Being Accepted?

[Akhenaton06]

Originally Posted by Marks

RCL, great to have yet another Christian on the board and one moving to SC as well!

I appreciate your input on this matter. However, I respectfully disagree with a couple of things in your post.

(1) You said, "…why there is still so much racism in the "bible belt" when clearly the apostle Paul in the bible addressed this issue (Galatians 3:28)" This is the common verse that is used to justify classification of all races as one, and the unBiblical position of women ministers. If you will simply read the context and many other Bible passages on this you will see this is talking about salvation, not equality of the races. For if we simply follow this passage then there would be no men or women on the earth only agender? That's illogical. If you wish to take this off board you can PM me.

Actually the verse is talking about all believers having equal standing in Christ, no matter if they are male, female, Jew, Gentile (which are the only two "biblical" races, BTW), bond, or free. So while the verse doesn't speak of races as a whole, it does indeed show us that Blacks and Whites in Christ are equals and should be treated as such. The Bible Belt racists can't even wrap their heads around that simple concept.

[RCL]

Originally Posted by Be great

I do not agree with your opinion that the "south" is racist. If you really want racism, try the "godless" northeast. There they say one thing and do another.

The difference is that the south calls itself the bible belt and says they value biblical principles. The northeast makes no such claim.

[RCL]

Amen to Akhenaton06!

Hatred is hatred.

We are not called to judge, rather to love and to be the example of His love toward others. What good is it if we love only those who love us?
The walk of faith is not easy, nor was it meant to be.

(Bear in mind, I have been a victim of BOTH violent crime and property crime committed against me by both blacks and hispanics within the past couple of years. So I feel qualified to talk about this. It's been a great battle to not harbor hatred and resentment but I work on it every day because when God has forgiven me of so much, I have no business holding any grudges against anyone. Having this happen to me was the final straw in wanting OUT of California, but it's not because I hate those people, rather because the elected officials have been mismanaging the state for so long that there is no enforcement of borders, and lack of law enforcement altogether. I believe California will, unfortunately, get much worse (almost anarchy) before it gets much better and I don't want to be there while that's happening.)

Anyway, regarding the above paragraphs, I understand wanting to get into a more conservative environment because over time, living in a place like California can wear you down. However, there is such a thing as leading a sheltered life and this is not good either because whether anyone likes it or not, this country is only getting more diverse as the years roll on. For kids today to be able to live in the world 40 years from now, will require good coping skills and a sense of self that allows them to know who they are, and hold fast to their ideals, yet remain open-minded toward others of different opinions. I believe that is a part of a spirit-filled life.

I don't want to live in a place that's so homogenous and believes that all people should either be the same, or else remain silent and/or hidden with their differences. That's not a healthy environment, in my opinion. I don't have kids (yet) but still might some day and would want them to be exposed to the world as it really is, instead of within a small utopian society. Donna Reed is a myth, but too many people still believe that it's reality. Besides, if I wanted that, I'd say move to someplace like Norway or Finland where there are only three races, snow white, linen white, and eggshell white. LOL

Too often, the Right goes on the rampage about the Left trying to get the phrase "under G*d" removed from the Pledge of Allegiance; however, for all their bickering, many completely disregard the last part of the POA which says, "...with liberty and justice for ALL".

OK, so back to correlating all of this to this board, with respect to South Carolina (or anywhere in the bible belt), I'm all in favor of living in a place where people's faith plays more of a part in their daily lives. (Even though I'm not Mormon, I do respect them for this here in Utah.) However, what I don't want to get into is a place where people are ignorant and hypocritical. That, in my opinion, can be just as oppressive as a place like CA with all its ills...because ignorance is NOT bliss, it's death. Hypocrisy only breeds resentment. (I firmly believe that my friends who are no longer evangelicals decided to leave their faith because they saw so much hypocrisy while they were growing up.)

I like the way another poster put it on another board

Originally Posted by wsaiken

At the risk of beating this horse to within an inch of its life, I'm going to take my own whack.

I've lived in SC for 40 of my 42 years. It is, as others have described, easy to passively blend in. People will invite you to church and with a polite, "No thank you," you'll continue to enjoy Southern hospitality. If, however, you are openly offended by organized religion, some of the natives will act as if you are a personal threat.

