Least Religious/Spiritual areas of the U.S. (largest, Boston, moving)

[rnc2mbfl]

Originally Posted by polo89

That's pretty shocking to me. No matter if it's only 1.1million of like 7million residents. It's still pretty high.

You really need to compare the number of votes to registered voters and, more specifically, votes cast from the Bay Area. Since you have to be 18 and a citizen to even cast a vote, you will probably be even more shocked by how much of the Bay Area is represented by the 1.1 million votes cast for prop 8.

[nature's message]

By least religious, do you mean areas with the lowest amount of Christians or areas with the lowest amount of religious people??

[Frodo2008]

Originally Posted by Ricardo M.

Why would every area be the same? That makes no sense.

It makes perfect sense. Every place has its good people and bad people. Every place is the same. Going from place to place the scenery changes and the weather changes but everything else is the same. I've been to quite a few places over the years and to me every place is the same I don't see much difference.

[Thomas R.]

Fremont and Alameda California are in Pete Stark's district. Pete Stark is the only atheist in Congress and was re-elected after saying he was atheist.

Religious Identity: States Differ Widely
State of the States: Importance of Religion
See how U.S. religious landscape has changed in nearly 2 decades - USATODAY.com
U.S. Religion Map and Religious Populations - U.S. Religious Landscape Study - Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Generally the sources agree that Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and the Pacific Northwest (including Alaska, Wasilla's an outlier) are the least religious. Some also place Wyoming, Nevada, and the rest of New England. I would guess the least religious areas of those states are towns with high percentages of college students. So maybe Durham, New Hampshire or Orono, Maine.

http://www.city-data.com/top15.html

[Frodo2008]

I say San Francisco.

[UTHORNS96]

Originally Posted by BayAreaHillbilly

Interesting you are equally bothered by the "Gaia / faux Buddhist / faux Hindu yoga" belt as you are by the Bible Belt. At least you are consistent, nothing is worse than the "New Age" holier than thou types who castigate traditional religions ... I digress.

I'd say NYC would be right for you. Their intellectualism is more nihilistic than the West Coast version, more Old World, more French existentialist.

That's the first thing I noticed about his post. At least he is consistent. Because some of these "open minded" non-religious individuals are some of the most hypocritical people I have ever met.

[a75206]

How is the Philly area when it comes to importance of religion in one's social interaction?

[jknic]

As a Catholic in NJ, I find that a lot of people don't know much about their religion and have surprised several people about the teaching of the Catholic Church and the reasons for those teachings.

I seriously think that religion should be taught in schools as a social studies class so that people understand religion as a culture. They should learn about both their own religion, and other major religions so that people don't go about making false claims about other religions (something I've experienced first hand and find VERY annoying)

[DinsdalePirahna]

Originally Posted by UTHORNS96

That's the first thing I noticed about his post. At least he is consistent. Because some of these "open minded" non-religious individuals are some of the most hypocritical people I have ever met.

totally agree with you.

But I think all religions make people do crazy things.

Athesists are getting very zealous and in your face, too.

I just sit back and watch the lunacy, trying to ignore it all.

[JakeDog]

Originally Posted by Frodo2008

It makes perfect sense. Every place has its good people and bad people. Every place is the same. Going from place to place the scenery changes and the weather changes but everything else is the same. I've been to quite a few places over the years and to me every place is the same I don't see much difference.

Not true. Certain areas attract scientists/scholars from all over the country (Boston, for example) and these people ARE different than people who work at the local factory in a small town in the South (not "better", but definitely different). Similarly, culturally areas are just different. The Northwest is somewhat similar to Scandinavia in some ways- not religious, quiet more introverted folks. This culture has devloped over time. The South after the Civil War became a very religous place for a variety of reasons. In many smaller Southern and Mid-west towns (or even mid-sized cities) the church serves an important social function whereas people in other parts of the country fill their social needs in other ways. If you think Seattle and Jackson, Mississippi are just the same, you haven't been to either.