In this country, the Armed Forces are more or less integrated. So are the majority of workplaces and schools. But where the government does not meddle - the churches - seem to be segregated. Even their names signify exclusiveness: Korean Congregation of …, Latvian Church of…, Basilica … of Brooklyn. As far as I know, the same is true abroad, people like to stick to their own kind. I’m sure, there are mixed congregations (although I’ve never seen one), but they are not numerous. Am I right?
Politically correct freaks, please do not reply, I know what you are going to say. I know that the fact itself is correct. I wonder, why religious separation, at least in this country, is so strong?
Well, I can’t speak for the racial segregation, but things like the Korean or Latvian church of whatever are probably language based. It’s not much fun listening to a sermon in Korean if you don’t speak a work of it.
Well, religion and ethnicity are pretty closely related. I’m sure there are a few Irish Moslems, but vastly fewer than the number of Irish Catholics. Likewise, there are very few Iranian Lutherans or Italian Buddhists.
In a country with as varied an ethnic makeup as the United States, enclaves of various cultures are going to get together to share their common heritage. Church is one of the easiest places to accomplish this.
I think it is human nature that we like to associate with others like us. It is not even a racial thing but also a cultural thing. It is true everywhere. people like to surround themselves with others who share the same values and culture.
Look at all those who are so in favor of “diversity” and see who they surround themselves with: others like them. If they really liked diversity so much they’d go and date Republicans.
The church I attend is racially mixed. The neighborhood I live in is racially mixed. The workplace is racially mixed. We socialize with our neighbors, co-workers and brethern. The times they are a changin…
>>Look at all those who are so in favor of “diversity” and see who they surround themselves with: others like them. If they really liked diversity so much they’d go and date Republicans.<<
Too funny, sailor!
Nothing to add, I think the responses you’ve got so far pretty much got it right. I also live in a very ethnically diverse neighborhood, which I like. Within 1/2 mile radius I have Ethiopian, Salvadoran, Chinese, Mexican…umm, country Japanese, a chicken wing & gizzards place…also a topless bar, a gay bath house, and two churches. I went to one of the churches for a neighborhood function and saw people of many ethnicities there. But I think the churches are pretty much divided down ethno-religious lines. I know there is a Korean Baptist church not far from me, whatever that is.
It isn’t necessarily religious - remember that churches also (primarily?) are social gathering places, and people with similar backgrounds often like associating with each other.
Sailor, Carina and HRB got it right: if people live together, they will probaly go to a local church of their religion, rather than going 50 miles to…
I understand that first generation Koreans do not undreestand a sermon in English. But third generation Koreans do not understand Korean… What language American Black do not understand? Yet, the vast majority prefer to go to exclusively Black churches. Yet they insist on attending other traditionally non-black institutions. So, it’s more complicated than " we like to associate with others like us". It looks that sometimes we like and sometimes we like diversity (or forced into it by the government).
From my own experience - it depends on where you are in America. In the 'burbs of LA, most things are integrated. If you go to church, a movie, etc you can expect to see a mix of ethinicities. In less sub-urban, more urban areas, sometimes single ethnicities seem to be significantly more represented than others, but almost never exclusively. I think this is a mutual thing, and as long as it isn’t declared legal mandatory it is fine. L.A. has a China-town area, little Saigon, Watts (now largely hispanic), and a wide variety of other somewhat concentrated ethnicities in various areas. The shops, restaurants, etc. are mostly aligned with whatever is the local ethnicity. It is actually pretty cool.
On the other hand, while on a business trip to Atlanta I saw considerable segregation. I have no doubt that it was also voluntary, but it was different from L.A. in that it seemed more exclusive rather than the mixed-but-heavy-on-one-ethnicity thing. I haven’t spent enough time there to know if what I saw was normal, but it is just the feeling I got from looking around.
I guess what I am saying in a round about fashion is that you can’t look at all of America at once for this kind of question. Pick an area and go from there.
Soneone here said:
" I think it is human nature that we like to associate with others like us. It is not even a racial thing but also a cultural thing. It is true everywhere. people like to surround themselves with others who share the same values and culture."
Too true!
Take this example. (Which happened by chance.)
While making The Planet of the Apes, everyone, as you know, wore make up. Some were done up as apes, some gorilla’s, and so one.
Anyone who has ever had to put on this sort of makeup, you can agree that it takes for every to get on. So, during the breaks, the make up was left on.
One thing that was noticed was, that regradless of their “acting status” (Main star or extra), the ‘chimps’ started to congrigate together…same with the gorillas and the orangutans.
A chill went up my neck when I heard this. To me it shows that we, as humans, tend to stay close to things that are, even visualy, similar to ourselvs.
(This info comes from the SE:DVD)