What is your opinion on immigrants?

[Ronin4hire]

Originally Posted by MMM

I am just trying to follow the logic here.

So societies can be advanced and primitive, but cultures cannot be, if I am reading you correctly.

I am curious how this is "racist" as culture is not necessarily defined by race, and vice-versa.

I would say there are many more cultures in South America than there are races. There are many more cultures in Europe than there are races. There are many more cultures even in Japan than there are races.

It is interesting that a search for "advanced culture" on wikipedia leads to "civilization".

Civilization - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

So from birth a culture is on an equal plane from every other culture, no matter how old?

When someone calls someone else "uncivilized" are they really being racist?

Culture, as I define it and as is being used in this thread is based on identity.

Nothing to do with civilization. Related to society and race but synonymous with it.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by Ronin4hire

Culture, as I define it and as is being used in this thread is based on identity.

Nothing to do with civilization. Related to society and race but synonymous with it.

I don't think anyone could argue there are advanced and primitive races here without sounding racist.

You say you can argue societies are advanced and primitive and not be racist.

And culture is a combination of both, here meaning a cultural identity.

Is cultural identity a singular thing for any person? Just as Japanese clearly define their social circles (in-groups and out-groups) doesn't everyone have that? Person A and person B may both be white Brits, but one is Jewish and the other is Christian, so they would not be a part of the same culture (or only part of greater, more generalized cultures being "white" and "British" but not religiously, which may be very important for their own personal cultural identities).

I think I am having a hard time understanding your definition of culture, and why are "created equal".

[Ryzorian]

I would argue that it isn't "Arab" culture as it was before Islam. Islam has altered everything in that region. They now use "allah" as a way to excuse boorish behavior. True, from region to region various tribes have influenced aspect of Arbian culture. However much of it now is Dominated by Islam.

Islam is a young religion compared to most world ones. It hasn't gone through it's enlightened period or reformation period yet. Christianity was barbaric just a few hundred years ago, think 14th Century Europe to get an idea of where islam is "cullturally" speaking.

I'm not saying it won't mature with time, it will. What I'm saying is that due to this, it's aggressive and barbaric. One has to becareful in that situation because many old religions in Europe were swallowed by christianity the same way. Thorism and the druids to name a couple. They were destroyed by christian armies, not by thier ideals.

[Ronin4hire]

Originally Posted by MMM

I don't think anyone could argue there are advanced and primitive races here without sounding racist.

You say you can argue societies are advanced and primitive and not be racist.

And culture is a combination of both, here meaning a cultural identity.

Is cultural identity a singular thing for any person? Just as Japanese clearly define their social circles (in-groups and out-groups) doesn't everyone have that? Person A and person B may both be white Brits, but one is Jewish and the other is Christian, so they would not be a part of the same culture (or only part of greater, more generalized cultures being "white" and "British" but not religiously, which may be very important for their own personal cultural identities).

I think I am having a hard time understanding your definition of culture, and why are "created equal".

Cultural identity is not a combination of both at least not from a secular perspective.

The society deals with the public. Law, order, government etc.

Cultural identity is in the same realm as religion (except it doesn't make any grand claims other than it exists).

The private realm.

[Ronin4hire]

Originally Posted by Ryzorian

I would argue that it isn't "Arab" culture as it was before Islam. Islam has altered everything in that region. They now use "allah" as a way to excuse boorish behavior. True, from region to region various tribes have influenced aspect of Arbian culture. However much of it now is Dominated by Islam.

Meh.. Conservative Christian Americans are only slightly less despicable (but more obnoxious) than Conservative Muslim Arabs/North Africans.

Islam is a young religion compared to most world ones. It hasn't gone through it's enlightened period or reformation period yet. Christianity was barbaric just a few hundred years ago, think 14th Century Europe to get an idea of where islam is "cullturally" speaking.

I'm not saying it won't mature with time, it will. What I'm saying is that due to this, it's aggressive and barbaric. One has to becareful in that situation because many old religions in Europe were swallowed by christianity the same way. Thorism and the druids to name a couple. They were destroyed by christian armies, not by thier ideals.[/quote]

Um.. Christianity didn't "go through" an enlightenment in the way one ages. It was quite reluctantly dragged through an enlightenment because it would have become irrelevant and disappeared off the face of the earth it hadn't.

