Bible belt and tollerance (Houston, Dallas: hotel, theatre, to live)

[TexasHorseLady]

Sometimes I think there must be folks with "Ask me where I go to church" on their foreheads or something.

[catman]

I don't get asked very often, but it happens occasionally, usually by Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses who show up at my door trying to sell me their versions.

[TexasHorseLady]

Ah. I recognize Jehovah's Witnesses before they're out of their vehicle (quarter mile drive, dogs, know people are coming before they get here). I just say "preacher's kid, no, thank you" and they nicely go away, don't even get to get as far as asking the question.

Haven't seen any nice Mormon boys in years and years. My mother the preacher's widow (twice) used to invite them in for lemonade and cookies and to discuss theology and they wouldn't escape for a couple of hours!

But those ARE very special cases and not the "everyone asks you that question and judges you by it" that I keep hearing happens all the time to some folks.

[Chickrae]

Originally Posted by dlrushford

Chickrae,
Wow, and this is what my question was about.
When we stop and listen, it seems that the friendly people who we might consider to be a friend, just might be asking about our personal life, to judge us, then stabe us in the back. But I find that every were, and normanly it is jealous women.
But Here in OKlahoma, it is different, its anything, everything,& stronger.
Do not let them into your life.
My husband & I bought land north of San Antonio, Texas, and we hope when we get back, to sell the house in Arizona.
Take Care, & I hope to see you, & your family in TX,
Rushford

I agree. I have my own beliefs and I try not to push them on anyone else and I expect people to do the same. We all have the free agency to believe what we want. The lady that asked me just acted put out that I already had a church and just because I am now here doesn't mean I am changing churches or beliefs.

Maybe we will see you there in 3 years...take care. good luck with the sale of the house. I sold my house in Utah last year in June 2007 before everything slowed and it became hard to sell. Hopefully you can have a quick sale. Lots here to do in Oklahoma.

[Chickrae]

Originally Posted by love roses

Just like THL, I've lived in Texas nearly my entire life and have never ever had anyone ask me where I went to church. Is there like a traveling gang of people who roam the state trailing transplants and asking this just to annoy them or something. None of my coworkers have asked me this question either, and I've never asked anyone this myself.

Don't know about Texas...but I have been asked it several times in Oklahoma. I just started a new job and they said "have you found a church yet". I thought that was an odd question. My response was yes same one I had in Utah, same faith just different location.

[TexasHorseLady]

I just started a new job and they said "have you found a church yet".

I read this and it occurred to me that they might just have been trying to be helpful, rather than trying to convert you to their faith. As in, "Have you found a church of your own denomination here yet? If not, maybe I can point you to where they are."

[Chickrae]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

I just started a new job and they said "have you found a church yet".

I read this and it occurred to me that they might just have been trying to be helpful, rather than trying to convert you to their faith. As in, "Have you found a church of your own denomination here yet? If not, maybe I can point you to where they are."

Well its possible, I am not saying they were trying to convert me but never had anyone ask me that. It was just the look I got when I said what church I was going to....that puzzled look. Anyways I guess I expected the first questions to be "how long have you been in the area, do you have any children, where exactly do you live". It's not a problem I was just commenting on something someone else had said that recently moved to the same area

[dlrushford]

Originally Posted by Chickrae

Well its possible, I am not saying they were trying to convert me but never had anyone ask me that. It was just the look I got when I said what church I was going to....that puzzled look. Anyways I guess I expected the first questions to be "how long have you been in the area, do you have any children, where exactly do you live". It's not a problem I was just commenting on something someone else had said that recently moved to the same area

Chickrae...I have a friend who was born here in Oklahoma, and she said today, people despise visitors, do not what change, and they should be treated better than outsiders. But she loves outsiders, so with hope maybe Oklahoma can change.
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by love roses

Just like THL, I've lived in Texas nearly my entire life and have never ever had anyone ask me where I went to church. Is there like a traveling gang of people who roam the state trailing transplants and asking this just to annoy them or something. None of my coworkers have asked me this question either, and I've never asked anyone this myself.

