‘When Culture Hates You’: A Book Review

In 2022, I got my hands on the book Faithfully Different: Regaining Biblical Clarity in a Secular Culture by Natasha Crain, and I was more encouraged than I had been in a long time. I couldn’t believe how real and raw she was about the culture in which we live. She was even willing to call out the Church when necessary. I hoped there would be a follow-up, and Crain didn’t disappoint. Her new book, which came out in February of this year, is entitled When Culture Hates You: Persevering for the Common Good as Christians in a Hostile Public Square. Yet again, Crain takes aim at lies attacking the culture and Christians alike while always bringing us back to the only source of truth. The Bible. I bet you can already guess how I feel about this book…

Was When Culture Hates You Any Good?

Yes. Full stop. Natasha Crain writes for readers who don’t want to be fed a big ol’ nothing burger. She writes for people who want to learn and want to walk away with practical ideas for living what I would call a set-apart walk. Is it any wonder that I would enjoy a book like that?

Crain also brings the receipts. If you’re not familiar with that expression, I’m saying she provides evidence for what she claims. She continually brings us back to the Word in order to prove her statements about God and Christian living. Additionally, Crain offers studies and the statistics that come along with them. I get the impression she doesn’t want you to take what she says at face value because she gives her readers all the resources they need to check on her statements.

When Culture Hates You Is An Essential Read

What I like best about this book is also what makes it a little less for me than it is for others. Natasha Crain assumes her readers are unfamiliar with many of these topics. The struggle between the opposing forces of modern culture and biblical truth is one of my favorite topics to read about, but I’ve been shocked to learn how many believers don’t engage with this kind of information. Crain herself even addresses the problem of Christians believing the culture isn’t nearly as at odds with Christianity as some people say. In chapter 5 she says this:

“…if you live in rural Nebraska, own a small restaurant in town, homeschool your kids, mostly associate with friends from church, have no family members who hold views hostile to Christianity, attend a church that doesn’t apply the Bible to cultural topics, and have little interest in the news, you could easily come to the conclusion that things aren’t that crazy for Christians today. Your life circumstances are collectively functioning like a neutral world pocket in the midst of a negative world society.”

Natasha Crain, p. 101

I don’t live in Nebraska, but that sounds a lot like my community. Thankfully, my husband brings culture into the conversation when it’s appropriate in his pastoral ministry, but I’m certain there are a lot of people in our region who are out of touch with the growing animosity from the culture aimed at Christianity.

Believers need to understand how to world sees us and the tactics it uses against us because we are raising a generation steeped in hate for us. To best prepare our children and grandchildren, we must know what we’re fighting. When Culture Hates You catches you up quickly.

What Is “Common Good”

When Culture Hates You’s subtitle suggests we should persevere for the common good, but what is that? Well, that’s the trouble. The world can’t seem to agree. However, when everyone makes up their own truth, there is no standard by which to measure good. Everybody sees “good” defined in different ways.

For instance, an LGBTQIA+ advocate may see transgender education in schools as a necessity. Meanwhile, people like me will never stop standing against that very same thing. We both think we’re looking out for everyone’s good.

Natasha Crain boils the common good down to it being “morally right” and “beneficial to someone or something.” Of course, though, we can easily see how people will come to different conclusions. Worldview makes all the difference, and they can’t all be right.

Shouldn’t I Stay Quiet When Culture Hates Me?

Why not keep to ourselves and just work towards the common good under the radar? To persevere for the common good isn’t solely about doing good things. More than that, it is standing confidently for Christ in the midst of hate. Think about it. What’s the most good we, as believers, can do for others? We can share the gospel. Salvation through Jesus Christ is the best thing for everyone, and we don’t share truth by quietly doing good.

Believers Shouldn’t Impose Their Views In Politics

When Culture Hates You spends a healthy amount of time looking at “imposing” our views. We just finished an election year, and I remember constantly hearing and reading that politicians should keep their faith out of their politics. I also came across the rhetoric that Christians shouldn’t vote according to their faith. Apparently, a lot of folks think separating Church and State means Christians can’t live and vote according to their beliefs.

