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myenglishisno
Joined: 08 Mar 2011
Location: Geumchon
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 Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 10:15 pm Post subject: |
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| northway wrote: |
| Your claim that most Americans teaching here are right wingers makes no sense statistically. A large majority of youth voted Obama in and '08, and that's not even specifically educated youth. When you start talking about educated individuals, you're getting even higher numbers of liberals. I'm American, I think I know my people better than you, and I know very, very few young Republicans or conservatives, here or elsewhere. |
I worked with predominantly American co-workers twice in Korea and while I was in Japan (95% American there). When I worked with all American staff in Japan, being non-religious put you in a small minority. Our workplace meetings with them always began and ended with prayers and not at least playing along was a big no-no. My foreign boss and all of his subordinates were extremely religious. If there was a drinking event, it'd always turn into a big argument about religion.
The kicker is that the company (a dispatch company) was not religious at all. They were hired at random. Many were deeply involved in the nearest church to where they lived.
In Korea, I'd say a large portion of the Americans I met were Christian. Definitely more than half and of them, some were very aggressive about it. I've been in some very uncomfortable situations among American Christians and have told off a few for being too uppity and I'm not even a confrontational person (I could care less for what other people's religions are).
I've also met my fair share of Americans who hadn't met non-Christians before teaching over here. They usually weren't dicks about it but non-religious types really put them off even if they tried to be accepting.
All my evidence is anecdotal but I'm really wondering where all these secular Americans you're referring to are. If I meet someone from New York or from the West Coast I find that they're more or less the same as me in terms of beliefs but if I meet someone from anywhere else, they're either an apathetic Christian, a practicing Christian or a fundie.
If you want to talk about statistics, then 96% of Americans believe in god and atheists are the least trusted groups in the US, down there with rapists. Also, liberal doesn't necessarily mean non-religious. |
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northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 10:26 pm Post subject: |
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| myenglishisno wrote: |
All my evidence is anecdotal but I'm really wondering where all these secular Americans you're referring to are. If I meet someone from New York or from the West Coast I find that they're more or less the same as me in terms of beliefs but if I meet someone from anywhere else, they're either an apathetic Christian, a practicing Christian or a fundie.
If you want to talk about statistics, then 96% of Americans believe in god and atheists are the least trusted groups in the US, down below rapists. |
"Believe in God" does not mean they are fundamentalist (or that they are Christian).
Your evidence is extremely anecdotal. I'm from New England and I don't know anyone who goes to church on a regular basis. Your generalizations are totally absurd, considering that the Northeast and the West Coast account for about 50% of the population of the States, leaving aside the country's other liberal bastions. Seriously, that really sucks that your coworkers made you pray, but that would be absolutely bizarre where I'm from. The one Republican girl I worked with here had a lot of trouble making friends here, as everyone she encountered was a lefty who had little patience for her homophobic Christianity. Honestly, I never meet Republicans here, and the few that I do meet are generally Paulites. |
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dgove
Joined: 23 Mar 2010
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| Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 11:30 pm Post subject: |
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| I'm also American and would say I haven't asked many people about their politics, but they apparently aren't as right-wing fundamentalist as you would believe seeing as how I have never had anyone try to push it on me. I think the rest the Americans posting here know their country better than you do. There was a huge college-age movement for Obama in '08, which would definitely not support your theory. I think you deciding the majority of Americans in Korea are right-wing nuts based off your very small sample size from work is extremely....ignorant? Might be too strong of a word, but that's what comes to mind. You're on the losing side of this one. |
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strange_brew
Joined: 12 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 12:11 am Post subject: |
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| myenglishisno wrote: |
| northway wrote: |
| Your claim that most Americans teaching here are right wingers makes no sense statistically. A large majority of youth voted Obama in and '08, and that's not even specifically educated youth. When you start talking about educated individuals, you're getting even higher numbers of liberals. I'm American, I think I know my people better than you, and I know very, very few young Republicans or conservatives, here or elsewhere. |
I worked with predominantly American co-workers twice in Korea and while I was in Japan (95% American there). When I worked with all American staff in Japan, being non-religious put you in a small minority. Our workplace meetings with them always began and ended with prayers and not at least playing along was a big no-no. My foreign boss and all of his subordinates were extremely religious. If there was a drinking event, it'd always turn into a big argument about religion.
The kicker is that the company (a dispatch company) was not religious at all. They were hired at random. Many were deeply involved in the nearest church to where they lived.
In Korea, I'd say a large portion of the Americans I met were Christian. Definitely more than half and of them, some were very aggressive about it. I've been in some very uncomfortable situations among American Christians and have told off a few for being too uppity and I'm not even a confrontational person (I could care less for what other people's religions are).
