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It's quite common in the deep south, and as far north as Kentucky and West Virginia. It's not even a question of are you religious or what religion you subscribe to. The question is using "What church do you go to?" It ASSUMED that you are a Protestant Christian.
Yes, I get that now, but that's what kind of threw me.
I haven't spent a lot of time in the south, except for Florida, but that's not the same. Besides, when I went there, I was visiting people from New Jersey.
OH HOW CAN WE PERSECUTE people like that! That's HORRIBLE!
Good grief.
What?
It's just thoughtless, judgmental, and rude to ask such a thing, unless you KNOW the person is a Christian.
Amd even then, if I told you I went to an Episcopal church in respinse, you'd start getting all nasty and insulting about how it's not a valid Christian church, just as you do on here.
It's just thoughtless, judgmental, and rude to ask such a thing, unless you KNOW the person is a Christian.
Amd even then, if I told you I went to an Episcopal church in respinse, you'd start getting all nasty and insulting about how it's not a valid Christian church, just as you do on here.
Yup. Just Like the reactions I often get when I tell the questioner that I'm a Jew. Either goggle-eyed silence, or questions about why I'm not a Christian. It gets old fast.
Yup. Just Like the reactions I often get when I tell the questioner that I'm a Jew. Either goggle-eyed silence, or questions about why I'm not a Christian. It gets old fast.
I just don't understand why we cannot tell people about how good God is and how he can help people who have a relationship with him without people saying we are cramming our beliefs down their throat. Christians just want to help. I think some go overboard but if a person has a rough time in their life I try to tell them to pray and trust God. Nowadays, you can't even go public with your beliefs yet it is ok for people to say that they don't believe in God. This is why I am scared to try to convince people to come to God. Folks get so upset.
Because when you do this, you are crossing boundaries.
I don't do "cold calls", but witness when I see the opportunity. If people are offended, that's their problem. It's their choice to allow it to bother them.
So if someone came up to you and started discussing how being an atheist has helped them, and you were offended by that, it would be your problem. Got it.
Nicely stated, although as a Theravadan Buddhist in America, I would just point out that where you were born may be a major factor in one's religious beliefs, but is not the only factor.
It's very interesting. I'm embarrassed to tell you that I don't know much about other branches of Buddhism. The Vietnamese version is heavily influenced by Chinese Buddhism. Hence, the doctrine is not light. Karma is the absolute justice of the universe. If something bad happens to me, it's because of my bad karma from my previous life. Hence, I deserve the punishment.
Buddhism is a wonderful philosophy, but the religious aspect of it is still heavily victim blaming.
Although I grew up religious, I always incorporate what I learn from my religion, my parent's teaching, and my observation in reality. I don't follow everything Buddhist monks preach.
Fortunately, the Buddha himself didn't object my way of looking for truth. He himself said that people should believe what he said without examining the claims.
It's very interesting. I'm embarrassed to tell you that I don't know much about other branches of Buddhism. The Vietnamese version is heavily influenced by Chinese Buddhism. Hence, the doctrine is not light. Karma is the absolute justice of the universe. If something bad happens to me, it's because of my bad karma from my previous life. Hence, I deserve the punishment.
Buddhism is a wonderful philosophy, but the religious aspect of it is still heavily victim blaming.
Although I grew up religious, I always incorporate what I learn from my religion, my parent's teaching, and my observation in reality. I don't follow everything Buddhist monks preach.
Fortunately, the Buddha himself didn't object my way of looking for truth. He himself said that people should believe what he said without examining the claims.
I find it interesting how different (more strict) the Buddhism is at my temple, as discussed by the monks, than "American Buddhism" is, which almost seems to be a bit too new-age-ish to me.
It's quite common in the deep south, and as far north as Kentucky and West Virginia. It's not even a question of are you religious or what religion you subscribe to. The question is using "What church do you go to?" It ASSUMED that you are a Protestant Christian.
I heard about that. Just checking what is going on this board is enough for me to see what type of people Christians in the south are. Thanks to my uncle, who escaped Vietnam to this country and settled in California, my family was sponsored to live in California and not in the South.
I cannot imagine how depressive my parents would become if my family immigrated to the South. Their Buddhist practice is personal yet serious and sacred to them. I'm so relieved that they are living in California, where they are surrounded by accepting Americans. If their English is fluent beyond conversational level, they would be horrified when they see what is going on in the south on the news.
Good thing is that my parents only read news in Vietnamese. If you are American and you feel suffocated with obnoxious Christian proselytization, just imagine how much more non Christian immigrants like my family will have to deal with.
To be fair with Christians though, they are not the only ones who ask "which church do you go to?" I have seen Buddhists and Unitarian Universalists do that, too.
I don't know what Buddhists of other ethnicities do. When Vietnamese Buddhists invite people to a pagoda or Buddhist temple, I have seen them ask "do you practice any religion?"
If the answer is yes, there would be no invitation. If the answer is no, the invitation might proceed.
Although I'm Vietnamese, I am a bit embarrassed when I see this. It's a cultural trait I don't like since religion is sacred and personal, and Vietnamese people can sometimes violate people's personal space without intention.
Having said that, I'm relieved to see my people don't make an assumption about other people's beliefs like Christians do.
By the way, since you mention West Virgina, can you tell me what is about the state that associates with the phrase "almost heaven"? Christianity aside, is there anything about West Virgina that makes it a good place like John Denver's song?
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