Obama's Foreign Policy

[Gaspar]

So, is our way of life not perceived as a threat in many Arab countries?

Is it perhaps just a cultural difference?

[Hoss]

So, is our way of life not perceived as a threat in many Arab countries?

Is it perhaps just a cultural difference?

There are extremists on both sides of the world on this.  The problem with the Christian nation is that most generalize the ENTIRE Muslim world as being the extremists.  That's not the case.

[Townsend]

So, is our way of life not perceived as a threat in many Arab countries?

Is it perhaps just a cultural difference?

You really think an entire country or huge group would think something like that?

The whole country would be Sally Kerns?

[we vs us]

So, is our way of life not perceived as a threat in many Arab countries?

Is it perhaps just a cultural difference?

You take things so personally.

To some, yes we're a threat.  To others, we're an inspiration.  To others, meh, they could care less and they are much more concerned with their and their family's day to day prospects.  The Arab world has easily a couple of billion people, in 15 countries or more.  In other words, it's not a single cultural entity and all of them have their own relationships with what we are or aren't to them. 

It may be true that we can't ever fully win over the Arab world -- as distinct from the Muslim world, btw -- but it's also true that we could find ourselves in a much better position than we have been in relation to them.  Encouraging a movement that is obviously sweeping that part of the world can only help us.

[Gaspar]

There are extremists on both sides of the world on this.  The problem with the Christian nation is that most generalize the ENTIRE Muslim world as being the extremists.  That's not the case.

I agree with that.  

I think the prime difference is how these cultural differences are dealt with in western cultures as compared with many Islamic societies.

Freedom has a broad definition, but I am simply talking about the basal concepts.

Islamic societies have battled against their own internal rebellions for a thousand years.  Modesty, the protection of women, and the infiltration of other cultural standards.

The problem today, is that these societies face erosion because the vary principals they try to protect, make it very hard for them to compete in the modern world.  In many cases 50% of their population is "protected" from education, work, or innovation.  Penalties for deviation from the true path are ancient and steep.

The very tools they require to be successful societies (trade, internet, advanced communications) provide uncontrollable inlets that allow modern society with all of it's freedoms, vices, and evils to seep in.

Rather than deal with this infection of infidelic influence in a modern format, many of these societies process infractions based on ancient prescriptions, and their "modern" laws allow them to do so.  

At the very core of the differences between our cultures is the concept of religion v.s. state. Because the laws in these cultures dictate that the "church" IS the state, and no law can come before Islamic law, foreign policy is typically shaped by the same ancient prescriptions.  Unfortunately, in most cases these prescriptions do not offer peaceful alternatives.  Progressive leaders that do stand up and work towards compromise are typically, and eventually ousted by the religious rulers (who wield far more power).

[Townsend]

I agree with that.  

I think the prime difference is how these cultural differences are dealt with in western cultures as compared with many Islamic societies.

Freedom has a broad definition, but I am simply talking about the basal concepts.

Islamic societies have battled against their own internal rebellions for a thousand years.  Modesty, the protection of women, and the infiltration of other cultural standards.

The problem today, is that these societies face erosion because the vary principals they try to protect, make it very hard for them to compete in the modern world.  In many cases 50% of their population is "protected" from education, work, or innovation.  Penalties for deviation from the true path are ancient and steep.

The very tools they require to be successful societies (trade, internet, advanced communications) provide uncontrollable inlets that allow modern society with all of it's freedoms, vices, and evils to seep in.

Rather than deal with this infection of infidelic influence in a modern format, many of these societies process infractions based on ancient prescriptions, and their "modern" laws allow them to do so.  

At the very core of the differences between our cultures is the concept of religion v.s. state. Because the laws in these cultures dictate that the "church" IS the state, and no law can come before Islamic law, foreign policy is typically shaped by the same ancient prescriptions.  Unfortunately, in most cases these prescriptions do not offer peaceful alternatives.  Progressive leaders that do stand up and work towards compromise are typically, and eventually ousted by the religious rulers (who wield far more power).