Crain looked at five arguments against Christians imposing their views in a political setting, and it’s definitely worth our time to glance at them.

1. We shouldn’t impose our views in public policy.

Natasha Crain brings up a simple rebuttal here. When it comes to public policy, someone is always imposing his or her views on others. That makes a lot of sense when you think about it. Legislators write policies and vote for policies based on what they believe is best. How do they decide what’s best? They base that decision on their worldview and beliefs! The same can be said for every voter. But really, how else should we create public policy?

2. Christians shouldn’t seek power.

Having power is not congruent with our walk with Lord, according to some critics. I’m not sure how anyone can support that idea, but I suppose the motivation to support it is self-serving. What comes with power? Influence and a voice in the marketplace of ideas. As Crain stresses, it’s not power but abuse of power that is a problem.

3. Being political hurts our witness.

Politics can hurt our witness if we don’t conduct ourselves respectfully, and oh boy, people sure do act a fool sometimes. So many political agendas are directly opposed to the teachings of Scripture, though, that we do a great disservice to others when we don’t engage politically. It is not for the common good when we don’t stand against egregious acts such as abortion and mutilating children to “change their sex.” Our witness is harmed when we side with the world over the Bible, not the other way around.

4. There is disunity in the Church when there is political division.

This is an area in which we must tread carefully, but we don’t need to avoid politics altogether. The answer is simple. If the Bible is clear on the issue, we ought to stay on God’s side. Divisions in the Church over things that are clearly defined in the Bible have a wrong and a correct side. Those who are wrong need to be corrected. I know, I know. That’s an unpopular opinion.

5. Christians shouldn’t be partisan.

I agree that we shouldn’t pick a side of the political aisle to blindly vote for each election. However, Crain wisely suggests that we look at a political party’s platform. Is it in complete opposition to the Bible? Does it champion a woman’s right to murder her baby? If yes, then believers absolutely need to reject that party and seek another political home, so to speak.

Culture’s Main Issues With Christians

Natasha Crain could probably write a series of books on why culture hates us. She homes in on five current issues that make Christians the perceived enemy to what culture deems good. Specifically, she spends an entire chapter examining Christian nationalism, social justice, abortion, transgenderism, and the sexual revolution (especially as sexuality is targeted at children).

Each chapter explains where the culture is coming from regarding the given subject. After Crain has successfully illustrated the issue, she goes to the Word to refute the cultural lies surrounding the topic. Remember, this isn’t truth according to Natasha Crain. She always takes it back to God Himself. What does He say?

Finally, each of these chapters ends with useful application ideas and suggestions. First, Crain offers five of the most common objections to the biblical stance on these issues and possible responses to these arguments. She also includes follow-up questions to ask while engaging in these difficult conversations. Crain finishes each chapter with seven ways believers can engage with the community to help. She calls them “actions for the common good.”

Rather than simply sitting on our couches and reading about how the culture is acting out against God and His followers, Crain gives us encouragement to engage with the world and work for true common good, even when the culture hates us.

Final Thought

In chapter 5, Natasha Crain reminds her readers of two very important things we must all accept and remember if we are to persevere. First, we need to know our stuff. We can’t recognize the lies and false narratives if we don’t know God’s truths. We should be discerning and always learning so we can know with certainty what the Bible has to say on what is going on in the world around us.

Second, there is a cost to persevering when culture hates you. We can lose our reputation, jobs, friends, and family. In America, we may not be at great risk of physical repercussions for our faith, but we will still face pain, though more likely emotional. There will be deep hurts when we stand against what most people think and believe. Are you ready for that? Are you willing to face it? If you are, pick up a copy of When Culture Hates You to get started.

Have you read When Culture Hates You? What did you think?

Image courtesy of Hermes Rivera via Unsplash.