Religion in Alaska (Fairbanks: shoppers, authority, Walmart)

[RedJacket]

Originally Posted by IndianaMatt

Many of us are critical thinkers who question things in life. (Like I did: "What the eff am I doing wasting my life in the Midwest!?)

Well, if that's all it takes to be considered a critical thinker, then I'm in luck. Just this morning I asked myself: what to heck am I doing wasting my morning drinking this cup of coffee when I could be enjoying a martini that was so frickin' dry the olive had dust on it?

I do that type of critical thinking many times during the course of a day and I still live in the Midwest. I can't imagine the type of critical thinking I'd be capable of doing if I moved to Alaska.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by Glitch

As an atheist who has been in a few foxholes while serving in the Marine Corps, I can state categorically that Patton was wrong. It may be what Patton wanted to believe, but it is nothing more than a generalization, and with all generalizations there are exceptions.

Thank you for your service, from one veteran to another

[warren zee]

Originally Posted by retiredinhomer

Why do you equate conservatism and religiousness?

Frequently there is a connection. Sarah Palin ring a bell? But not always. My wife is religious and a liberal.

[warren zee]

Originally Posted by bongo

I took into account that some of these have duplicates, but I still count 65 churches up in the Mat-Su:

Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed

That's a lot of churches!

Ad many of them are ultra conservative, fundamentalist or Pentecostal. Not mainstram. Like Methodist or Lutheran. More are the other type.

[Frostnip]

Originally Posted by Glitch

As an atheist who has been in a few foxholes while serving in the Marine Corps, I can state categorically that Patton was wrong. It may be what Patton wanted to believe, but it is nothing more than a generalization, and with all generalizations there are exceptions.

Never been in the military, but I'm not super persuaded by the "let's see how much of an atheist you are when you're about to die" argument. Had a near-death experience a few years back and I don't recall any sudden revelation. I'm not anti-religion - in fact, I think it'd be kind of nice to be a believer. I think there are quite a few lovely religious practices, and as a child I had quite an affection for the Virgin Mary - her being the archetype of a good mother, I guess - but actual belief in a deity or deities seems to me to be something that's hard-wired into some people's heads and not others, since there's really no observational basis for it, and since the pervasive social conditioning for religion "takes" in some people and not in others. It's a nice thought, a God that looks out for you - even a clockmaker God is kind of reassuring - but lots of things are nice thoughts. Doesn't make them true. Certainly doesn't make them verifiable. And I can't see going in for that sad selfish calculating Pascal's Wager kind of faith, either.

[Frostnip]

Originally Posted by RayinAK

You have been looking at the wrong places, Frostnip. For example, almost all the Churches across Napa Auto Parts in North Pole attach huge crowds, enough to run out of parking space at their lots. The Catholic church over there attracts such large groups of people that they have to park on the street. The same for the Baptist one about a block away (about a block away from Santa's place). Then there is another by the Sourdough gas station; this one has the same parking area for the rest of the businesses, including the gas station, and this area is huge, but even so the lot fills with cars. The one by KJMP is quite popular, too. The preacher in this one, McCoy (the guy who got mauled by a bear a few years ago), attracts at lot of people to this church.

There are some very large churches in Fairbanks, too. One near Vanhorn is attended mostly by young people, and is quite popular. Some of the young people are musicians and play their music over there.

And that crowd for an hour on a Sunday is only a fraction of what you'd find at any big box store any hour of the day any day of the week. Anyway, going to church isn't a particularly good indicator of level of religious belief one way or the other. Lots of people go to church for the socialization or because they feel they have to (familial pressure or whatever), while lots of people don't go but do hold religious beliefs.

[sheena12]

Originally Posted by warren zee

Ad many of them are ultra conservative, fundamentalist or Pentecostal. Not mainstram. Like Methodist or Lutheran. More are the other type.

Most of the churches here with few exceptions, are not mainline denominational, liberal or even moderate. They are pretty extreme and religiously conservative.

I wasn't terribly surprised that frontier religion is big in Alaska. Not saying that is any way ALL Alaskans favor this type of strong religion - obviously many don't. But if this list is any indication, many do as well.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by Frostnip

And that crowd for an hour on a Sunday is only a fraction of what you'd find at any big box store any hour of the day any day of the week. Anyway, going to church isn't a particularly good indicator of level of religious belief one way or the other. Lots of people go to church for the socialization or because they feel they have to (familial pressure or whatever), while lots of people don't go but do hold religious beliefs.

Of course such crowds are seeing at church twice per week (Sunday, plus another weekday). These people are attending a religious service that happens twice a week. Shoppers are at the stores every day and night; the stores aren't close the rest of the week

You are assuming the reasons why people go to church, and this has nothing to do but your own realities. If you knew exactly how and why people go to church you would make the best juror around, since you would know without a doubt if the accused is guilty or not...you can read minds

[AKStafford]

Andrew Halcro had an interesting post on the issue today:
The Holy Truth | AndrewHalcro.com

[bongo]

Originally Posted by AKStafford

Andrew Halcro had an interesting post on the issue today:
The Holy Truth | AndrewHalcro.com

Very interesting, AkStafford- thanks for posting it.