned it.

‘My answer is clearly yes, it is a failure,’ he said in a television interview when asked about the policy which advocates that host societies welcome and foster distinct cultural and religious immigrant groups.

‘Of course we must all respect differences, but we do not want… a society where communities coexist side by side.

‘If you come to France, you accept to melt into a single community, which is the national community, and if you do not want to accept that, you cannot be welcome in France,” the right-wing president said.

‘The French national community cannot accept a change in its lifestyle, equality between men and women… freedom for little girls to go to school,’ he said.

‘We have been too concerned about the identity of the person who was arriving and not enough about the identity of the country that was receiving him,’ Sarkozy said in the TFI channel show.

British Prime Minister David Cameron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Australia’s ex-prime minister John Howard and Spanish ex-premier Jose Maria Aznar have also recently said multicultural policies have not successfully integrated immigrants.

Merkel in October said efforts towards multiculturalism in Germany had ‘failed, totally.’

The prime minister, who took power in May 2010, argued that ‘under the doctrine of state multiculturalism, we have encouraged different cultures to live separate lives, apart from each other and the mainstream.'”

Read the rest of the article here.

The way these leaders described mult-culturalism sounds a bit like a less brutal form of state-mandated segregation since they “different cultures to live separate lives, apart from each other and the mainstream.”

Now, they seem to indicate they will mandate an integration plan.

I am not a sociologist or anthropologist, but that doesn’t sound like it will work either. They sound a bit like Michael Scott on the The Office or Stephen Colbert when they insist the best way to handle a diverse world is by not seeing color at all.

Rather than a state-mandated strategy, what would happen if these highly conservative Europeans began to have Muslims or Nigerians over for dinner? What if they naturally reached out to connect with people from different cultures? What if loving, serving, and influencing those around us (no matter from what culture they came) became the norm? What if these government leaders found the pockets of society where diversity is working and highlight that?

The culture may become a bit more mixed with all sides influencing the others, but isn’t there something beautiful in that?

What solutions can you see working?

Old & White vs. Young & Brown

Photograph from Dmitri Kasterine
Photograph from Dmitri Kasterine

I came across an interesting story on the growing generational/ethnic divide.  In the National Journal, Ronald Brownstein writes:

“A contrast in needs, attitudes, and priorities is arising between a heavily (and soon majority) nonwhite population of young people and an overwhelmingly white cohort of older people. Like tectonic plates, these slow-moving but irreversible forces may generate enormous turbulence as they grind against each other in the years ahead….

The twist is that graying white voters who are skeptical of public spending may have more in common with the young minorities clamoring for it than either side now recognizes. Today’s minority students will represent an increasing share of tomorrow’s workforce and thus pay more of the payroll taxes that will be required to fund Social Security and Medicare benefits for the mostly white Baby Boomers. Many analysts warn that if the U.S. doesn’t improve educational performance among African-American and Hispanic children, who now lag badly behind whites in both high school and college graduation rates, the nation will have difficulty producing enough high-paying jobs to generate the tax revenue to maintain a robust retirement safety net.

‘The future of America is in this question: Will the Baby Boomers recognize that they have a responsibility and a personal stake in ensuring that this next generation of largely Latino and African-American kids are prepared to succeed?‘ contends Stephen Klineberg, a sociologist at Rice University in Houston, who has studied the economic and political implications of changing demographics. ‘This ethnic transformation could be the greatest asset this county will have, with a young multilingual, well-educated workforce. Or it could tear us apart and become a major liability.'”

To me this article points out a powerful possibility.  What if retiring baby boomers invested in the kids in their area – whether they like their grandkids or not?  I have seen this happen in my own family when my dad began helping teach English as a second language as a volunteer in central Texas.

How can we make sure these two groups help each other and not create even more of a division?

Have you seen other good examples of ways to connect these two groups?

Not Like Me Release Party Winners!