OK, now turn your magic looking glass in this country's direction and think about what you keep writing.

[Gaspar]

OK, now turn your magic looking glass in this country's direction and think about what you keep writing.

Simmer down now.

Sure, we have some extremists here too, but we are not prone as a country to embrace, allow or even tolerate their actions if they infringe on the rights of others.

It is a favorite hobby of the left to turn the looking glass, and it is healthy for us to engage in self criticism occasionally.  It would probably require some more specific examples on your part so that we may make a fair comparison.

[Townsend]

Simmer down now.

Sure, we have some extremists here too, but we are not prone as a country to embrace, allow or even tolerate their actions if they infringe on the rights of others.

It is a favorite hobby of the left to turn the looking glass, and it is healthy for us to engage in self criticism occasionally.  It would probably require some more specific examples on your part so that we may make a fair comparison.

It won't matter.  Your clouded intolerance would remain.

You seem like a smart guy.  I blame the talk shows you choose to listen to.

[Conan71]

It won't matter.  Your clouded intolerance would remain.

No, but I do see a certain intolerance toward Christianity in your posts which tries to equate all Christians as being something that resembles Sally Kern or Fred Phelps.  They are a very small minority of Christians.

[Hoss]

No, but I do see a certain intolerance toward Christianity in your posts which tries to equate all Christians as being something that resembles Sally Kern or Fred Phelps.  They are a very small minority of Christians.

And there lies the irony, doesn't it?  We don't generalize all Christians as bible-thumping and bat-smile crazy, but as I stated, many of those of the Christian faith do just exactly that with Muslims.

[Townsend]

No, but I do see a certain intolerance toward Christianity in your posts which tries to equate all Christians as being something that resembles Sally Kern or Fred Phelps.  They are a very small minority of Christians.

As a quieter portion of the populace I do tend to speak up about some of the less tolerant views.

I have little patience for anyone who thinks the way either of your examples think.  I believe they're wrong no matter what religion they call themselves.

Their faith is just as screwed up as any of them.  Their Jesus isn't as tolerant as many of the other Christians' Jesus.

Edited.  I think people will understand this.  Many of you have friends/family members that will call themselves the same religion you claim yet your views are very different.

[we vs us]

The very tools they require to be successful societies (trade, internet, advanced communications) provide uncontrollable inlets that allow modern society with all of it's freedoms, vices, and evils to seep in.

I don't think you're wrong here, but it's crucial to note that every society is dealing with these things. Take a gander at China, who is going through about a hundred-fifty years of industrial evolution in a decade or so.  Rocketing, in some cases, straight from agrarianism to info-tech modernism.  We don't hear about it, but you have to know that the cultural dislocation has to be huge.  

We're also dealing -- and not so well -- with the erosion of our own customs and society.  The current dysfunction of our government is one major marker. The rise of the Tea Party is another, so's our declining middle class.

[Conan71]

As a quieter portion of the populace I do tend to speak up about some of the less tolerant views.

I have little patience for anyone who thinks the way either of your examples think.  I believe they're wrong no matter what religion they call themselves.

Their faith is just as screwed up as any of them.  Their Jesus isn't as tolerant as many of the other Christians' Jesus.

Edited.  I think people will understand this.  Many of you have friends/family members that will call themselves the same religion you claim yet your views are very different.

I think Kern and Phelps are a huge embarrassment to all religion, not just Christianity.  I simply see a lot of libs (not lumping you in) characterize all Christians as being in the bat smile crazy mold while not understanding why there is the same tendency to lump all Muslims the same way.

For some reason, humans have an innate ability to identify large groups with just a few of the worst examples for that group.

[Townsend]

For some reason, humans have an innate ability to identify large groups with just a few of the worst examples for that group.

Like the Dutch.

[RecycleMichael]

I don't discriminate on religion of skin color. I base my bias on eye color. You dark eyes are just intolerant of us pale eyes.