₦airaland Forum

Some creep was stalking my sister and my mother and I tried to find ways of reaching her so as she could prevent herself from being harmed

tbaba1234:
Lol, that is false;,

Can religion be separated from culture?

I was gonna post a whole epistle here but let me narrow it down lol

So when one adopts Islam does such a person also partly assume the Arabic culture?

And does that mean Islam is biased to particular cultures i.e. does Islam favour and lean more to the Arabs?

tbaba1234:
I hope this helps;

Thanks.

Yes it has, thanks.

I was quite impressed by some of the contributions and experiences expressed here. I have friends and acquaintances that probably fit quite a few descriptions here.

So environment has been cited as a major influence to one's identity.

I'm Nigerian but was raised in Britain. Deltan blood, Nasarawan born, London bred. And even though London is multicutlural I have never felt a belonging here even though in hindsight that was a deliberate effort on my part. For the longest time I felt no attachment or loyalty to Britain because I have never perceived myself as such despite my red passport (blood is thicker than passport abi). Perhaps if I was at least half British I might have felt qualified to be British given the environment I was living in. Yet I feel a strong attachment to Nasarawa - a place which like London is not my origins and I've spent only a short time there whereas I've been in London most of my short life here on Earth. Perhaps because it happens to be the coordinates of my birth or maybe because Nasarawa lays within the perimeters of Nigeria. But funnily enough I don't mix or pander to Nigerians and neither does my family. In fact we created our own mini Nigerian republic where my eldest sister was the President .
It's interesting though that many of my compatriots here label and perceive me as "British" despite my protestation. Maybe they're right. Maybe I am "British" but only in thinking. You see, my perspective and ideologies has been tailored to a Western pattern yet I've been accused of being "Afrocentric" and "westernized" at the same time.
I believe however that when I do return to my ancestral home that I may even begin to reconcile with my "British" identity as my differences will only be more conspicuous in an unfamiliar environment, and maybe I might finally start supporting England's football team

It's ironic though because whilst I tried to deny my "British"-ness I used to pick apart this inherited "Nigerian" identity of mine because I used to think isn't it just a British creation?
Well I am a Nigerian (whatever that means) although my mentality was fashioned under Britain and some facets of the British culture (whatever that is) has undoubtedly crept into my own. However I appreciate all cultures and perhaps have plenty room within my mental cavity to adopt many more.

@StarFlux

It's interesting that you say that usually mixed children pander to their western culture. I think it may depend, besides western culture is perhaps more liberal and culturally less congested. . . i.e see your Nigeria vs Norway comparison.

@chillbabe there must never be a dull moment in your life

@H-star89 I'm curious. Do you believe that a mixed heritage only exist amongst families of a different "race"?

Boonaa Mohammed is good. I'm a semi-fan

To be more specific, can the Abrahamic faiths be separated from their nationality?

The origin of these religions is said to be in the Middle East (correct me if I'm wrong) . I thus wonder if the package of Islam or Christianity can ever be independent of these certain cultures that gave birth to them. Is not the heritage of the Quaran and the Bible, Middle Eastern?
For example, if a newly convert assumes Islam do they also simultaneously adopt facets of Arabic culture?
. . .Muslims carry Arabic names, Christians wear Hebrew names.

So when one adopts any of these religions does such a person also partly assume another culture?

And does that mean certain religions are biased to particular cultures i.e. does Islam favour and lean more to the Arabs?

[Q]: Why do Muslims pray 5 times a day? What I actually mean is if there is a significance behind the number 5 in Islam?

[Q]: Also I heard that having 6 daughters is a blessing in Islam. Is that true or false?

[Q]: Are muslims allowed to listen to music? Or are they only allowed to listen to particular kinds of music (sorry if the question sounds daft but that's what I've heard from another source )

Thanks in advance tbaba1234 and I wish you a belated happy New Year

Oh and thanks for that informative article in post #157.

Sorry if these questions have been asked before.

sauer:
^^^your arguments fall flat when you regard the Spartan society where women enjoyed almost equal rights as men, were no tool for child-bearing, and certainly no physical representation of a man's wealth or social status. Yet praises were sung of virgins by men and women alike!

Interesting.

@ Coogar Interesting. Sound analogy.

@ Claremont, yeah I guess religion has also been an influence to that mould.

sexkillz:
[color=#000040]Odinma! Giwa kwanu? [/color]

I no know Igbo like that o. In english biko

MsDarkSkin:
yes sweetie because you see women get 72 male virgins after death. 

Really? I thought it was only a few but not up to double digits lol. . .

ying and yang

[quote author=p_kasso link=topic=424884.msg9822871#msg9822871 date=1324646217]Demi Moore[/quote]nice one!

@OP Ashton Kutcher

So from what I'm reading the structure of such role could be appropriated to biological disposition/nature and tradition  . . .

It's interesting however that certain things which would be met with approval can suddenly be rendered as something appalling once the protagonist has a different gender.

sexkillz:
[color=#000040]E mo fine! [/color]

kedu?

[quote author=Mynd_44 link=topic=841661.msg9920954#msg9920954 date=1326043510]Too bad the afterlive ain't any better[/quote]How did you come to such conclusion? You been there and back?

OK2NV:
mammal males evolved  a nutt-sack for one reason.
think of a nutsack as a fuel tank.
male species suddenly could get more mileage.
we were made to plough as many fields.

Now they don strip una of subsidy

claremont:
If it takes prayers for a nation to develop, I think Nigeria should be the most developed country in the world by now.

