1. Free from local, provincial, or national ideas, prejudices, or attachments; at home all over the world.
2. Of or characteristic of a cosmopolite.
3. Belonging to all the world; not limited to just one part of the world.
4. Botany, Zoology. Widely distributed over the globe.
5. A person who is free from local, provincial, or national bias or attachment; citizen of the world; cosmopolite.
What bubble are you living in?
How are you reaching out?
These were the questions Lambiase posed in our discussion of cosmopolitanism. Things I often think about, partly because of my interest (and minor) in anthropology. And mostly because of my belief in Jesus Christ.
What within me is materialistic, lethargic cultural complacency, and what changes could I pursue? Ramadan just ended a couple weeks back. 1.3 billion people in the world participated in this holy month of fasting. Something that rarely crosses the minds of many American college students (in my experience). A group of friends and myself spent the month fasting along with our Muslim friends, praying for the Arab, African, and Asian countries where Muslims are starving and suffering. And praying for respect, understanding, and relationships between these faiths here at home. I met a friend in class who is from Pakistan, and I got to walk with her through this holy month and experience as she does - for the purposes of understanding. Not because God calls me to such righteous acts for salvation, but because He put it on my heart to learn more about Muslims and how to love them. A group of friends of mine and I took money saved from fasting, and sent it to Darfur, Sudan - a bunch of college students saving and giving what they can (which isn't a lot).
I want to believe that having a world mind view comes from initiative that a person must pursue themselves. From my interest in reading about other cultures, and idealogies. But it is true that both of my parents went to college. (my dad pursuing degrees in both botany and zoology which made the online definition of cosmopolitanism, haha). Both of them encouraged me to think and have compassion about the world around me. My dad has lived in South America and Africa. I've spent time in Europe, and my closest friends here in Denton have spent time in Russia, Africa, and South America - wanting to make a difference in this world. I do have people around me, encouraging me to love the world around me with my heart and my resources.
I still don't believe that either of these circumstances have been the primary cause of my interest in people, in what is going on in other cultures. Sure reading, being informed, thinking of how people experience life outside of our own culture & bubbles shapes us into more compassionate people - but any compassion that exists within me, any knowledge that I have of another culture comes from the Creator of us all, who has given me a love for a people and a desire to know them, to help them, and to most importantly learn from them.
When we discuss things like cosmopolitanism the terms that follow are open-mindedness, and tolerance. Who knows who I would be if I experienced all these things with no filter. The world and its struggles have the potential to harden a person. I do not believe we, selfish humans, are capable of loving, serving, and being open to all the hurt and pain in the world without a greater purpose in doing so. My greater purpose is Christ. This does not mean that I point my finger at people, that I believe I am better than one single soul in this world, or that I believe my purpose is to preach to people how to become like me. This means simply that the love of Christ exists within me, a pure joy that I want to share. A joy that gives me a desire to love and aid people in all the other cultures that God created – not make them all American or like me. And ultimately, this means to me that though I desire deeply to love and serve people as Christ did, I am more concerned with eternity – the time we spend on this earth is a minor glimpse of what is to come. I do not pursue cosmopolitanism with openness, or tolerance. I pursue global awareness and action with the love and mercy that has been shown me – terms that are much more meaningful and important to me…
I thought it would be appropriate, and a nice, lighter-toned addtion to attach a photo of my brother's dog: Cosmo.
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