Not All Cultures Are Equal

Exploring the very good and the extremely bad of cultural integration

multiculturalism One of the many tragedies of the horrific Bondi Beach massacre on 14^th December is the fact that it was not really a surprise to anyone with a modicum of understanding of the global scenario.

After more than two years of ‘globalise the intifada’ pro-Palestine marches, accusations of genocide against the world’s only Jewish majority nation, and rising anti-Semitism across Western nations – how can it possibly be a surprise that Muslim terrorists would feel emboldened to enact an atrocity against Jews celebrating Hanukkah?

The Spectator’s Gareth Roberts has written on how he feels sorry for liberals “mugged by reality” – those with the dawning revelation that multiculturalism is not the unalloyed good that they like to proclaim. That rising immigration often brings with it rising terrorism as well as the unending horrific rape and murder incidents committed by migrants that we read about on an almost daily basis.

Cultural complexities

Christianity, the foundation of our Western values, teaches that all people are created equal; that in Christ there is no racial, sex or status divisions. But it never teaches that all cultures are equal, which is what the modern, liberal, progressive and decolonial mindset proclaims.

All cultures are most definitely not equal.

Christianity never teaches that all cultures are equal, which is what the modern, liberal, progressive and decolonial mindset proclaims.

It should go without saying that in every culture, there are people who are, overall, decent – caring, considerate, welcoming. And equally, there are those who, whether through nature or nurture, give way to the evil desires of the human heart.

There are aspects of most cultures that are positive, alongside others that are negative. Cuisine, music, sport and art are areas where cultures can normally be celebrated without a moral dimension being added – but many other aspects are steeped in moral context, and thus have a significant impact on people.

History shows us that God does not approve of all cultures. He did not approve of Canaanite child sacrifice, for example, and that was why He told the Israelites to take their land. There was a good reason for Jonah refusing to go to Ninevah – the evil the Assyrians perpetuated on their enemies was enough for all the lands around to fear them immensely.

Colonialism's positive effects

Anti colonialists would have you believe that the British Empire was all bad. Admittedly, it wasn’t all good. But British influence put an end to the burning of widows on funeral pyres in India. The Spanish Empire, despite its lamentable exploits, nevertheless put an end to the mass human sacrifice of the empires in Central and South America – the temple in Tenochtitlan, for example, had been dedicated to its god, it is said, by the sacrifice of eighty thousand victims, according to historian Tom Holland. Its rain god’s favours could only be won by the sacrifice of small children who had first been made to weep.

Only a culture soaked in the words of the Bible could change direction like this: a recognition of sin and a repentance which resulted in world-changing action.

Both British and Spanish empires committed atrocities. Yet their very Christian culture meant that, from within, voices of conscience raised above the noise to change the direction. Following a revelation from God, for example, Bartolomé de las Casas was born again, freed his slaves, and set out to defend the Indians from tyranny, arguing on both sides of the Atlantic that only the cause of bringing the defeated peoples to God could justify Spain’s empire, and that it could only be done through persuasion – not by force.

William Wilberforce and his colleagues famously brought an end to the horrors of the transatlantic slave trade – and the beginning of a nearly worldwide consensus that slavery, practised since time immemorial across the globe, was an evil to be eradicated.
Only a culture soaked in the words of the Bible could change direction like this: a recognition of sin and a repentance which resulted in world-changing action.

UK’s inborn issues

To bring us back to the modern day, it is becoming clear to more and more people that all cultures are absolutely not equal.

Britain, alongside the West in general, has long had issues and problems that need dealing with. Child abuse in institutions as disparate as schools, children’s homes, youth detention centres and even churches, is a stain on our national conscience, causing indelible damage on those who suffered it. The legacy of the Irish Troubles lingers on. Corruption has darkened the reputation of the police.

It is becoming clear to more and more people that all cultures are absolutely not equal.

Yet we have benefitted greatly from a period of relative stability, where the laws of the land are based on the principles of the Bible, where the people respected each other and sought, in the main, to obey both the letter and the spirit of the law. Life was considered sacred, and women were valued – and this even before the advent of feminism.

