Tonight's 30 days.

[TheSomeone]

If you've watched FX recently, you're probably aware of a show directed by the creator of "Supersize Me" That takes random people and makes them live 30 days in a lifestyle to which they are not accustomed.

This week, a very christian, sortof hick-ish young man lived 30 days as a muslim.

He went from picturing a muslim as "a man brandishing an AK-47" to a seeing muslims as members of a respectable and peaceful religion.

The show really raised a lot of questions for me, and I'd like you guys to answer them. My friend is muslim, so personally, I've never really encountered these problems. But I'd like to know what you think:

Do you beleive Islam is a fundamentally violent religion?
Do you beleive it's wrong?
If yes, why?
Do you beleive all muslims have violent/terrorist tendencies?

 

[Dr. Freeman]

i did not watch this show u are talking about...heck im not even sure we get it here in Toronto although we do get alot of American television.
anyway i don't think any religion is violent, Islam included...i think beliefs that a religion is violent has more to do with interpretation than anything else really.

i have some Muslim friends and am quite aware of some of the customs and hardly think fundamentally something is wrong with the religion.
people are whats wrong with religions because they believe whatever fits their own personal agenda.

oh, btw it looks like this thread is probably headed to the politics section

 

[jondy]

Do you beleive Islam is a fundamentally violent religion?
Do you beleive it's wrong?
If yes, why?
Do you beleive all muslims have violent/terrorist tendencies?

No, no, and no, but I would have loved to have seen the program, sounds pretty interesting

 

[Raziaar]

As an average christian, I don't need a show really to let me know that Muslims are normal people are well. In fact, I can easily respect them more than those who choose to speak against religions.

Odd, isnt it? But i've always had respect for nearly all people, except criminals.

 

[iyfyoufhl]

As an average christian, I don't need a show really to let me know that Muslims are normal people are well. In fact, I can easily respect them more than those who choose to speak against religions.

Odd, isnt it? But i've always had respect for nearly all people, except criminals.

it's not odd, it's normal, "average christian" is suppost to like (sorry love) everybody
so, nothing odd here

 

[Greatgat]

My God. Your questions sound horrendously insensitive. I mean, personally, I'm an athiest but I see nothing inherently wrong with any particular religion. I think I take the whole "Whatever makes you happy" stance on things. I think certain personalities can take a justification for violence from whatever religion (or for that matter, political, social, etc.) they happen to subscribe to, but I strongly disagree with ascribing a certain viewpoint to any subset of this wierd/interesting macrocosm we call humanity.

 

[Raziaar]

it's not odd, it's normal, "average christian" is suppost to like (sorry love) everybody
so, nothing odd here

No. I'm just commenting on the fact that people have a perception that your average christian hates anybody different than themselves.

 

[jondy]

No. I'm just commenting on the fact that people have a perception that your average christian hates anybody different than themselves.

Know what you mean, Raziaar, it must be a bitch having fundamentalists think they speak for all christians - and the public thinking likewise too

 

[Danimal]

I don't really care for religion to be honest. I think of it as a way to explain the unexplainable.

But anyway, as for muslism. No, it is not a violent religion. It is just those select few ****nuts who screw it all up.

What they should is put a rich person in a third world country. That would open thier eyes.

 

[RakuraiTenjin]

I watched it, then came back like an hour later and it was on again. Was mad.

It was kind of dumb though, he *literally* knew nothing (the fact that Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all come from Abraham bewildered and amazed him)

But he was willing and eager to learn, and then the Imam and other people at the mosque were having major communication issues and not explaining things to him. He'd ask wha things meant and it'd end up being a debate in the end.

Near the end of his 30 days he finally found a religious teacher who could communicate and speak good English and explain what the things meant during prayer and he found a good Arabic teacher, but by then the show was almost over.

Poor planning by production staff, poorly made show. It was interesting but "meh"

 

[craig]

I don't believe Islam is a violent religion at all, but the Qu'ran as with most religious texts is so damn vague that many people can intepret it to mean pretty much what they want (i.e. non-believers should be either converted or killed..).

Islam is a fairly backwards thinking religion I think (especially it's attitudes towards women) and the fact that in Islamic countries religious leaders have more power than political ones is a bit strange (take Iran for instance).

