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I know this is a delicate question, but I'm thinking about taking a job in Charleston and living in Mount Pleasant. I'm not religious at all (I'm actually a die-hard atheist, although I don't announce it in areas like the south!). I'm from NJ and now live in Vegas, and in both places, people really aren't that religious for the most part.
I guess my question is: will most of my friends, neighbors, and co-workers all be the stereotypical "Jesus people". Is the stereotypical Bible Belt culture accurate as to what life is like there? Is religion central to most people's lives in the Charleston area? Is someone who never goes to church seen as an outcast or even just as different? Do the schools teach creation and Adam and Eve instead of evolution? Maybe my views of Charleston are outdated, but when I think of the Bible belt areas, these are the thoughts that come to my mind.
Thanks, and I hope these questions didn't offend anyone.
You'll be fine. Yes your neighbor will ask what church you go to....and maybe even suggest their church is the one that will work for you. It isn't meant to be anything but a kind gesture. You can smile and decline and as long as your a decent human being -- nobody will ever bother you.
No creationsim is not taught in the schools. Nobody will even notice if you do or don't go to church. And yes your views are outdated.
Tons of churches/religious people, but all really nice. I second moneill regarding everyone you meet eventually asking you to go to their church, but not in an annoying way.
Made lots of friends down here since moving from Michigan, both religious and not.
yeah, pretty much what the posters above said. i moved out here from the west coast and am not religious and honestly i've never felt remotely uncomfortable with the level of religiosity (by which i mean people leave me alone minus a single visit from the jehova's witnesses who were nice people just the same).
6 out of 8 of our neighbors are regular church going. 4 of those attend the same church as we do. 7 of the 8 are transplants from outside SC. Of the transplants, 5 attend church regularly.
I don't expect any of them to think less of you because of your lack of faith. I can say that there is a trend over the last few years for Christians to be less apologetic about there beliefs. There is a culture of religion in the South and while Charleston is more liberal than other Southern towns, Church is still a large part of many people's lives here.
As I said earlier, no one is going treat you any differently based on your lack of faith. But as with any cultural issue, step in trying to change our culture and expect push back. Come here with the idea to accept the culture as it is and fit in you should be just fine.
I have friends that are atheist (which they admit is a belief system of itself), they don't belittle my beliefs and I don't try to convert them.
I have friends that are atheist (which they admit is a belief system of itself), they don't belittle my beliefs and I don't try to convert them.
You may have friends that say atheism is a belief system, but that doesn't make it true. The only shared belief among atheists is that there is no proof that god exists. That is not a "belief system." It is merely a singular observation based upon a complete lack of empirical evidence.
I have been here 3 1/2 years and have only been asked a couple times what church I go to. The last time I went to church was 2 years ago to my nice's baby's baptism. Most people I know here don't go to church, or if they do, don't push it on me. You don't have anything to worry about.
You may have friends that say atheism is a belief system, but that doesn't make it true. The only shared belief among atheists is that there is no proof that god exists. That is not a "belief system." It is merely a singular observation based upon a complete lack of empirical evidence.
You may say that atheism isn't a belief system, but that doesn't make it true.
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