I’m Arab and Christian- why are people always so surprised ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
My school did mention Paganism and Hedonism practiced in other countries. I hardly call anything outside of mainstream Judaism and mainstream Christian religions as actual religion.

Our resident right winger has entered the forum 🤦‍♀️

[Anonymous]

Most of the Arab Christians I’ve met have common Anglicized first names like George and Mary and Linda kinda similar to South Korean Christians so it’s probably difficult for Americans to notice they are Arab.

The Muslim Arabs tend to have Arabic names for the first and last name so it is easier on a first name basis to distinguish

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you want to feel like we’re all perplexed when we’re actually not. Maybe one person in your life was confused and now you’ve turned it into a thing.

Yeah, this. Honestly, no one cares and we don’t want to feed your odd need for attention. I know people like you seem to want to feel special for what is quite conventional.

I mean WOW. Are you really a Christian Arab? Well, I’ll be dipped in sht.

You could just as easily become an Arab Rastafarian, which would actually be much cooler.

But no, we’re all just ignorant Ameri-centric rubes.

Many people are surprised that there are Christians in the ME and Africa, historically and currently. It’s a subject that is interesting to discuss, even if you don’t have interest in it. We all suffer through threads about atheist “testimony” detailing the events that led to there belief in nothing, and no one rudely comments about being “dipped in shit” because atheists feel like discussing their belief in nothing online.

You are just a rude person with no tolerance for anyone or anything other than what directly affects you. An entire world exists outside of you and if you weren’t so busy mucking about in feces, you might learn something about it all.

Yes many people are surprised to find out for instance that the Ethiopian Bible predates the King James one or that Palestine vs Israel is not a Muslim vs Jewish conflict and that Israelis are not all white . Many Israelis are Jews that came from the Middle East (Yemen, Syria, Egyptian, Iraqi, Moroccan, Libyan Jews) not Europe.

There is lots of nuance in the region that even people in governments do not understand

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm super ignorant. I have no idea what holidays people who are Arab celebrate. I also can't keep track of how Arabs and Muslims are different despite it being explained to me a hundred times. I have a lot of learning disabilities and some information will just never stick.

Arab is ethnicity and Muslim is religion.

I live a great life in rural Virginia. Grow my own crops, weed and brew alcohol. Love to bbq with smokers and pork. Not very religious, hard to understand anyone that believes in fairies and the devil and hell etc. and especially don’t understand folks what worship a pedophile that has multiple wives

We are a speck in billions of galaxies with each having billions of stars, I find it hard to believe that a god would inject his son in single planet, for 33 years out of 7 billion , and then promptly disappear never to be seen again .

That being said I really don’t care about Middle East or Persia. As far as I am concerned we should stop immigration from that area. And stop all support for Israel and Egypt, stop letting the elite 1% use our resources and children to make them richer

Don’t care or want to learn about Christians stupid enough to live with Muslims .

We have it good here and quite happy. Let’s not screw it up for our children .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm super ignorant. I have no idea what holidays people who are Arab celebrate. I also can't keep track of how Arabs and Muslims are different despite it being explained to me a hundred times. I have a lot of learning disabilities and some information will just never stick.

Arab is ethnicity and Muslim is religion.

I live a great life in rural Virginia. Grow my own crops, weed and brew alcohol. Love to bbq with smokers and pork. Not very religious, hard to understand anyone that believes in fairies and the devil and hell etc. and especially don’t understand folks what worship a pedophile that has multiple wives

We are a speck in billions of galaxies with each having billions of stars, I find it hard to believe that a god would inject his son in single planet, for 33 years out of 7 billion , and then promptly disappear never to be seen again .

That being said I really don’t care about Middle East or Persia. As far as I am concerned we should stop immigration from that area. And stop all support for Israel and Egypt, stop letting the elite 1% use our resources and children to make them richer

Don’t care or want to learn about Christians stupid enough to live with Muslims .

