Reflection On Cultural Diversity

Chapter 10 in Cultural Diversity deals with treating victims of hardships. There were a few key themes that impacted me more than others and I would like to talk about those. There were many subjects and points made that I found interesting, but to keep it in a two page paper I will summarize as best as possible. I will say that I have learned a lot reading this specific chapter, understanding how things that affect others can so easily be swept under the rug, or just expected to be forgotten or forgiven as atrocities from the past. Reading through the chapter I see that as a common theme. Things that have happened in the past are sometimes treated strictly as history and the only time we address them is when we are talking about past events,

I like the way the book puts it, “The ordinary response is to banish them from consciousness” (217). I think it is easy for us to say everyone is on the same playing field, it is certainly easier when you pretty much own the field. There are also therapeutic methods for helping those who have been affected by some of the situations that I mentioned. I will focus on three, Clinical Counseling, Support groups, and medical management. Clinical counseling helps people as they navigate through emotional or mental health. I believe this is a good way, or an integral part at least, of helping to deal. Here we look deeper than the surface hurt and can unroot the original pain and deal with it in a therapeutic environment. Support groups are great as well. What these bring to the table are others that can relate. I am a big believer in the support person, or system somehow being able to relate to the person who has been affected. I could not relate to a black child born in poverty addicted to crack. But the power of one who has, and has overcome could be the greatest

Look, God is not going to snap His fingers and just heal everyone, sometimes the journey is necessary as part of the healing. God has given men knowledge to provide healing in many ways. If you find yourself getting stitches when you cut yourself in order to stop the bleeding, do not throw stones for those with non-visible wounds when they treat theirs. The Bible supports at least two out of these three for sure. Support groups we can attach to accountability and clinical counseling as those that are wise helping us. Medical management can neith rer be proven or disproven. The last part I want to mention is forgiveness. “Forgiveness does not mean condoning or excusing what happened in the past. Nor does it mean forgetting, accepting the behavior of the other, reconciling with the other, suppressing feelings of hurt, or losing one’s moral compass or outrage at injustice” (229). Forgiveness in the book is described more as not taking things personally, or detaching.

I believe a Biblical definition of healing should be applied to all situations mentioned. We love as Christ loved, we forgive as He forgave us. That does not make our hurt completely disappear but it does make us obedient and pleasing to God and trusting Him for justice and direction and