I've also met my fair share of Americans who hadn't met non-Christians before teaching over here. They usually weren't dicks about it but non-religious types really put them off even if they tried to be accepting.
All my evidence is anecdotal but I'm really wondering where all these secular Americans you're referring to are. If I meet someone from New York or from the West Coast I find that they're more or less the same as me in terms of beliefs but if I meet someone from anywhere else, they're either an apathetic Christian, a practicing Christian or a fundie.
If you want to talk about statistics, then 96% of Americans believe in god and atheists are the least trusted groups in the US, down there with rapists. Also, liberal doesn't necessarily mean non-religious. |
I'm not even American, but you come across as kind of an anti-American Brit, and an unknowledgeable one at that, with many of your posts on here. Not sure where you meet all these pushy religious Americans here, but I've been here for years, and most of them probably are the opposite that. And if they are religious, they generally keep it to themselves.
The pushy ones with religion tend to be more of the Korean persuasion. And where did you get the 96%? Quote that stat please. |
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Malislamusrex
Joined: 01 Feb 2010
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| Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 12:39 am Post subject: |
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If I wasnt sitting on a mountain of money I made before I came to Korea I'd care what you have to say, there is 0% I'd bring up my kidos here.
| T-J wrote: |
The willingness of the ignorant to offer opinions is proof that Korea has failed to weed out those incapable of teaching. It would be laughable if it were not so sad.
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minos
Joined: 01 Dec 2010
Location: kOREA
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| Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 2:13 am Post subject: |
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| myenglishisno wrote: |
| northway wrote: |
| Your claim that most Americans teaching here are right wingers makes no sense statistically. A large majority of youth voted Obama in and '08, and that's not even specifically educated youth. When you start talking about educated individuals, you're getting even higher numbers of liberals. I'm American, I think I know my people better than you, and I know very, very few young Republicans or conservatives, here or elsewhere. |
I worked with predominantly American co-workers twice in Korea and while I was in Japan (95% American there). When I worked with all American staff in Japan, being non-religious put you in a small minority. Our workplace meetings with them always began and ended with prayers and not at least playing along was a big no-no. My foreign boss and all of his subordinates were extremely religious. If there was a drinking event, it'd always turn into a big argument about religion.
The kicker is that the company (a dispatch company) was not religious at all. They were hired at random. Many were deeply involved in the nearest church to where they lived.
In Korea, I'd say a large portion of the Americans I met were Christian. Definitely more than half and of them, some were very aggressive about it. I've been in some very uncomfortable situations among American Christians and have told off a few for being too uppity and I'm not even a confrontational person (I could care less for what other people's religions are).
I've also met my fair share of Americans who hadn't met non-Christians before teaching over here. They usually weren't dicks about it but non-religious types really put them off even if they tried to be accepting.
All my evidence is anecdotal but I'm really wondering where all these secular Americans you're referring to are. If I meet someone from New York or from the West Coast I find that they're more or less the same as me in terms of beliefs but if I meet someone from anywhere else, they're either an apathetic Christian, a practicing Christian or a fundie.
If you want to talk about statistics, then 96% of Americans believe in god and atheists are the least trusted groups in the US, down there with rapists. Also, liberal doesn't necessarily mean non-religious. |
Most Americans rarely go to church or even care....a look at the amount of churches relative to the population is more relevant than religion surveys. It's not in god's favor.
Most of the religious types stay home unless their missionaries. Korea attracts alot of backpacker, adventure types or lovers of Asian culture. Neither of which are super christian usually.
Some recruiters and religious hagwons favor Christians. Maybe that's how you ended up with Christian Co-workers.
I can't say I've ever met any super religious types here. The only prayers before dinner happened becuase of Korean Christians.
Perhaps your a raging aethist who drops bible jokes into conversation becuase the religious types usually stick to europe or stay home. |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 5:46 am Post subject: |
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| pedrotaves wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Well TJ, the last five posts put together (before yours) combine to reach the level of a drooling imbecile thats perhaps able to write his name with some help and in big colorful crayons. |
if you're going to look down on others as "drooling imbeciles", please don't invent words like "thats". |
Sure thing buddy....fantastic retort by the way....
