Christianity In Berkeley among Asians

<p>O you poor boy!!! When I come to Berkeley, I will slap some sense out of you! Jkjk. But seriously, if you know it is ridiculous, why still be a part of it? You are just like all of those brainwashed people. You should be ashamed of yourself. You just proved to us that there is a cult-like society in Berkeley. They look down on college dating? ***. They dont know anything about the world? How is that Berkeley like? We should force every student to watch the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show before they enter Berkeley so that everybody will know what sex appeal looks like. I saw the exact same thing. You know eventually you’ll be brainwashed and converted by these people. You are weak for not leaving… I just left all my christian friends and it feels alright.</p>

<p>my roommate who is very non-religious somehow became friends with this christian group. and now they are like…everywhere. these girls, who have graduated already and are living in the area still hang around the group and stuff. they visit my roommate for no reason other than to say hi and be all nice and chipper. they drive her around and buy her food. it’s all very creepy if you ask me.</p>

<p>JBTHEEUNKNOWN. are there more people like you? Gosh that is scary. I mean what are they doing that for? they are obviously trying to convert her. Scary nice people… I guess since its so hard to make friends in such a big population, people turn to religious groups for attention without know what they are getting themselves into…</p>

<p>the internet is overwhelmingly liberal, im asian and christian but some of the stuff you guys are saying is out of line.</p>

<p>boohoo… see Christians are so sheltered. No wonder Berkeley isn’t that liberal and open-minded anymore…</p>

<p>wow clear my mind
im not part of it. But just because ive decided to stop going, that doesn’t mean they will stop contacting me, and trying to get me to go back. Like I said, they latch onto you.</p>

<p>only a sophomore? hawt… does this mean I can ask you about… [REDACTED]. I think that’s what you’re getting at… :D. We need more people like you around!!!</p>

<p>SORRY GUYS FOR MY INAPPROPRIATE SEXUAL INNUENDO, MY FAULT. THE THOUGHT POLICE WANT ME TO KNOW IT’S AGAINST THE TOS. MY BAD, FORGOT IT WAS 1984.</p>

<p>you can ask. but i don’t have to answer. especially on a public forum. and i think you’re jumping to conclusions about me lol.</p>

<p>oh… yes ma’am! I like a confident and authoritative girl.</p>

<p>OMG YOU’RE A GIRL?! I always thought you were some old rude guy. to think of it, you are pretty interesting. Wanna show me around Berkeley?</p>

<p>you’re not talking about me are you?</p>

<p>"I would think it’s harder being Christian than non-Christian.</p>

<p>I get attacked all the time. From what I have experienced, I’m mostly in the minority.</p>

<p>When people ask to hang out on Friday night etc, I’d say I’m going to church. Then they’d lecture me about how God doesn’t exist and how stupid I am for believing.</p>

<p>It goes both ways.
There are fanatics on both sides.
Please do not accuse Christians of being super pushy. Because Aethists are also super pushy.</p>

<p>Everyone just needs to chill. "</p>

<p>I’ll agree to the statement above. If there’s something I can attribute this to, it’s just that Cal is made up of a diverse student body, intelligent, individualistic and opinionated. Every student thinks someone out there wants to hear his or her opinion. </p>

<p>I once took a public policy course and the professor asked students to shield their faces and take a poll. The question was a follow-up to question of whether there were more liberals or conservatives on campus (duh), and was something to the effect of, “do you feel the minority opinion is equally represented in on-campus discussions?” It was a resounding no, to which the professor decried that such informal practice (I would characterize as hostility) is “dangerous” (her word). I came from an above-average conservative area of California (looking at the big picture, is still liberal compared to national standards), and I honestly felt that free speech was more suppressed here than elsewhere (there’s hardly a conservative voice), and realized for the first time that ultra liberals were just as bad as (IMO, even worse than) ultra conservatives. All this means for any student is that there are bound to be dissenting opinion lobbed your way, no matter your political, religious, or any other background (and if you have never experienced this in your four years, that means you have dissolved into a complete and utter tool). One group that does feel the brunt of popular opinion are students who attend and engage in activities through church; so for those students who so willingly spew venom as to their negative experiences with students of faith, believe that it goes both way, and arguably in my own experience, students who are close to their faith have it much worse-- spirituality is something that is tremendously personal, and to have it seemingly attacked, even by the honest and well-intentioned, on a consistent basis really takes a toll. Is it so shocking then, that many students might find faith-based groups as something of a support system?</p>

