Michigan Quickly Becoming New Muslim State?

The above explains an interesting experience I had many years ago. I worked with an engineer of Chinese extraction. A brilliant engineer and really fine fellow. On one occasion we were discussing, not debating, something really of no consequence. Each time I used the expression "I believe" he would counter with: "You are trying to force your beliefs on me"! I thought it strange.

 

It is a shame that many immigrants of today don't have the same desire for their family to "Americanize". Years ago immigrant parents wanted their children to become as American as the children of other families.

And this is not exclusive to just Muslims, but also many other cultures as well. I don't know exactly what changed, maybe it is something in the process of allowing them into the country that has changed? I don't really know why, but it is different now.

 

And yet, I live next door to a Muslim family that is more red white and blue than many native borns I know, who don't even know how many branches of government there are.

 

And that is why I said many and not all. But overall there definitely now a difference than there used to be in the way immigrants assimilate.

 

You are correct. The country is becoming Balkanized.

 

Good point.

Not so sure. Italian immigrants were accused of the same. Jewish immigrants were accused of them same. Asian immigrants were accused of the same. It seems it's a common concern (and a valid one) whenever this country gets a mass wave of immigrants of a specific ethnicity. Typically the first generation doesn't assimilate much. But by the time the second generation of that ethnicity comes around, it has fully assimilated. The only exception is with illegal immigrants. I remember a local university study that said it took illegal immigrants an additional generation to assimilate (if I can find that study, I'll post it here). Anyhoo, that's a bit off topic. With Middle Eastern populations currently immigrating (such as Iraqis and Afghanis), there will be a lot of examples of those first generations not assimilating much. But when you look at Persian immigrants (which immigrated from Iran when the Shah was deposed), you'll see that they are now in their second generation, and that generation is well assimilated.

 

>Each time I used the expression "I believe" he would counter with: "You are trying to force your beliefs on me"! I thought it strange.

"Force" is to strong in this context. There is no point to continue the conversation unless you wanted him to consider your beliefs as accurately describing the situation. Maybe you meant to convey that you were expressing a personal opinion? Personally, I think evangelical Christians sometimes fail to differentiate between expressing an opinion and affirming dogma.

Buddhism is more a philosophy than a religion. The person described as "the Buddha" never claimed to be more than a . . . sensei. Buddhism might be considered a religion in the same sense as some saying that atheism is a religion. "If atheism is a religion then 'bald' is a hair color." <G>

 

Too bad you are incapable of understanding when you are looking at an anti-Christian worldview.

Of course, that figures...

 

I agree, and that ties in with my original point.

But I view todays immigrants as having a less fervent attitude for their children to "Americanize" as those of past generations.

 

I don't know if that's truly an accurate view, or if it's a matter of perception. It also depends on what one means by "Americanization". Since there is no one specific "American culture", that can be hard to quantify.

 

And in fact in many cases, more than not, they are anti-American.

 

Ask the wife the other night if she wanted to go to the Spanish cafe and have a whopper :thumbs:

Had to point at pictures at the Jack in the Box the other day to get my breakfast.

 

Yes, yesterday I went to see my son receive an award in school, and many other children received awards as well. One young man must have been Muslim, he had the head covering (not sure of the name) they wear. It was huge, bright red with glitter on it. I actually felt bad for the fellow, he stuck out like a sore thumb. The rest of his clothes were quite normal clothes that kids in America wear everyday. So, it is hard to say what will happen.

I work with a fellow from Yemen, he is a nice fellow and very hard working. He will work any hours he is allowed, this fellow would work a straight 24 hour shift no problem, I have always been impressed with his work ethic. He and another fellow bought a gas station in town, so he has two full time jobs. He is not very outspoken about his faith, but he definitely hates the Jews and thinks their land should be given to the Palestinians, I had a conversation with him one day on this subject. But he is divorced from his first wife who still lives in Yemen with his children (he has 9) and married an American girl.

He was allowed to come here as a political refugee, because of religious extremists in his country. He had served in the Army for over 20 years and said he would have been imprisoned or executed if he had not left his country.

So, he is quiet and does not cause any problems, but if you bring up certain topics like the wars in the Middle East or Israel, he can become very agitated quickly.

 

Shalom?

Learn to speak American. <G>

 

If you were to actually read the posts - you would see that he is writing in English.

BTW - there is no such thing as "speaking American".

We predominantly speak "English" in America.

 

heck, learning how many brances of government there are and becoming more papist than the pope (more red white and blue) can be learned by almost everybody.
The question is are they with you or are they against you ?

In the Philippines (if it means anything) the Japanese were bread vendors riding on bikes, or storeowners selling Filipino cupcakes and ginger drinks for a long time before Pearl Harbor.

Heck, they even had Filipino wives and loved and played native songs....until Pearl Harbor.
Then timed to the Japanes attack on Manila, every Japanese in the Philippines suddenly came out wearing Japanese uniforms as each Jap unit marched into the town where they were "assimilated".

What am I saying ?

Nothing seems to be what it appears to be, and the only Person I trust is Jesus.

 

>We predominantly speak "English" in America.

We watch BBC mysteries and sometimes have trouble with their English.

You probably speak American Television. 50 years ago a person from Maine would have needed a translator to talk to a person from Alabama. Since national TV most young people speak TV talking head.

 

You are confusing "accents" with "language".

Your hypothetical persons in Maine and Alabama would have both been speaking the English language with differen accents.