For the record philo, if I was in the business of levelling assumptions at others, I'd say it was more likely the vocal anti-multiculturalist squad are the ones who haven't lived outside westen culture.

Also for the record, I have lived in and amongst a number of other cultures. That's why I'm aware that most of this anti-multiculture vitriol is unsubstantiated.

And yes, I'm aware that there are horrendous muslim regimes out there. But it's just that - a dictator holding onto their power, often using religion to manipulate the masses.

Translating that into a frontal assault on the western world is much more difficult, and actually it tends to be the enemies of these dictators who stir up terrorist acts.

The united islamic enemy is a myth.

Most of those who wish violence upon the western world also bear grudges against local dictators, who are much more likely to feel their wrath.

I would put it to you that it's the people who envisage a monolithic enemy are the ones who have little experience of the real world of other cultures, because the ones who travel realise that squabbles between cultures are inevitable, but aren't the sign of some kind of encompassing conflict.

A vacuous Philo-ism to support Boazy's endless hateful drivel. The Christian Taliban shows itself to be every bit as abhorrent as the Muslim fundies.

FYI Philo, I've lived and worked in several different cultures and countries - one of which was Muslim. When I was there I was working with a Malay NGO that provides services for people with disabilities.

Give me those Muslims over your kind of Christians anyday.

Dear Philo,

I suppose I may as well jump in - I too have lived in other countries.
Europe, the U.S. Canada, Mexico, parts of Asia, and Russia.

My view of other cultures - is not a blinkered one.
It's based on experience.

TurnRightThenLeft, the grand master of the OLO anti-multiculturalist squad has according to past posts lived outside Australia but I suspect that there as here he saw what he wanted to see and ignored that which he did not want to see.

His experience may also have been coloured by the fact that he was in other countries trying to convert people to his own religion. I expect that foreign missionaries in Australia pushing religions other than christianity might have a different experience of Australia than someone who was in the country with a willingness to learn from the locals.

It's not necessarily about where you have lived but rather how much you are willing to see and learn.

R0bert

Hmm. Good point R0bert. Maybe this whole debate just stems from a perception that missionaries are only supposed to flow one way...

Indeed, R0bert and TRTL.

Damn good point. I'll have to think about that for a bit, but it does seem particularly hypocritical, doesn't it?