For Dr. Michelle_KM final project

Jerry Seigle

Gordon Conwell

IS/WM 520:ONL

November 26, 2022

Understanding the Values of Christianity

The Loma Linda region in the USA is home to about 10,000 Adventists. The region is famous for registering the highest average life expectancy than the average figures for Americans. The longevity is partly attributed to the selective eating habits of the inhabitants (Loma Linda, California, 2022). This Adventist group values exercising their body and participating in socialization events such as community work, nature walks, and group Bible studies. Their busy and happy communal life is stress relieving, avoiding common lifestyle diseases such as obesity and high blood pressure. This article dissects the Christianity practices and beliefs of the Adventist group and how they shape their lifestyle and values.

The eating habits and type of food for the Loma Linda culture are based on the tenets of Biblical teachings. This Adventist group is mainly vegetarian – emphasizing a plant-based diet. They detest meat consumption as it is associated with certain cancers and other diseases (Loma Linda, California, 2022). Consumption of meat is rare; if need be, it must be from clean animals, as stated in the Bible's teachings. The group values a balanced vegetarian diet with legumes, fruits, nuts, cereals and vegetables – all well-prepared to benefit the body; preparing the required nutrient is carefully done to ensure it is properly cooked. A plant-based diet and consuming sugar and salt in moderation prevent lifestyle diseases such as high blood pressure, certain cancers, and obesity.

According to Biblical teachings, the Loma Linda Adventists value maintaining a healthy body – as the human body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Consequently, there is an emphasis on exercising the body across all age groups to maintain a healthy physique. Body exercising enhances one's immunity. It also promotes weight loss, promoting a healthy Body Mass Index, BMI, which is essential in regulating blood pressure. Physical exercise promotes individual wellness, thus boosting one's life expectancy. Normalizing outdoor physical exercise with a breath of fresh air is therapeutic and results in stress relief – minimizing the chances of developing depression.

Moreover, communal life and socialization promote clear conscious and emotional wellness. Adventists are known for observing a day on the Sabbath to congregate and socialize with fellow believers. This socialization promotes emotional wellness by relieving their minds of weekly stressors. The group values voluntary community service, which they perceive as a primary mandate for human beings as per the scripture teachings (LaMotte, 2019). Through living a servant life; doing good to others, the group obtains great satisfaction adding to the quality of their life.

The Adventists of Loma Linda teach the virtues of leading a drug free life free from smoking and alcohol intake; which contribute to development of diseases. Tobacco smoking will contribute to development of lung cancers while alcohol intake promotes liver disease (LaMotte, 2019). To lead a quality lifestyle this group observes teetotalism adding on their healthy life. Their non-indulgence depicts the other aspect of a quality lifestyle in alcohol and drug abuse.

Several adaptability issues might experience cultural pushback. As a Loma Linda Adventist, migrating to a new area where their staunch Christianity values are not observed can be quite challenging. It would be difficult to compromise the highly heralded Christian teachings because of geographical change. There is even more difficult to adapt to the new Christian teachings and practices since the fundamental Adventist beliefs and tenets are passed through generations. The eating habits, communal living, and the general Christian lifestyle represent these people's identities.

Caleb had a lot of difficulties assimilating to the culture in Milan, having moved from Loma Linda to the US. His short spell of four years in Italy as a foreign college student was marked by immense culture shock. Virtually all Christian practices in Milan – which Roman Catholicism hugely inspires -seemed to contradict what he grew up practicing as the norm back in the US (O'Callaghan, 2017). The dressing style, eating habits, hobbies, and Christian values in his new setting were unacceptable where he hails.

Our dress code is the number one factor in our identity. Different cultures are identified by their unique dressing styles and how they value decency. The Loma Linda Christian faction emphasizes a decent dressing style congruent with Biblical beliefs. To the shock of Caleb, the Christians of Italy seemed to have embraced modernity – compromising the foundational elements of Christianity contained in the Biblical teachings (O'Callaghan, 2017). Women are not expected to put on male clothes and vice versa. Caleb could not believe, in Milan, ladies donned tight trousers – which are, besides being meant for men, indecent. It was very awkward to adopt this cultural indecency for Caleb as it was a sin even for men to dress provocatively, exposing private body parts. Instead, we should keep our bodies holy and well protected as they should be an instrument for preaching God's word to the nations.