But now, we are seeing evidence of not just our own problems, but many imported ones too. A shocking number of women and girls in the UK are living with the consequences of female genital mutilation, for example – an estimated 137,000 in England and Wales.

Integration

Religious freedom is a right which was hard won in this country – but it is not a given across the world. Our Jewish population has lived with freedom to choose to practise Judaism, or not, for a very long time – we had a Jewish Prime Minister in the mid-nineteenth century (Benjamin Disraeli), and many European Jews moved to Britain to the relative safety here in that period. They in turn have been a peaceful and hardworking people, an asset to our nation.

The Windrush generation came to work when the nation was rebuilding post war. They faced hostility from some quarters, but built a good life here, in the main. They brought a few issues, but much that was good. The Sikh community has long been praised as an example of integration, with their strong cultural work ethic, focus on family and community responsibility, and promotion of peace. In more recent times, the influx of Polish migrants has been welcomed by businesses, who have loved their hard-working attitude.

There is a deep problem inherent within Islam that makes it incompatible with living peaceably within an open, tolerant, free society.

With a long history, therefore, of well-integrated communities, and a strong biblical understanding that all people are created equal and worthy of dignity, reasons for promoting immigration and diversity by well-meaning liberals are completely understandable.

But not all cultures are equal. The Jews share much of our moral understanding, with our Bible built on the Judaic foundation. The Poles and the Afro-Caribbean peoples share our Christian heritage – with many credited with faith in greater proportions than the UK native population.

The problem of jihad

Others, however, come from places where corruption is rife, and the rule of law is not respected. In particular, many single male migrants are now arriving with misogynistic attitudes that place women in great danger of sexual crime.

And, whilst many Muslims, like the Sikh community, want to work hard and live good, peaceful lives focused on family and faith, there is a deep problem inherent within Islam that makes it incompatible with living peaceably within an open, tolerant, free society. That problem is jihad.

Many Muslims have long sought to repackage jihad in terms of a personal journey of faith, of right-living and praying. But within the Qu’ran is a strong incitement to war against the infidel. That is how Islam spread across the Middle East, through Africa, and into Europe. If peoples would not convert willingly, they were forced to through conquest.

Within the Qu’ran, there is a particular hatred for Jews. Good, peaceful Muslims seek to downplay and even ignore these passages, but they are ripe for exploitation by those who have more violent tendencies. Often young men, second or third generation immigrants, brought up in well-integrated households, are radicalised by hate preachers in mosques or online. Others, like the Bondi Beach killers, pass on their hatred of Jews, notably, from parent to child.

Demonising an entire group is never the answer.

It is since the outbreak of war following the October 7^th atrocities that this stark divide has become apparent to many – with the weekly hate marches highlighting the Muslim community’s obsession with Israel. Yet too many have sympathised with them, and even joined with them – albeit, many out of genuine concern for the innocents in Gaza caught up in the war.

What can be done?

Will the attacks in Bondi Beach be enough to make people realise where this intolerant Jew-hatred leads?

And what can be done about it? Acknowledging the problems inherent within Islamic doctrine is clearly of essence. Politicians and society cannot keep brushing this under the carpet, as we’ve done for far too long in the name of tolerance and the fear of upsetting Muslims. Equally, it remains important that peace-loving Muslims need to feel safe and unthreatened – demonising an entire group is never the answer. Each person is responsible for their own actions and lives, not for what others in their community does - though where they can influence others for the better, they should.

Without a rewriting of the Qu’ran (virtually unthinkable), the problem of Islamic Jew-hatred is likely to remain. Perhaps the only effective answer is for Muslims to be shown the love of Christ – through word and deed – by their Christian neighbours.

And those not in a position to do that – for geographical or other reasons – the onus is to pray – that the Kingdom of God might break through into the hearts and minds of those across our nation who continue to live in spiritual darkness and in desperate need of God’s light, truth and love.

