Is Alpharetta Hostile to Non-Christians? (live in, club, move)

[westwoodwizard]

Originally Posted by canudigit

Um...try to remember...you can actually be a Christian AND be "highly educated".

If this is the idea you have about Christians, then it sounds just as discriminatory as what you are concerned about.

No it is not the idea of Christians I have. I am born and raised in the United States surrounded by Americans the majority of whom are Christians. Where would I get such an idea. The question was very specific to Alpharetta given its highly educated population and one of the most highly rated places to relocate in the country which is part of a global economic city in Atlanta. I was just a little surprised to read anybody describing Alpharetta as a religiously conservative place. Did I think it was Berkeley, CA? No...but maybe more like Austin, TX.

[westwoodwizard]

Originally Posted by frankieg73

I recently moved to the North Atlanta suburbs and I am non-religious. What I have found is that the locals are very friendly and no one has ever brought up religion or tried to push their religious beliefs on me. As far as I can tell, if you act respectfully and don't force your beliefs on others, the locals will treat you with respect. I've never tried to discuss religion with anyone down here, but that's a topic I don't normally bring up in conversation no matter where I am.

I am non-religious also. That was my point. I have no interest in living in a place where religion of any kind dominates local life and conversation. I never bring it up. Just surprised when I read some people (who knows what their credibility is) describe Alpharetta as conservative and religious.

[westwoodwizard]

Originally Posted by demonta4

What exactly do you mean by hostile? I doubt anybody would really obsess over your religion. If you don't mind, What religion do you follow?

My family follows Hinduism whereas personally I am non-religious. I am just somebody who stays away from the topic of religion. My concerns are more in the area of little things. For example, you don't want your children to face negative stereotypes in school.

[bryantm3]

Originally Posted by westwoodwizard

My family follows Hinduism whereas personally I am non-religious. I am just somebody who stays away from the topic of religion. My concerns are more in the area of little things. For example, you don't want your children to face negative stereotypes in school.

You will be fine; Alpharetta has a sizable and growing Hindu population. I just got my hair cut last night, and my stylist is Hindu.

[westwoodwizard]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

You will be fine; Alpharetta has a sizable and growing Hindu population. I just got my hair cut last night, and my stylist is Hindu.

Thanks. I wish I could maybe have changed the subject of my original post. The question itself might have sounded offensive. I think Alpharetta is a great place from everything else I know and have seen in person and am looking forward to my move there.

[JoeTarheel]

Originally Posted by westwoodwizard

My family follows Hinduism whereas personally I am non-religious. I am just somebody who stays away from the topic of religion. My concerns are more in the area of little things. For example, you don't want your children to face negative stereotypes in school.

In my experience it is fairly simple to state your preference if, by chance, religion comes up in a conversation. "I prefer to stay away from the topic of religion" should be sufficient.

But there is no need to make a big deal about it if somebody mentions something religious in passing but doesn't try to engage in a debate with you about it. When someone tells me he/she "prayed really hard" about something I just kind of ignore it and keep talking. People will bring up little things like that because it's part of their lives.

[8to32characters]

I lived in the Alpharetta area very briefly in the mid-2000's after having lived in Boca Raton, FL for years. I will have you know that I hated it so much, I moved back to Florida after only six months.

Despite what people from the Northeast say, Florida isn't remotely as conservative or religious as Georgia. I agree that living in Florida sucks--I lived there for 12 years, but in all honesty, I don't think you'll be much happier in the Atlanta area.

It's difficult to make friends in suburban Florida because people are very transient and aren't very neighborly or welcoming. Also, as a young or middle-aged educated professional, it's fairly difficult to find people on the same wavelength as you in Florida, as it's just not a very intellectual place. However, if you were to move to Alpharetta as a non-Christian, you would most likely experience difficultly acclimating, making friends, finding acceptance, etc. as well--albeit in a different respect--because, if you're non-Christian or irreligious, then there will be significant disconnect between you and your neighbors, co-workers, et al.

Religion, specifically Evangelical Protestantism, is very pervasive in the Atlanta suburbs--lots of churches, "Jesus barbies," "workplace preachers," crosses, fishes, etc. It seemed as though in order to develop a social circle and be accepted as part of the community, you almost had to belong to a [Protestant] church simply because the lives of many Alpharetta residents revolve around church and God. So, it's no mystery that religion or, more specifically, church as a topic of conversation is very common. For example, many people will talk about their pastor's sermon, the club they belong to at their church, the excursion they went on over the weekend with a church group, etc. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's just not my style, and because of that, I never felt comfortable there.

