[kelm2601]

Originally Posted by Christinerica

...loose the jesus mania and this would be a great state. Progress would abound. How many bapdist churches does a town need?

This really interests me. I'm an Atheist, though I have nothing about people believeing in whatever they want, I mean ... Who am I to decide what subject a or subject b believes or values, my belief is only one out of a trillion - Would you say that somebody like me moving to a state that has the so called "jesus mania" would be a wrong decision? I've alredy adressed this issue in one of my threads , since my big dream is to move to the south (I always pictured myself in Alabama).

What I'm really trying to figure out is ... Do you have to be a christian to be happy with those around you in said state, or would somebody like me become an sort of outcast because of our belief?

I can't help but to wonder if the happiness of people living in the bible belt for some reason is connected to their strong christian believes, as I understand, families are raised generation upon generation with the same christian values, when your kids goes to school, you can rest assured that your child is not the only truehearted christian. I suspect that these two scenarios might be connected in some way, because of the critical social status you aquire by being a christian in the bible belt.

Or am I completely wrong here? It's just a theory. Well, it's more of a strain of thoughts I've had. I have nothing to base this on, it's more of a theory/thought.


regards,
Thomas Kelm

[giantkillerslingshot]

Originally Posted by kelm2601

This really interests me. I'm an Atheist, though I have nothing about people believeing in whatever they want, I mean ... Who am I to decide what subject a or subject b believes or values, my belief is only one out of a trillion - Would you say that somebody like me moving to a state that has the so called "jesus mania" would be a wrong decision? I've alredy adressed this issue in one of my threads , since my big dream is to move to the south (I always pictured myself in Alabama).

What I'm really trying to figure out is ... Do you have to be a christian to be happy with those around you in said state, or would somebody like me become an sort of outcast because of our belief?

I can't help but to wonder if the happiness of people living in the bible belt for some reason is connected to their strong christian believes, as I understand, families are raised generation upon generation with the same christian values, when your kids goes to school, you can rest assured that your child is not the only truehearted christian. I suspect that these two scenarios might be connected in some way, because of the critical social status you aquire by being a christian in the bible belt.

Or am I completely wrong here? It's just a theory. Well, it's more of a strain of thoughts I've had. I have nothing to base this on, it's more of a theory/thought.


regards,
Thomas Kelm

An atheist in Alabamastan is not a big deal. I wonder if called for jury duty and forced to pledge an oath to the current deity in favor there would compromise your own values. Would one be held in contempt of court and jailed for not bowing before a granite monument of the 10 commandments.

Life in Alabamastan would be rather solitary as no one would speak or befriend a professed atheist...one would have to live in stealth, or face public isolation, no job advancement.

[raj kapoor]

Actually, religion is very apparent in the south. But in general, anyone would find life just as secular here as in most other places in the nation.
Being religious or not is like belonging to an HOA. One has to pick and choose many things in life to have the best personal experience.
I have traveled a great deal in the USA and beyond and I am always amazed at how people think that the people from one state to the other are foreigners. You will find a bit of everything, everywhere.
Most people don't give a damn what you are up to. (one of the reasons for higher unsolved crime)

raj

[dodo2014]

Originally Posted by EricS39

I think today's Alabama is really special. The people of all walks of life who call Alabama home are completely equal in every regard,

They are children of a state that has undone its past wrongs while at the same time, defended its strong political stance as a state with rights that should not be trampled on by Federal power. Its newcomers are just as Alabaman by choosing Alabama to live and/or work.

The TRUE Alabama past present and future is its being for 10th amendment advancement. This means it's the principle that Alabama stand its ground in how it sets its future based on its present, with the dark mistakes put behind and all treated equally on account of who they are.

I like this. Do Alabamans feel confident in it?

very great thank you very much

[TC2coolmom]

Alabama is a very nice place to live, you just have to find the right city. I live in Madison City, where there are people of all different races and beliefs. As a white woman married to a black man and we have two older teenage sons, we don't really worry about the race thing. We have lived thru a lot in other states,but we try not to look at everything thru the race glass. Alabama has it's history and it is a history not to be so proud of. I see that the new generation's are not as racist as there parents and grandparents. I see that more and more people are judged more on what church or religion you are than anything. I am a Atheist and proud of that and there are lots of us here we even have meeting every week just like Christian's, we just talk about science and things of that nature. I love Alabama but there are city's that a person of non white skin should never try to live in or drive thru at night. There are cities that are very strong white pride, there are cities that have serious drug and gang violence, like any other state. There are thousands upon thousand's that are transplants to the state due to job's and they bring there own person view's with them. We are getting better everyday and I don't plan on leaving anytime soon.

[raj kapoor]

Actually the history of Alabama is almost identical to all other southern states and some not in the south. (when referring to the sociological changes, as people do in such veiled ways?)
I suppose if people are not from the south they do not know that the differences from state to state just did not exist until late twentieth century migration. Even then, there are still many natives that one cannot distinguish from any native from another neighboring state.
As an outsider of sorts, I find it amusing how Americans don't want to be associated with each other. Such as writing an otherwise nice post and at the same time insulting people from the state you live in. Until people get past the idea that wrong only exist in SOME PLACES and in SOME PEOPLE'S PAST we will continue to not get along as well as we could.

I have traveled a lot throughout the world and nowhere do you find the internal divide as great as in this country.
What a shame that people don't open their hearts and minds and not judge others for what may have happened in their parents' lifetimes or longer.

I love what Ghandi said; "We will see the British leave, and when we do, we want to see them off as friends."
And that is what happened. Additionally, the British left a culture that became an intrinsic part of modern India.
America and Americans could learn a lot about forgiving and understanding.

Best wishes,
Raj Kapoor

[Traditional music]

Originally Posted by dodo2014

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[Nlambert]

Well, for me personally I believe it's all in your perspective.

For my family, we are completely happy. We both have good jobs here, a nice place to call home in a nice neighborhood full of friendly people (of all races), and two great kids that we spend tons of time with at the local baseball and soccer fields on Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons. Furthermore, we live in a state convenient to mountains, some very beautiful beaches, and can always find neat new things to go do.

If you choose to see Alabama as a miserable bible thumping state with a bunch of racist bigots living here, it will be. If you choose to see it as we do, it can be that too. I believe that to be the same anywhere.

[Reactionary]

The people of Alabama are pretty happy, according to 'science':

Montgomery, Auburn, and Huntsville are "most happy". Birmingham, Mobile, Decatur, and Anniston are "more happy". Tuscaloosa, Florence, Gadsden, and Dothan are "meh". No city in Alabama is "less happy" or "least happy".

Despite our deeply personal differences and definitions of what brings us pleasure (or what saps it), strong patterns emerge across the country when we ask people to describe their own wellbeing.

The below interactive map uses data from a recent working paper on happy (and unhappy) cities by economists Edward Glaeser and Oren Ziv at Harvard and Joshua Gottlieb at the University of British Columbia.

The appeal of unhappy cities - The Washington Post