Though I'm a regular church goer, I think organized religion --in particular, its prominence in SC politics -- is worthy of criticism. Were you inclined to agree with me, you might find SC less to your liking. I'm comfortable being viewed as a bit of a wingnut, but my accent, demeanor and familiarity make me seem less threatening.

I love SC as only a native can and I'm pleased that many of you have or will make it your home. I wish, however, some of you would choose not to blend in, but bring your agnostic Yankee sensibilities to bear whenever you see us do something stupid (and we will).

That having been said, if I move to South Carolina, I will bring my Faith, but also my Yankee sensibilities. As one pastor put it to me years ago, saying "We are not being the Salt of the earth when we walk around so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good. We are IN the world, just not OF it."

[flgargoyle]

Although I would easily pass for a Norwegian or Finn, my mother would not tolerate any prejudice in her household, and I'm the same way. I'm planning to buy some acreage in SC soon, and I'm going to offer a few acres to a (black) friend of mine. He's very worried about whether the Greenville area is still 'Jim Crow' or not, and will decide a few years later if he's going to settle there. It makes me sad that he should even have to consider that in his decision, but that's the way it is, unfortunately. I am conservative and deeply Christian, and accepting of anyone who is not out to harm other people. I'd much rather live in a 'minority' neighborhood of decent, accepting people, than in a lily white bigotted neighborhood. I won't keep my feelings a secret from people who display hatred for others- I hope they don't run ME out of town!

[RCL]

Originally Posted by flgargoyle

Although I would easily pass for a Norwegian or Finn, my mother would not tolerate any prejudice in her household, and I'm the same way. I'm planning to buy some acreage in SC soon, and I'm going to offer a few acres to a (black) friend of mine. He's very worried about whether the Greenville area is still 'Jim Crow' or not, and will decide a few years later if he's going to settle there. It makes me sad that he should even have to consider that in his decision, but that's the way it is, unfortunately. I am conservative and deeply Christian, and accepting of anyone who is not out to harm other people. I'd much rather live in a 'minority' neighborhood of decent, accepting people, than in a lily white bigotted neighborhood. I won't keep my feelings a secret from people who display hatred for others- I hope they don't run ME out of town!

I agree with you.

So then if we were to become neighbors, they would have to run us BOTH out of town.

[Bill T]

We have lived in the South for eight years. Though not Christian we have yet to experience even a moment of discomfort. People are people and Americans generally are a tolerant lot. In December we have a "Winter Party" half the cake has a picture of a Channukah scene and the other half has a Christmas secene. We plan to move to Aiken and though Jewish I am confident I will be accepted and will quickly become part of South Carolina hospitality. Perhaps it's time for us to stop viewing the South with trepidation (I am a native of New York)and simply learn that people accept those who are willing to be part of a gentle loving community. Plus Southern cooking is outstanding.

[porchlight]

I moved from PA to FLA and then to SC. Raised by a Jewish mother and a Catholic father, no one here cares. Charleston is the home of the oldest continuous Jewish Temple. People, I have found, in South Carolina are warm, welcoming, friendly and neighborly people. Strangers speak on the street (that took some getting used to as it is NOT done in Miami, lol), strangers wave as they pass you in a car, strangers stop to help you if you break down in your car. I have lived and traveled all over this country and few places (except maybe Pgh) are as friendly to "newcomers" as the low country is. JMHO

[raderator]

It's much more a city-rural thing than a North-South thing. In Columbia, no one will even comment on your Northern accent. But in the rural North, be prepared to have to put up with country music, NASCAR and Jesus.

Then there are places like Asheville NC and Athens GA which might as well be Ithaca NY (well, not that bad).

Basically, I hate both the country boobs and the urban commies. Guess that's why I have no friends.

[oldcarfart]

Originally Posted by Evey

My mother's family is quite Jewish. My menorah was lit in my grandfather's memory, as it is every year. Still I was not condemned to eternal hellfire or damnation.

Don't let fear of the unknown hold you back. It is a wonderful place to raise a family. Family values are strong here.

be prepared for the line of "if Jesus is not in your heart you will go to hell", there still remains a gene pool needing some clorox <grin>