WA State and Ministers (Seattle, Spokane: transplants, how much, college)

[nomorebull]

I've been looking at Olympia, Long beach and Spokane Valley area. But including these places, does anyone know what the best in this State are for ministers, mainly progressive and metaphysical ministers? The most spiritual towns and cities in WA?

What are the most progressive, liberal and also SLOWEST PACED cities and towns as well?

The above points are what I am desperately ISO, and the folks MUST be friendly and kind. (I hope this last isn't too idealistic!)

Thanks for any kind help!

[SeattleWA]

Good thing you're not one of those evangelical type Ministers.

[yukiko11]

I live in NW WA, but I have to be honest and tell you that it sounds like you are looking for victims and not followers. Please don't come here.

[Ira500]

Orcas Island has a decidedly progressive/spiritual bent.

[Fat Freddy]

You will find gullible wackazoids everywhere, but the general population of Western Washington is probably a lot more down to earth and puts a higher value on common sense than what you may find in other places - Northern California for example.

[StealthRabbit]

Humboldt County, NoCA; or various parts of Oregon

few in WA, very few of that nature in eastern WA (Maybe Methow Valley area) or elected enclaves. Spokane Valley probably has too many of the 'Evangelicals' and is too close to ID, they are too keen on your specific criteria (Very RED state, (thank goodness for our republic there are still ~ 3 left)(definately not a democracy) ).

[Alcon]

Of the list, Olympia is your best bet. Not only is it the largest, but it is the most politically and socially progressive. You're not going to find anywhere in WA that's like Humboldt County, where that sort of thing is completely mainstream. However, it would definitely be largely accepted in Olympia. Long Beach is more of a working-class and retiree area. Spokane Valley is lower middle class, traditional and fairly conservative; it would be one of the last places I'd look.

Some other possibilities:

* Vashon Island -- Vashon is close to Seattle but extremely quiet. I'm not sure how active the spiritualist communities are, but I can imagine there's more than a few. A lot of the new residents are exurban Seattle spill-over, but there are also more than a few hippies and like-mindeds still around. I would definitely give it consideration.

* San Juan Islands -- The portions of the San Juan Islands in San Juan County, especially Lopez and Orcas, would definitely be open-minded about this. Waldron Island is practically a commune.

* Bellingham -- More college than alt, while Olympia is more alt than college, but if you want a quiet, mid-sized city with liberal values but accessible culture, this is an option. However, it doesn't offer much that Olympia doesn't.

* Methow Valley -- Like the other poster mentioned, there's a lot of alternative living around Twisp and Winthrop. Also, a lot of Puget Sound transplants living off the fat of the land. A mecca for organic agriculture. Realistically, this is really your only option in Eastern Washington. However, the population is only a few thousand. Even if an unusually high percentage of people are sympathetic to alternative spirituality, in a place with only a few thousand total, that's not gonna be many.

There are definitely "crunchy" contingencies throughout Western Washington -- around La Conner, parts of the western Cascade Foothills (both Highway 2 and State Route 20), even in some Seattle suburbs like Bainbridge Island. However, I honestly don't know how much of that is spiritualist versus a general "world-conscious/progressive/environmentalist"-type deal.

[nomorebull]

Originally Posted by yukiko11

I live in NW WA, but I have to be honest and tell you that it sounds like you are looking for victims and not followers. Please don't come here.

Apologies. I won't.