Dear Jayb,

Yes, you are trying to make it easier for me, but your question is still ambiguous because there is not one but many Christian cultures, same for Muslims.

Is the culture of the American Bible-Belt Christian?
Is the European culture Christian?
Perhaps the Italian or the Spanish, the South American or the Russian cultures?
Why, you probably won't find a culture more Christian than the Greek Orthodox!

No, you say, what you mean is only secular Australia that is based on Christian values.

What a myth! The primary Australian culture is essentially British and the British tradition has always been to pay a lip-service to religion, then do what you want.

Then comes Islam, where everyone blames everyone else of being un-Islamic. Did you realise for example that the Kurds are also Muslims? Watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvzRfwEMNeU and tell me how is their culture different from the Australian (except they don't have "xmas")?

Sufism also comes under Islam - tell me what's wrong with http://www.commongroundnews.org/article.php?id=24961&lan=en&sp=1 ?
You know what - I actually find it superior to the dull mainstream Australian culture. BTW, Sufis are bitterly persecuted by Daesh, also by Iran.

The solution for Islamic violence is not Christianity, but Sufism - far better than joining either the Bible-Belt or the drug culture!

In conclusion, all I can say is that I prefer the best of Christians over the worst of Muslims and the best of Muslims over the worst of Christians.

- And I sincerely think you do the same!

--- --- ---

Briefly, as per Hinduism and Buddhism being a way of life, the same can be said about them as Christians and Muslims. I met people in Singapore who identify as "Buddhist" but have no idea who Buddha was!

Yutsie: your question is still ambiguous because there is not one but many Christian cultures, same for Muslims.

As usual you are looking too deeply into the question as a means of avoiding answering directly. Although I did get an answer of sorts. Sufism which is basically islam.

I will attempt to narrow down the parameters for you. Given a choice of only two Cultures, in an Australian setting, islam, based on a Middle East Culture & Traditions or Australian Christianity, based on a British Culture & Traditions.

Which one of the two would you choose?

Now I know that you are not stupid, but you have, so far, avoided, deflected & delved way too far into the Question. Please take the Question , as asked, in it's simplest form without trying to read into it all sorts of problems.

By the way, there is a beautiful Hindu Temple being built near where I live.

Dear Jayb,

OK, so by "islam" you refer to the predominant (male-chauvinistic, etc.) Middle-Eastern culture and by "Australian Christianity" you refer to the (legalistic/punitive/patronising, etc.) British culture and traditions. Strange naming, but let it be.

Between the two I have already chosen the lesser-evil of the "Christian" culture by the very fact that I came here and not there.

Here at least, I can use my democratic rights to try and change it.

(and it's also unlikely that I would be able to worship in a Hindu temple in those areas of the Middle-East)

Yutsie: Here at least, I can use my democratic rights to try and change it.

& What, may I ask, would you like to change it too? A system Caste Culture like they have in India maybe?

Well yesterdays European results should liven up the debate.

12000 plus Middle Easterners coming to Australia. Where will the next Terrorist attack be? One of the Passports found on a Terrorist shows he recently came through Greece from Syria.

France has closed it's Boarders. Australia should too! Now!

Dear Jayb,

The caste system was misunderstood and highly abused in India.
It was meant to DESCRIBE an existing and natural situation, not to enforce it.

Now the Western culture takes the other extreme by introducing the false thesis as if all people are unnaturally equal.

The caste system categorises people according to their varying degrees of ability to take responsibility. This in turn is related to one's spiritual development, but we don't need to get into the spiritual aspect in order to understand the concept of differences in people's abilities to be responsible.

The lowest level, the Shudras, can only do simple jobs and require constant supervision.
The next level, the Vaishyas, are merchants or craftsmen. They are characterised by their ability to perform a day's work without supervision.
The next level, the Kshatriyas, are energetic leaders, administrators and warriors. They are also able to take responsibility for others and for the long term.
The highest level are the Brahmins. Their responsibility goes beyond the single lifetime, so their focus is on eternity, which is why they are no longer interested in riches, success, influence or the day-to-day management of society. They may still teach and advise.

This is just an observation of human nature.

India made three mistakes:
1. The invention of even lower castes, of "untouchables". This has no religious or factual basis.
2. Setting rigid boundaries and isolation between the castes, where in fact it is a continuum.
3. Ignoring the possibility of change: while it is usual that one's level of responsibility is hereditary and goes in the family, this is not always so and over time, when several generations are held to be of a particular caste, the differences between one's historical family-caste and one's actual ability, keeps increasing.

Thus, I have no intention to repeat India's mistakes and try to introduce a formal caste system in Australia. Any such classifications already exist by nature, not by decree.

(continued...)