Thousands of Muslims In Northern Iraq Converting to Christianity

[Furstentum Liechtenstein]

Well, multiculturalism works at my church - we are ethnically VERY diverse, though primarily white. The KEY - we're united in Christ

Yes, of course. You're talking spiritual, we've (Eddy, Ricardo & I) been talking worldly politics...nation building. Apples and oranges.

[RickD]

You speak French. You look french(the French nose gives you away). And you live in French Canadia. So, you're French. You're not Canadian. Normal Canadians are much too polite.

I know that you are being funny. I'm no more French than you are Irish but your comments do betray the importance ethnicity now has over nationality. It's unfortunate. It used to be that people were eager to call themselves American Now, they're Lebanese-American, African-American, Italian-American and so on. Half-breed nationalies and divided loyalties, that's what these are. And divided loyalties among the migrants are part of the problem the West will have to deal with down the road.

Multiculturalism doesn't work but America seems to have embraced it in spite of multiculturalim's failures everywhere else.

Being funny? You must have me confused with someone else.

Your name is French. You speak French. Your residence is in North American France. You're French. I can understand your not wanting to admit that you're French. I wouldn't either.

Quebec is not Canada. It's a province of France. Just like New Zealand is a province of Australia.

And FYI,
I don't have any Irish blood in me. English, Scottish, German and Swedish. But I am trying to find some Native American. I've always wanted to own a casino.

[edwardmurphy]

I don't see the problem with multiculturalism. What's wrong with being American but celebrating your roots? Americans have always done that. The idea that an Italian-American might have divided loyalties is weird.

Regarding African-Americans, that's something else entirely. Americans are bizarre about race. The one drop rule still applies, but these days we discuss it in semi-polite code.

[RickD]

Is Charlize Theron an African American?

[edwardmurphy]

Is Charlize Theron an African American?

She was born in Africa and now she's an American citizen, so yes. And so is Stephen Curry, who was born in Ohio. Interestingly, they have pretty much the same skin color. Go figure.

[RickD]

Is Charlize Theron an African American?

She was born in Africa and now she's an American citizen, so yes. And so is Stephen Curry, who was born in Ohio. Interestingly, they have pretty much the same skin color. Go figure.

Same skin color? Are you blind? Stephen curry looks mulatto. Theron is clearly Caucasian.

http://nbainternational.blogspot.com/20 ... r.html?m=1

http://ethnicelebs.com/charlize-theron

[edwardmurphy]

Fine, fine. Pick a darker Afrikaner immigrant and a lighter American-with-a-drop-of-African-blood. Both are there to be seen. The point still applies.

[Philip]

FL: Yes, of course. You're talking spiritual, we've (Eddy, Ricardo & I) been talking worldly politics...nation building. Apples and oranges.

Of course, apples and oranges. My point is the purely CULTURAL stuff, in Christ, becomes mostly irrelevant, makes for more interesting interactions. fascinating differences. The religious beliefs and practices of Muslims, however, are an insurmountable problem - at least with democracy if that group gains enough numbers for political clout.

FL: The threat come more from our wide-eyed and naive attitude towards a culture and religion that is anathema to Western-style freedoms.

I agree!

But it is when the RELIGIOUS culture of Muslims, specifically, is embraced, where Islamic beliefs are so interwoven that assimilation into the surrounding non-Muslim culture creates self-imposed and group-desired isolation. It's not WHERE they are from, not their ethnicity, it's their current and long-ingrained Islamic beliefs that are the problem. Yes, if they gain enough of a population, they'll be the future nemesis of the future Hispanic majority (and everyone who doesn't embrace their beliefs). And for strict Muslims, their religion always becomes politicized, eventually.

We Europeans have about had our day, not having enough offspring for continued majority. At least China imposed its birth control mandate - we just would rather have nice cars and houses than more kids.

FL: We are the problem. There is a way to integrate people into our societies but we are not integrating, we are just opening our doors and offering freedoms that have been - and will be - abused.

But (as you say) not Muslims - or ANY group that has either incompatible beliefs or no desire to. We're in much the same situation with people so militantly into their perceived superiority of their own ethnic or (PERCEIVED) racial group, where assimilation is impossible.

