27 April 2009

Race or Culture?

Sometimes I wonder when I see videos like this if it's just the thinly veiled racism of the poster under the disguise of the "culture war." It's true that Islamic culture and Christian/Jewish culture are at odds with one another. I think it's also true that Christians on the whole should be actively having way more children than they are currently. (Notice I didn't say anything about Jewish people. As I read my Bible, I see that Jews are *guaranteed* a remnant, always and forever. Their culture can never die. Whether they should have more children to ensure a greater impact on the culture as a whole, I would have no clue what to say, nor is it my place to do so.) I actually do agree with the underlying premise in the video, that demographically Christian culture will become increasingly irrelevant. Could I also add that here, it seems to be because lots of people are CHOOSING to leave Christian churches to follow secularism/ gay marriage is ok/ whatever you want to do is ok for you/ mushy theology just because they WANT to? That the decline of Christianity isn't all because of big-bad Allah and his cronies? And the video leaves out the fact that there are actual real-live people out there with European blood in their veins who have converted to Islam. Really! I know you're shocked... the very idea that one could, you know, change religions because of personal conviction? Because you want to? Yeah. And it works the other way around, even. America. What a country! Well, enjoy it while ya got it. :]

8 comments:

  1. Mrs. C,

    Where do you find this stuff? I actually think the video has a point- but you have apoint as well. It's probably more likely that the rise of Islam will be due more to birth rate than to conversions to Islam. I'm not saying there aren't people converting to isalm. I'm sure there are. It's just that there are probably more people leaving traditional Chriatianity than there are converting to Islam.

    The Europeans are in trouble. That's a fact. The good news for us is that even though our fertility rate is due to illegal latinas, at least they are by and large Catholic.

    Then there's the thing no one wants to talk about, and that's the fact that the end must come and while I certainly don't claim to be any kind of prophecy expert, we do know that there will be a great falling away from the One True God, so we would do better to pray rather than trying to save that which is doomed to pass away. Pray, and spread the truth to as many as will listen.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You know what though? Seems to me that "Christianity" spread fastest at the end of a sword, too. Used to be the natives of North and South America sure weren't Christian, but wow, most of 'em at least pretended to be after the Spaniards got there.

    Africans brought to this country? Same thing.

    Europeans coming to this country to escape persecution? Well, they just persecuted a whole new set of people... except that they got to dictate the new "how to persecute" rules...

    I'm no cultural apologist. I know Christianity is the right way, the only way. It may be that True Christianity is refined by persecution, or at least becoming a small minority and having to think, defend, reason ... who knows?

    I know you are right about the end coming, but had not thought I would ever live to see it.

    I found this video in a forum under the title, "Keep having kids, ladies!" and you know... I'm never sure what to make of that line of reasoning. It's right and not right, and sometimes I imagine that it's "code" for not liking too many people around browner than they are... (but maybe just having a few around would be ok as long as they dress, speak and act just like "us.")

    Then again, some of the Islamic "culture" should give one great pause... maybe it's just better to be really xenophobic, even if there's a bit of racism at the edges. But yuck.

    **rereading**

    WOW, that was pretty cynical of me! Prayer, I guess, is the only answer, though, I don't know that God always gives us what we ask. He gets to decide what is best. What is He saying??

    :]

    ReplyDelete
  3. Interesting and educational. I've had many discussions with fellow believers about being in favor of big families. As we Christians have more children and raise them up in the admonition of the Lord, we are spreading "salt", a preservative, to this sin sick world. I also think abortion has added to our demise!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ok...

    Playing devil's advocate and just arguing for fun... I'd have to say that then again, under Islam, if a woman is pregnant by a man not her husband, wouldn't they kill her and the unborn child would die?

    I'm thinking that's what would happen. Maybe I need to email a friend in a Muslim culture and see what she thinks of this post...

    ReplyDelete
  5. As someone who has lived sixteen years in the Muslim Middle East, I can tell you that it is against Islamic law to execute a pregnant woman. If it happened that a woman was pregnant by a man not her husband, she would be sentenced to death by stoning in some parts of the Middle East, and in others she would be sentenced to a prison term. In the case of being sentenced to death, they would postpone the sentence until the baby was born, and then she would be executed.

    This video makes several points. However several things are not mentioned.

    The majority of people immigrating to another country are POOR (because they don't have chances in their own countries). POOR peopel in POOR countries ahve a lot of children because they have no one to take care of them when theya re old and that is their social security. COUNTRY people without educations also have a lot of children for the same reasons. Birth rates are now falling all over the Middle East as women are becoming more educated and able to get jobs. Educated women here have told me countless times that if you take poor people from the coutnry and give them agoood education and way of earning their living, birth rates will drop immediately. We see that in evidence now in Morocco, for example, and probably Egypt as well.

    Even so, Muslim families are dropping to a birth rate of 2-4 children per family (from 8-10 average before).

    In America most illegal immigrants are also having large families because they are outside the social security system (being illegals). Their children are their ownly security.

    Islam says (and I am non-Muslim) that they will take over the world in the future, and not by force. Perhaps this is the way they are thinking of doing it. Peaceful Muslims have faith that it will happen because the Koran says so. But it also says that all sects except one (and which one is unknown) will be going to Hell because even though they are Muslims in NAME they will not be following the words and ways of God.

    Just as Christians in the past have used Christianity as justification for politics, Crusades, land appropriation, etc., Muslims have done the same. It does not mean that the RELIGION says to do those things (in the case of EITHER religion); what it means is that people are EXPLOITING religion for political ends.

    I don't think having more children is the answer. I think China is on the right course for saving our planet trying to reduce its population (not that I am in favor of forced abortions); I don't have all the answers.

    Yes, the video is scary, but the one thing that is sure is that every couple of generations, our country is a different country than the two generations before. Look at America in the time of slavery. When slavery was ended, I'm sure a lot of people were against that in some places. Look at the time of the Vietnam War and the protests. There have been some real differences and upheavals.

    It seems that throughout the history of the world, the rich and priviledged have had fewer children than the poor undesireables, whoever they are. Yet the human race continues to evolve.

    I don't have any answers, but I'm also not sure what can be blamed!

    Eileen
    Dedicated Elementary Teacher Overseas
    elementaryteacher.wordpress.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thank you for clarifying, Eileen! I'm hearing a lot about having babies as a form of warfare on the Christian blogs. Wondering how much is culture and how much is reasoned theological thought.

    Though I would argue that children are a blessing. It's just that I see some extremism in Christian circles as well.

    Thanks again for responding to my plea for another perspective, Eileen! You are seeing a part of the world and people we cannot. :]

    ReplyDelete
  7. I agree that we need to enjoy America for how we were founded. It'll end eventually they way our fathers found it. This country is moving in a different direction. As for me, I will stick to bible truth. The bible says homosexuality is an abomonation to God. I believe God's word, no matter who tries to twist the scriptures. God's word is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Confession I did not watch the video.

    Read the book or skim summaries or skim book: America Alone

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America_Alone

    The numbers are staggering.

    My DH read it but I have not taken the time to read it yet, I'd like to but my TBR list is overflowing.

    ReplyDelete

Non-troll comments always welcome! :)

Bringing Garbage Home

Some people up the street were throwing this table away. It was in pretty bad shape and one of the legs was off. I've glued the leg back...