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Listening to Sufjen Stevens new album it is truly beautiful. I've been listening to N.T. Wright all day at work, my brain is smushed with things to ponder. No matter how many times I listen to his lectures I get something new out of them. Met with my parents missionary friend from Niger yesterday. Boy did he have some interesting stories. There culture is so different over there. Apparently from what he was saying, the mission organization struggles to find trustworthy people to work within the organization because in their culture if there is some money sitting around and they have a relative that is sick and in need of medical services they will just take the money to pay for it, even though the money does not belong to them. The mission organization sees this as immoral, but I've been thinking that since morals vary from culture to culture, how right is our "western-Christian" morals? Are they superior to morals in a Muslim nation? Or a Hindu nation? Etc. I think the problem that arises in poorer nations is possibly their lack of understanding/respect when it comes to ownership. But is ownership Biblical? Aren't we taught to share liberally? ie. if someone asks for the coat off your back give them your shirt as well etc. What did Jesus own? What did the apostles own? I realize that we live in different cultures but think about the underlying ideology off property and ownership. It's me trusting in my possessions, looking to what I have as some form of identity. I am in no way justifying stealing but if Christ's Kingdom principles were implemented we would have no reason to "steal" and if someone did "steal" from us it would make little or no difference, because if they needed it we would give it anyway. In the Nigerian culture if someone needs a tool, money, food, etc. he'll ask you for it and your obligated to give it. The missionary described them as not seeing longterm solutions to problems, but only immediate ones (ie. the example above with the money). He said this is why it is hard for the culture to "get ahead", because commerce in our western culture requires "ownership", "property" etc. Without these "getting ahead" financially is impossible, but is that so bad?