Thanks for joining us for the online release party of my new book Not Like Me: A Field Guide for Influencing a Diverse World!

We will be posting the interviews we had with our guests soon. Listen to previous teleseminars here.

Our guests included: Alan & Debra Hirsch, Kevin Harney, Josh Fox, Shawn Anderson,  Rudy Carrasco, Dave and Jon Ferguson, and Erwin McManus

The resources (valued at over $1000) given away included:

1 All Access Pass to the Origins Event on July 24, 2010 in downtown L.A. (valued at $129) for Joshua from CA!

Untamed by Alan and Debra Hirsch The 10 winners include: Karen from OH, Sherry from CA, Garrett from AL, Sabrina from Ontario, Justin from TN, Janet from CA, Smitty from KY, Isaiah from KY, Karen from IL, and Matt from IL

Protest and Invest by Rudy Carrasco
The 5 winners of the book and iPad version include: Steve from NV, Daniel from FL, Josh from NV, Jerry from TX, and Kelly from CA.

Living Dangerously by Shawn Anderson
The 10 winners include: Justin from NC, Daniel from USA, Dawn from CA, Josh from IL, Kurt from CA, Caleb from WA, Bryon from MI, Brett from MI, Jeff from CA, and Gary from CA.

Josh Fox’s new cd Radiant
The 5 winners include: Molly from MN, Angie from CA, Brad from WA, Rowel from CA, and Gary from NC.

Exponential by Dave and Jon Ferguson
The 10 winners include:Damon from IN, Jenni from TX, Lori from TX, John from WV, Rowdy from OK, Mark from Australia, Brad from VA, Creighton from KS, Martin from KY, and Colby from AZ.

Organic Outreach for Ordinary People by Kevin Harney
The 10 winners include: Wally from MI, Troy from CA, Joshua from CA, Chip from MA, Travis from FL, Lon from Canada, Peter from the U.K., Judy from WA, Mario from Canada, and Renee from CA.

Stand Against the Wind by Erwin McManus
The 10 winners include: Kristine from TX, Kyle from MO, David from IL, Cline from MD, Clay from WA, Rudy from TX, Betty from MI, Kendall from NC, Chuck from VA, and Adam from VT.

“Not Like Me” sermon series I shared at Mosaic (formerly called Peppermint-Filled Pinatas)
The 4 winners include: Stephanie from TX, Tim from CA, Mike from TX, and Dave from AR.

Be one of the first to order the new book here!

“Not Like Me” Release Party Today!

Join us today for the online release party of my new book Not Like Me: A Field Guide for Influencing a Diverse World!

Tuesday, July 20th
11:00am until 2:00pm Pacific Time
(2:00pm – 5:00pm Eastern)

Sign up to win free resources (whether you can make the call or not)!

Come and go as you can!

You do not have to be present to win!

SIGN UP FOR THE “NOT LIKE ME” ONLINE EVENT HERE!

We’ll have interviews and LIVE Q&A with the following (all times PST):

11am Alan & Debra Hirsch
11:30am Kevin Harney
11:45am Josh Fox
12:00pm Shawn Anderson
12:15pm Rudy Carrasco
12:30pm Dave and Jon Ferguson
1pm Erwin McManus

The resources (valued at over $1000) to be given away include:


1 All Access Pass to the Origins Event on July 24, 2010 in downtown L.A. (valued at $129)

Untamed by Alan and Debra Hirsch (10 copies)

Stand Against the Wind by Erwin McManus (10 copies)

Josh Fox’s new cd Radiant (5 copies)

Exponential by Dave and Jon Ferguson (10 copies)

Organic Outreach for Ordinary People by Kevin Harney (10 copies)

Living Dangerously by Shawn Anderson (10 copies)

Protest and Invest by Rudy Carrasco (5 copies of book which include iPad version)

Not Like Me: A Field Guide for Influencing a Diverse World (10 copies)

“Not Like Me” sermon series I shared at Mosaic (formerly called Peppermint-Filled Pinatas) (4 sets with 5 cds each)

SIGN UP FOR THE “NOT LIKE ME” ONLINE EVENT HERE!

