How religious is Pittsburgh (Beaver Falls, Beaver: university, living, moving to)

[Tallysmom]

I grew up in Pittsburgh -- suburbs actually -- and no one cared if you went to church or not. I stopped going to the United Methodist Church soon after confirmation, and although I still think of myself as a UM. At the time I went the dogma of our church was not evangelical -- can't say for now).

However there was an amazing cultural shift as the millenium approached -- a large rise of evangelical churches, and of churches that are far more based on apocalyptic thinking -- so it wouldn't surprise me if Pittsburgh had become more religious. A lot of people felt the world was coming to come sort of conclusion just because our calendar tunred from 1999 to 2000.... not unlike the learned people did during the first millenium....

Now I hear the new date is 2012 -- thanks to the Incans -- or is it the Mayans? December 21, 2012.... so December 20, 2012 we'll have to party like it's 1999....

[PeterRabbit]

I don't see us becoming more religious. A lot of churches have shut down and many merged with others.

[bradjl2009]

Originally Posted by Tallysmom

I grew up in Pittsburgh -- suburbs actually -- and no one cared if you went to church or not. I stopped going to the United Methodist Church soon after confirmation, and although I still think of myself as a UM. At the time I went the dogma of our church was not evangelical -- can't say for now).

However there was an amazing cultural shift as the millenium approached -- a large rise of evangelical churches, and of churches that are far more based on apocalyptic thinking -- so it wouldn't surprise me if Pittsburgh had become more religious. A lot of people felt the world was coming to come sort of conclusion just because our calendar tunred from 1999 to 2000.... not unlike the learned people did during the first millenium....

Now I hear the new date is 2012 -- thanks to the Incans -- or is it the Mayans? December 21, 2012.... so December 20, 2012 we'll have to party like it's 1999....

We have had no rise in Evangelicals here in Pittsburgh. If you take from the people I know, a lot of people I know find them as crazy as the Mormons.

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by bradjl2009

We have had no rise in Evangelicals here in Pittsburgh. If you take from the people I know, a lot of people I know find them as crazy as the Mormons.

Whoa, there, wait a minute! "Crazy" as the Mormons? Who are any of us to say what is crazy when it comes to religion; Mormon, Evangelical Christian, Catholic, Lutheran, whatever? Maybe the above is why my niece, an ex-Mormon, didn't fit in Pittsburgh!

[Copanut]

Mormons are crazy? How you can call a religion crazy?

Then again, having more than 1 wife sounds crazy to me.

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by COPANUT

Mormons are crazy? How you can call a religion crazy?

Then again, having more than 1 wife sounds crazy to me.

LOL, maybe if my DH had a couple more, he'd get off my case! J/K! And seriously, the "mainstream" LDS church is opposed to polygamy. Mitt Romney said during the campaign he was the only Repub. candidate who had only been married once! (That was until Huckabee came along.)

[sr1234]

If you are not Catholic, then you will be considered an outsider.

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by sr1234

If you are not Catholic, then you will be considered an outsider.

Got any evidence for that? I've been a Presby all my life in this town and have never felt that way. You must live in Polish Hill or Greenfield with all those Mackerel Snappers. Just kidding, most of my friends are Catholic.

Seriously, never considered this area predominantly Catholic.

[ainulinale]

I have some figures for everyone. These are based on the church membership figures from the 2000 census and include metropolitan area.

Northeast:

(1) Buffalo: 71% Religious; 5.4% Evangelical
(2) Pittsburgh: 66% Religious; 7.3% Evangelical
(3) Boston: 64% Religious; 2.5% Evangelical
(4) New York City: 62% Religious; 2.0% Evangelical
(5) Philadelphia: 54% Religious; 7.9% Evangelical
(6) Washington/Baltimore: 45% Religious; 7.9% Evangelical

West Coast:

(1) Los Angeles: 52% Religious; 7.1% Evangelical
(2) San Diego: 44% Religious; 5.9% Evangelical
(3) San Francisco: 39% Religious; 5.3% Evangelical
(4) Portland: 33% Religious; 11.2% Evangelical
(5) Seattle: 32% Religious; 9.1% Evangelical

Random South:

Dallas: 53% Religious; 25% Evangelical
Atlanta: 44% Religious; 23% Evangelical

Random Midwest:

Chicago: 56% Religious; 6.5% Evangelical
Kansas City: 48% Religious; 18.6% Evangelical

Bet no one knew the Pacific Northwest had so many evangelicals!

[bradjl2009]

Originally Posted by sr1234

If you are not Catholic, then you will be considered an outsider.

That is 100% false! My mom is Luthern and my dad is Catholic and none of my dad's side of the family ever gave her hassle about being Catholic and neither has anyone else (other than one old priest but he is a priest after all). While I think the majority of people in Allegheny County are Catholics, it's not the point of you'll feel like you don't belong. Don't forget we have some huge Presbyterian and Episcopal churches in the city also.