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CousinIT

(9,257 posts)
Thu Jan 19, 2023, 10:26 AM Jan 2023

'Five Things That Shock Me Every Time I Visit America as a European' [View all]

https://medium.com/the-no%C3%B6sphere/five-things-that-shock-me-every-time-i-visit-america-as-a-european-3dc898892e74
. . .

Religious extremism
The first time I’ve ever seen people praying together in public before eating a meal was in the US, during my first trip there.

And mind you, I grew up in what’s considered to be one of the most religious countries in Europe — Poland. Still, apart from occasional Catholic celebrations or events, you don’t see frequent displays of religiosity. At least not in public and not in big cities.

But that doesn’t seem to be the case in quite a few places around America.

— the US seems to be going in the exact opposite direction. And it’s no secret that they don’t exactly keep religion — of the fundamentalist, Christian type — separate from government policies.

Because that always turns out just fantastic, doesn’t it?

What also baffles me is that the Christian denominations most commonly present in the US — like the Evangelicals — are much less like actual religious groups and more like cults. Plus, they treat religion as yet another product to be shoved down gullible American’s throats for the financial benefit of a few white men with a superiority complex.

Some time ago, I even went to a Christian ‘megachurch’ to see if it’s really as ridiculous as it seems. It was much worse than that. . . .
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Ha!! The author is from Poland! The only European country MenloParque Jan 2023 #1
Yes. Elessar Zappa Jan 2023 #3
So severely anti-LGBT Sympthsical Jan 2023 #4
I hear ya. But there's also this part of Poland... CousinIT Jan 2023 #5
Way to judge the individual by the country they happen to be from! lostnfound Jan 2023 #16
Isn't the whole point of the article to judge Americans for where we are from? Hamlette Jan 2023 #99
I don't think so. It's a critique of PART of America not all individuals in America lostnfound Jan 2023 #102
That doesn't mean that what she wrote is not true, because she is right. Escurumbele Jan 2023 #40
This! eom BlueMTexpat Jan 2023 #73
Europe has racism problems but OP was about religion IronLionZion Jan 2023 #46
Thanks for letting us know! cilla4progress Jan 2023 #54
Still true, though. Iggo Jan 2023 #70
Poland has devolved BlueMTexpat Jan 2023 #81
What? Being from a place means that opinion bad, automatic? No. Alexander Of Assyria Jan 2023 #103
Lived there in the 90's. It had not devolved so much then. JanMichael Jan 2023 #104
The author is London-based and rips Poland's bads thing all the time. Fail on the deflection attempt Celerity Jan 2023 #115
Probably people eating at Taco Bell. twodogsbarking Jan 2023 #2
Praying that Jerry2144 Jan 2023 #14
Exactly. twodogsbarking Jan 2023 #34
Nope, Chick-fil-A Ferrets are Cool Jan 2023 #39
You win. twodogsbarking Jan 2023 #41
... Ferrets are Cool Jan 2023 #43
At least those emergent Polish Nazis and racists don't say grace over Big Macs? Zambero Jan 2023 #6
And then there is this Bible verse ... aggiesal Jan 2023 #7
... CousinIT Jan 2023 #9
👆👆👆 Rebl2 Jan 2023 #38
That verse had a deep impact on me when I first read it. calimary Jan 2023 #49
This verse is read at least once every 3 years during mass ... aggiesal Jan 2023 #52
This Catholic would go to Planned Parenthood to protect it. calimary Jan 2023 #64
This one, too. shrike3 Jan 2023 #93
This message was self-deleted by its author Mosby Jan 2023 #67
I hear you!! JanLip Jan 2023 #79
Medium.com blocked my access????? Guess I'm not righteous enough to read this post? Ford_Prefect Jan 2023 #8
WTH? CousinIT Jan 2023 #10
I use SRware IRON browser with Ublock. That may be why. I can get to the site using Firefox browser Ford_Prefect Jan 2023 #82
I've had access to medium but then they started charging so I stopped using it. erronis Jan 2023 #19
The greatest thing about America is its freedom. The worse Roc2020 Jan 2023 #11
Freedom... Johnny2X2X Jan 2023 #25
There's pros and cons about every country. Elessar Zappa Jan 2023 #27
Agree Johnny2X2X Jan 2023 #30
My two major problems Elessar Zappa Jan 2023 #33
Absolutely Johnny2X2X Jan 2023 #45
And the Cons do conflate actual freedom with economic freedom. calimary Jan 2023 #51
YEah Johnny2X2X Jan 2023 #55
Their "freedom" costs us or otherwise compromises OUR freedom. calimary Jan 2023 #56
Thank you. Chart is quite enlightening Roc2020 Jan 2023 #116
You're welcome Johnny2X2X Jan 2023 #118
if those things are illegal then you can be arrested for them treestar Jan 2023 #125
Can you please define mountain grammy Jan 2023 #26
Just guessing here, as I have no reliable intuitive skills. jaxexpat Jan 2023 #50
I'm still confused by the "those who lack discipline" mountain grammy Jan 2023 #63
Everything you say is true. Other things are true as well. Some facts relate to self-discipline. jaxexpat Jan 2023 #68
All excellent points. mountain grammy Jan 2023 #72