 

[nofx]

I watched it and I found it really enlightening. The truth is there isn't many muslim outlets on national tv that thoroughly explain their religion,or atleast let you grow your own "Educated" opinion about the religion. When the white guy was arguing against the muslim guy and they had to pray it kind of showed that the religion was pretty peaceful that in the fact when they were done praying all of the argue/heat had went away. I kind of felt that the imam didn't like the white guy because maybe he found him too closed too "american." I say this because he wore he shoes deep into the mosque in a meeting with the imam and the imam said something about are you comfortable, you have to show uptmost politeness in gods house. But the white guy didnt really grasp what he was saying.

I think they did a good job with the episode but this could've easily bombed if he didn't find a properly educated muslim taht could easily communicate ideas back and forth. I thought it was good that he just didn't jump in and start praying, it showed basically he was really deep into his christian spiritually and it would take alot of budging to get him on that rug. However the thing i dont like is when he went on the radio. and then when he got back to report to the muslim guy, he went HAYWIRE on him not really haywire but i felt he seemed irritated. in some of the opinions he stated. i thought that showed a negatitive aspect. though in his argument he had a point there was a better way to go about it.

end discussion

 

[CptStern]

they should stick george bush in some small community in iraq ...so he can get in touch with the "little people" affected by his actions ...he wouldnt last 10 seconds

 

[Shamrock]

That show is awesome. I especially like the one where they lived working minimum wage jobs..

 

[Baal]

I go to school with a lot of arabic people, and yes, I believe them to be generally violent. But nice people overall of course, but...most of them are violent, at least where I live. And this isn't a very violent place, heh.

They just seem to have a short fuse and will pick fights for not much purpose. Now again, this isn't all of them, but...the majority.

I don't think it's all that much due to their religion though, maybe just their culture.


Also it's just like they're the only violent people, and everyone is cowering at their will or something. I just find a bigger majority of them are violent, as oppose to others.

 

[Dr. Freeman]

I go to school with a lot of arabic people, and yes, I believe them to be generally violent. But nice people overall of course, but...most of them are violent, at least where I live. And this isn't a very violent place, heh.

They just seem to have a short fuse and will pick fights for not much purpose. Now again, this isn't all of them, but...the majority.

I don't think it's all that much due to their religion though, maybe just their culture.


Also it's just like they're the only violent people, and everyone is cowering at their will or something. I just find a bigger majority of them are violent, as oppose to others.

yeah but the thing u need to keep in mind when forming that opinion is, u are talking about young people, yes? and we all know high school years is generally a tough time...and violence...well sometimes its prevelant in those years.

im not saying there aren't peaceful young muslims, im sure there are...just that perhaps u need to look at a wider age range in ur area perhaps.

 

[skull24]

Yeah I saw it but most people will never change the way they think about other people even if they see it with there own two eyes.

 

[Raziaar]

they should stick george bush in some small community in iraq ...so he can get in touch with the "little people" affected by his actions ...he wouldnt last 10 seconds

Well, you only say that because you want him dead :-P

 

[Thadius Dean]

The next one is some marine or ex-marine living with a gay guy

 

[Raziaar]

The next one is some marine or ex-marine living with a gay guy

"Yaaaaaaaaaaaaggggghhhhhhhhr!" <snaps gay guy's neck>

 

[jonbob]

The next one is some marine or ex-marine living with a gay guy

Quite. It's not like there are any homosexuals in the Marine corps.

 

[Foxtrot]

So they took an ignorant guy and educated him, but made it into a show...yay. I saw an episode of this before, 2 guys were trying to live on minimum wage and they came to the conclusion that it isnt possible. Well, I have had to live on very little income, and I didn't have an agenda to push, or people to entertain, so I have a little experience with this. The dumbass went to the movie theater (first stupid mistake of many) and then he buys (BUYS!!!) bottles water (WATER IN A ****ING BOTTLE!) for like $4, and of course other stuff too. And then at the end of the show he proclaim it is impossible to live like that, well go **** yourself guy. Actually try it, and don't **** around next time, asshole. BTW, this show is garbage.

 

[TheSomeone]

Quite. It's not like there are any homosexuals in the Marine corps.

If you're being sarcastic, gays aren't even allowed in the Army, so forget about the Marines.

 

[Raziaar]

If you're being sarcastic, gays aren't even allowed in the Army, so forget about the Marines.

