Got Satan?

[KarenCee 3]

Hmmpff.

Aluminum?

Decidedly uncomfortable and not very stylish either.

Now on the other hand.... silver lame', high heels and a whip......

I could go there.

You go girl! I've always had a partiality to silver and leather....

[KarenCee 3]

Yup, the UK has a very different approach to religion. Much more sedate and relaxed. Rarely does anyone ever preach or obviously try to convert you. There are no billboards or signs proclaiming anything about Jesus or God, unless on actual church property. It is, in my opinion, better. People tend to be more tolerant towards others who do follow a religious path simply because they don't advertise it to the extremes.

That's because (IMHO) we're all such big bad sinners here in the USA that we need street protesters, screaming preachers, and pulpit smashers on every corner. I don't need someone yelling at me or slapping a podium to get a message across to me. THAT'S what the baptist churches I've experienced have been like.

[brnidokiegurl 0]

How about some of the so called preachers in the last few years being found guilty of so many crimes, both the tv ones and in churches. As they say that cant be to good for "business"or not practiceing what they preach.

[mmarlo 1]

But don't you know that the rise of Satan is the best documented event in the history of the world.

A lesson in Truth-By-Assertion.

[mmarlo 1]

Yup, the UK has a very different approach to religion. Much more sedate and relaxed. Rarely does anyone ever preach or obviously try to convert you. There are no billboards or signs proclaiming anything about Jesus or God, unless on actual church property. It is, in my opinion, better. People tend to be more tolerant towards others who do follow a religious path simply because they don't advertise it to the extremes.

Unless you're a Muslim.

[Nagishkaw 510]

Oh boy

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Yup, the UK has a very different approach to religion. Much more sedate and relaxed. Rarely does anyone ever preach or obviously try to convert you. There are no billboards or signs proclaiming anything about Jesus or God, unless on actual church property. It is, in my opinion, better. People tend to be more tolerant towards others who do follow a religious path simply because they don't advertise it to the extremes.

Unless you're a Muslim.

I'm Muslim. Let me know when you think I'm trying to convert you.

[Jenn! 918]

I think he meant that people are not tolerant towards Muslims even if they are not advertising it to the extremes.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

You could be right, jenn. It could be taken either way. I'm sure he'll be willing to let us know. I'd rather have read it wrong.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I was never really very tolerant of Jehovah's witnesses (they are in the UK too) or any group that flaunts religion in an aggressive way.

They seem to assume that others need "saving" and that their version of the core beliefs is the only interpretation to be had.

[Mags 112]

Yup, the UK has a very different approach to religion. Much more sedate and relaxed. Rarely does anyone ever preach or obviously try to convert you. There are no billboards or signs proclaiming anything about Jesus or God, unless on actual church property. It is, in my opinion, better. People tend to be more tolerant towards others who do follow a religious path simply because they don't advertise it to the extremes.

Unless you're a Muslim.

Really? I'd say the UK is far more tolerant of Muslims than the USA. One of my closest friends in the UK was a Palestinian Muslim, her father is actually a Palestinian diplomat. She has now got dual nationalities and adores the UK. She has never come across any bad feeling or bad experiences. The UK has embraced her and she it. She has friends of all races, could you see that happening in many other countries?

This is her personal view of the UK and she would have far more experience of it than you now, wouldn't she?

In general, I think the UK is pretty cool with Muslims and ANY other religion. I suggest you try living in the UK and seeing for yourself before knocking it down...

[Sofiyya 1,687]

I'm Palestinan, too. One of my closest friends is a Brit Christian. She has always been cool with me, and I've had nothing but a blast in Britian. No one messes with you there much. I've had more trouble in the US.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Well religious tolerance in the UK is more the result of the separation of church and state - though that has created an increasing trend of secularism. Out of all my friends (now in their mid to late 20's) I count one who attends perhaps one attends regular (and by that - I don't mean weekly) church services.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

With regards to Muslims and Islam - the tolerance issue seems goes the other way and we do have a problem with extremism, as France does - though not quite to their level. A number of towns in the north of England are now populated by a large proportion of Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi people.

That said, the climate in Britain assumes that religion is a personal matter and "to each his own". Unlike the US, there aren't many religious/political movements, though I seem to remember there was one local council where a politically active church group was accused of trying to fix the local election.

We still have the same "moral issue" debates, though for the most part those seem to be confined within the church - like the continuing debate about the ordination of gay priests.

[mmarlo 1]

Oh, yeah, sorry for the ambiguity. I meant that Muslims are currently being openly persecuted by the government in the UK, with respect to veils. I'm not saying it's better in the US, where the terrorists these days are always Muslims on shows like 24, but it's not great in the UK either--on the basis of very public remarks from the Prime Minister and other governmental officials saying that veils create unwelcomed differences.

Edited March 28, 2007 by mmarlo