As for the thread, some really good posts in here once you sweep the clutter and crap away. |
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dongjak
Joined: 30 Oct 2010
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| Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 6:34 pm Post subject: |
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| dongjak wrote: |
| For those who have kids in public school here or had kids in Korean public schools, did you also enroll your kids in hagwons? If not, were your kids able to keep up with their classmates? |
Could someone who has kids in public schools here, answer this question? Are hagwons necessary? |
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T-J
Joined: 10 Oct 2008
Location: Seoul EunpyungGu Yeonsinnae
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| Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 7:18 pm Post subject: |
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| dongjak wrote: |
| dongjak wrote: |
| For those who have kids in public school here or had kids in Korean public schools, did you also enroll your kids in hagwons? If not, were your kids able to keep up with their classmates? |
Could someone who has kids in public schools here, answer this question? Are hagwons necessary? |
Not necessary in terms of academics. There are enough resources out there that parents can help their kids keep up.
There is the social aspect to consider though.
It's about balance IMHO.
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myenglishisno
Joined: 08 Mar 2011
Location: Geumchon
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| Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 7:21 pm Post subject: |
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| strange_brew wrote: |
I'm not even American, but you come across as kind of an anti-American Brit, and an unknowledgeable one at that, with many of your posts on here. Not sure where you meet all these pushy religious Americans here, but I've been here for years, and most of them probably are the opposite that. And if they are religious, they generally keep it to themselves.
The pushy ones with religion tend to be more of the Korean persuasion. And where did you get the 96%? Quote that stat please. |
I'm not British. If you actually read my posts you would know that.
Anyway, statistics!
http://religions.pewforum.org/reports
78% of Americans identify as being Christian (much more identify as being religious--I've heard 96%).
Only 16% are unaffiliated and a small percentage of those (4%) are atheists/agnostics. That's where I get 96%. I didn't mean to imply that 96% were fundies but a number of them are. If they believe the Bible literally, I consider them a fundie regardless of how much they Bible thump.
You should also read this:
http://www.slate.com/articles/life/ft/2012/02/atheism_in_america_why_won_t_the_u_s_accept_its_atheists_.single.html
As a Pew Research Center report put it, when it comes to religiosity, �the US is closer to considerably less developed nations, such as India, Brazil and Lebanon than to other western nations.�
I can dig up a lot more than that, too. My own experiences with Americans have shown me that a great number of them are religious and of that group, some are on the defense/offense about it. Not all Americans but a great deal and I'm curious as to how you've managed not to find them.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/114544/darwin-birthday-believe-evolution.aspx
On the eve of the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth, a new Gallup Poll shows that only 39% of Americans say they "believe in the theory of evolution," while a quarter say they do not believe in the theory, and another 36% don't have an opinion either way. These attitudes are strongly related to education and, to an even greater degree, religiosity.
| Quote: |
| you come across as kind of an anti-American |
I'm not anti-American as I have a lot of American friends whom I greatly care for, Christian or not.
I would say that I do hate what America is becoming and I hate America's political culture and social Republicans/"Neo Conservatives".
| Quote: |
| Perhaps your a raging aethist who drops bible jokes into conversation becuase the religious types usually stick to europe or stay home. |
If someone thinks that the universe is less than 12000 years old, that people co-existed with dinosaurs and that Evolution is a myth yet Noah's Ark was possible... then yes, I will go after them.
In this day in age, you can't blame me. If you have a stupid religion and you're open about it, you deserved to be ridiculed. Keep that stuff to yourself or wise up.
It is actually possible to be a Christian and not believe in this nonsense. I've never met a Korean Christian who rejected science, evolution or anything like that and that's why they rarely bother me except for when they try to drag me to church. |
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Koharski
Mod Team
Joined: 20 Jul 2009
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| Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 7:31 pm Post subject: |
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| Koharski wrote: |
This is not, and will not develop into, a religion debate. Do not go there.
Koharski |
Strike One, myenglishisno.
Koharski |
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myenglishisno
Joined: 08 Mar 2011
Location: Geumchon
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| Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 7:33 pm Post subject: |
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| How many strikes do I have left? Two? |
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byrddogs
Joined: 19 Jun 2009
Location: Shanghai
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| Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 7:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Some things never change on this forum; new usernames and same old nonsense. It is entertaining, though. |
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Koharski
Mod Team
Joined: 20 Jul 2009
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| Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 7:34 pm Post subject: |
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| myenglishisno wrote: |
| How many strikes do I have left? Two? |
How old are you?
Follow the TOS or go somewhere else.
Koharski |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 4:33 am Post subject: |
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| dongjak wrote: |
| dongjak wrote: |
| For those who have kids in public school here or had kids in Korean public schools, did you also enroll your kids in hagwons? If not, were your kids able to keep up with their classmates? |
Could someone who has kids in public schools here, answer this question? Are hagwons necessary? |
Our son was about to enter 1st grade and most of my married foreign friends had kids in Korean public schools. My answer to your hakwon question is: it depends.
For some subjects a hakwon can be helpful but its up to you to pick and choose. |
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