What is this, *might* be a joke? Come on ladies! It takes two seconds, beyond watching the video, to check out the user's other stuff and realize it is definitely satire. THIS is why I stil get forwards from friends SURE that Walt Disney's non-existent daughter is going to give them all free trips.
It and the Green for God piece are actually pretty cute. I hope they get a TV deal out of it or something.
Oh, the memories.
Setting: Vacation Bible School, which I was forced to attend.
Girl: I have this Hindu friend, and I've been trying for years to convert him. Y'know, talking about it a lot, telling him he might go to hell, and I think he's finally starting to change his mind!
And everyone seemed so proud of her. Yes, spending your time undermining someone else's beliefs is certainly something to be congratulated about. No one acknowledged that it was disrespectful and unfriendly behavior! Even the pastor thought she was doing the right thing.
I grew up Hindu, and while mostly my peers were inclusive and it was never an issue with most of them, I did encounter a few Christians who didn't understand why I didn't just convert to the 'right' religion, like Hinduism was fake or lesser because it wasn't the norm. These people included my high school boyfriend (I pick winners). The worst part is, that at the young age of 15 in a community with very few other Indian people, I started to listen. I couldn't help thinking that it would be easier, or that it would make my boyfriend love me more (and not eventually break up with me over it). Thankfully I got my head on straight, and eventually decided that atheism was better suited for me, but I shudder to think of the impact a video like this could have on a kid, especially if it's not clear whether it is a joke or not.
This could be real, if not for the "not regular" friends reaction. If there is anything I know, it is terrible acting. They are pretending.
These are girls that are making fun of people who don't know things like "Asia" and "Africa" and say things like...well, everything they are doing. Maybe they really are Christian but, I'm assuming thought don't quote me on that, Christian people have senses of humour too.
@kissmyarchetype: I have been that other girl, and honestly, especially when you're a kid, especially when you are the one Indian girl around, people expect you to just be patient and nice about racism because their intentions are not malicious(as if that's the only racism that counts). And you learn to be that way, because you will be considered even more of an outsider freak if you get mad about what they think is no big deal.
Also, the questions about slant eyes/brown skin/ location of India? Totally true to life.
I love the Indian girl's reactions:
"But India is in Asia. It is near the other Asian countries, like China, Japan, Vietnam..."
*gets bored and starts eating cereal*
"I feel Krishna."
"Well, it was nice meeting you."
If this is a joke, they failed at the "comedy" or "satire" part. OMG GUYS WON'T IT BE FUNNY IF WE MAKE A VIDEO WHERE WE MAKE FUN OF INDIAN PEOPLE AND MARGINALIZE OUR FRIENDS RELIGION? LOLOL. I bet they were serious and are trying to play it off as a joke now that they're getting backlash for it.
People are saying this is supposed to be a joke; can someone explain that to me? There's no satire, no subversion, it seems like, straight up, conversations I've had in middle school with ignorant white and black kids. My guess is that the girl thought her racist questions were silly and cute and hilarious and would be to other non Indians--is there more to it than that?
I watched this with my mouth open and my hands on my head. Where do I start? These idiots are part of the future? They don't know India is in Asia? My 7 year old nephew knows that. The whole religion thing, oh my God! I can't think, this is so unbelievably annoying?
@sshacker: I'm ethnic Indian and have encountered many white and black Americans who cannot wrap their minds around the concept of a brown person with round eyes from ASIA. Way too many of my peers have tried to tell me I cannot be Asian.
This is either scarily sincere (and from my growin-up years in the baptist church... could be) or a dead-on parody.
People who say, "but we're not like that" just do not get it. Sooo many people are like that. Most of them right now are screaming at their congressfolk and waving poorly-spelled signs at public buildings, but on Sundays, they're all confirming how right they are about the hellish fallen world in which they are the light. And then going out for lunch at Dennys.
@JennaW: Haha, I grew up in the Baptist church as well and my first thought was "Wow, I KNEW these kids in middle school." One of the (many) reasons I left the church in high school was a particularly memorable sunday school lesson about converting the Catholics from their pagan, multiple-God-worshiping ways. Why do Baptists give money to build churches in Brazil? It's not cause they don't HAVE churches. It's that Catholic churches don't count.
