Comments on: Post-lunch open thread http://www.hanlonsrazor.org/2008/10/28/post-lunch-open-thread/ Since 2006, Hanlon's Razor has offered a clear, fair, liberal analysis of today's important events. Fri, 10 Sep 2010 01:50:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: ian http://www.hanlonsrazor.org/2008/10/28/post-lunch-open-thread/comment-page-1/#comment-4073 ian Wed, 29 Oct 2008 07:48:30 +0000 http://www.hanlonsrazor.org/?p=3337#comment-4073 I'm here to teach English and because I'm young and wanted to see more of the world before settling down into **shudder** a career. Yeah, at least in the Czech Republic, there doesn't seem to be any focus on religion in politics. I've talked some with friends here, Czechs and Hungarians who work at the University where I teach, and while I have not asked them specifically about that, they have made no mention of any kind of religiosity in their politics. In general, religion seems to be much more subdued here. It exists, to be sure, but there are not a lot of people carrying on about it. It exists, but there seems to be a more open attitude. Some of my students are Christians, and we've had a little bit of discussion about this, and so far no one has been threatened with the fires of hell and damnation. I’m here to teach English and because I’m young and wanted to see more of the world before settling down into **shudder** a career. Yeah, at least in the Czech Republic, there doesn’t seem to be any focus on religion in politics. I’ve talked some with friends here, Czechs and Hungarians who work at the University where I teach, and while I have not asked them specifically about that, they have made no mention of any kind of religiosity in their politics.
In general, religion seems to be much more subdued here. It exists, to be sure, but there are not a lot of people carrying on about it. It exists, but there seems to be a more open attitude. Some of my students are Christians, and we’ve had a little bit of discussion about this, and so far no one has been threatened with the fires of hell and damnation.

]]> By: Hanlon http://www.hanlonsrazor.org/2008/10/28/post-lunch-open-thread/comment-page-1/#comment-4065 Hanlon Tue, 28 Oct 2008 18:57:01 +0000 http://www.hanlonsrazor.org/?p=3337#comment-4065 Wow. So what brought you to the CR, Ian? And let me ask you the same I ask every Euro or Euro traveler I talk to: is the political scene over there really as secular as we're led to believe? I chatted with a guy from Germany a week or so ago and he was just baffled that a Sarah Palin could even get on the ticket, let alone be a contender. Wow. So what brought you to the CR, Ian? And let me ask you the same I ask every Euro or Euro traveler I talk to: is the political scene over there really as secular as we’re led to believe? I chatted with a guy from Germany a week or so ago and he was just baffled that a Sarah Palin could even get on the ticket, let alone be a contender.

]]> By: ian http://www.hanlonsrazor.org/2008/10/28/post-lunch-open-thread/comment-page-1/#comment-4064 ian Tue, 28 Oct 2008 18:04:43 +0000 http://www.hanlonsrazor.org/?p=3337#comment-4064 I live in the Czech Republic right now. I don't speak Czech, but I am trying to learn. Last night I was at this dive bar across from where I live. I was drinking by myself when a group at a table motioned me over. They didn't speak English, but they bought me a beer anyway, and then we tried to have a conversation wherein no one knew what was being said. It was all quite fun and funny. The best part (aside from the free beer) was that not a single person at the table was from the Czech Republic. Two of them were from Poland, one was from Ukraine, and the other was from Hungary. And then of course, me, from the US. It truly was an international table, and I think that experience right there qualifies me to be Vice President, at least more than Sarah Palin. After they left (I was still drinking) the proprietor of the place, a Vietnamese man named Hong who also does not speak Englsih (his Czech is good though, as he has been here since 1987) and I started talking. I taught him a little bit of English and he taught me a little bit of Czech. Good times were had by all. That's my story for you, Hanlon. Hope it at least puts a smile on your face. I live in the Czech Republic right now. I don’t speak Czech, but I am trying to learn. Last night I was at this dive bar across from where I live. I was drinking by myself when a group at a table motioned me over. They didn’t speak English, but they bought me a beer anyway, and then we tried to have a conversation wherein no one knew what was being said. It was all quite fun and funny.

The best part (aside from the free beer) was that not a single person at the table was from the Czech Republic. Two of them were from Poland, one was from Ukraine, and the other was from Hungary. And then of course, me, from the US.

It truly was an international table, and I think that experience right there qualifies me to be Vice President, at least more than Sarah Palin.

After they left (I was still drinking) the proprietor of the place, a Vietnamese man named Hong who also does not speak Englsih (his Czech is good though, as he has been here since 1987) and I started talking. I taught him a little bit of English and he taught me a little bit of Czech. Good times were had by all.

That’s my story for you, Hanlon. Hope it at least puts a smile on your face.

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