Kathryn Price, 24/12/2025

Feedback:

	Jock Stein (Guest)	24/12/2025 10:22
Thanks for an excellent and well-balanced article.
	Michael Petek	24/12/2025 13:31
Once we accept the observation that there is a deep problem inherent within Islam that makes it incompatible with living peaceably within an open, tolerant, free society, and that problem is jihad, we are invited to consider John Henry Newman's dictum: “That there is a truth then; that there is one Truth; that religious error is in itself of an immoral nature; that its maintainers, unless involuntarily such, are guilty in maintaining it; that it is to be dreaded;” Why, then, should a nation recognise a right to religious freedom if this entails the toleration of the evils of false worship, errors of divine truth and law, and of blasphemy? At least two reasons can be given. The first reason is jurisdictional: the civil authorities have no jurisdiction to teach or to judge in relation to God and the right way of serving and obeying Him according to the law of the internal forum. The second reason is that public authority ought not to move against people merely on account of profession of error in good faith. These considerations presuppose no element of sedition in errors which claim toleration. Jews, Christians, and Muslims all profess religious beliefs concerning civil authority. Of these, only Jews and Christians affirm that the powers that be are ordained of God. Muslims profess beliefs that advocate insurrection against governments which according to the Bible must be respected and obeyed for the sake of the Lord. This is why the civil authorities are entitled to the judgement that, even the innocent profession and propagation of Islamic beliefs is too dangerous to human life and to the stability of the institutions of government to justify toleration. With that, the civil authorities are entitled to take cognisance of their blasphemous character and the wickedness of even the ritual observances of the Muslims.
	JOHN FRENCH	24/12/2025 14:35
I just wanted to reflect on your article and my own thinking, how deeply entrenched wrong concepts can get embedded in our thinking, and then they become clear in what we write. This is not to criticise the article, I am trying to judge my own thinking, and try and understand how much my thinking is wrong. 2 Corinthians 10:5 “We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” Just reflecting on two comments in the article, You said, “The Jews share much of our moral understanding”. I would say with respect, “Western Gentiles share much of the Jewish moral understanding”. As gentiles we are grafted into the cultivated olive tree that is “Israel” or “Jewish” and we share the nourishing sap from the olive root”. I believe that one of the church's problems is where Gentiles over the centuries have formed their own theology that is not rooted in Jewish understanding, so when you say “give way to the evil desires of the human heart”. That comment can easily be identified with “original sin”, especially if our minds have been trained in this view. This may or may not have been your intent. In Judaism there is no concept of “original sin” and some Western scholars are starting to recognise this, see below. Johnathon Sacks, the former Chief Rabbi to the UK and Commonwealth, now deceased, in his book on Deuteronomy, writes, “Judaism is not a drama about the salvation of a soul and the rescuing of humanity from the lingering effects of original sin. Indeed, there is nothing in the Hebrew Bible about original sin, nor does the idea accord with its theology, we are punished for our sins and not those of distant ancestors like Adam and Eve”. Rev Dr David Instone-Brewer is an honorary senior research fellow at Tyndale House, Cambridge, and a Baptist Minister. He wrote in Premier Christianity (28.10.2021), “Personally, I’m coming to the conclusion that the doctrine of original sin has perverted our view of God, and that removing it will make a huge difference to the way we live”. He further says, “The Old Testament didn’t teach this, and nor do the Gospels. So the doctrine of original sin depends solely on one unlikely interpretation of that single verse in Romans 5:12”. I wanted to thank you for article and how it made me test my thinking in various ways.
	lorrainestacey@btinternet.com (Guest)	24/12/2025 20:19
Of course there is "original" sin, and it originated way back in the garden of Eden, and its the same sin that the church is committing today, and also "Israel", its called Disobedience to "GOD" and HIS word!. And yes, we are grafted into the olive tree but we can also be pruned out, Hebrews 6. And we in the west are still thinking and acting on too much Greek teaching and customs and not the Hebraic way of life. Thank "GOD" for "Jesus Christ" and his one time only all sufficient sacrifice on the cross and his undying obedience to Father "GOD" most high. Forgetting the original sin teaching and being reminded of it is very dangerous indeed and could lead to an "anything goes" mentality, and many have fallen into that snare already in the Church, just look at the "Charismatic" movement, that movement has severely got itself bogged down somewhere, and has fallen into much apostasy and sin. We need more teaching on "SIN" IN THE CHURCH NOT REPLACING IT OR GETTING RID OF IT FROM THE CHURCH.