We have it good here and quite happy. Let’s not screw it up for our children .

Stick to growing crops in rural VA, that’s as far as your analysis should get you. 😂

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm super ignorant. I have no idea what holidays people who are Arab celebrate. I also can't keep track of how Arabs and Muslims are different despite it being explained to me a hundred times. I have a lot of learning disabilities and some information will just never stick.

Arab is ethnicity and Muslim is religion.

I live a great life in rural Virginia. Grow my own crops, weed and brew alcohol. Love to bbq with smokers and pork. Not very religious, hard to understand anyone that believes in fairies and the devil and hell etc. and especially don’t understand folks what worship a pedophile that has multiple wives

We are a speck in billions of galaxies with each having billions of stars, I find it hard to believe that a god would inject his son in single planet, for 33 years out of 7 billion , and then promptly disappear never to be seen again .

That being said I really don’t care about Middle East or Persia. As far as I am concerned we should stop immigration from that area. And stop all support for Israel and Egypt, stop letting the elite 1% use our resources and children to make them richer

Don’t care or want to learn about Christians stupid enough to live with Muslims .

We have it good here and quite happy. Let’s not screw it up for our children .

Stick to growing crops in rural VA, that’s as far as your analysis should get you. 😂

I guess I should worship a pedophile? Or someone that was crucified and never seen again? Or maybe I should have paid 30 silver pieces to get my parents out of purgatory? Or should have worshiped a god that was all mighty but jealous of mere mortals that worshiped other gods ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm super ignorant. I have no idea what holidays people who are Arab celebrate. I also can't keep track of how Arabs and Muslims are different despite it being explained to me a hundred times. I have a lot of learning disabilities and some information will just never stick.

Arab is ethnicity and Muslim is religion.

I live a great life in rural Virginia. Grow my own crops, weed and brew alcohol. Love to bbq with smokers and pork. Not very religious, hard to understand anyone that believes in fairies and the devil and hell etc. and especially don’t understand folks what worship a pedophile that has multiple wives

We are a speck in billions of galaxies with each having billions of stars, I find it hard to believe that a god would inject his son in single planet, for 33 years out of 7 billion , and then promptly disappear never to be seen again .

That being said I really don’t care about Middle East or Persia. As far as I am concerned we should stop immigration from that area. And stop all support for Israel and Egypt, stop letting the elite 1% use our resources and children to make them richer

Don’t care or want to learn about Christians stupid enough to live with Muslims .

We have it good here and quite happy. Let’s not screw it up for our children .

Stick to growing crops in rural VA, that’s as far as your analysis should get you. 😂

I guess I should worship a pedophile? Or someone that was crucified and never seen again? Or maybe I should have paid 30 silver pieces to get my parents out of purgatory? Or should have worshiped a god that was all mighty but jealous of mere mortals that worshiped other gods ?

Why do you care what other people do? You are in a religious forum- why?

[Anonymous]

Me too. Palestinian Christian.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m not surprised - have Palestinian Christian friends and know that there are many Arab Christian Israelis also.

I just wish the Arab Abrahamic religions were better at getting along. It is heart breaking to follow the Gaza conflict .

The pastor at my Catholic church is Palestinian, and one of the deacons is a Jew who converted to Catholicism. I love the diversity of our parish!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are many Arabs in Israel who are Muslims; yet I don’t think it’s unreasonable to assume someone who is Israeli is Jewish.

Most states with a high percentage of its populace being Arab are Islamic and most Arabs (over 90%) identify as Muslims.

Yes, Americans are usually uninformed about the world, but I don’t think this is a wild assumption.

I assume that people from Thailand are Buddhists and people from Poland are Catholics unless otherwise indicated. Of course I am aware that there are non-Catholic Poles and non-Buddhist Thais.

Huh?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:European here. Because Americans are deeply, deeply ignorant about what goes on outside their borders, as well as minorities inside their own borders.