Doesn't mean they tell. I'm sure there are homosexuals in the military. They are everywhere. They just keep it to themselves in a situation like being in the military.

 

[CptStern]

If you're being sarcastic, gays aren't even allowed in the Army, so forget about the Marines.

ahem ...

 

[TheSomeone]

Living with an openly gay guy and one that pretends is straight isn't exactly the same thing. He might as well be straight if he acts like it.

Plus, he'll be hanging out with a homo from the Castro district in San Fransisco. I go to school and have a lot of friends in SF, and beleive me, the gay community is VERY open to its gayness.

 

[Foxtrot]

Living with an openly gay guy and one that pretends is straight isn't exactly the same thing. He might as well be straight if he acts like it.

Plus, he'll be hanging out with a homo from the Castro district in San Fransisco. I go to school and have a lot of friends in SF, and beleive me, the gay community is VERY open to its gayness.

This gay?

 

[[Dragoon]]

I'm not a big fan of organized religion. While pretty much every religion has a wonderful idea behind it (Love thy neighbor, do unto others, etc), most of them are perverted into excuses. Take the crusades for example (God wants you to do it), or if you want something more recent, remember why those people rammed planes into the WTC? Because they were told that they would get into heaven for it. I prefer unorganized religion. Ideas over beliefs.

 

[T.H.C.138]

I'm not a big fan of organized religion. While pretty much every religion has a wonderful idea behind it (Love thy neighbor, do unto others, etc), most of them are perverted into excuses. Take the crusades for example (God wants you to do it), or if you want something more recent, remember why those people rammed planes into the WTC? Because they were told that they would get into heaven for it. I prefer unorganized religion. Ideas over beliefs.

QFE!!!

 

[RakuraiTenjin]

So they took an ignorant guy and educated him, but made it into a show...yay. I saw an episode of this before, 2 guys were trying to live on minimum wage and they came to the conclusion that it isnt possible. Well, I have had to live on very little income, and I didn't have an agenda to push, or people to entertain, so I have a little experience with this. The dumbass went to the movie theater (first stupid mistake of many) and then he buys (BUYS!!!) bottles water (WATER IN A ****ING BOTTLE!) for like $4, and of course other stuff too. And then at the end of the show he proclaim it is impossible to live like that, well go **** yourself guy. Actually try it, and don't **** around next time, asshole. BTW, this show is garbage.

Same thing with Supersize Me itself, though. Consider what he ordered, basically the worst stuff possible nonstop.. in the biggest sizes possible.

I can't remember the name but I recall hearing about a 30 days McDonalds thing some lady did and she lost weight, because she ordered the healthy things (Chicken selects, salads without pouring 5000GramFat Dressing on it, etc)

 

[Raziaar]

I'm not a big fan of organized religion. While pretty much every religion has a wonderful idea behind it (Love thy neighbor, do unto others, etc), most of them are perverted into excuses. Take the crusades for example (God wants you to do it), or if you want something more recent, remember why those people rammed planes into the WTC? Because they were told that they would get into heaven for it. I prefer unorganized religion. Ideas over beliefs.

You know... its a bad example, but same thing can be said about games. Murderers use games as an excuse all the time, yet we all know that we other gamers don't buy that... and would never murder because of games or do bad things because of them.

 

[Raziaar]

So now. When is the 30 days about a muslim in a christian's shoes? <chuckles>

Though, granted... I dont think it would make for a very interesting show. At least, not unless you do the religion from a real fanatical christian. Like me, I don't go through any such rituals really, at least not physically, that muslims do. Less visible stuff to be shown on tv.

 

[nofx]

The shows only going to be as interestin as you make it. for instance a person thats close minded and doesnt really want to see the world from their own views would probably change the channel however on the otherhand a person trying to gain knowledge of a religion they have no idea about but want to form some kind of formal opinion will probably be interested moreover than the other person.

 

[Raziaar]

Well, I for one am a bit sick of the intolerance of some of the 'christians' depicted in the show(i'm watching it now). And unfortunately, you find the same thing in a predominantly muslim country concerning christian westerners. I just wish religious differences were tolerated more.

 

[nofx]

Sadly as history shows that will never happen or will it? I think some people just take there beliefs way out of contrast i believe in god and I know it wants me to respect everyone despite the color of their skin if they are atheist.. i think life just works so much better in that aspect other than trying to make certain friends and they turn out to be certain assholes