Exactly. A lot of what you say is what I meant Roc2020 Jan 2023 #117
I'm the king of long replies, just ask my detractors. jaxexpat Jan 2023 #119
"...that lacks discipline, America will chew them up and spit them out." markodochartaigh Jan 2023 #44
I agree with most of these, but, the rest are silly. Oneironaut Jan 2023 #12
I have seen it. Absolutely. lostnfound Jan 2023 #18
Ahhh interesting! I'm from the Northeast. Oneironaut Jan 2023 #20
Go to a fast food place in the south and they are praying out loud before eating.. LiberalArkie Jan 2023 #28
I live in Florida and I've never seen it EX500rider Jan 2023 #107
Try TN. n/t piddyprints Jan 2023 #113
Try the local rural restaurant away from the urban areas and you'll see it too. jaxexpat Jan 2023 #120
I've never seen public dinner praying either. Elessar Zappa Jan 2023 #24
It's admittedly rare but yes, I've seen it. lostnfound Jan 2023 #29
I've never seen it in the Midwest. greatauntoftriplets Jan 2023 #77
Neither have I. And I'm frequently in MAGA country. shrike3 Jan 2023 #88
My Talibangelical mother forced us adult children OMGWTF Jan 2023 #32
"Go ahead and pray, Mom, we don't want our food to get cold" Warpy Jan 2023 #62
You can't live in the south then. Praying over the food is pretty rampant. Ferrets are Cool Jan 2023 #42
I've certainly seen that Warpy Jan 2023 #60
Spoiler alert: the upper eastern seaboard isn't the entire country BannonsLiver Jan 2023 #69
I haven't, and I live in a ruby red, religious state. shrike3 Jan 2023 #89
I've seen it many many many times. Iggo Jan 2023 #71
Catholic or Evangelical... hunter Jan 2023 #96
Hell if I know. Everybody holding hands while one of 'em orates. Iggo Jan 2023 #105
Eat at Golden Corral on a Sunday. bootybandit Jan 2023 #75
welcome to DU gopiscrap Jan 2023 #123
I grew up in NJ and lived in WV and OK róisín_dubh Jan 2023 #108
There are some hard truths in that description of America Farmer-Rick Jan 2023 #13
lol what on earth WhiskeyGrinder Jan 2023 #15
I see it and hear The War on Prayer story too Easterncedar Jan 2023 #17
Oh please, I've never had to pay to pee except in Europe obamanut2012 Jan 2023 #21
Yes. Elessar Zappa Jan 2023 #22
Yup, exactly obamanut2012 Jan 2023 #83
My Thought Exactly RobinA Jan 2023 #35
I have no idea how much they cost but I'm sure I'd more Phoenix61 Jan 2023 #48
Yeah I agree with the flag thing and nationalism, too obamanut2012 Jan 2023 #84
At least those pay to pee bathrooms are better maintained. Lucky Luciano Jan 2023 #36
You apparently never used a toilet on the autobahn obamanut2012 Jan 2023 #85
In the 60s on the interstates cilla4progress Jan 2023 #57
+1, uponit7771 Jan 2023 #65
Yep. One of more annoying things about traveling in Europe. Having to pay to pee. shrike3 Jan 2023 #90
Whole article is worth reading Wild blueberry Jan 2023 #23
agreed dembotoz Jan 2023 #37
No, we are calling out hypocrisy obamanut2012 Jan 2023 #86
It's coming across as a bit knee-jerk defensivey... Violet_Crumble Jan 2023 #121
Interesting paragraph Mosby Jan 2023 #31
Who gets to decide what's a "harmful religious group"? CloudWatcher Jan 2023 #76
So, ban them all? shrike3 Jan 2023 #92
Some places are more god addled than others Warpy Jan 2023 #47
More and more feeling out of step here. cilla4progress Jan 2023 #53
I'm so glad I live in one of the least religious places Sky Jewels Jan 2023 #58
I'm lucky in that I work with and talk to many people outside of Torchlight Jan 2023 #59
that's funny Kali Jan 2023 #128
What the moniss Jan 2023 #61
This American living abroad (for now) LittleGirl Jan 2023 #66
These things are exactly why BlueMTexpat Jan 2023 #80
Yup. LittleGirl Jan 2023 #97
I'm from Michigan tiredtoo Jan 2023 #74
I don't find the idea of praying in public before a meal to be extreme on the face of it. Jedi Guy Jan 2023 #78
Frankly, if someone else is praying, why is it any of my business? shrike3 Jan 2023 #91
Agreed. Jedi Guy Jan 2023 #94
If we want tolerance, we've also got to extend tolerance. IMHO shrike3 Jan 2023 #95
I would go to that Olive Garden Sympthsical Jan 2023 #101
They probably sell tickets, so if you google enough ... shrike3 Jan 2023 #106
"Dinner and a show! With unlimited breadsticks, no less!" N/T Jedi Guy Jan 2023 #112
Totally agree, it's none of my business or anyone else's Raine Jan 2023 #109
I live in one of the reddest, most religious states in the country. shrike3 Jan 2023 #87
Reminds me of a school board meeting I attended... reACTIONary Jan 2023 #98
Not interesting. "Most American politicians" -- oh right, both sides. betsuni Jan 2023 #100
Complaining because there's too much choice at the market 🙄 Raine Jan 2023 #110
Like this: betsuni Jan 2023 #111
Don't know where they went to see people praying before a meal. Renew Deal Jan 2023 #114
While I agree with what you said about religious extremism here Meowmee Jan 2023 #122
You have to pay to go into the Tower of London or treestar Jan 2023 #124
Same with other museums in the UK obamanut2012 Jan 2023 #126
Interesting and all but the church of Demsrule86 Jan 2023 #127
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