Notions of the s[i]e[/i]xu[i]a[/i]l status of a man and a woman seem to lay in contrast with one another. Negative perceptions are often attached to the promiscuous woman/virgin male whereas when these roles are exchanged within the genders - i.e. The "stud"/virgin woman - are generally met with approval.

I've observed that it's not unusual for a man who has had numerous s[i]e[/i]xu[i]a[/i]l partners to be met with compliments whilst the reverse is the case for the woman equivalent.
Alternatively, female virgins are usually regarded highly whereas male virgins often times are sneered at.

-why should gender be a factor in how certain roles are determined/received?

-why is there a value attached to a woman's chastity but a man's sexuality?

I was not trying to represent a particular populace by the way but thank you for rendering the perspective of atheist's. I had no intention of leaving anybody out. By the way what type of evidence do atheists hope "religious goons" can provide as concrete proof that God exist?

I actually quite agree with some of the points you made. Ones such as these "but they also claim to know the mind of that god" etc. . .

I'm not adverse to the idea that a Creator exists. . .my main problem and doubt lays mostly with the many fraternities that try and depict God or claim ownership over this Being because some use that Being as a tool to portray their own personal beliefs or bias and project those notions as "godly" so in turn end up playing "God" dictating how others should be.

Absolutely NOT! Human beings have existed for generations without religion, so why should our generation be any different?!

If you had just said no, that answer would have been more than enough. But you compare human beings of yesteryear to human beings of today, so following that line of thinking  are we to forsake our clothes, technology etc because once upon a time earlier human beings didn't hang onto such?
Our generation is different whether we adhere to the belief of a "God" or not.

The only argument the Theist propose in this line is that religion is the source of morality for the human race, and that without religion, humanity will be inherently immoral and vile.

I don't even subscribe to that myself in fact it's quite laughable and ironic really. Because if that were so, the humans that predated the Bible and other similar Scriptures were damned the day they were born. I doubt a person who does not follow religion is automatically of the mind that murder and stealing etc is appropriate so I cannot subscribe to that notion that morality is exclusive to the religious populace. Some rather give because of the goodness of their heart yet some "believers" give because they believe they will be rewarded for doing good. Isn't there already a condition to such charity? isn't that morality attached to a gift?

Even the bible made reference to those who did not receive the message of Christ will thus be judged under the "law". Laws which govern their community so obviously in the absence of religion human beings were/are still able to decipher between right and wrong.

That despicable argument is based on the assumption that all of humanity were born inherently immoral

Well, why do parents try to instill good behaviour and manners in their children?. . .Are virtues inherent or acquired?

Moral actions are governed purely by the innate desire of human beings to ensure the survival of their species, a desire that is inherent in every animal.

That's a very interesting statement and it immediately made me wonder if some human beings sub-consciously follow religion in order to be set apart from animals. I mean, human beings are able to forge a relationship with a/their creator whilst animals don't have such convictions. . . . .perhaps some humans want to exaggerate the difference between us and animals. . .I dunno. . .it was just a passing thought and in a few minutes I probably won't even lean towards that thinking again

BTW, what happened to your former ID?!

I'm clumsy, I forgot my password and didn't use a valid email when I created my original account. Besides I was thinking of leaving permanently so when that happened I thought hmmm maybe it's a sign from the gods

I don't adhere to the God of the Bible but if the young children who were mocking prophet Elisha were deemed fit enough to be gnawed by bears as a lesson oh I don't doubt the possibility that such a God will send children to hell.

In fact I now wonder if it's because of the fear of a young child being cast into a fiery furnace that prompts some parents to condition their child under said religion.

Is there a God?   This question has been posed numerous of times and debated to death. I've long stopped considering it a thought-provoking one.
Maybe I can engage more people's interest if I asked instead . . Is there a Creator? Is there a Source?. . .as God is synonymous with religion - Perhaps human beings created the notion of God.

For every book there is an author behind the script, for every art there is an artist behind the masterpiece hence I have accepted that I as a kinetic portrait, I am a 5ft8 walking evidence of a designer.
I don't quite know in what form this engineer embodies; whether this creator is a "He", is a body, is vapour, is liquid, etc and whilst I may remain clueless to the outer shell, countenance or form, even gender (if any) of this architect. . .I have reconciled with the idea that I have an author, an artist responsible for my language and visage.
Now the questions that haunts me is: Should mortals have a relationship with the creator? And who is the creator? And why do so many of us hope to find the creator? Must we worship this creator?

I even try not to attempt to understand the spiritual sphere logically or rationally because I don't believe that the physical nature is sufficient enough to understand the spiritual one and so I feel I have to operate beyond a certain boundary in trying to understand.

. . . but I'm like a child who was given up for adoption and now that I'm older I'm slightly more curious about my origin in the absence of religion and culture. And like many children who have been adopted the extra-curious ones usually try to make contact with their natural mother.

Where does one begin to search for their natural mother?

And if people such as agnostics and theists accept the idea that there is or could be a God, can you be content in only the knowledge that it's possible there is a creator?

Is it our duty as humans to diligently search for this Creator no matter how futile the quest?
Is it mandatory to forge a relationship with this Creator?
Or does a relationship already exist, akin to how the sun replenishes us with or without our influence/knowledge?

Everyone is seeking something; a job, a husband, a wife(s), love, cure, answers, God . . . so how does finding God the Creator change one's life?