Mosques

[Luke]

Luke is so badass that cancer gets him.

Well played sir.

[Octopod]

So, like, if you get cancer you are just going to take some herbs or something?

You're not one for sarcasm, are you, Octopod?

Apparently not.

[gtmtnbiker]

As others have said, you can't condemn an entire religion because of some zealots. There are crazies in every religion sect and non-religion ones too. So if a group of Muslims have purchased some land near ground zero and wish to build a Mosque, I'm fine with it and am glad that they want to participate in this country. With a broad range of different cultures & ideas, this country is better for it.

[Incognito D]

A church near where I live was recently bought over and converted into a mosque.
I'm not comfortable with things like this. I don't want the culture of my country to drastically alter, and it seems that that is what's slowly going to happen.
So basically, mosques: not on my turf.

The culture of America is one of the freedom to practice whatever religion you want. And Christianity has a huge missionary tradition to it, which is even worse in my opinion. In general when American Muslims build a mosque it's so they have a place to worship same as anyone else. They aren't really trying to spread their religion to the non-Muslims (though they'll happily accept you). But the Christian Mission is all about converting a foreign culture to their way of thinking.

I ain't American though - which is basically my way of saying I'm free to be as bigoted and narrow-minded as I like

[MrPopo]

I ain't American though - which is basically my way of saying I'm free to be as bigoted and narrow-minded as I like

Fair enough, but that's not something to be proud of.

[Pulsar_t]

Most scottish people I've met are very open-minded, so Incognito D is an exception to the rule I guess. It seems minority integration, especially those of mideastern lineage, is a difficult process in Europe because of strong cultural identities that are easily threatened by any outside factors, not to mention the counter-cultures fermented by migrant communities. Unlike the US which is a melting pot in Europe immigrants do not easily integrate into their societies and sometimes it gets worse by the second or even third generation. Do not be surprised if you hear more calls to build Walls and barriers and the NIMBY's of course.

[Incognito D]

I'm not trying to be hateful or anything, I suppose I just feel threatened when I see unfamiliar cultural aspects creeping in, that's all.

[Jrecee]

The problem as I understand it, is that in many parts of Europe, immigrants (especially muslims) come in and refuse to play by the rules and laws that already exist, citing their religion as an excuse. Then they go and scream religious intolerance whenever somebody has any conflict with their actions. And apparently, they get away with it.

Things like this exist in america too. There are Native american religious groups who are allowed to use drugs that are illegal for everyone else, just because it's part of their religion. (Whether drugs should be illegal in the first place is an entirely different discussion)

[Octopod]

The problem as I understand it, is that in many parts of Europe, immigrants (especially muslims) come in and refuse to play by the rules and laws that already exist, citing their religion as an excuse. Then they go and scream religious intolerance whenever somebody has any conflict with their actions. And apparently, they get away with it.

This is especially how I imagine England and Sweden now. Don't know why those two in particular really and I have never been to either of them. *shrug*

[Jrecee]

The problem as I understand it, is that in many parts of Europe, immigrants (especially muslims) come in and refuse to play by the rules and laws that already exist, citing their religion as an excuse. Then they go and scream religious intolerance whenever somebody has any conflict with their actions. And apparently, they get away with it.

This is especially how I imagine England and Sweden now. Don't know why those two in particular really and I have never been to either of them. *shrug*

There's the issue right there. We both have the same views on muslims and how they have affected other countries, yet neither of us have been there. As they say, stereotypes have to come from somewhere. There's a widespread belief that they have a "do as they please and #$%#$ the infidels" mindset, and that belief has to come from somewhere. So where does the stereotype come from? It's not from the extremists that make the news, since there's not a belief that every muslim is a terrorist (well perhaps in the more "colorful"(or less colorful) southern communities) but the idea that they want to be accepted and tolerated, yet don't give a shit about anyone else is out there and it had to come from somewhere.