[Danny Himself]

Originally Posted by Washing Machine

The first thing american jews tell you is that they are jewish,

...?

[Washing Machine]

what I mean (from my limited experience in this area) american jews mention the fact that they are jewish more. British jews you may have to know them for weeks before the subject even comes up.

[screamingskull]

It's not a racist thing, i have just not ever met any jewish people in the UK, but i don't think they advertise it about themselves the way they do in the states.

Originally Posted by Washing Machine

what I mean (from my limited experience in this area) american jews mention the fact that they are jewish more. British jews you may have to know them for weeks before the subject even comes up.

exactly

[Glice]

I would say that, with regards religious identity, it's rare that a British person will mention immediately their religion because it's a little less of an important thing to one's cultural identity. Obviously, there are cases where a religious identity is screamingly obvious (chassidic Jews or practising Sikhs, f'rinstance) but, generally speaking, there isn't such a explicit dominence of religion. This is a predominantly, nominally Christian country with more practising Muslims than any other religion. By many media-based accounts, the Christian majority in America is very visible. In this country we have a visible clergy, but I think it's rare for anyone other than various archbishops ir high-profile Imams or Rabbis speaking in a nationwide context.

I'm not sure if this explains much about the Jewish question posed herewith to those outside of this country, but I think it'll make sense to those within it.

[atari 2600]

Right, it's a cultural difference, screamingskull.
And maybe that's because, after all, in Britian they are in still in Europe and WWII was not all that long ago. Well, at least that's some element of it because I also agree with Glice's analysis.



But pertaining to the topic, I think this nails it.

Originally Posted by h8kurdt

Grass is always greener blah blah

[ThePits]

Religion in the UK is largely irrelevant
Luckily enough we are a reasonably tolerant society that doesnt judge people on their religious beliefs, unless of course you are a catholic trying to marry a muslim or a sikh trying to marry a hassidic jew........

[h8kurdt]

Or a muslim trying to marry anybody not a muslim or a white guy trying to marry a muslim but other than that we're great.

The sexiest Brit who I have met from this board is Pookie. The other one currently living is sleeping next door after leaving me to gasp for some fresh air.

Demonrail666 is also a sexy mutha.

[Glice]

Originally Posted by ThePits

Religion in the UK is largely irrelevant
Luckily enough we are a reasonably tolerant society that doesnt judge people on their religious beliefs, unless of course you are a catholic trying to marry a muslim or a sikh trying to marry a hassidic jew........

Buh... I would hasten to disagree with this. Religion is never irrelevant, it's a very important aspect of a person. But, like a great many things, it's offensive when it's a defining aspect of one's personality used as a crutch or worse, argumentative cleavage (in the non-breast sense of cleavage). It's only those I know who have no religious convictions who would say religion is 'irrelevant', it's simply not the case for those with convictions. Tricky subject really.

Incidentally, I bumped into a British Jew last night who's started seeing a British/ Malay [sp?] Buddhist, which is sweet.

[jon boy]

Originally Posted by ThePits

Religion in the UK is largely irrelevant
Luckily enough we are a reasonably tolerant society that doesnt judge people on their religious beliefs, unless of course you are a catholic trying to marry a muslim or a sikh trying to marry a hassidic jew........

i dont know if we are that tolerant. the amount of racist remarks i hear on a daily basis is enough to dispell any thoughts of that.i think its also a generational thing. people of my grandparents or even parents age seem less tolerant of people my age.

[ThePits]

Originally Posted by Glice

Buh... I would hasten to disagree with this. Religion is never irrelevant, it's a very important aspect of a person. But, like a great many things, it's offensive when it's a defining aspect of one's personality used as a crutch or worse, argumentative cleavage (in the non-breast sense of cleavage). It's only those I know who have no religious convictions who would say religion is 'irrelevant', it's simply not the case for those with convictions. Tricky subject really.

Incidentally, I bumped into a British Jew last night who's started seeing a British/ Malay [sp?] Buddhist, which is sweet.

Sorry I should have made myself a little clearer, I agree on a personal level religion is never irrelevant if one has deeply held beliefs, I was referring more to government and decisions taken by ministers
It appears that religion has played a big part in politics in the US particularly on issues such as abortion etc, we dont seem to have the same religious input/interference here

Nice to hear about the jew and the buddhist, very refreshing. Liberal jews here dont seem bothered by a potential partners religion here, my closest friend is a liberal jew, his wife a christian and that works fine

It does seem the more extreme that religious views are the less likely the person is to marry someone of a different faith

Regardless of religion though, we (British males) are still sexy (and modest)

[ThePits]

Originally Posted by jon boy

i dont know if we are that tolerant. the amount of racist remarks i hear on a daily basis is enough to dispell any thoughts of that.i think its also a generational thing. people of my grandparents or even parents age seem less tolerant of people my age.

I've only heard one racist remark in years, and that was when a Scot called me an English bastard last thursday

He was right though, I am English and I am a bastard so it was kind of pointless insulting me with a statement of fact

Anyway, if you hear that many racist remarks regularly either a) report them or b) move to a nicer neighbourhood, or c) do both

Noone should have to listen to that crap

And yes I agree, coffin dodgers are less tolerant of everyone particularly those with youth on their side

[Washing Machine]

We seem to have an incredable amount of throwaway racism (and im not sure thats the right term) in this country. I hear so many people talking shit about ethic minorities but when it comes down to it, i've seen these exact same people go out of their way to help them. There is such a lack of conviction to some of these peoples views. In one way its still very dangerous and in other ways it shows a very strange degree of perverse tolorance on the part of the British. Its a form of racism that never seems to go past the dinner table.

[screamingskull]

My grandparents are incredibly racist, and gay hating. I find it quite hard to understand and tolerate.

[drrrtyboots]

My grandparents are armenian and think Borat is hilarious because of his mustache and facial expressions. Sacha Baren Cohen is british, this relates somehow.

And it's safe to say zero armenians in the world are sexy.