Colorado Springs: not as much of a "Bible Belt" area as is often assumed... (Canon City: home, schools)

[Josseppie]

Originally Posted by allprolab

When Ford builds a plant in a new area does that make all the local citizens Ford people? I don't think so. The number of religious organizations doesn't mean the CITIZENS of the town think the same. Is it in favor of the right? Sure, but show me a town that statistically isn't, religiously speaking that is. Is it FAR right? Nope, don't see it.

Your analogy is flawed. No one says everyone in Colorado Springs is far right Christian. To use your analogy better. When Ford built the manufacturing plant in a city not everyone worked there but it made the city a manufacturing city. So that would be like people not wanting to see the fact they live in a manufacturing city simply because they did not work in manufacturing.

[allprolab]

This thread was started to point out exactly what I'm trying to tell you. It isn't as religious as the press tells everyone it is. I'm not the only one that feels this way. And it's seems to be only the outsiders, even though some are very close in proximity, that actually think it is.

I think smdensbcs nailed it.

[Josseppie]

Originally Posted by allprolab

This thread was started to point out exactly what I'm trying to tell you. It isn't as religious as the press tells everyone it is. I'm not the only one that feels this way. And it's seems to be only the outsiders, even though some are very close in proximity, that actually think it is.

I think smdensbcs nailed it.

But I have proven that is as religious as everyone thinks. The piece that PBS did was very telling as it cited why Colorado Springs is seen as "America’s Christian Mecca". Honestly I had no idea how many religious organizations were headquartered in Colorado Springs. I rather enjoyed watching it.

This is from 2010, not that old, and I found it interesting.

This is from Men's Health Magazine:

Our list of America's Most Religious Cities shows there's a lot of praying going on in the Bible Belt. No shocker there.
But what is surprising is who's No. 1 in worship: Colorado Springs.


The top 5:

Most religious

1. Colorado Springs, CO
2. Greensboro, NC
3. Oklahoma City, OK
4. Wichita, KS
5. Indianapolis, IN

The link: http://www.menshealth.com/best-life/holy-hometowns?cm_mmc=MagURL-_-Dec2010-_-metrogrades-_-holytowns

[smdensbcs]

Originally Posted by Josseppie

I have reasons for not liking the Springs and one of them is they are so far right and not very tolerant of alternative lifestyles.

Again, your extreme hatred of a group of people and a place ends up making YOU look like an extremist bigot, not the other way around. I know its hard for you to grasp that concept, as you undoubtedly consider yourself "tolerant." I suspect you probably are tolerant except for those things you're bigoted against, just like any bigot. In your case, it may be the only thing you're bigoted against is Colorado Springs and El Paso County, which in the grand scheme of things is probably not so bad, all things considered.

If the Springs (note how you lump entire group into a single category for ease of applying your stereotype against, i.e. "black people are all..." or "gays are all..." or "every Mexican is a...") is "so far right and not very tolerant of alternative lifestyles" then why are our mixed-race couple next door neighbors 100% accepted and loved in our Springs neighborhood? Why did me and my wife (white hetero Christians as they get) hire their mixed-race high school boys to babysit our 6 year olds instead of burning crosses on their yard? Why did I see an obvious same-sex couple in line at Chipotle last week laughing and cracking jokes with three buzz-cut army dudes? Didn't look to me like those two ladies were living in fear they were about to get the Matthew Sheppard treatment like they might get other places. In fact, looked like they were having a pretty great day and totally comfortable with themselves. Right here in bad ole hatemongering Colorado Springs no less. Good grief.

You and jazzlover are like two peas in a pod on these boards, so utterly convinced of your lovingly held beliefs, no amount of contrary evidence will ever, ever make so much as a tiny dent. Poor fools like me who always seem to try might as well be spending our time persuading a potted plant to jump though a hoop.

It probably irritates you when people portray Pueblo as nothing but a barely-educated backwater full of ignorant Mexican illegals and other various losers. I personally know Pueblo is NOT that, and I've defended it on these boards from people who try to pull out that stereotype. You, on the other hand, are one of the ugly stereotypers in your attitudes toward the city and people of Colorado Springs. Surely you must be better than that, yes?

[Josseppie]

I could get into why I feel the way I do about the far right and far left but that discussion belongs in the politics forum.

In this thread the OP posted that Colorado Springs has the reputation of being a far right Christian city but in reality is not. In my opinion the PBS story gave proof that Colorado Springs is exactly what it's reputation claims it to be simply because that is what the city went after in the 80s. In other words congratulations they were successful. That is like a city going after manufacturing companies then getting mad when people call it a manufacturing city.

[otowi]

Well PBS can say what it wants but living here my whole life and not being a right wing Christian and having seen numerous studies that have mentioned just how NOT religious Colorado Springs is as well, (such as Poll: Colorado Springs not so religious after all for one), I personally do not agree with their assessment. I don't feel it, I haven't witnessed it myself or experienced it in anyway, and I would not describe myself as living in a 'right wing christian' environment nor would I describe the area to other people that way.

[Josseppie]

You guys do realize that the city of Colorado Springs wanted these religious organizations to move their headquarters here. They went out of their way to entice them and gave them benefits. So I find it funny that when they were successful and people call the Springs "America’s Christian Mecca" there is controversy.

[ryanek9freak]

Originally Posted by Josseppie

I have reasons for not liking the Springs and one of them is they are so far right and not very tolerant of alternative lifestyles. In my opinion Colorado Springs is as far right as Boulder is as far left and I think being that extreme is not good for any city.

I am sick and tired of "tolerance" being shoved down everyone's throats. This is still the United States of America, anyone and any group has the right to be unaccepting of something they are offended by. Not gonna get into the whole gay debate right now, but just be thankful that the city even allowed the event to go on. Why would any city ( besides San Francisco) publicly proclaim "Gay Day"?

We get it, you LOVE Pueblo, good for you. I don't care for Pueblo, which is why I rarely ever go there. I suggest the same to you.

And for the record, I'm not religious whatsoever, but I love Colorado Springs for its conservative principles. One of the last cities in the country without a tax and spend mentality.

[ryanek9freak]

Originally Posted by Josseppie

You guys do realize that the city of Colorado Springs wanted these religious organizations to move their headquarters here. They went out of their way to entice them and gave them benefits. So I find it funny that when they were successful and people call the Springs "America’s Christian Mecca" there is controversy.

The bible bangers never bother me, save for their stereotypical mother with a minivan and a flower print dress.

The only thing that irritates me is their tax exempt status. There should have been a time limit on what they were offered when they were lured here in the 80's.

[smdensbcs]

Originally Posted by otowi

I don't feel it, I haven't witnessed it myself or experienced it in anyway, and I would not describe myself as living in a 'right wing christian' environment nor would I describe the area to other people that way.

Clearly your problem then is you're relying on your own eyes, ears, and personal experience based on actually living in Colorado Springs. What you need to do to really "get" how awful a place Colorado Springs truly is is to adopt the all-knowing position of a person who has spent most of his life living in Pueblo, a golden-aura place of near perfection we dare not criticize. A person who has a deep-rooted and borderline irrational hatred of Colorado Springs and the people who live here. THAT is how you should be forming your opinions about yourself as a Springs resident and the place you call home. He knows - you're just confused by your own experience. You're nothing but an object of scorn and derision because you didn't move away in an angry huff the day the Mayor didn't proclaim "gay day" in Colorado Springs, which can only be understood as yet another blatant expression of our collective religion-fueled hatred of all things.