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What’s Russia like? | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Cultural Experiences in Foreign Languages | ( Topic Closed) |  |
| pookiebear79 Groupie United States Joined 6030 days ago 76 posts - 142 votes  Speaks: English* Studies: Dutch, French, Swedish, Italian | Message 65 of 110 06 March 2009 at 2:50am | IP Logged | ||
No, they're not really like those Westboro Baptist "church" followers (I mean, they don't go out picketing military funerals or anything like that. And they keep their behavior local.) Nor was I considering them as part of "conservative American Christians in general" as you put it, nor was I commenting on that entire religious group-because frankly, that's not the scope of this thread nor in fact this forum,so whatever I do or do not think about such a large part of the US population "in general," this is not the place I would choose to discuss it. When I referred to this particular sub-group of Russian immigrants as as being "violent" or "extreme" in their religious beliefs, I meant just that. Most of this group (or sub-group, if you prefer...as I said in my first post it's most, but not all, of them) are not just happy to be able to practice their own type of religion personally, whatever that may be (because as I say I don't know what their actual denomination is,) but expect that they can force Americans to change to accommodate their "beliefs." Anyway, when I used the word "violent" I meant just that-some of the immigrants have engaged in harassment and actual physical violence against local citizens, which they seem to think justified by their so-called "religious" beliefs. I hope that clarified things for you. I wasn't using my post to air any grievance I may or not have against any particular religion in general. I really was genuinely curious about how the experience I described compares or contrasts with Russians actually living in Russia. I'm curious if this brand of "Christianity" thrives in Russia or if it's an immigrant thing. And I can only speak from my own experience, for all I know Russian immigrants in the rest of the US are nothing like this. That's why I, like you, was just hoping someone in Russia could shed some insight on the general religious situation in Russia nowadays. :) As I said before, I'm not trying say anything about all people of x, y, or z group, which is why I have specified throughout that I am referring to a specific portion of the population here, and I certainly wasn't making sweeping generalizations about entire religions. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| jbbar Senior Member Belgium Joined 5800 days ago 192 posts - 210 votes Speaks: English | Message 66 of 110 06 March 2009 at 4:14am | IP Logged | ||
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Pookiebear, thanks for taking the time to clarify that. I agree that the way these self-professed 'Christians' are trying to force their religion on others is intolerable and disrespectful.
I too hope someone can 'enlighten' us on this topic. jbbar Edited by jbbar on 06 March 2009 at 4:40am 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Juan M. Senior Member Colombia Joined 5899 days ago 460 posts - 597 votes | Message 67 of 110 06 March 2009 at 7:58pm | IP Logged | ||
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pookiebear79, you'd have to be more specific about how Russian immigrants go about "forcing" their religion into others, and what concrete "hate crimes" do they commit.
Religion has traditionally been a very strong element in Russian civilization. Even Stalin made passionate appeals for the defense of "Holy Russia" as German tanks rolled towards Moscow. But then again, Americans can be downright schizophrenic when it comes to their "liberties", race and minority, and religion, so what appears to you as "forcing" their religion, many others around the world would perceive simply as a healthy and natural expression of one's faith. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| jbbar Senior Member Belgium Joined 5800 days ago 192 posts - 210 votes Speaks: English | Message 68 of 110 06 March 2009 at 8:37pm | IP Logged | ||
You may be right but when I wrote my last reply to pookiebear I was simply taking his word for what he wrote about those immigrants. From what he wrote, it would seem they are a particular and limited group of people who appear to be forcing their faith on others. So I was just taking his word for it. I should add though, that I don't believe in such a thing as "hate crimes" so that argument doesn't convince me of anything. But anyway, let's not turn this topic into a religious or political debate. I hope that my initial questions may get a response (see previous page). I'd very much appreciate that. jbbar 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| QiuJP Triglot Senior Member Singapore Joined 5855 days ago 428 posts - 597 votes Speaks: Mandarin*, EnglishC2, French Studies: Czech, GermanB1, Russian, Japanese | Message 69 of 110 08 March 2009 at 1:17pm | IP Logged | ||
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Hmm, I am certain that I will end up in a fight with them because I am a very strong atheist who reject any form of religious dogma wheteher they are true or not. Anyway, I shall not plunge into discussion as such because it will always end up in a nasty mass.
I hope that someone native can answer my question that I post in the previous page: is it safe for me (a Chinese) to travel alone, like what I am doing now in Western Europe, in Russia? Although in the streets of Europe, one can find young people who behave and dress like skinheads, they have friends of African descent and they sometimes greet "Ni Hao" to me. These acts really surprise me. Edited by QiuJP on 08 March 2009 at 1:18pm 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| jbbar Senior Member Belgium Joined 5800 days ago 192 posts - 210 votes Speaks: English | Message 70 of 110 11 March 2009 at 12:56am | IP Logged | ||
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If that's so then I take it you think of Bruce Willis as a neonazi as well? I don't think you know what skinheads really dress and acts like. If these youngsters were neonazi skinheads they wouldn't have Black friends and they would not greet you at all. There are hardly any violent white neonazi skinhead youth around in Western Europe. Violent immigrant rapper-wannabe youth gangs, however, are found in abudance in many European cities.
jbbar 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| QiuJP Triglot Senior Member Singapore Joined 5855 days ago 428 posts - 597 votes Speaks: Mandarin*, EnglishC2, French Studies: Czech, GermanB1, Russian, Japanese | Message 71 of 110 11 March 2009 at 3:15pm | IP Logged | ||
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Yeah, maybe I am wrong, because back in China, there isn`t such racial problems excepts the prejudice against the Japanese ( they did not apologise for their crime like the Germans did) . In addition, you will be surprised that the Tibetians and Urgurs live in harmony with the Han Chinese (at least in my city and other places I had gone to in my country).The report in the west media is plain wrong!
1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Alvinho Triglot Senior Member Brazil Joined 6234 days ago 828 posts - 832 votes Speaks: Portuguese*, English, Spanish | Message 72 of 110 12 March 2009 at 4:17pm | IP Logged | ||
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Voice of Russia is a good radio.....quite ideal for language geeks!
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