THE ROLE AND IMPACT OF THE GOVERNOR MANIFESTING KINGDOM CULTURE THE ABSENCE OF AN INTERNAL GOVERNMENT ALWAYS DEMANDS MORE EXTERNAL LAW. As we have seen, every nation manifest itself in unique cultural and social expression. There are specific ways that people from certain countries ACT, SPEAK, and LOOK, so that you can recognize, Thats a Bahamian, Thats an Italian, or Thats a Russian. After you have been around people from various countries or regions long enough, you begin to recognize their distinguishing mannerisms, attitudes, and speech. The previous chapter emphasized that AS CITIZENS OF THE HEAVENLY KINGDOM, WE SHOULD BEGIN TO TAKE ON THE DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS OF OUR NEW COUNTRY. WHILE WE ARE STILL SURROUNDED BY the kingdom of darkness, WE ARE TO LIVE FROM THE INSIDE OUT RATHER THAN FROM THE OUTSIDE IN. Since were not used to living in this way, we depend on the Governor to INSTRUCT and EMPOWER us in ALL THE WAYS OF THE KINGDOM--ITS MIND-SET, LIFESTYLE, AND CUSTOMS--SO THAT WHAT IS WITHIN US CAN BE MANIFESTED IN OUR ATTITUDES, WORDS, AND ACTIONS. In this chapter, I want to explore an aspect of kingdom culture that is vital to all other aspects of it; in fact, it often leads to and is associated with the GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT, which we will discuss in more depth in chapter thirteen. To begin, lets look at the characteristics of all human nations, or kingdom. CHARACTERISTICS OF ALL NATIONS There are certain characteristics that nations must have to become established and to maintain themselves as nations. They must have... 1.LAND (TERRITORY) 2.CULTURE (WHAT THE NATION STANDS FOR, ITS IDEALS) 3.VALUES (THE STANDARDS THE PEOPLE OF THE NATION LIVE BY) 4. LANGUAGE (A COMMON FORM OF COMMUNICATION) For example, what makes the United States of America a nation is not a particular ethnicity or standard of living. IT IS THE LAND, THE FOUNDATIONAL BELIEFS AND TENETS FOUND IN ITS CONSTITUTION AND OTHER IMPORTANT NATIONAL DOCUMENTS, THE VALES THAT ARE DRAWN FROM THOSE FOUNDATIONAL BELIEFS AND ITS COMMON LANGUAGE, ENGLISH. THE POWER OF LANGUAGE TO A KINGDOM OF THE ABOVE FOUR CHARACTERISTICS,LANGUAGE IS THE PRIMARY AND GREATEST MANIFESTATION OF A NATIONS CULTURE. WHY IS LANGUAGE SO IMPORTANT TO A NATION? LANGUAGE IS THE KEY TO NATIONAL IDENTITY First, language is the KEY to national identity. When the British Empire took over the Bahamas, THE FIRST THING THEY DID WAS MAKE THE PEOPLE LEARN TO SPEAK ENGLISH. LANGUAGE IS POWERFUL; BECAUSE IT GIVES PEOPLE A SHARED PERSPECTIVE NOT ONLY ON LIFE, BUT ALSO ON HOW THAT LIFE IS EXPRESSED. IT COULD BE SAID THAT CULTURE IS CONTAINED IN LANGUAGE, BECAUSE IT SHAPES IT. IF YOU AND I CANT SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE, WE CAN NEVER HAVE THE SAME CULTURE BECAUSE WE CANT COMMUNICATE WITH ONE ANOTHER. SO THE KEY TO COMMUNITY IS LANGUAGE. (A COUNTRY IS REALLY NOT A COUNTRY UNTIL ALL THE PEOPLE SPEAK IN THE SAME TONGUE). HISTORICALLY, AMERICANS HAVE AGREED THAT THEIR LANGUAGE IS ENGLISH, THE FRENCH HAVE AGREED THAT THEIR LANGUAGE IS FRENCH, AND PEOPLE FROM SPAIN AND LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES HAVE AGREED THAT THEIR LANGUAGE IS SPANISH. (IF YOU EMIGRATE TO ANOTHER COUNTRY,(ITS SUPPOSED TO BE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE YOU ADOPT THE COUNTRYS LANGUAGE). OTHERWISE, IT ENCOURAGES DISHARMONY. THEREFORE, EVERY NATION EMBRACES A COMMON LANGUAGE BECAUSE IT IS THE KEY TO UNITY LANGUAGE IS THE KEY TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION THIRD, LANGUAGE IS THE KEY TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION. NATIONAL CULTURE, VALUES, HISTORY, GOALS, NEEDS, AND DESIRES CAN BE TRANSMITTED ONLY IF A NATIONS LEADERS AND CITIZENS ARE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE THESE THINGS TO EACH OTHER AND SUBSEQUENT GENERATIONS. A COMMON LANGUAGE IS ESSENTIAL TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, ESPECIALLY IN HELPING TO ENSURE THE ACCURACY OF THE TRANSMISSION. LANGUAGE IS THE KEY TO EFFECTIVE EXPRESSION FOURTH, LANGUAGE IS THE KEY TO EFFECTIVE EXPRESSION. YOU WONT BE ABLE TO ARTICULATE WHAT YOU DESIRE TO SAY IF YOU LACK THE WORDS TO DO SO. SUCH A LACK MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN A NATION AS FULL-FLEDGED CITIZENS. LANGUAGE SIGNIFIES A COMMON HERITAGE FIFTH, LANGUAGE IS THE KEY TO COMMON HERITAGE. IT IDENTIFIES THE ORIGINAL HOME COUNTRY OF THOSE WHO SPEAK IT. FOR EXAMPLE, IF A MAN FROM PORTUGAL MET A MAN FROM BRAZIL, THEY WOULD RECOGNIZE THEIR COMMON HERITAGE BECAUSE THE BOTH SPEAK PORTUGUESE, EVEN THOUGH THERE MIGHT BE REGIONAL DIFFERENCES IN THEIR RESPECTIVE EXPRESSIONS OF THE LANGUAGE. LANGUAGE IS THE KEY TO GENERATIONAL TRANSFER SIXTH, LANGUAGE IS THE KEY TO GENERATIONAL TRANSFER. WHEN FAMILIES EMIGRATE FROM A NATION, AND THE PARENTS PRESERVE THE LANGUAGE AND CUSTOMS OF THE HOME COUNTRY BUT THEIR CHILDREN DO NOT, YOU EVENTUALLY HAVE A SITUATION IN WHICH GRANDCHILDREN ARE UNABLE TO SPEAK WITH THEIR GRANDPARENTS AND LOSE CONTACT WITH THEIR HERITAGE. THIS MEANS THAT, IF I WANT TO PASS ALONG MY VALUES, BELIEFS, AND FAMILY TRADITIONS TO MY CHILDREN, I HAVE TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM IN A COMMON LANGUAGE. LANGUAGE THEREFORE PRESERVES FAMILY HERITAGE THROUGHOUT GENERATIONS.
Posted on: Tue, 12 Nov 2013 16:31:10 +0000
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