Also, I will have you know that Evangelical Protestants are not very familiar with other religions at all because, more so than most religious groups, they seem to be more exclusive and, in turn, narrow-minded. I guess you could say that most of them, esp. in the South, kind of live in a bubble, and the suburbs of major Southern cities are very conducive to that lifestyle/mindset.

Have you ever thought about moving out West where no cares what religion you are?

[bu2]

Originally Posted by 8to32characters

I lived in the Alpharetta area very briefly in the mid-2000's after having lived in Boca Raton, FL for years. I will have you know that I hated it so much, I moved back to Florida after only six months.

Despite what people from the Northeast say, Florida isn't remotely as conservative or religious as Georgia. I agree that living in Florida sucks--I lived there for 12 years, but in all honesty, I don't think you'll be much happier in the Atlanta area.

It's difficult to make friends in suburban Florida because people are very transient and aren't very neighborly or welcoming. Also, as a young or middle-aged educated professional, it's fairly difficult to find people on the same wavelength as you in Florida, as it's just not a very intellectual place. However, if you were to move to Alpharetta as a non-Christian, you would most likely experience difficultly acclimating, making friends, finding acceptance, etc. as well--albeit in a different respect--because, if you're non-Christian or irreligious, then there will be significant disconnect between you and your neighbors, co-workers, et al.

Religion, specifically Evangelical Protestantism, is very pervasive in the Atlanta suburbs--lots of churches, "Jesus barbies," "workplace preachers," crosses, fishes, etc. It seemed as though in order to develop a social circle and be accepted as part of the community, you almost had to belong to a [Protestant] church simply because the lives of many Alpharetta residents revolve around church and God. So, it's no mystery that religion or, more specifically, church as a topic of conversation is very common. For example, many people will talk about their pastor's sermon, the club they belong to at their church, the excursion they went on over the weekend with a church group, etc. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's just not my style, and because of that, I never felt comfortable there.

Also, I will have you know that Evangelical Protestants are not very familiar with other religions at all because, more so than most religious groups, they seem to be more exclusive and, in turn, narrow-minded. I guess you could say that most of them, esp. in the South, kind of live in a bubble, and the suburbs of major Southern cities are very conducive to that lifestyle/mindset.

Have you ever thought about moving out West where no cares what religion you are?

Would you feel out of place if someone talked about going on a trip with the Sierra Club or AARP or their university alumni? Sounds to me like hypersensitivity on your part.

I can't ever think of anyone I know talking about a sermon unless it was in a church conversation only with people from the same church. And that's pretty rare. And I do know some fundamentalists. I even have a sibling who is.

[atler8]

I think the post above @ 12:31 makes note of something in the last paragraph that is almost endemic in suburban Atlanta & something that I did not encounter when I lived in the COA for over 30 years.
Since my relocation out of the COA into south suburban Atlanta, I have repeatedly encountered people who live in a "bubble" as he put it & make assumptions that everyone else is of similar beliefs. It happens in business places when owners or workers seem to want to bring up their religion or engage in various degrees of proselytization. Sometimes it's not just the business owners but other patrons who engage in this behavior.
Similarly a man on my express bus gave up after 2 occasions when I did not respond in the affirmative about having plans to attend Wednesday night church services.
My assumption is that the degree of discomfort that these evangelical christians bring to me at those times is similar to what the member who wrote about such incidents in Alpharetta felt.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by atler8

I think the post above @ 12:31 makes note of something in the last paragraph that is almost endemic in suburban Atlanta & something that I did not encounter when I lived in the COA for over 30 years.
Since my relocation out of the COA into south suburban Atlanta, I have repeatedly encountered people who live in a "bubble" as he put it & make assumptions that everyone else is of similar beliefs. It happens in business places when owners or workers seem to want to bring up their religion or engage in various degrees of proselytization. Sometimes it's not just the business owners but other patrons who engage in this behavior.
Similarly a man on my express bus gave up after 2 occasions when I did not respond in the affirmative about having plans to attend Wednesday night church services.
My assumption is that the degree of discomfort that these evangelical christians bring to me at those times is similar to what the member who wrote about such incidents in Alpharetta felt.

Proselytization is different than "living in a bubble." Its an important part of the Christian religion. But not all proselytization is the direct type that makes you feel uncomfortable.

Just say, "Thank you, I'm not interested. Have a good day." That's what I tell the Jehovah's Witnesses who periodically come through the neighborhood.