Subverting Global Myths.

Book Review

Ramachandra, Vinoth. Subverting Global Myths. Theology and the public issues shaping our world. IVP Academic. 2008
V.P.- Colombo, Sri Lanka. Ph.D in nuclear engineering, Anglican lay-theologian, writer and human rights advocate.

Comment. Henry
Some questions are posed on the flyleaf of the resource that present a succinct summary of this presentation.
What myths about terrorism are spread due to lack of historical memory and moral focus?
Why since 9/11 are religions blamed for violent conflict around the world?
Are human rights self-evident truths, or does protection of rights around the world demand a deeper understanding?
How does liberal talk of multiculturalism mask the way cultural diversity is threatened by forces of secularism and capitalism?
What encourages the divorce of scientific research from moral reflection, with dire consequences to the planet?
Are we trapped between the contradictory stories that we are determined by our genes and that we have an unlimited capacity for redesigning ourselves?
What historical myths lie beyond current thinking about globalization, and how do we free ourselves from ongoing colonial mindsets and practices?

Here is a resource that is highly academic and would be of special interest to those who have a serious commitment to apologetics. It is written by a non-westerner.

“Every society turns around some deity or deities that claim the total allegiance of its citizens.” (9) For secular states those deities may be national security, economic growth, patriotism, etc. These deities are most often sustained by myths. Six of these myths become the thesis of this resource.

Myths of Terrorism.
A brief history is presented of the development of animosities between Muslim countries and western countries. Each side had (has) its agendas. After 9/11 “the people of the United States, represented by their government, had unilaterally declared war on all nonstate actors who were committed to violent struggle”. (35) It is commonly called the global war on terror. The word ‘terrorist’ is used only by western countries and implies a form of opposition to western civilization. When it comes to the concept of “a just war”, (42) when all realities of the conflict are considered honestly, “a war on terrorism is a contradiction of terms”. (50)

Myths of Religious Violence.
“All cultures and civilizations that live in close proximity borrow from each other.” (59) Non-Western Christians and Jews have had an influence on Islamic and European civilizations. Religious “violence and war arise from the breakdown of human relations, usually prompted either by greed for resources or perceived threats to one’s identity (involving language, culture or religion).”(81)



Myths of Human Rights.
There are numerous rights, e.g. women’s rights, civil rights, rights of achievement, rights based on contract, etc. Human equality as an axiom is historically a fairly modern concept. “Life is our most basic right.” (106) It implies a justice of resources to sustain life which are determined by need. Freedom from oppression is part of the right to life. To define human rights does not guarantee the practice of human rights.

Myths of Multiculturalism.
Defining culture is a complicated task. The church is described as a “multicultural, multilingual community”. (133)

Myths of Science.
“No discussion of human dignity and freedom can bypass the role that science and technology have come to assume in contemporary societies.” (169) In the discussion of the ideology of science two myths are identified, “science as encouraging an atheistic world view and science as inherently reductionistic”. (187) The argument is made for scientific research and moral responsibility, i.e. genetic engineering and eugenics.

Myths of Postcolonialism.
Decolonization happened in the second half of the twentieth century. Colonialism touched all areas of human knowledge. “Postcolonialism is a word that is useful only if we use it with qualifications.” (245) Some theological reflections are made about postcolonialism.