The Adventists of Loma Linda have demystified the Biblical teachings of using our abilities and opportunities to continue the work of evangelism. How Italians spend their leisure time caught Caleb in shock. He found the adjustment to this lifestyle quite difficult. He was used to a life of service, reaching out to the lost sheep and bringing them back to the heaven-bound flock. Instead, in Milan, most people used their free time to pursue earthly pleasures such as alcohol, fornication, and other evils. The turn of events meant that Caleb could not continue the social and communal life they practiced back home (LaMotte, 2019). Until he made some friends who shared similar Christian values, he always kept to himself in utter awe about the lukewarm Christianity in this part of the world.

The value of life and the perception of death are essential subjects in Christianity. The differing Christian perceptions of life and death influence people's ethical values and beliefs to a greater degree. Back in Loma Linda, the Adventist group perceived life to be sacred and a privilege call for duty in discharging God's work assigned to humanity during creation (Choudry et al., 2018). The holy duty requires these people to live without blemish as they are supposed to reflect the image of God in body, spirit, and actions. As a result, you will find the Christian community in Loma Linda pursuing Christian perfection through strict observance of the ten commandments of God. Caleb, however, discovers that in Milan, the people seemed preoccupied with the popular narrative of 'you only live once. They paid little attention to observing personal wellness through pursuing healthy living and care for their bodies. Instead, they pursued secular lifestyles.

In the Christian teachings upheld by the Adventist group in Loma Linda, materialism is secular and incompatible with the quest for eternal life (Choudry et al., 2018). Instead of amassing earthly riches and fame, this group encourages the pursuit of everlasting life. Therefore, Christians are expected to live a life of service to - the least of those – the needy in society. This lifestyle glorifies the Gospel of God and is in accordance with the foundational tenets of Christianity. Caleb was, however, forced to contemplate a materialistic world in the Roman Catholicism context while in Milan. The contradictory Christian teachings breed confusion as embracing modernity through the integration of capitalism into Christian values and faith is against the expectations of scripture.

According to Caleb, his Adventist values and beliefs are generational practices that everyone in his bloodline has upheld throughout their lives. He was born and nurtured in a Christian family of the Adventist faction. He was brought up according to the fundamental beliefs and teachings of Adventism that his parents practiced. His culture of communal living and love for others was highly regarded. Taking care of the body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit, was a basic requirement if one is to abide by the teachings of God. These teachings are backed by Biblical verses and stories that concretize the strict observance of holiness. The Bible is the Holy book at the heart of Christian teachings and beliefs. Caleb believes there is no question about the practices of Loma Linda, and he will certainly pass the values and beliefs down to his generation.

Further research on the implication of the values and beliefs of the Loma Linda Adventists on their quality of life and longevity was affirmative. Published research indicated that people from this region lived ten years longer than the average American life expectancy (Loma Linda, California, 2022). The incidence of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, lung cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, or high blood pressure was minimal. The quality of life these people practiced was the sole purpose of their good health and immunity.

In conclusion, people's behavior, food, and lifestyle define their identity. There can be different factions of Christianity depending on the values and practices they promote. These values and practices form the way of life of these people, passed down through generations, as the right way of living. Interaction with different Christian values and beliefs later in life presents a culture shock and makes it difficult for believers to compromise and adopt the new culture. Cultural change must be based on the implication of the trade-offs to the affected party and the generational significance of the foundational Christian values.

References

Choudry, M., Latif, A., & Warburton, K. G. (2018). An overview of the spiritual importance of end-of-life care among the five major faiths of the United Kingdom. Clinical Medicine, 18(1), 23–31. https://doi.org/10.7861/clinmedicine.18-1-23

LaMotte, S. (2019, November 25). What this sunny, religious town in California teaches us about living longer. CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/2019/11/25/health/longevity-blue-zone-wellness/index.html