Today I learned of a situation in which the authors of a Christian book called "Deadly Viper", published by Zondervan, use Asian (most Chinese) cultural symbols in the marketing of their work on character building through grace and integrity.

Here is the website: http://www.deadlyviper.org

Here is a particularly offensive video: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/video/video.php?v=35881373178&ref=mf

Professor Soong-Chan Rah, whose Cambridge church I had the privilege of attending a few years ago, brought his concerns to them, and this is their reaction: http://profrah.wordpress.com/2009/11/03/response-from-one-of-the-authors-of-deadly-viper/#comment-221

This is Prof Rah's open letter to Zondervan and the authors: http://profrah.wordpress.com/2009/11/03/an-open-letter-to-zondervan-and-to-mike-foster-and-jud-wilhite-authors-of-deadly-viper-character-assassin-a-kung-fu-survival-guide-for-life-and-leadership/

What pains me the most:

a) the disappointing initial response to Prof. Rah. They are christian, selling a book on the topic of character and integrity. I expected more from them.

From James 3:1
“Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.”

b) the fact that this book that has the potential to influence impressionable individuals. This will probably contribute as much to their subconscious image of Asians than any other Asian experience or encounter.

I applaud the effort of Mike and Jud's movement to reach a certain population in a culturally relevant way, but by doing this they also alienate multiple cultures which may otherwise have been willing to look beyond the cover of the book to glean some nuggets of truth. If we as Asians are made to feel like aliens among fellow believers, where else can we turn?