We will be announcing winners throughout the phone call and posting them on my site.

Be one of the first to order the new book here!

Free PFP Audiobook Chapter!

The brand new Peppermint-Filled Pinatas audiobook has arrived!

Free Audio! Listen to Chapter 10 -The Mosque Next Door: Building Relationships with the Religious. Press Play Below:
[audio:PFPAudioCh10.mp3]
Or Download the MP3 Here

Also, go to Zondervan’s site for a clip from Chapter 1 – Curry Favor: Winning People and Influencing Friends.

To be one of the first to purchase a copy go to iTunes or www.audible.com or Amazon.com!

Click on the following links for the Table of Contents and to read Chapter 3 (“Peppermint-Filled Pinatas: Partying to Expand Our Influence”)

“Dear Los Angeles…”

Starting this Sunday, we begin a new series at Mosaic called “Dear Los Angeles….” A city filled with so much creativity, diversity, uniqueness, and influence.  How will we use our strengths?  Will we use our “powers” for good or for evil?

If you are in the L.A. area, join us at Mosaic in Pasadena (9:30am & 11:15am), Whittier (9am & 11am), Beverly Hills (11:15am), and Downtown at the Mayan (7pm only during the summer).

Listen in for free at iTunes or www.mosaic.org/podcast.

Also, see “Dear Inland Empire…” (10am on Sundays) and “Dear South Bay…” (now on Sunday nights at 6pm).

The Influence of Los Angeles

la-downtown-with-stadiumsA friend of mine sent me a great article about the influence of Los Angeles.  The article includes the manuscript of the U.S.C. President Steven Sample’s address to the Los Angeles World Affairs Council called “Los Angeles: The Capital of the Pacific Rim.”

Dr. Sample says, “I believe L.A. is the capital of the Pacific Rim because of a unique and powerful convergence of three remarkable strengths:

  • first, our strength and breadth in business and commerce, especially in pioneering businesses, and in our premiere business – the global communications revolution;
  • second, extraordinary creativity, including exceptional levels of intellectual capital; and
  • third, unprecedented ethnic diversity and the interpenetration of cultures.

L.A. brings these three strengths together to an extent that is unprecedented in history, and we embody them more fully than any other city on the Pacific Rim.”

Some other fascinating comments included:

Los Angeles County “is the world’s 18th largest economy,”  the “nation’s busiest trade center,” and that “manufacturing capital of America.”

Los Angeles “has more practicing artists than any other city in the world.”  L.A.’s creativity “includes the arts as well as science and technology.”

Barbara Kruger was quoted as saying: “If most American cities are about the consumption of culture, Los Angeles and New York are about the production of culture – not only national culture but global culture.”

“Los Angeles County today comprises 10.4 million people…. Within this massive population there are over 120 different cultures, 96 cradle languages, 600 different religious groups; 49 foreign-language publications, and hundreds of foreign-language radio and TV stations.”

“The consul general of Israel… called Los Angeles ‘something of a miracle.’ He wrote: ‘Coming from the Middle East, where ethnic divisions have paralyzed us, I am in awe of the positive cross-cultural interaction between the people of Los Angeles. At the end of the day, you see millions of people from every background imaginable living side by side, working together and forging a future under the bright California sun.'”

“The world is coming together in L.A. In our age of global interconnectedness, where we must seek understanding, foster communication and innovation, trade ideas and goods, break down barriers of nationality and ethnicity, and welcome the explorers and rainmakers that are crucial to our collective future, what better place to be than here, in the City of Angels, in the Capital of the Pacific Rim.”

I love L.A.!  We have lots of shortcomings too, but I am grateful to be here!

What are the unique traits of your city?  Does your business, church, or organization share some of the same traits? For demographics try www.city-data.com.