@practicecactus lies in the shadow of the statue: Yeah, it's really hard to believe all that crazy when you have very good Catholic friends and *know* they don't sacrifice Baptist babies at mass.
@hortense: considering the horrible kinds of things people on the intertubes have said to me today I'm basically willing to believe the worst right now!
@hortense: I wish all the things we think must be fakes because they are so surreal were fakes. That'd be awesome. The thing is, even if this is a fake? It's still true, because they are parodying the times when this really happens.
A wise man once said (I think it was Gandhi but don't hold me to that): "I like your Christ but I don't like your Christians." If that ain't the truth...and I'm a Christian.
If I headdesk anymore today I will end up in the ER with a concussion.
As a Jewish girl who had people try to convert her pretty much her whole life, HANG IN THERE GIRL!!! It doesn't stop when you get older, but you're at least more comfortable in defending your faith. Also, is it ok if I punch 12 year old girls in the face? Because ignorance is one thing, but flat-out rudeness is another. Those "regular girls" are assholes.
Oh, and FYI, one of my best friends in high school (who is still one of my best friends) told me that she believes I will convert when the Antichrist shows up and before I am sent to hell. I was speechless. She has since disregarded this idea (even though she's still a believing Christian) and has apologized for saying that, I still make fun of her all the time for saying that...because it was insane! She has a great sense of humor.
08/15/09
It and the Green for God piece are actually pretty cute. I hope they get a TV deal out of it or something.
08/13/09
Setting: Vacation Bible School, which I was forced to attend.
Girl: I have this Hindu friend, and I've been trying for years to convert him. Y'know, talking about it a lot, telling him he might go to hell, and I think he's finally starting to change his mind!
And everyone seemed so proud of her. Yes, spending your time undermining someone else's beliefs is certainly something to be congratulated about. No one acknowledged that it was disrespectful and unfriendly behavior! Even the pastor thought she was doing the right thing.
08/13/09
08/13/09
These are girls that are making fun of people who don't know things like "Asia" and "Africa" and say things like...well, everything they are doing. Maybe they really are Christian but, I'm assuming thought don't quote me on that, Christian people have senses of humour too.
08/14/09
Also, the questions about slant eyes/brown skin/ location of India? Totally true to life.
08/13/09
"But India is in Asia. It is near the other Asian countries, like China, Japan, Vietnam..."
*gets bored and starts eating cereal*
"I feel Krishna."
"Well, it was nice meeting you."
If this is a joke, they failed at the "comedy" or "satire" part. OMG GUYS WON'T IT BE FUNNY IF WE MAKE A VIDEO WHERE WE MAKE FUN OF INDIAN PEOPLE AND MARGINALIZE OUR FRIENDS RELIGION? LOLOL. I bet they were serious and are trying to play it off as a joke now that they're getting backlash for it.
08/13/09
08/13/09
Look at the people that live in that area of the world now. They looked the same 2,000 years ago.
08/13/09
08/13/09
08/13/09
08/13/09
People who say, "but we're not like that" just do not get it. Sooo many people are like that. Most of them right now are screaming at their congressfolk and waving poorly-spelled signs at public buildings, but on Sundays, they're all confirming how right they are about the hellish fallen world in which they are the light. And then going out for lunch at Dennys.
08/13/09
08/13/09
08/13/09
Those of you who didn't stick it out to the end missed that gem.
08/13/09
08/13/09
08/13/09
08/13/09
08/13/09
08/13/09
08/13/09
08/13/09
08/13/09
08/13/09
08/13/09
If I headdesk anymore today I will end up in the ER with a concussion.
*drops mic* Sexual chocolate.
08/13/09
08/13/09
08/13/09
08/13/09
08/13/09
08/13/09
08/13/09
08/13/09
Oh, and FYI, one of my best friends in high school (who is still one of my best friends) told me that she believes I will convert when the Antichrist shows up and before I am sent to hell. I was speechless. She has since disregarded this idea (even though she's still a believing Christian) and has apologized for saying that, I still make fun of her all the time for saying that...because it was insane! She has a great sense of humor.