Arabic Now an Option at Michigan DHS

Umm.... Islam is a religion. Arabic is a language. There are many Arabic speaking Christians.

To answer your question, I don't support offering these services in Arabic.

 

I didn't understand what was meant by "Arabic/Islam", with Arabic being a language and Islam a religion. I therefore couldn't answer the poll question: "Is the Islam Option Really Necessary?" I followed the link, and couldn't find any reference to Islam, or indeed to any religion. A person doesn't have to learn Arabic to become a Moslem, nor is speaking English a prerequisite for being a Christian. Do we say to a person who speaks Arabic (or Welsh or Icelandic or Urdu or......), "Go and learn English. Then you can hear the gospel and be saved!"?

Here is another take on the OP:

Not only can you read God's Word in English, it's now available in Arabic, too! What is happening to Christianity in the name of diversity?
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But I hope you are not against the bible being available in languages other than English. So what's the big deal about having some earthly document available in another language? Yes, I know that the bible is for all the world, and the public assistance document is only for people who live in Michegan, but I'm sure I remember someone posting a quiz about the USA in which one of the questions was, "What is the official language of the United States?", and that the correct answer was, "It doesn't have one."

 

I'd be ecstatic if my children took Arabaic at school. It and Chinese are the two most important languages for the rest of the century.


Also...really? You conflate Arabaic with Islam? Really? The ignorance in the OP is stunning. The link is about an article not a religion.

 

It's true that the United States has no official language. The State of Michigan doesn't either. However, let's say it was Florida that was proposing this. English is the official language of the State of Florida. Would that change your opinion?

 

How nice///////////

 

I agree 100%

I don't think we can expect people's culture if we disrespect theirs!

 

Agree, both difficult languages to learn, the younger they begin the better. 25 yrs ago I encouraged my middle daughter to learn Spanish at a young age, she's now fluent in Spanish and she (and many many others) has reaped tremendous benefit from it. LOL, I can remember how ecstatic she was when she had her first dream in Spanish.

 

I could not answer the poll - there is no 'Islam' language option on the website.

Why would you put 'Islam' in your title? Do you not think that Arab Christians might speak Arabic? Do you really think that Islam is a language?

Islam and Arabic are not synonymous any more than Christian and English are.

You might as well have said 'Catholic now an option in Michigan DHS' and called it the Spanish/Catholic option.

Beside, when did Arabic or Spanish become non-American languages?

Falsely sensational thread titles do little to inspire honest debate.

 

Agreed. We offer German, French, Japanese, Spanish...why not Arabic?

 

Just another ignorant prejudiced post by the OP.. Nothing to look at here..

 

Why in the world was the word Islam added to the OP?

 

If you could point out where someone called you a name I will deal with it. Someone pointed out their opinion that it was an ignorant and prejudiced post, but I don't think anyone applied those comments to you, just that post. While I may make a stupid comment now and then that does not make me ignorant, just imperfect.

 

When they won't back up their post by correcting your "ignorance", it usually means they just can't handle the subject and want to turn it to you instead of the subject matter.

Forget it.

 

There is no subject to discuss. Michigan residents cannot choose 'Islam' as a language on their forms because it is not a language. If the topic was 'Arabic' as a language then there would be discussion, but the topic of the poll was 'Islam' which totally invalidates the poll. Several people did address the 'ignorance' of the post by pointing out that Islam is not a language.

I would suggest the poster run a new poll without sensationalist language if the goal is an honest discussion on the wisdom of Arabic as a language on government forms.

 

It is your contention that the word Islam was included purely to sensationalize his topic.

He's already explained it wasn't and apologized for it, but that's not good enough for you.

That says a lot.

 

The best way to truly correct the error is to rectify it. I will be happy to modify the OP and the poll at the request of the poster if he so desires that instead of starting a new poll. I will also delete all comments about the apparent confusion between Islam and Arabic if Bro Paul wishes. BTW, Paul never says that he did not try to sensationalise the topic with his choice of words.

I will be happy to repair this thread after work today if Paul does not want to start a new thread and poll.