I think it's due to the fact that the USA is a vast place and the most powerful country in the world, and has been since WWII ended. People do not feel the need to educate themselves on the rest of the world, because they have enough domestic news to contend with, and don't think they depend on other countries to find jobs (they actually do depend on other countries for rare earths, drugs, semiconductors, foodstuffs, etc, but they don't know that). Their schools teach them that they are the masters of the world. In high school, you'll be lucky to reach the very few that take AP World History, and my son tells me that they don't teach that sort of stuff in there anyway.

In my wealthy European country, we learn about many facts about other nations, and most importantly, the TV news is highly informative, with a large international news segment. It's because we know we depend on other countries! European countries are also much smaller than the USA, so the domestic segment doesn't need to be the only news segment.

This belongs in the politics, not religion, thread, but since you brought it up.
If Americans are so ignorant and poorly taught, why do top students from foreign countries compete to be admitted to US universities? Is it because they are interested in courses on Lady Gaga? Maybe not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I get that the large majority of Arabs are Muslim .. but he was Jesus of Nazareth, not Jesus of New Jersey!

DP - not surprised at all. Have other chirch members and neighbors who are Palestinian Christians. The situation in Israel and Gaza is extremely painful and personal for them also.

[Anonymous]

Palestinian Christians are likely related to Jesus

[Anonymous]

Also, I have a silly question for Christian Arabs.
Is it true when Arab Christians pray you guys say Allah for God as well? It’s just Arabic for God in general and not something specific to Muslims only. That’s interesting to me because I know in Aramaic the word is ellah and Hebrew Elohim.

Also, how comfortable are you using the term Arab as an identifier? I’ve dated a Chaldean from Iraq and he was against identifying as an Arab , but I’ve met lovely Egyptian Copts, Lebanese Catholic, and even Jordanian Christians who laughed when I told them what my ex said and they completely identify as Arab and speak it at home

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:European here. Because Americans are deeply, deeply ignorant about what goes on outside their borders, as well as minorities inside their own borders.

I think it's due to the fact that the USA is a vast place and the most powerful country in the world, and has been since WWII ended. People do not feel the need to educate themselves on the rest of the world, because they have enough domestic news to contend with, and don't think they depend on other countries to find jobs (they actually do depend on other countries for rare earths, drugs, semiconductors, foodstuffs, etc, but they don't know that). Their schools teach them that they are the masters of the world. In high school, you'll be lucky to reach the very few that take AP World History, and my son tells me that they don't teach that sort of stuff in there anyway.

In my wealthy European country, we learn about many facts about other nations, and most importantly, the TV news is highly informative, with a large international news segment. It's because we know we depend on other countries! European countries are also much smaller than the USA, so the domestic segment doesn't need to be the only news segment.

Is your country part of NATO? How much does it spend on defense?

I think that’s a valid question. Our “backwater” and “hayseed” citizens in America work very hard and pay taxes that allow America to send millions/billions of dollars in aid to other countries.

Our “backwater” and “hayseed” and “urban” and “ghetto” citizens- the ignorants you are disparaging- enlist in the American military and are sent overseas to participate in training exercises to defend countries like yours.
In fact our hayseeds probably saved your country from Hitler in WW2. If Russia or China attacks your wealthy, educated country- don’t worry. Our hayseeds will save your @sses again- it’s the American way.

Your country doesn’t need to spend billions building a military, defending your borders, etc, because good ol Uncle Sam will save your snooty bacon every. single. time.

Wow you sound super offended over a simple post that person made. The world does not revolve around you, redneck snowflake.

Furthermore, ugh yeah no the US has very little to do with the victory in the Western front. You guys didn't even want to get into the war, and only really joined in once it was clear that Germany was weak. The British did far more in the war than the US, and the Soviet Union was instrumental in ensuring that Germany fell. The US's contribution, in terms of manpower, was, frankly, negligeable.