Is America's Devout Religiousness one of the Reasons why it is is so Hated?

Question

There's a Swedish girl in our class, and for her American Studies report she wrote about the effects of America's religious ignorance (she got an A-, even though our teacher is Catholic ^_^)

Her essay got me thinking.

Do you think America is too ethno-centric? Why or why not? Is it one of the reasons for being scorned by other countries so much?

Answer 1

America's ethnocentricity is certainly one of reasons foreign people hold us in disdain.

Our intolerance of religions other than Chrisitanity would be a facet of that ethnocentricity.

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Answer 2

Americans are ridiculously ignorant. Have you ever seen those man-on-the-street interviews (I think Jay Leno does this) where a TV crew walks up to people on the street in, say, New York City, and asks them basic questions like, Who is the President, Who is the Vice President, Who are we at war with, and people have NO IDEA. It's awful. And then, like your Swedish classmate was talking about, there are people who are not only ignorant of our own culture, but of others. Those are the people who want to imprison all Arab-Americans just because they have the same skin color as Osama bin Laden. America has a history of ignorant judgments (we corralled hundreds of thousands of Asian-Americans after the attacks on Pearl Harber, for example).

I do not think that our "devout religiousness" is why we are looked down upon by other countries. I think that, at least in the last 5 or 6 years, our blatant assertiveness against other countries (like the decision to invade Iraq in opposition to the UN) has made people dislike us.

Even so, in my travels to Europe since 2002, foreign sentiments seem to be mostly anti-American GOVERNMENT, not simply anti-American. It seems like most people understand that all Americans are not to blame for the rash decisions of a cabinet and an administration. Granted, I was only in Western Europe, and feelings of Middle Easterners may be very different. I don't know, but seeing as how we've made a big mess of that region, I don't really plan on going to visit any time soon.

Good question, even though the answer is kind of depressing.

Answer 3

Ask her what the multi-culturalism of Europe is doing to them? They are on the verge of having Muslim states within states!

America is hated for 1 reason only, money. We are the most powerful militarily and the richest ever in the history of the world. That draws out jealousy and aggression as it does our pride. It used to be that America had its own culture, now we are becoming like Europe and Canada. I try to talk to foreigners from Iraq and so forth and we have virtually nothing in common. Sports? nope. Food? nope. God? nope. They are like they are from another country and they prefer to stay that way. I believe multi-culturalism is a horrible model for society because it encourages division and DIScourages community.

The whole Christian nation thing is going right out the window at a frightening pace! I would like to know what that girl meant by "spiritual ignorance." Sounds though like she is painting our country with a broad brush with her condescension and elitism. She was probably taught from birth that we are a bunch of modonna-worshipping greedy capitalistic hypocrites that only act good on sunday. (wow where have we heard that before?)

America may not be much in the grand scheme of things but i think theres a lot we got right as a nation, especially with our constitutional freedoms that are given by GOD and not men.

Answer 4

Religion is once again on the move and it is changing people have had enough of the religious materialisic me society and we want better for ourselves and others, instead of want about me what about me, you should not be so quick to aborb ideas. Go to the poor in indians and see the nuns taking care of the poor and downtrodden. that is real religion. That is the love of God at work.

Answer 5

It depends on which religion is being written about, and what religion is doing the grading, in my estimation, the Catholic church believes it is the only right religion, and all others are of no value.

Answer 6

America exhibits a lot of the "only we can be right" mentality of it's most popular religion.

We're pretty intolerant of other views, cultures, religions, etc.

Answer 7

well america does tend to place a high sense of value on religion and being religious

Answer 8

AIPAC which sends billions in foreign aid to Israel. On the false premise it will ressurect Jesus.....