Is Chattanooga a nice city for a non-religious person? (Knoxville: how much, public schools)

[BlueCuzco]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

A smaller NW Georgia town, maybe? Could give you what you want, while only being an hour away from either city, too.

Besides the whole "not too many religious 'conservatives'" thing.

To a certain extent, stares at "Happy Holidays!" isn't necessarily a sign of religious conservatism. I'm so liberal that liberals think I'm conservative, and I find "happy holidays" perplexing. The only relevant holidays I can think of are Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Christmas. No one around here celebrates Kwanzaa, and only a percent or so celebrate Hanukkah. Furthermore, if the point is to avoid a religious reference, I don't think Christmas poses a threat: it's been so commercialized and mythologically tampered with (Santa Claus, etc) that it's very easy to celebrate a 100% non-Jesus version of Christmas. (Otherwise, Christians wouldn't be compelled to write CHRISTmas all over the place.)

This is relevant because around here, most people say "merry Christmas" just because that's what most people say. Saying "happy holidays" is out of norm and thus seems to be making a special statement, though, as before explained, it's not much of one.

[peppermint]

I agree with everything you said, Blue. I say Happy Holidays because I spent six years near NYC. You can't tell what religion anyone is unless they adhere to the clothing requirements of a particular religion. I have been in the middle of the "Greeting" debate a lot this year. I prefer to say something other than Merry Christmas except on Christmas Eve and Day. It's my preference after years up north and having many non-Christian (Muslim, Jewish, agnostic, etc.) friends.

I haven't met with any issues around Chattanooga. It's usually more rural folks who don't know many people of other religions.

[stella423]

Screw Happy Holidays

[Caramelka]

Thank you for your answers! It was very interesting to hear your opinions. I'm originally from a huge city, times bigger than Atlanta (and that's why I am wondering if Atlanta or Chattanooga are diverse enough for me). I guess that is why I cannot get used to living in rural Alabama. We've lived in San Diego, CA before and it was good enough for me. We've also lived in Charlotte, NC and was way too country-like and hardly had any diversity.

I do not like the fact that Christmas is so commercialized. I respect the religious celebration of Christmas, but I do not see a point in celebrating Christmas if you're not religious. Plus another Christmas on January,7th. I think one needs to filter what he chooses to celebrate.
My big family holiday is New Year's Eve with its version of Santa.
Since these holidays are so close together, it makes sense to say Happy Holidays!

[peppermint]

Caramelka, given everything you said, I honestly don't think Chattanooga is the best fit. I do really enjoy Chattanooga, but if Charlotte wasn't a good fit, I just don't think Chattanooga will be either. Have you visited?

My husband and I moved from northeastern Pennsylvania (NEPA), and I spent several years commuting to NYC. After that experience, I'd say Chattanooga is pretty vanilla. It's a perspective thing. It just takes a little more effort to meet people of different ethnicities and to socialize with them.

You seem to have a great attitude, and I wish you the best no matter where you end up.

Happy Holidays!

[BlueCuzco]

I respect the religious celebration of Christmas, but I do not see a point in celebrating Christmas if you're not religious.

Yeah, I feel the same way. Otherwise you end up with this weird boring mish-mash of half-way feelings. Sometimes.

I'm really really into diversity. I spent three weeks last summer at a theological program in Atlanta focused on interfaith stuff (and social justice). I discovered that's it's really good to live in an environment exposed to all sorts of different cultures and ideas because everyone's usually better in the end after such exposure. However, in places where diversity is the norm the total culture can slip into something similar to a non-religious Christmas: a non-committal mish-mash of things that ends up being nothing much at all. That's why I hate big ambiguous sprawled cities and chain restaurants (besides Macaroni Grill). I took a Southern Liturature course this semester and learned the value of living in a really rich, homogenous culture, even if some or several aspects of the culture really suck. So now I relish living in the South, though all the time I hope for the benefits of diversity as well.

[songinthewind7]

I really don't understand the issue of saying happy holidays. To me, it's a nice greeting. It also covers Thanksgiving through New Year's.
Merry Christmas involves one day and I think Hanukah covers 7 or 8 days.
I'm happy when someone greets me with anything nice.
It's not like they're telling you to go to hell or anything like that just because they say something other than Merry Christmas.
People get too uptight over this.
I'm more a spiritual person than a churchgoing person. In my area, we have a Baptist church. When someone asks me about church, I tell them I'm not a churchgoer. I used to tell people I was Catholic or Jewish just to shut them up but then they tried to convert me. In smaller areas, it seems to be worse but I think in as many cities as I've lived in, most people leave you alone and if they're smart, they won't push there religion on anyone else.

[Jon F Moss]

If someone told me they thought Charlotte was boring (slow) and they're not particularly interested in outdoor adventures, I would say that Chattanooga may not be the place for them either.

[joanne31313e]

I am a Licensed Massage Therapist in Florida. I would like to relocate to Chattanooga but I wonder to what extent the old stereotype of massage as sinful persists in the bible belt? How would you say Chattanooga rates as a viable town in which to build a professional fully licensed massage practice? I would appreciate any feedback.

[BlueCuzco]

I would like to relocate to Chattanooga but I wonder to what extent the old stereotype of massage as sinful persists in the bible belt?

I would say approximately to no extent at all.