Precedents to Geography ~ Part 3

Welcome back, readers. In today’s article, I will be discussing cultural characteristics such as religion, language, governments, and economic systems. I will be giving examples of actual countries affected by a particular characteristic. Make sure you have read Part 1 and Part 2 of this series before continuing.

Culture is quickly defined as a way of life. Every country has a group of distinctive characteristics and traits pertaining to things such as food, occupation, dress, and entertainment. The culture of a nation is formed by the people who live in that nation. Although each nation is diverse and although each person is unique, we are all created by God, we all sinned in man’s fall of Genesis 3, and we all need a Savior. In Acts 17:24-26, Paul tells the Athenians: “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth… seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation.” In these verses, Paul tells the Athenians that “he [God] giveth to all life, and breath, and all things”. This verse also points out that God made all the nations and men equally (“of one blood all nations of men”), and determines man’s accomplishments and lives (“hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation”). There have been many times in history when men treated other groups of people as inferior only because they were not of the same race such as in the practice of slavery and the Holocaust.

Which brings us to religion. Religion is one of the most important factors in a culture because it then affects the type of government, moral standards, and if a nation succeeds or fails. Take this example between Revolutionary America, Great Britain, and France. Both America and Great Britain were grounded in Biblical teachings (through the Great Awakening in America and religious freedoms in Great Britain). Great Britain had a bloodless “Glorious Revolution” in which they deposed a lawless king for another successor. In America, the wish for equality and freedom fed this revolution, not revenge and power. But in France, a country ravaged with the totalitarian power of the Catholics and atheistic philosophies from the Age of Enlightenment, revolution was inhumane. Numerous riots, revolts, beheadings, murders, and absolute terror reigned during this time period. This time period disturbed all of Europe and even led to both World Wars. Another example of this are the hindrances India experiences because of their Hindu caste system. Religion undoubtedly makes a difference.

There are almost seven thousand languages in the world. But where did language come from in the first place? Language began at a construction site for the Tower of Babel. The people living after the Flood decided that they would overthrow God by building a tower to heaven (it sounds really silly if you think about it). So, God confused their languages. That was a very brief overview; I will write more on this topic in one of the history articles.


The government is another characteristic of a culture. Governments influence the economy and even the geography of nations through treaties and agreements. There are three basic categories of governments:
 


Sorry, the computer scan is a little blurry on the left.

The last major factor of a culture I am going to write about is the economy. There are two basic economic systems: free-enterprise capitalism and socialism. Capitalism or free enterprise allows each individual to follow their pursuits with private ownership and without government interference. Ashbaugh and Lostroh state:

“Free enterprise capitalism is the only economic system consistent with the biblical principles of good stewardship and individual responsibility to God (26).”

This is so because it gives each individual the responsibility to make a living and provide for his needs. Socialism is the exact opposite. This type of economic system forces people to provide for society as a whole. Levels of socialism may vary; the worst type is Communism. This economic system discourages initiative because all of your earnings will go to feed other people anyways. And this is not even the worst reason; since people know that the government will overtax them or distribute their wages, they will stop working as heartily because they automatically realize that it isn’t fair. And that is an issue because no one is working and everybody is poor. This also leads to government corruption. If you don’t believe me, take a look at the Soviet Union.

Economies can also be classified according to its main products. Many “Third World” countries have an agrarian economy which means that they rely on the export of plants. Some countries even grow food to provide for its citizens day by day, and cannot export any goods. Industrial economies rely on manufactured or processed items such as things for everyday living. Information-based economies use the latest tools and gadgets such as computer software to further their economy.

The verses for this week are Acts 17:24-26. Here’s the complete passage: “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation.” I explained part of the passage in the second paragraph, but in the complete passage we also learn that God is not dependent on us to survive, and he isn’t confined to the physical realm which He created. I hope you have learned something about what affects a culture. Come back on Thursday for another post!