LOL!!! I know, I'm thinking the same thing. I've hardly EVER had anyone ask me that question EXCEPT when in conversation when I mention something about having to do something at church (class, VBS, church camp, etc) and doing it "in passing" that I've gotten that question. I've asked it myself when THAT slips into the conversation - THEY brought it up first. For Example:
Friend/Co-worker/Acquiantance: "I've got to get the kids some stuff for church camp"
Me: "When are yours going?"
Them: "xxx date"
Me: "What church do you go to?"
Them: "First Must Ask Everyone Where They Go Church"
Me: "Oh. Do you know _______?"
Or the entire conversation could be reversed. No BIG deal at all.

Oh, and I'm the preachers grandkid. Used to be known around Dallas by my grandparents. Talk about when it was still a "small town" feel for a big city. LOL!!!

Now, I did have one lady get put off w/ me when I mentioned the word "church". We were at a kids birthday party and she came up and said I looked familiar. So we were trying to figure out how as my kid did not know hers. So I rattled off possible places she could have known me or recognized me: "school - school 1 & school 2"?
her: "no"
me: "Where do you work?"
her: "x company"
me: "Nope, don't know that place or anyone there. I live in _____ neighborhood?"
her: "no"
me: "church?"
her: "NOOOOOOO!!!!"
And I mean it was a FLAT OUT NOOOOOOO!!!! okay, so sorry. After that I just said, "I have no idea but it was nice to meet you" and walked off. Afterall if she was offended that I went to church then I surely did not want to hang around someone like that. THAT is what I don't get. All of these people moving from so-called areas that are "OPEN MINDED" get their panties all in a wad just because some of us go to church. What happened to being so "open minded"???? Afterall, you don't see us getting all huffy because they don't go to church. Kind of funny if you think about it.

Oh, that is the OTHER thing. Most and I mean the majority of the people that reside in any and all cities in Texas are NOT originally FROM Texas. Maybe they were born here and they are young (30's) but their parents were not. But still the majority are not even born here. Then you have the huge influx of people moving here from these "progressive" and "open minded" places that WANT to be somewhere more "family oriented" or "conservative". Think about it next time it happens. When you find yourself around the office water cooler and the conversation of religion or church comes up turn it around and find out how many of "those people" were actually from somewhere else.

[cleoT]

momof2dfw, just a thought (trying to stay open minded ) maybe the woman who said "NO!" to church had been offened at an earlier point about the fact she didn't go to church. Maybe not, I'm not trying to defend the woman, I'm just saying that when someone says something so strong like that, there usually is a reason. Maybe she overreacted, maybe she thought later, "You know, the woman was just trying to help me figure out where I knew her." Maybe she meant exactly what you thought she meant. The one thing I've learned through the years is that sometimes there can be a thousand different meanings.

I will share with you guys a funny one. One of the first times I was asked this question after I moved here was in a Brookshires grocery. It was a little old lady who'd come up to me and commented on how cute my daughter was. She started asking me questions and I told her I was new in town. She asked me if I had a church yet (and I wasn't offened, but I was caught off guard, because growing up in a religiously diverse city, we just never asked people what religion they were) and I said no. She perked up and then asked was I _______ (particular denomination) and I said no I'm ________ (a different denomination). She straightened up and then said, "Well, I'll pray for you then," and walked away. I crack up about this now, but I'll admit at the time, and I still think this, the woman was basically saying I was going to Hell.

I think it's wonderfull how my kids are surrounded by Christian people, no matter what denomination they are. I think when I get back home, although the town is a very religious town, I'll somewhat miss that overt Christian way, because people are just not like that up there. But that'll come in handy when I don't have to defend myself for being a social drinker or enjoying a trip to Shreveport now and then. Both ways are fine and great for the area, but that is a cool thing about Texas.