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There are cities outside the "Bible Belt" that can give anywhere in the Bible Belt a run for its money. Colorado Springs comes quickly to mind.
Here is my list:
Not only Austin, but the rest of Central Texas. San Antonio is largely hispanic and Catholic, and even the small towns between and around those two cities have people that are descended from German and Czech immigrants that came after the civil war and I don't think identify with standard "southern" culture very strongly. Anywhere south of SA is also largely hispanic and Catholic.
Obviously southern Louisiana. Maybe even to some extent other spots throughout the Mississippi delta? Its so heavily African American, and Black churches are a little culturally different from other southern churches maybe?" Maybe I'm just going off the colorful, vibrant music and service. Forgive me if I stereotype.
Asheville, NC and probably other college towns in NC.
A lot of Virginia I think is pretty watered down I would think, as a good chunk of the population is part of the DC area, and many people who grew up there have moved all over the state maybe.
Metro Atlanta. I tend to think of Atlanta as being a little less "Bible Belt" than Dallas or Houston, despite all three being large international southern cities. I think of metro Atlanta as having been more transformed by northerners.
Central and Southern Florida probably don't count as "the South or the Bible Belt" it was a sparsely inhabited frontier until "yankees" transformed it to resort and retirement destinations.
You could definitely call Tulsa a Bible Belt Buckle (Oral Roberts).
You could probably call Lynchburg, Virginia a Bible Belt Buckle due to Jerry Falwell/Liberty University, although it's no secret many transplants have populated Virginia over the years (although probably not as much for Lynchburg).
Nashville, Dallas/Ft. Worth, and Charlotte are probably the big three. However, as we've pointed out, these areas are rapidly changing through growth and transplants.
There are some oddities in that list. it combines some cites that aren't in the same MSA or CSA.
The most glaring is how it combines Asheville, NC with Greenville & Spartanburg SC. I don't know how you can ever consider these to be the same area.
Similarly, it combines Fayetteville with Raleigh-Durham. The Triangle is all about higher ed., tech and biotech while Fayetteville is a military town.
I could see that a little, but it's definitely a stretch and a big generalization. Fayetteville isn't terribly far from the Triangle, and WRAL covers Fayetteville, too. Asheville isn't too far from the SC Upstate, also. However, I know what you mean.
You could definitely call Tulsa a Bible Belt Buckle (Oral Roberts).
You could probably call Lynchburg, Virginia a Bible Belt Buckle due to Jerry Falwell/Liberty University, although it's no secret many transplants have populated Virginia over the years (although probably not as much for Lynchburg).
Nashville, Dallas/Ft. Worth, and Charlotte are probably the big three. However, as we've pointed out, these areas are rapidly changing through growth and transplants.
Dallas is less Bible Belt than Charlotte or Nashville. Fort Worth is probably on the same level as Nashville. Dallas Catholics outnumber Southern Baptists by a good margin.
Also Dallas/Fort Worth and Atlanta have almost the exact same concentration of Evangelical groups. Houston, statistically, is the least Bible Belt of the three but not by a significant margin. Atlanta may be more influenced by the north, but DFW and Houston are more influenced by California and the West Coast.
Dallas is less Bible Belt than Charlotte or Nashville. Fort Worth is probably on the same level as Nashville. Dallas Catholics outnumber Southern Baptists by a good margin.
Also Dallas/Fort Worth and Atlanta have almost the exact same concentration of Evangelical groups. Houston, statistically, is the least Bible Belt of the three but not by a significant margin. Atlanta may be more influenced by the north, but DFW and Houston are more influenced by California and the West Coast.
If Atlanta is influenced by the north, might as well count Charlotte to a lesser extent (barely). However, if we're talking about which cites were true Bible Belt Buckles in the past, definitely Nashville, Charlotte, and Dallas/Ft. Worth (I guess Ft. Worth more so). Those have to be the big three.
Springfield Missouri is my idea as the buckle of the Bible Belt. Large baptist and pentecostal church following and small catholic population for a city it's size. There are more members of the Assembly of God church than Catholic Church. It is the national headquarters for the Assembly of God church. Also a couple bible colleges...baptist and pentecostal. Very socially conservative for the size of the city as well. Springfield and Tulsa are very similar in lots of aspects.
If Atlanta is influenced by the north, might as well count Charlotte to a lesser extent (barely). However, if we're talking about which cites were true Bible Belt Buckles in the past, definitely Nashville, Charlotte, and Dallas/Ft. Worth (I guess Ft. Worth more so). Those have to be the big three.
The past does not matter. What matters is 2015. In 2015, Dallas is not a buckle on the Bible Belt. Dallas is far more Catholic and religiously diverse than Charlotte or Nashville. The city of Dallas also voted by over 70% to alter the city charter to allow protection for LGBT people.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ant131531
Atlanta and Austin are the two most liberal cities in the South. Both scored perfect 100 on the Municipal Equality scale.
Austin would be the most liberal followed by Atlanta.
Atlanta definitely deserves its credit. Like Dallas, its not a buckle on the Bible Belt. DFW and Atlanta have roughly the same percentage Evangelical Christian adherents. The suburbs of both must be taken into account. Like Dallas, Atlanta is a liberal city surrounded by conservative suburbs.
Notice there are three counties North Texas that are blue (blue represents catholic in that map). Those are Dallas, Collin, and Cooke. Those three blue counties are in a endless (or what seems endless) sea of red (which represents Evangelical Southern Baptist). In Georgia, you see one green county (which represents mainline Methodist) and one blue. Those are Fulton and Clayton respectively.
Austin and Houston are on the edge of the Bible Belt geographically, so they can't really be considered holes. DFW and Atlanta are in the middle of the Bible Belt geographically.
If the three North Texas counties don't classify as a "hole", I don't know what does.
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