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I know there is a Baptist church on every corner and Bob Jones used to about own the city. It that still true? Is their influence waning or picking up speed? Is the city/county still considered VERY conservative?
Does anyone know of any Anabaptist leaning churches in the area without being full blown Mennonite? I know there are Mennonites in some nearby areas in the general Upstate area but by Anabaptist leaning I would mean a good emphasis on conservative family church life without the constant emphasis on mixing patriotism and politics with church life but rather an emphasis on non-resistance and non-combative evangelism and a non-market driven mentality. We also want to stay away from the fancy programmed slick & smooth religious entertainment scene. We like the idea of Greenville being a conservative city but I just cant understand a politician or used car salesmen behind the pulpit, and I'm ok with politicians (in their place).
The largest group of voters in the county are both economically and socially conservative. There is a somewhat smaller group, but still substantial, who are economically conservative but not socially conservative. These vary from outright libertarians to the "country club conservatives" who are very influential in the more wealthy voting districts in the city and county. There are a lot of people - mostly low or low-middle income, salt of the earth folks, who are socially conservative but not economically conservative. The group that seems to be growing the fastest is the group of people who are neither socially nor economically conservative. Call them liberal, call them progressive, they are growing as Greenville becomes more diverse, but are still very much in the minority.
I can't answer your question about anabaptists and Mennonites.
BJU has had an impact on the city and still does to a certain degree, though it could easily be argued that its present impact is more favorable to the fine art industry than anything else. Most people who know little or nothing about the school automatically think it is a place to avoid at all cost, yet if they would open their minds even a little they would realize the very high level of training art students receive on campus. To say the religious impact is nonexistant would be a lie, however I would say that the school's religious influence on the city of Greenville is diminishing and nearly irrelevant among the vast majority of circles in the community.
It has been my experience that Greenville in general is definitely loosening its grasp on traditionally Conservative values and opening up to new ideas. It is now a great place to live and believe anything you want.
BJU has had an impact on the city and still does to a certain degree, though it could easily be argued that its present impact is more favorable to the fine art industry than anything else. Most people who know little or nothing about the school automatically think it is a place to avoid at all cost, yet if they would open their minds even a little they would realize the very high level of training art students receive on campus. To say the religious impact is nonexistant would be a lie, however I would say that the school's religious influence on the city of Greenville is diminishing and nearly irrelevant among the vast majority of circles in the community.
It has been my experience that Greenville in general is definitely loosening its grasp on traditionally Conservative values and opening up to new ideas. It is now a great place to live and believe anything you want.
I definitely agree. I wasn't trying to say that BJU has not had any impact on the city, because it has. I guess I was trying to say that if you want nothing to do with them then you won't be bothered.
Their art program is amazing, and they have an amazing gallery from what I've heard...though I have never been. I would like to, I just forget about it. As a current art major at Winthrop I can definitely appreciate that...though I would never think of attending the school.
Actually Greenville seems to be loosing their Conservative back bone and quickly becoming a place not fit to raise a family in. But that is not a Greenville only thing that is something affecting America as a whole.
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