Salam, g'day people!
Yesterday in English for Social Science (ESS) class, we were asked to interview some students randomly to find out their opinion on the topic we're covering on this blog: intercultural marriage.
we asked a group of 5 2nd year Geographic Students to know what they think of this topic.
So I'll put this briefly.. They think that mostly what's more challenging in an intercultural marriage is that the religions of the couples. Some of them don't want to mix with each other. For example, in Malaysia, specifically for Muslims, if couples marry interculturally, the couples will need to choose the same religion, mostly preferably Islam, but in slight cases, vice versa. However, there are other countries which allow marriage between different religions where the couples are allowed to keep their respective religions such as in India and Indonesia.
As what they understand, environment is the main factor that encourages intercultural marriage. Using Islam as an example, they mentioned that this religion promotes intercultural marriage as in their beliefs, God created human races to let people know each other and interact with one another peacefully.
The major differences between intercultural marriage and marriage within culture would be the cultures and background between the couples. There will be exchange of cultures within their newly-built family, like they'll celebrate more celebrations, and some traditions from both sides of the families (the positive ones) will be absorbed.
In a nutshell, as the interviewer I find this group thinks that intercultural marriage is rather interesting, but in Malaysia itself, religion plays the biggest role in deciding whether they want to get married between different cultures because religion is a way of life which is their life principles. Therefore, they feel it's important to hold on to their religion.
That's all from me now, stay blogging... ^_^
11 comments:
I am Christian, and my wife is Muslim. In the beginning, our parents were very afraid, that we could change our religions, but a totally different thing happened: the closer I get to the Islam, the more I feel home in my religion, and my wife the same. My brother is also in a Muslim/Christian relationship and he feels the same.
My Christian family feels good with this, but my Muslim family is still worried.
Bitter: I wanted to go to a mosque in KL to learn more about Malay-Islam, but I was not allowed to enter.
When I want to talk to Muslim people about belief, they always come to the point: "This is a sensitive matter!" and stop all discussion.
Hello there sir (of the previous comment. Really wish you'd left a trail of yourself for further discussion and faint hope you'll come back to this blog...)
I must say it's great to know that you and your partner have great tolerance among both of you. Albeit some questions arises in my mind as I read your comment.
Frankly I am a Muslim, but I try my best to not be bias about this, ok. The first thing that comes to my mind is that are you and your partner Malaysians (since you mentioned KL). Because, as far as I may concern, Malaysian government, regarding Islam marriage, do not allow marriage between religions if one of the spouses is Muslim. Though this DOES occur in other countries.
Religions are sensitive issues here. But personally, as a believer of a religion, when others have doubts or questions about your religions there'll be two main 2 main things that you'll consider:
1 - not giving the wrong impression about your religion to that person
2 - you can't simply answer/explain it
I think that's the case when you asked the person at the mosque.
How do you think?
P/S: I regret that your questions remains unanswered. Appreciate your comment. I am deeply worried that you get the wrong impressions about Islam. So I feel if you truly, sincerely want to know more about Islam, you should go to the official authority for further information
(They're such as Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM) website: http://www.islam.gov.my/portal/ or Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM) http://www.abim.org.my/ )
Great wishes for you and wifey ya!
Thanx a lot for the links, you really helped me. I will leave some contact data on a comment to the first post.
Christopher
Meanwhile, i also tried to interview some of the students and still get the same answers which comes that the most important things in intercultural marriage is religion.
I did the same. I was on a trip to some cities with a huge amount of Muslim immigrants. I asked the German people there about the same question. And they gave the same answers as the students on your university: the belief is most important. Then I asked, when they had been in a church the last time, and it turned out, that all don`t believe in God, but believed in "Christian values".
This shows, that religion definitely is a part of the individual identity and proofs you right.
But love is so unpredictable - what about if you fall in love with someone, who is not of your own belief? In the very end: will you marry more for love, or for religion? What is more important for you, and why?
Christopher
Salam all
Sorry for delaying this post (a bit of this and that)
This is rather interesting to talk about people's priority... coz individually I feel that people have this 'inventory' of what comes first in the lives: money, happiness, love, belief, etc...
I'd really love to know about the marriage like yours, I mean, it seems now that you marry interreligionly. So was it true that you marry someone from Malaysia? It still lingers in my mind how it occurs and in fact in Islam itself, a marriage of a Muslim to someone from other religion (unless he converts in Islam, regardless of the law of the country) is not allowed.
Great thought about this "inventory". And it is interesting to see, what priorities the friends or relatives have.
In terms of culture, a famous scientist (Mr. Hofstede) developed the "onion-model" about what parts of a culture can be adopted, and what not.
You asked me about more information bout my marriage, but this too private to post in the internet. If you like, we can chat about that on MSN if you like.
Take care,
Christopher
Aye, that would be a great share. (Regarding your other posts too) I feel blessed growing up in an already multiracial country, at least I know how it feels like. Though from where I came from it's a unicultural community, but we're now in university an it's impossible to stick to your own norms only. By hook or by crook you've got to adapt.
Perhaps it's because most of us have never encountered such racism yet, which probably still occur somewhere, that we get along well. And nowadays our Prime Minister is implementing on '1Malaysia' which means regardless of all, we're a nation. To strengthen national unity. The promo is outrageous in all kinds of way and I must say most of the time the target is on youth.
During the colonial era, before independence, foreigners from China and India mostly were brought in to work on estates, mines, etc mainly for profits. But as we move along in effort to break free from colonialism, they were treated as the citizens. Tho surely it took some time to do so.
But the point is, as time pass, things are not perfectly fine, but people start to accept each other, right. We're talking about something abstract here so it's hard to sum it all up.
P/s: And I apologize, I should've been more sensitive towards the subject of your marriage. There's a lot of reading up to do regarding of the things you mentioned. (Loads...)
Ooh.. And may God be with us all.
Yeah, I read about the 1Malaysia too. It sounds very promising. To me as a foreigner it looks very global, and I like to get some new ideas.
Ya, in modern times we need other ideas about who we are. Before it was so simple, but with globalisation, things get more complicated.
Maybe the nations will be more to clobs or assiciations. It does not matter so much how you look and where your parents come from, it is more about how much you can identify yourself with a nation.
Have a nice weekend,
Christopher
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