Yep, you may be surprised but I am not without a fair share of heavy criticism regarding our own part of the world either. Yet, muslim terrorism bothers me most so that's why I tend to focus on that issue here as you may have noticed
(also to have some fun to be honest)
In my view the backbone in western-European societies seems to be missing due to secularism and maximal individalism (of which I am a prime example !), in which money is basically more and more replacing God and determining our lifestyles. TV shows are getting crazier and extremer all the time, not in the least corrupting young children. Divorce numbers are staggering. Split families all over the place. Kids growing up too fast. Student girls prostituting on and off line and the list goes on. Youngsters using drugs and alcohol. Being a parent becomes more of a challenge all the time due to the 'unlimited' world outside.
It proves not to be ideal and I think many people are starting to become aware of the fundamental problems. Apart from the social and psychological problems many natives experience, it also has created a spiritual void the Islam is happy to fill more and more intensively. This is how I explain the succes of Islam among immigrants and the ever increasing number of mosqs built here. Konovalov, step in anytime when you feel like it and share your personal story of convertion with us
Thesis:
To meet the challenge Islam poses on our societies, we should again somehow develop more of a spiritual/cultural backbone...
More money, more weapons and even generous basic rights/constitution clearly aren't 'superiority' enough to strike hard enough on growing islamic radicalism, here and the ME. I definitely think there's this social element as well in the global islamic challenge (and I am talking about the silent majority of moderate muslims ofcourse who disapprove of western extremism, not the minority of now influential nutters in their midst).
However, I dont want to entirely turn the clock back to the 1950ies era either. I need freedom.
But I also believe we should regain more common ground and dispose of chunks of our own cultural extremism to achieve moral superiority and a good future. This quest has to start within our OWN society, not in the ME.
Cleaning up our 'mess' should therefor also and primarily involve limiting the freedom of media and the entertainment industry. A broad common sense of good values and morals appears to be long gone in many ways, or at least western media-extremism has become far too dominating. In this respect (also immigrated) muslims deeply disrespect us and I understand.
I think we can learn from them (ME) about cultural tradition, a more spiritual attitude, and lowering our level of consumption, and they can learn from us......I wanted to say: equal rights for men and women in several ways and how to combine religion and culture as separate parts of life, but look where we have come.
Anyway, the questions to you are:
What's your take on our modern western culture and what exactly (superior cultural aspects) should muslims truely learn from us ?
My best attempt to be reasonable for a change
Cheers :hmm: