If you decide you like eating sushi, tacos, or curry, are you stealing from another culture or are you enjoying what that culture created?
Hi, I’m Rex Rogers and this is episode #270 of Discerning What Is Best, a podcast applying unchanging biblical principles in a rapidly changing world, and a Christian worldview to current issues and everyday life.
In the run-up to the FIFA World Cup 2026, American corporation Airbnb sponsored a commercial entitled, “The World is Meant to Meet.” You can yet watch it on YouTube.
I appreciated and enjoyed this commercial as much as any I have seen in a long time. In 30 seconds, the female narrator says,
“Did you know salsa was invented when Cubans took Puerto Rican rhythms to New York? Brazilian Jui-Jitsu was born when the Japanese took Judo to Brazil. When North African frying traditions met Spanish dough, Spain made the churro. After Jamaicans took their sound systems to the UK, the world got punk. And this this is what the world gets when 48 nations meet to play one beautiful game.”
Cue pictures of soccer stadiums crammed with international fans sporting their national colors. “The World is Meant to Meet.”
It's also surprising, because this commercial is celebrating the joys and innovation of cultural exchange, which flatly challenges all the leftist angst we've heard for the past few years about "cultural appropriation," i.e., don't dare wear a sombrero or dance at Cinco de Mayo if you are not Mexican, put cornrows in your hair and you're racist, sport a kimono if you are not Japanese or don a headdress if you aren't Native American, even non-Christians daring to sing Christmas Carols. Somehow, any appreciation of another culture's or even religion’s practices got you labeled as insensitive.
I know. It's identity politics malarkey, so it's good to see a bold and creative celebration of life, sport, and cultural exchange and innovation.
“Cultural appropriation” generally refers to the adoption or use of elements of one culture by members of another culture in ways that critics believe are exploitative, disrespectful, or divorced from their original meaning. The term is debated, however, and people disagree over where the line lies between appropriation, appreciation, cultural exchange, and assimilation.
Elvis Presley has sometimes been cited in discussions because he popularized music rooted in African American traditions, although many historians note that Presley himself frequently acknowledged his influences.
Those who argue that an act is cultural appropriation often point to factors such as:
• Removing an element from its original cultural or religious context.
• Using sacred or ceremonial items casually.
• Profiting from another culture without acknowledgment or benefit to that community.
• Reinforcing stereotypes.
• A history of unequal power between the cultures involved.
Those who are skeptical of the concept often argue that:
• Cultural borrowing has occurred throughout all human history.
• Most cultures have developed through continual exchange of ideas, foods, clothing, language, music, and technology.
• Sharing cultural practices can foster appreciation and understanding.
• It is often difficult to determine which culture "owns" a particular practice because many traditions have multiple historical influences.
Scholars commonly distinguish cultural appropriation from cultural appreciation. Appreciation generally involves learning about another culture, engaging with it respectfully, giving proper credit, and recognizing the original context, whereas appropriation is typically understood as using cultural elements in ways viewed as exploitative, misleading, or disrespectful.
I remember comedians like Don Rickles, Buddy Hackett, Flip Wilson, even Jerry Lewis, none of whom would be able to make it today because their gigs often centered on making jokes about different races, ethnicities, and nationalities. I’m not defending all their routines, nor wanting to go back to that time, because some of their bits I recall were pretty bad, meaning racist or on the borderline, disrespectful to the max, and frequently vulgar to boot. But then again, not all their jokes or those of people like them were objectionable. Much of it was hilarious and allowed us as a culture to laugh at ourselves.
Conservatives are typically skeptical of the concept of cultural appropriation, but others distinguish between respectful cultural exchange and the misuse of sacred or ceremonial traditions.
Many conservatives regard the modern concept of cultural appropriation as an overextension of identity politics that treats ordinary cultural exchange as a social offense. From this perspective, human history is characterized by the continual borrowing and blending of ideas, customs, technologies, foods, clothing, music, and languages. Civilizations have always learned from one another, and many of humanity's greatest cultural achievements are the result of such exchanges.
Social pundits who hold this view argue that sharing cultural traditions is generally a sign of admiration rather than disrespect. They point to examples such as Americans enjoying Italian cuisine, Japanese baseball, Scottish bagpipes, Irish music, Mexican food, or African American musical styles. Rather than viewing these as acts of theft, they see them as evidence that cultures enrich one another through openness and voluntary exchange.
Many also question whether cultures can meaningfully "own" hairstyles, recipes, artistic styles, or forms of dress that have evolved over centuries through contact among diverse peoples. They argue that attempts to assign exclusive ownership to cultural practices can discourage curiosity, appreciation, and mutual understanding while reinforcing social divisions based on race or ethnicity.
Another common concern is that accusations of cultural appropriation are applied inconsistently. Critics note that borrowing from some cultures is frequently celebrated as diversity, while borrowing from others is condemned. They contend that such selective standards make the concept subjective and difficult to apply fairly.
At the same time, conservative social commentators distinguish between ordinary cultural exchange and conduct that is intentionally disrespectful. They generally recognize that mocking another culture, desecrating sacred religious objects, or exploiting indigenous traditions for profit without acknowledgment may warrant criticism. The disagreement is less about whether respect matters than about where the line should be drawn.
Ultimately, conservatives who are skeptical of the modern appropriation framework tend to view free cultural exchange as one of the strengths of an open society. They believe that ideas, traditions, and artistic expressions flourish when people are free to adopt, adapt, and celebrate them across cultural boundaries. In their view, encouraging respectful appreciation of other cultures promotes social cohesion more effectively than emphasizing cultural ownership or restricting who may participate in particular traditions.
Christians generally evaluate questions of cultural appropriation through the lens of biblical ethics rather than contemporary political categories. Scripture teaches that all people are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), that believers are to "love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:31), and that they should "do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves" (Philippians 2:3). These principles encourage respect for the dignity, traditions, and convictions of others.
At the same time, the Bible presents cultures as gifts that are neither isolated nor static. Throughout Scripture, peoples and nations influence one another through migration, trade, language, and worship. The spread of the gospel itself crossed cultural boundaries, with the early church welcoming Jews and Gentiles into one body in Christ while recognizing that the gospel could be expressed within diverse cultural settings (Acts 15; Galatians 3:28).
Many Christians therefore distinguish between respectful cultural appreciation and exploitative misuse. Learning another language, enjoying another culture's music or cuisine, or adopting customs with gratitude and understanding can reflect an appreciation of God's diverse creation. By contrast, mocking another people, commercializing sacred religious practices, or using cultural symbols in ways that intentionally demean or deceive others would conflict with biblical commands to love one's neighbor and to act with integrity.
Ultimately, Christians ask not simply, "Do I have the freedom to do this?" but also, "Does this demonstrate love, honor God, and build up others?" (1 Cor.10:23–24, 31–33). Christian liberty is balanced by a willingness to limit one's freedoms when doing so serves others and promotes peace, mutual respect, and the unity of the body of Christ.
Cultural appreciation, as unto the Lord, is a way of enjoying the blessings of the beautiful creation God gave us.
Well, we’ll see you again soon. This podcast is about Discerning What Is Best.
If you find this thought-provoking and helpful, follow us on your favorite podcast platform. For more Christian commentary, see my website, r-e-x-m as in Martin, that’s rexmrogers.com, or check my YouTube channel @DrRexRogers.
And remember, it is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm.
© Rex M. Rogers – All Rights Reserved, 2026
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