In many ways, much of the current non-Christian culture sees itself as incompatible with traditional Western values. Rome is burning!

[edwardmurphy]

Who says Muslims want to be isolated? Has it occurred to you that they might feel attacked, persecuted, and unwelcome? A good portion of our people, including lots of legislators and an entire 24-hour "news" network, are openly hostile to all Muslims, regardless of their political affiliations, countries of origin, or citizenship status.

[Storyteller]

You speak French. You look french(the French nose gives you away). And you live in French Canadia. So, you're French. You're not Canadian. Normal Canadians are much too polite.

I know that you are being funny. I'm no more French than you are Irish but your comments do betray the importance ethnicity now has over nationality. It's unfortunate. It used to be that people were eager to call themselves American Now, they're Lebanese-American, African-American, Italian-American and so on. Half-breed nationalies and divided loyalties, that's what these are. And divided loyalties among the migrants are part of the problem the West will have to deal with down the road.

Multiculturalism doesn't work but America seems to have embraced it in spite of multiculturalim's failures everywhere else.

What's wrong with being proud of your roots? I don't see being dual nationality as divided loyalty, more a pride in where someone comes from and pride in where they are now.

[Storyteller]

You speak French. You look french(the French nose gives you away). And you live in French Canadia. So, you're French. You're not Canadian. Normal Canadians are much too polite.

I know that you are being funny. I'm no more French than you are Irish but your comments do betray the importance ethnicity now has over nationality. It's unfortunate. It used to be that people were eager to call themselves American Now, they're Lebanese-American, African-American, Italian-American and so on. Half-breed nationalies and divided loyalties, that's what these are. And divided loyalties among the migrants are part of the problem the West will have to deal with down the road.

Multiculturalism doesn't work but America seems to have embraced it in spite of multiculturalim's failures everywhere else.

Being funny? You must have me confused with someone else.

Your name is French. You speak French. Your residence is in North American France. You're French. I can understand your not wanting to admit that you're French. I wouldn't either.

Quebec is not Canada. It's a province of France. Just like New Zealand is a province of Australia.

And FYI,
I don't have any Irish blood in me. English, Scottish, German and Swedish. But I am trying to find some Native American. I've always wanted to own a casino.

Native American? Wouldn't that be a wig wam not a casino?

[RickD]

Storyteller wrote:
Native American? Wouldn't that be a wig wam not a casino?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_American_gaming

[edwardmurphy]

There's a myth in the US that Native Americans are living fat and happy on their reservations, rolling around in piles of casino cash. In reality, although a few tribes have casinos and are doing quite well, most reservations are impoverished, basically because they're located on crappy, unproductive, undesirable land in the middle of nowhere. On the few occasions when oil or mineral wealth was discovered on a reservation the natives were moved to some other remote, worthless piece of land.

The United States has done a lot of great things, but we've also got some really nasty skeletons in our closet.

[RickD]

edwardmurphy wrote:
The United States has done a lot of great things, but we've also got some really nasty skeletons in our closet.

Unfortunately, yes.

[Furstentum Liechtenstein]

Who says Muslims want to be isolated? Has it occurred to you that they might feel attacked, persecuted, and unwelcome?

You seem to discount France's experience with immigration from the Magrheb. The history of that immigration, and the difficulties France has faced since the 1970s answer both of your questions, above. Yes, a large part of Arab Muslims feel unwelcome, and yes, they wish to remain separate from the culture of their host country.

I was watching a newscast on TV5 (the worldwide French broadcaster) and President Hollande was speaking after the recent terrorism in Paris. The President went on about how France was a country where all were welcome and many peoples had found refuge, bla bla bla...Then he said, «...France is the freest nation on the face of the earth...» and I burst out laughing! Since Americans also believe you are the freest nation in the world, what makes you think the USA will have more success at integrating these people?

What's wrong with being proud of your roots?

What's the point of being «proud of your roots» when you are from a country that doesn't even offer you security? Nostalgia for the homeland is one thing, pride is quite another matter. Do you really think someone from Lybia or Lebanon has any reason to be proud of his nationality?