<p>Lastly, and this is not uncommon at all, the term “Asians” here is used so incredibly loosely, particularly as it relates to Christianity. First off, there’s few (if any) Japanese Christians. Secondly, within Christianity, Filipinos and Vietnamese tend to be Catholics. Faith-based Christian groups tend to be overwhelmingly represented by Chinese and Koreans, who, relative to other Asian groups, are more well-off and typically are from middle-class backgrounds. Even in evangelizing, the group that heeds the call most often are Koreans so that the persons reaching out to you are of a specific ethnicity and socioeconomic background, so much so that the use of Asian is dubious. And seriously, one student who evangelizes on campus by engaging you for a few minutes of your precious time isn’t the end of the world.</p>

<p>yeah one time I was eating dinner at crossroads with my roommates and this one EECS guy asked if he could sit with us. he looked lonely so we’re like yeah sure go ahead. he explained that he was waiting for his friend in the meantime. then the other guy showed up who is also EECS, and my roommates are EECS so they hit it off talking about classes and stuff. they were all nice and stuff but I didn’t buy it at all. in fact, I knew what this was all about. and what do you know? at the end they’re asking us if we would like to join them for some sunday ******** and then everything just got awkward.</p>

<p>also if I found a Korean who’s not Christian then I’d have mad respects for him. but damn that’s next to impossible. i also laugh at these people who are supposedly christian and support gay rights and pro-choice. lol.</p>

<p>Why do you laugh at “supposed” Christians supporting gay rights and pro-choice?
No where in the bible does it say that “abortion is wrong”, “God didn’t create gay people”… ? </p>

<p>Liberalism isn’t supporting any specific ideal, it’s having an open mind. For a liberal campus, people are awfully stuck in the past and cannot tolerate people.</p>

<p>You guys feel pressured by Christians?
It’s worse the other way around. Just read this thread and you’ll realize the attacks you guys have made.</p>

<p>Is it wrong to be nice? Is it wrong to offer? It’s not like they said “you have to come”, saying “check it out” is completely different.</p>

<p>Sheesh.</p>

<p>Clear my mind, if you aren’t ■■■■■■■■, I really hope you don’t end up at Berkeley if you’re going to continuously believe and take every anecdote from everyone to be the absolute truth and apply it way too broadly. You really won’t be happy here then.</p>

<p>The fact of the matter is, Berkeley is a big school with plenty of liberals, conservatives, christians, atheists, LGBTIQQs, straights, and everyone in between. The campus swings to the left to the surprise of no one, and while intellectualism and the usual resultant atheism is abound, stop by every booth on Sproul and you’ll find plenty of religious groups quite ready and willing to convert you if you want them to. At the same time, if you really wanted to you could ask SANE (Students for A Non-Religious Ethos) why they believe what they do and debate them all you want - it’s your choice.</p>

<p>Berkeley has a ton of crazies and sane people going around, but it’s up to you about who you choose to listen to. If people want to join religious groups, fine, that’s their deal. If that offends you, then say ‘no thanks’ (which you better learn to do once you get here) or if you have time on your hands, go ahead and debate them. If you’re worried about evangelical or other christian groups trying to convert you, then why don’t you worry about the multitude of other groups out on Sproul M-F who want you to join their cause/group?</p>

<p>zero boy- I’m korean. I’m also not christian. In fact, I’m atheist. So there you go.</p>

<p>StarryNights - You said what I was thinking. </p>

<p>Being liberal is being open minded, you’ve already shut your mind out of Christianity or religion for that matter. Its a two way street.</p>

<p>You could just politely reject them, and tell them you are not interested because of your own beliefs. If you try to fake a “oh i can’t come because i have xxxx” they will obviously keep asking you.</p>

<p>'08holla Hmm how about this, I will be a blunt individual in Berkeley.</p>

<p>There are so many people, what will people do if I just tell them to f*** off? I don’t have to say no thank you unless I feel like it…</p>

<p>What is Christianity then? If every individual can interpret their own rules and beliefs, then it is not an overall religion but individualized beliefs. I find it idiot how many different interpretations there are for something that should be solid and concrete…</p>

<p>Side comment: You have no idea what something is, yet you’re attacking it.</p>

<p>Um I was a brainwashed, praying, hallucinating Christian… I imagined myself talk to God but I realized I was just lying to myself. I am trying to find out the situation at Berkeley. If you don’t have anymore to contribute then stop.</p>

<p>I gotta admit this though. Christians are generally nicer, more polite, and more generous. However, a lot of these acts are inspired by their religion. I am so sick of God this and Bible that. People need to start thinking for themselves instead of constantly trying to live their lives through a little black book.</p>

<p>Side comment: You are very hypocritical and blind.</p>

<p>What kind of dad is God? Single father who sends his son to die… Sheesh… How stressful it must have been trying to create the world in 7 days. I can barely finish my research paper in one night…</p>