Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
So my friend, tell me what is true? I'll re-word it to the "truth"
There's no difference between us and the middle east. Their governments accept all religions and our people are the most open-minded on the earth.
Ok thank you for the information about Egypt; maybe I should read more on it instead of being ignorant (no sarcasm). And ok if not Egypt that we sold our religion to; I'm sure we've (the western world which is powered by the US) done it some nation in the middle-east or Africa. And it's not about religion and this is rightful place for this thread because I want to know what Americans have to say about this. I'm a fair person; if you give me a good reason to prove that we aren't egocentric then I'll withdraw what I said.
Minus the part about middle-eastern countries having Christian minorities, this statement is demonstrably untrue. Persecution of Armenian Christians, Baha'i and others are well-documented in many middle-eastern countries.
Anti-abortion for starters. Some states have an absolute ban on abortion, driven by the Christian majority's zeal to force everyone to adhere to their religious teachings. American Christians also demand executions for capital crimes, the only industrialized western country still in the clutches of that barbaric Old Testament practice.
There are one or two countries that have banned those particular sects, because of a long history of those sects organizing illegal movements threatening the security of the state or public order.
Please don't keep letting yourself fall into the fatal trap of using a single anecdotal example or two to paint a huge swath of mankind the color you wish to see them.
Your right, we aren't the only nation that is that way but I'm sure we are the largest.
We'll say all this crap about how the middle-east is wrong for building/possesing nuclear warheads (we honestly don't even know if they have any, President Bush made up lies to NATO in order to go to war) but we have the first or second largest supplyof them. Then we have our navy in their turf but once they do it back to us it's a uproar. It's like we can't see what other people go through we'd rather just criticize them instead of actually making agreements. I guess I should say we're hypocrites too.
After all that when it comes to religion we can't accept others religion, for ex. I've heard someone say "Long as your Christian your going to heaven, I feel bad for those who are other religions" (that's not exactly what they said but it was very similar wording). Why can't we accept others religions? It's a little ridiculous, I'm not sure if it's like that everywhere in America because when I went to the West Coast I didnt ask anything about religion but I know in the south it's def. that way.
Btw I've been to the UK; I'm sure if any European country is that way it's because we influenced them to be.
Not sure I follow - religious freedom is something that has been taken seriously here for a LONG time - before the US was a country even...
^I know the govt says we can practice religious freedom but a lot of the actual citizens differ. Like I said I've met people plenty of times that pretty much say if your not my religion then your wrong. Here's a classic one in NC: a Jehovah Witness person knocks on the door, your parent tells you not to open the door only because their Jehovah Witness and they were taught that Jehovah Witnesses are bad people. That is extremely egocentric.
We don't have to stay on religion though, I can say we're egocentric on race, other nations, in schools, etc. I know other nations are egocentric on those same topics but theres a difference between us and them. They (most other nations on the world) don't have such a great diversity of people as we do, it seems like we should be more open-minded towards things than we are. What I'm saying pretty much is I expect more out of us Americans than what we give. It's like seeing a cheap billionaire, you wouldn't expect him to be cheap since he's so wealthy. America has great diversity but a lot (not all) of our people are close-minded. I think this is the best way I can explain my argument, if any of you don't understand it so be it.
^I know the govt says we can practice religious freedom but a lot of the actual citizens differ. Like I said I've met people plenty of times that pretty much say if your not my religion then your wrong. Here's a classic one in NC: a Jehovah Witness person knocks on the door, your parent tells you not to open the door only because their Jehovah Witness and they were taught that Jehovah Witnesses are bad people. That is extremely egocentric.
\
That's not egocentric, that's called not wanting to be hassled by someone pressing their views on you. If you answer the door to talk, they'll keep coming back.. I seriously think you need to go to the dictionary and look up the meaning of egocentric, because that is NOT the definition....
That's really the only thing I can say. We (most of us, there are some exceptions) only think that if it's done our way it's right pretty much, from politics to religion. Why are we just about the only nation on this planet that has to be that way?
Some Humans no matter where they come from cannot fathom that someone else might actually have an original idea of their own that is right for them and the way they live their lives. Others have more money than brains, others no common sense and others are just plain stupid.
Americans need to travel outside their country and culture. Being insular and exposed to only the media that reinforces our particular viewpoint is a very dangerous thing. To travel and expose oneself to other people and places has a profound way in bringing balance to arrogance. It won't work for everyone but it will work for many.
We don't have to stay on religion though, I can say we're egocentric on race, other nations, in schools, etc. I know other nations are egocentric on those same topics but theres a difference between us and them. They (most other nations on the world) don't have such a great diversity of people as we do, it seems like we should be more open-minded towards things than we are. What I'm saying pretty much is I expect more out of us Americans than what we give. It's like seeing a cheap billionaire, you wouldn't expect him to be cheap since he's so wealthy. America has great diversity but a lot (not all) of our people are close-minded. I think this is the best way I can explain my argument, if any of you don't understand it so be it.
Your points just flat out don't make sense. It is quite normal for someone to expect someone with billions of dollars to not be cheap, there's nothing egocentric about that. It is called making a generalization based on what is normal and what you see on a regular basis. Once again, look up the definition of egocentric, you're waaaay off.
Seriously, I think you are the one with problems with generalizations here. You're making the same "egocentric" generalizations about your own country that you're complaining about.
I understand your argument perfectly, but basically what you're doing is making a huge generalization about the United States based on a stupid person's stereotype.. and then using it against us. I'm sorry, but it is just dumb.
That's not egocentric, that's called not wanting to be hassled by someone pressing their views on you. If you answer the door to talk, they'll keep coming back.. I seriously think you need to go to the dictionary and look up the meaning of egocentric, because that is NOT the definition....
Can you guys please read what I say! It's not because its a hassle; they don't open the door because of their religion. Did you read when I said "they were taught that Jehovah Witnesses are bad people"? if it was some Christian organization that came by the house once a month, we probably wouldve opened the door once or twice but after that we just wouldn't open it. With Jehovah Witnesses we just didn't open it at all because my parents said "they are bad people, they don't believe in blah blah and so on".
Definition of Egocentric
1. Having or regarding the self or individual as the center of all things
2. Having little or regard for interest, beliefs, or attitudes other than one's own.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