In fact some Christians are still reluctant to "be enlightened" with their rejection of modern scientific findings and secular principles.

In the same way, Modern Islam has it's liberal, moderate factions competing with each other.

[Ryzorian]

Not really, they get killed by the "not so moderate" ones pretty quick.

Christianity became far more relavant when they printed the Bible in german so average people could actually read it. Most of it's violent times came dureing the time the Roman Catholic Church ruled everything and made claims that weren't biblical. It's what Martin Luther's 99 thesis were all about.

"Conservative Christians" are no where near like radical muslims. That's patently false and you know it. I happen to be one and I don't intend to kill you if you don't convert, nor kill your kids if they don't convert. I'm not going to make you do anything, cause that's between you and God. A radical muslim on the other hand, will.

[Ronin4hire]

Originally Posted by Ryzorian

Not really, they get killed by the "not so moderate" ones pretty quick.

No they don't.

Christianity became far more relavant when they printed the Bible in german so average people could actually read it. Most of it's violent times came dureing the time the Roman Catholic Church ruled everything and made claims that weren't biblical. It's what Martin Luther's 99 thesis were all about.

Doesn't address anything I said.

Originally Posted by Ryzorian

"Conservative Christians" are no where near like radical muslims. That's patently false and you know it. I happen to be one and I don't intend to kill you if you don't convert, nor kill your kids if they don't convert. I'm not going to make you do anything, cause that's between you and God. A radical muslim on the other hand, will.

Radical Christians are like radical Muslims. (The folks in the Waco shootout, the KKK and Timothy Mcveigh VS Al Qaeda, Hamas and Osama bin laden)

[Ryzorian]

Yes Ronin, they kill moderate muslims pretty quick. Almost as soon as they come out with any real "moderation" they get blown up.

Timothy mcVay wasn't a "radical christian", he wasn't christian at all. Waco was a nutjober false prophet, they were a cult. Christ never said go out and kill people or do what any of those guys did, in fact he told his followers that if a town refused to except "the way", then they were to wipe the dust of that town off thier feet and leave. Christ would deal with them when he came back.


KKK? True christians wouldn't do that either. Just because somebody tries to hide behind Christ, doesn't mean Christ won't judge him for it.

[Ronin4hire]

Originally Posted by Ryzorian

Yes Ronin, they kill moderate muslims pretty quick. Almost as soon as they come out with any real "moderation" they get blown up.

No they don't. Stop watching FOX news.

Timothy mcVay wasn't a "radical christian", he wasn't christian at all. Waco was a nutjober false prophet, they were a cult. Christ never said go out and kill people or do what any of those guys did, in fact he told his followers that if a town refused to except "the way", then they were to wipe the dust of that town off thier feet and leave. Christ would deal with them when he came back.

I'm pretty sure he was though I could be mistaken. In the place of him you can take the guys that murder abortion clinic doctors etc. And what do you think Al Qaeda is? A nutjob extremist cult.

KKK? True christians wouldn't do that either. Just because somebody tries to hide behind Christ, doesn't mean Christ won't judge him for it.

Well then it's just like Hamas. Which is a political organization with political goals. It just hides behind Islam.

[File0]

Originally Posted by masaegu

To you guys, though, the highly biased ex-cop may only be an internet starnger but he actually teaches our children here in Tokyo much to my dismay.

You have my sympathy! Let's hope he only teaches how to speak and not what to say...

But he's not just an Internet stranger.
Actually he's the citizen of one of the strongest countries in the world and what he says and other Americans say here is more than disturbing for me.
This is the first time I hear such things from Americans.
Just where is that country headed? OR was it always like this? I'm still hoping though, they're just the minority.

Originally Posted by MMM

Is saying one culture is more advanced than another racist?

I'm sorry MMM but you failed to see what sangetsu said.
He wasn't simply saying that one culture is more advanced than another, but he's saying it's advanced cause its people surpassed their mere animal-instinct.
According to this, I'd say for us many of the Americans are closer to animals than many other nation's people, and you should agree with me cause you agreed with sangetsu previously...
When someone say a race/culture is closer to animals than others s/he does exactly what racists do!!!

Now, I'm not saying this, cause it's not just racist but also incredibly stupid.
I mean, WTF, you don't have to agree with them just because they're also Americans. I'm not even sure they are...