	Nick Thompson (Guest)	26/12/2025 07:46
Good article thank you Kathryn and some good comments. I guess for me is where does personal views and adherence to cultural norms intersect and mt experience tells me that the hatred Islam holds for Judaism/Christianity, because the two are not differentiated in Islamic eyes, is a deep cultural one that is akin to the old family blood feuds. That means that when push comes to shove the oll ' I won't back you, but I won't attack you' becomes the bare minimal position for the overwhelming majority of Muslims. Regarding original sin, I believe my study on Ezekiel 18 demonstrates that while we live with the consequences of Eden, Hermon & Babel and only Jesus can undo those consequences. Thank youJathryn
	Peter Morrow (Guest)	26/12/2025 11:52
It is a more than a little concerning that the Christian Church is now questioning the doctrine of original sin. We’ve questioned just about everything in these last decades, and it’s not just the liberals - the conservative wing has been just as adept at rewriting, or stretching, long established doctrines: justification, so-called apostolic leadership, biblical authority to name but three. Paul, that most ‘Hebrew of Hebrews’ connected our resurrection to the fall in 1 Corinthians 15: death and life. Indeed he connected it all to the supremacy of Christ, His life, death and resurrection - to His atonement for our sin in our place and His obedience for our righteousness. There was a time when this was 101 Christianity: it was junior Sunday School Christianity and doctrine. It is any wonder we have lost our way? Because like a game of Christmas ‘jenga’ it all comes tumbling down. And there’s no need to point to other causes for the trouble we are in, because it is we who have picked our own faith apart.
	John Shipton (Guest)	26/12/2025 13:26
In talking to religious people whether being members of the establishment churches, those seeking signs and wonders at all costs, people coming out of the closets at carol services, Hindus who worship many gods, Muslims who are instructed to take countries -cities-towns for Allah, and King Charles who has taken the title defender of all faiths, it is no wonder many are facing the outcome of the Judgement of God in the Last Days. The leaderships of the so-called Christian Church are no better! Instead of responding to Almighty God's call to his instruction of Repentance and Salvation, many prefer to travel on the road of confusion - the pathway that all faiths lead to God - forbidden occult practices - allowing themselves to be distracted - accepting false prophets and teachers in the midst - and ignoring Christ's commandment of being born again and filled with the Holy Spirit. Like Replacement Theology and accepting erroneous teachings, together with identify with and supporting the approach to ecumenicalism, Christianity has been downgraded as well as with Christ's commission and commandment to Go Ye which has been under written to solely use internet applications such as Facebook, etc, for contact. The question arises is what will religious people do when the plug is pulled to stop the internet functioning, causing chaos all over the globe, with the intent of bringing and subduing under the influence of the pending world leader (the Anti Christ) who will be invited and called for to take the helm of running and resolving over what remains. But then, by then, the False Prophet will reveal himself to all and point the way, as spirit given, to the way forward on religious activity and governance. It will be deception at its peak, controlled demonic forces, and will be the main force behind the Great Tribulation. The Lord God Almighty will be played down, blasphemed, and ignored, replaced by a sinister religious system totally in oblivion to the Kingdom of God. However, who wishes to listen to the Voice of God in motion since His creation? Very few in comparison with the billions who occupy planet earth! Maranatha!!
	Peter Morrow (Guest)	26/12/2025 21:05
Nick, you wrote an article a couple of weeks ago about the myth of inherited sin and Ezekiel, and while I commented that I largely agreed with it, I went on to ask about the possible implications for the doctrine of original sin. Given your response to John French here, are you saying that the doctrine should be questioned or moderated in some way, perhaps to fit with a more Jewish understanding of the Old Testament?