The Inescapability of Culture

In the articles we read for today and during class discussions, I have noticed a large theme, which is that religion cannot escape cultural influences. Since we are taught religion, it is a learned practice rather than an inherent and known practice. How we learn about our religion and how we go about acting within this faith is mainly determined by the society in which we live and this society's traditions and customs. Because of this, the way we worship has not always existed but was instead created, implemented, passed down to different generations, and then shaped and altered based on the individual, the community, and the time period. We are typically raised in a certain faith and tend to adopt the same practices as our parents and as the church we attend. Similarly, how an individual practices his or her religion may be different than how another does so even though they both possess the same beliefs. When examining Christianity in India, it is challenging for religion to be completely separate from the surrounding culture. Cultural practices and societal influences are large and inescapable forces that control individuals and their behavior. So, when people in India practice caste oppression and hierarchical discrimination as a part of the culture, Christianity cannot fully escape this. This is why there is still inequality within Christianity in India. Even though the Catholic Church in India has tried to improve this injustice, it is inevitable due to the stronger surrounding influences. An example of this is with the wall that divides the formerly Dalits from the higher castes when they are buried. Although the Catholic Church in theory does not practice caste discrimination, there are still individuals who brought over their prejudiced beliefs even after they converted because it was how they were taught and raised and do not know any better. Since cultural practices are overwhelmingly strong influences, it is impossible for religion to completely abandon the surrounding society.