What is living in the Bible Belt like? (gated, club)
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I don't think people are that tolerant in the Bible Belt. Tolerance for gays and atheists.....really??? Virtually every Bible Belt state condones gay marriage or gay relationships of any kind, with politicians spending so much time and energy trying to make sure that gay marriage will never happen.
You're painting a large swath of places with the same brush. I would advise against that...
I live in the heart of the bible belt. It's like living any where else just a lot of church's
This has been my observation as well. Ive live in the Bible Belt vs. California and Chicago. If you can get past the sight of mega churches, its no different.
This has been my observation as well. Ive live in the Bible Belt vs. California and Chicago. If you can get past the sight of mega churches, its no different.
By saying "no different" are you referring to most people's attitudes toward religion or general lifestyle? From my experience, I can agree with the the former, but not the latter. I've lived in a number of red states and blue states myself and everywhere I go I find myself surrounded by friends and acquaintances with equally diverse religious views, but I can't see Plano and Lincoln Park, Chicago having very many shared similarities in terms of lifestyle (except for both being predominately upper-middle class and white).
Some of you attempting to discredit the South for its traditionally conservative Christian churches are apparently unaware that three of the largest fundamentalist evangelical congregations in the United States are in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York City!
Saddleback Church -- Lake Forest, CA -- 39,000 members -- LARGEST SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCH IN THE COUNTRY! Christian Cultural Center -- Brooklyn, NY -- 29,000 members Willow Creek Community Church -- South Barrington, IL -- 26,000 members
It's worth pointing out there has been a HUGE boon in these churches in Greater NYC since 9/11, and again since Hurricane Sandy. Many thousands of New Yorkers are searching for more meaning to life, and new evangelical churches are sprouting up all over the city like wildfire.
New York City is ... a thriving mecca for media, fashion, finance, and so much more, including endless stimulus and constant temptations ... And what so many don't know, it is an absolute center for Christ believing evangelical churches. New York is the fourth leading city for church plants based on diversity and ethnicity in the five Burroughs and there are many evangelical bible teaching churches to choose from....
Large churches the size of office complexes, people asking you which church you attend (hint church, not mosque, synagogue, etc), lots of friendships and activities based around church. I live in DFW and I get a feeling that quite a few people go to church to be seen and appear devout and religious, rather than to actually worship.
if they ask me
i say my beliefs are personal to me but if you want to state yours fill free to do so
usually it works
if they insist i say this . sitting in church does not make you a good person, any more than sitting in a garage makes you a car
never state you views they only want you to so they they can argue ...... waste of time
i live in texas
Some of you attempting to discredit the South for its traditionally conservative Christian churches are apparently unaware that three of the largest fundamentalist evangelical congregations in the United States are in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York City!
Saddleback Church -- Lake Forest, CA -- 39,000 members -- LARGEST SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCH IN THE COUNTRY! Christian Cultural Center -- Brooklyn, NY -- 29,000 members Willow Creek Community Church -- South Barrington, IL -- 26,000 members
It's worth pointing out there has been a HUGE boon in these churches in Greater NYC since 9/11, and again since Hurricane Sandy. Many thousands of New Yorkers are searching for more meaning to life, and new evangelical churches are sprouting up all over the city like wildfire.
New York City is ... a thriving mecca for media, fashion, finance, and so much more, including endless stimulus and constant temptations ... And what so many don't know, it is an absolute center for Christ believing evangelical churches. New York is the fourth leading city for church plants based on diversity and ethnicity in the five Burroughs and there are many evangelical bible teaching churches to choose from....
I live in SE Michigan and I don't get why people will label the South as overtly religious while essentially dismissing anywhere else in the country as a black hole of atheism. Wow, because where I live, there are also churches on most corners, many people attend church, and there are many, many, Christian conservatives all around me. Just read up on the governor of Michigan and who makes up our state legislature...conservative Republicans, by and large, and my home state of Ohio isn't much different.
Honestly, I look at much of the Midwest as "Southeast Lite", if you will. While it's true that you don't see many of the Christian billboards, large roadside crosses, etc. that dot the Southeast, people here really aren't much different from their Southern brethren, maybe just a little less vocal.
I also found it interesting to see how people in NYC and the New England region turned to church when horrific events like 9/11 and Sandy Hook happened. Not surprising, just...interesting...and encouraging!
Why? There are many places in the South where gays thrive. Atlanta and Dallas have huge and vibrant gay communities. Atlanta is considered a gay mecca of sorts, Dallas has a thrice elected gay sheriff, and Houston has a gay mayor. Austin and New Orleans are also good places to be gay.
Some of you attempting to discredit the South for its traditionally conservative Christian churches are apparently unaware that three of the largest fundamentalist evangelical congregations in the United States are in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York City!
Saddleback Church -- Lake Forest, CA -- 39,000 members -- LARGEST SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCH IN THE COUNTRY! Christian Cultural Center -- Brooklyn, NY -- 29,000 members Willow Creek Community Church -- South Barrington, IL -- 26,000 members
It's worth pointing out there has been a HUGE boon in these churches in Greater NYC since 9/11, and again since Hurricane Sandy. Many thousands of New Yorkers are searching for more meaning to life, and new evangelical churches are sprouting up all over the city like wildfire.
New York City is ... a thriving mecca for media, fashion, finance, and so much more, including endless stimulus and constant temptations ... And what so many don't know, it is an absolute center for Christ believing evangelical churches. New York is the fourth leading city for church plants based on diversity and ethnicity in the five Burroughs and there are many evangelical bible teaching churches to choose from....
WHY? Seriously ... Why? You have no idea how gay-friendly many cities in the South are!
It is much easier to be a gay person among Christians than it is a Christian among gays! Most of the Christians I know are loving and accepting of me no matter what my sexuality. But you tell a bunch of gays you're a Christian and be prepared for the hateful words to come your way!
Quote:
Originally Posted by peterlemonjello
Why? There are many places in the South where gays thrive. Atlanta and Dallas have huge and vibrant gay communities. Atlanta is considered a gay mecca of sorts, Dallas has a thrice elected gay sheriff, and Houston has a gay mayor. Austin and New Orleans are also good places to be gay.
Exactly! I'm gay AND a Christian and I feel sorry for anybody who doesn't live in the South! The South is wonderful, and my city of residence -- Savannah GA -- is one of the greatest cities in the world to live, whether you be gay, straight, Christian. Agnostic or otherwise.
Seriously, the misconceptions and lies people believe about the South are just mind-boggling. Last night, I was talking to a gay guy here in Savannah who moved here from Brooklyn, NY and every other word out of his mouth was the N-word. He said where he's from in Brooklyn, EVERYBODY hates blacks and calls them the N-word. I was appalled! So enough already with the lies that the South is nothing but a bunch of racist, hateful, gay-bashing bigots masquerading as "Christians" and the rest of the country is home to enlightened people of virtue and light! It's absolutely 100 percent not true, and other regions of the country are equally or more likely to be home to ugly, nasty unpleasant people as the South is.
Last edited by Newsboy; 03-15-2014 at 10:21 AM..
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