America doesn't seem very Christian (God, service, religion, gays)

[cleatis]

Originally Posted by Trimac20

Frequently I hear that America is full of religious people, and the average American is still God-fearing, yet as a foreigner it seems American culture is very secular...I know pop culture is very Hollywood/NY centric, both of which are among the least religious parts of the nation, but how religious is America really compared to other Western nations?

I've never been to any other western nations except Canada. I was only 14 and wasn't paying attention, but it just felt like another state in America, just more laid back and with different money... But start a trip in Tennessee, go through Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Idaho. Read the opinions section of the local newspapers in these places. You'll find that there's no shortage of religious zeal. It's in these places that you will find the most people who claim they have the patent and copyright on the definition of what's American.

[northstar22]

Originally Posted by imbobbbb

I'm sure if you asked around here you would get the exact same answer....If you followed many of them around and observed their lifestyle you may question the reality of their claims.

Exactly. The South has more "Christians," but many of them don't "walk the walk" so to speak. The North has fewer people who claim to be Christian, but those that do are more serious about their faith. In the Northern US (and Canada), the nominal, "secular living" types generally don't describe themselves as Christian at all.

[WhipperSnapper 88]

Originally Posted by Trimac20

Frequently I hear that America is full of religious people, and the average American is still God-fearing, yet as a foreigner it seems American culture is very secular...I know pop culture is very Hollywood/NY centric, both of which are among the least religious parts of the nation, but how religious is America really compared to other Western nations?

Where did you here such a thing about America???? Every report I have heard is exactly the opposite. Secularism is on the rise here in this country. { ohhh . . . so thats why we are a country of zero morals } Fear of God????? That hasnt been around for quite somtime in this country

[catman]

If one has to depend on religion for his moral foundation, he is sadly deficient.

[supertrucker212]

Originally Posted by Dewdrop93

I think it all depends on where you go. If you go to New York or Los Angeles - it's not very religious. If you go to the deep south or the bible belt - it is pretty religious. The United States is very large and very spread out. You'll find that different areas are vastly different from each other in many, many ways.

That's very true. However, in the world as a whole, people are leaving organized religion all together, not just Christianity. The problem with organized religion is that it's based on things, (like the Bible for example), that are thousands of years old. For the most part you have to evolve and change with the times. How many of you would use a horse drawn carriage over a car to get to work, or would rather have 1940's medicine over today's medicine? People today don't wanna be told how to live their lives by some pastor or something that was written thousands of years ago. That's why I believe in a God, but don't follow a religion.

[Rafius]

Originally Posted by artemis agrotera

I'd say a heck of a lot more than Australia is.

We don't care that our leader is an atheist....

A Welsh girl!

Originally Posted by Trimac20

We don't care that she's born in Wales, yet people are afraid of people 'invading' our country and eroding Aussie culture. Bloody hypocrites, they're happy to welcome more pommie immigrants.

Hey! We Welsh are all right!

Originally Posted by lee9786

Look at some of my old posts if interested.

Thanks but we're not.

[WhipperSnapper 88]

Originally Posted by catman

If one has to depend on religion for his moral foundation, he is sadly deficient.

Agreed. But you cannot argue with the facts. Just look at how much things have changed in the past 50-75 years. Back then religion was much more prevalent and everythingthing was much more conservative. We are now a country that celebrates sex, drugs and alcohol, and this has all taken place as the rise of secularism has spread

[baxendale]

Originally Posted by Doug S. 123

Agreed. But you cannot argue with the facts. Just look at how much things have changed in the past 50-75 years. Back then religion was much more prevalent and everythingthing was much more conservative. We are now a country that celebrates sex, drugs and alcohol, and this has all taken place as the rise of secularism has spread

Ah yes, the good old days, when women couldn't vote, them colored folk knew their place, and beating up gays wasn't a crime, but a sport to be bragged about.

[TKramar]

Originally Posted by imbobbbb

Well even in a lot of places where people are thought to be really religious most people are pretty secular in reality.Where I live in west virginia it seems every eighth building is a church....and every third building is a bar...you do the math.

Half the cars in the bar parking lot on saturday night can be seen the next day in the church parking lot....the rest slept in.Walmart is just as packed on sunday as saturday,sabbath or not.People flock across the border from 'much less religious maryland',where gambling and strip bars are discouraged and tobacco is highly taxed....to 'God-fearing west virginia' where strip bars and slot machines abound,and cigarettes are taxed at a fraction of what they are in maryland.

If you bother to ask most here will identify as baptist and agree that the bible is the literal word of God.....while sitting in a bar,finishing their 6th beer,taking a drag from the last cigarette in the pack they bought this morning,and talking to their girlfriend about what to name their soon to be born third child.Once they're sure 'things will work out between them' they may even get married...

I may be exaggerating a little...but its a very little.There are some people whose 'walk' matches their 'talk' but most people in the country do live pretty secular lives.

Why do you see any of those things as being "un-Christian"? What about not attending church? If they choose not to, does it make them "lesser" somehow? Defective?

[Fiyero]

Originally Posted by Doug S. 123

Agreed. But you cannot argue with the facts. Just look at how much things have changed in the past 50-75 years. Back then religion was much more prevalent and everythingthing was much more conservative. We are now a country that celebrates sex, drugs and alcohol, and this has all taken place as the rise of secularism has spread

This country has improved quite a bit with a move away from conservative religion. And in case you haven't noticed, roughly 80 % of the US still identifies as Christian.