Religion in Alaska (Fairbanks, North Pole: airplane, car, hospitable)

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by RayinAK

A couple of articles have been written about the lack of religion in Alaska, but what I have seen for the past 30 or more years I have lived here is the opposite. At least in the interior of Alaska, around Fairbanks and vicinity, there are churches of all denominations all over the place. In North Pole alone there are three or four churches across NAPA Auto Parts, and there are a few more (by KJMP, Moose Creek, several by Badger Road, and several I didn't mention. The same all around Fairbanks.

I agree. There are three or four churches just on Knik-Goose Bay Road outside of Wasilla. They just completed building another one near Settler's Bay. These churches are always packed on the weekends. It is not just a few handful of people attending.

As an atheist I do not attend any church, but if Alaska is considered one of the least non-religious States in the US, I would hate to see what they consider the most religious State in the US.

[ysr_racer]

Originally Posted by max.b

I thought Alaska was very conservative and just recently found out that Alaska is actually one of the least religious states in the US. Why?

Maybe Alaskans have taken some personal responsibility for their lives, and not entrusted it to a big scary guy that lives in the sky?

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by akpls

Just because someone is not physically in a church doesn't mean that they aren't "religious." There's plenty of places in Alaska where one can go to see and appreciate God's work.

THat's true. A lot of people are religious and read their Bibles at home, and for various reasons don't go to church.

[IndianaMatt]

Originally Posted by Glitch

...

As an atheist I do not attend any church, but if Alaska is considered one of the least non-religious States in the US, I would hate to see what they consider the most religious State in the US.

It's pretty predictable. The South: bringing you backwardness and bigotry since 1700!

[max.b]

Originally Posted by IndianaMatt

Why? Because most people who arrive in Alaska don't just "end up" here: it usually takes most people a lot of sacrifice and struggle (personal and financial) to make this huge move from friends, family, and familiar surroundings in the 'lower 48.'

Many of us are independent, fiercely individualistic, and often big risk-takers.

You mean like the pilgrims?

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!?)

Those above attributes tend to disfavor too much religion.

I often find that very religious people enjoy conventional thinking; they may not challenge mores or the teachings of their parents.

The fact that there is very little religion in Alaska, compared to the other states, is one of my favorite things of living here.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by IndianaMatt

It's pretty predictable. The South: bringing you backwardness and bigotry since 1700!

Well, it seems that the map shown is all screwed-up, at least the Alaska part

But then immigrants from the South are mostly very religious. I wonder if that's the reason why the Sought is shown that way?

[IndianaMatt]

Originally Posted by max.b

You mean like the pilgrims?

Assuming you mean the Pilgrims that arrived from Europe in the 1600s, no, they were really none of the things I described. The Pilgrims came in a huge flock of exactly like-minded people, hundreds of them, all aligned with a single purpose: to be able to practice their religion away from English rule. Not exactly "fiercely independent or individualistic." That's a good example of groupthink mentality, actually.

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by IndianaMatt

Assuming you mean the Pilgrims that arrived from Europe in the 1600s, no, they were really none of the things I described. The Pilgrims came in a huge flock of exactly like-minded people, hundreds of them, all aligned with a single purpose: to be able to practice their religion away from English rule. Not exactly "fiercely independent or individualistic." That's a good example of groupthink mentality, actually.

Actually, the Puritans fled English persecution by moving to the Kingdom of Holland. However, the Netherlands were far too tolerant for the Puritans so they moved to North America. Not because of religious persecution, but rather to start their own colony where they did not have to be tolerant of other religions. The very last thing the Puritans wanted was religious freedom.

[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!

[max.b]

Originally Posted by IndianaMatt

Assuming you mean the Pilgrims that arrived from Europe in the 1600s, no, they were really none of the things I described. The Pilgrims came in a huge flock of exactly like-minded people, hundreds of them, all aligned with a single purpose: to be able to practice their religion away from English rule. Not exactly "fiercely independent or individualistic." That's a good example of groupthink mentality, actually.

So the Pilgrims leave their lives in Britain and settle in a highly inhospitable and very dangerous country, and you call them "groupthinkers". Modern Alaskans leave the lower 48 to settle in a less hospitable, but probably not as dangerous place, and you call them fiercely independent, individualistic risk-takers. Sounds like a self-congratulatory double standard to me.

While I don't share the pilgrims' religious views, I have to give them their dues. Did you know that Jamestown, founded a few years before the pilgrims came, nearly failed, and the vast majority of the colonists died within months?