May 29

This new term essentially means, "If you go against the opinions of the collective, you will be cancelled."

We've seen this so often, we're almost numbed. Conservative speakers are "cancelled" from their invite previously extended from a more liberal university campus. A minority caucus is cancelled by the majority caucus.

If you're a Democrat, all Republicans are wrong. If you're a Republican, all Democrats are evil. One ethnicity distrusts, discredits and cancels another ethnicity. Ultimately, everyone cancels everyone else.

While historically the eastern world has emphasized the collective, the western world has highlighted the individual. But, it appears this is changing. In the west.

The east is about honor and shame. The west has been about innocence and guilt.

An innocence/guilt culture would would say, "I am guilty because I did bad." Contrast that with an honor/shame culture that would say, "I am guilty because I am bad...therefore, I have earned my shame."

One points to actions, while the other points to identity. We will quickly and gladly cancel anyone we identify as a bad person.

Therapists and counselors devote at least part of their time to helping people reestablish an identity no longer defined by shame. Now in the west, this is even more challenging. In our minds, to eliminate shame requires the notion that we must also eliminate guilt.

In other words, to eliminate the shame I feel, I have to first eliminate the bad thing I did as being a bad thing.

This is why we are so easily defensive. This is why we easily give ourselves the benefit of the doubt. this can sound like, "But I was very emotional about this!" or, "My actions may have been bad, but my intentions were good."

This is why we easily excuse ourselves while condemning someone else. Grace to us. Judgment for others. Let someone else feel the shame.

Jesus lived, died, and rose again in an eastern honor/shame culture. However, Jesus would interact with anybody. Jesus was unwilling to cancel out anyone He encountered, even those most shameful. His own followers disappointed Him often. And He was always saddened when someone cancelled themselves out.

We were all born destined to be cancelled. However, Jesus took it on Himself, bearing our guilt and carrying our shame to and through the cross.

As the redeemed, our guilt before the Father has been satisfied. Our shame has been replaced by a new identity.

So as the Church, it is now our commission to proclaim the Good News of Jesus to everyone. Cancellation can be cancelled for those who believe.

-Mike Rydman, Lead Pastor, Radiant Church | Juneau