Got a Job Offer in Oklahoma City-moving from Idaho to OK (Francis: crime, house)

[okie1962]

Originally Posted by JohnnyDenver

-crime rate
Overall bad and above the national average, but seems to be unevenly distributed and more concentrated in some areas.

-school system (we currently home school, due to lack of education emphasis here)
Needs improvement from what I understand.

The public high schools in the state have some of the lowest graduation rates in the nation and highest teen pregnancy rates. I know some non-catholic people who send their children to catholic high school in OKC and gladly pay more.

The crime rate is heinous and one of the main factors is the low quality of education.

I'm not sure what it's like in Idaho, but when a friend of mine lived in Goldsby, he became extremely fed up on being judged by what church he attended. He is Catholic and to some people in OK, that's worse than being a felony sex offender.

He also stated his neighbors couldn't mind their own business, to the point he stopped talking with them. He felt that people in OK generally have an attitude that "they have a right to know your personal affairs and an obligation to talk with others about it." He couldn't wait to move. He said the best way to see Oklahoma is through the rear view mirror.

That is the biggest line of bull baloney I have ever heard in my life! I am really starting to think you've never even been to Oklahoma.

[eddie gein]

Originally Posted by okie1962

That is the biggest line of bull baloney I have ever heard in my life! I am really starting to think you've never even been to Oklahoma.

It's strange for somebody to go on a board like this and spew invective like he does. It must be personal. I'd like to put Johnny Denver and Johnny Special in the Thunderdome and see who emerges alive.

[TetonTank]

Again this community has not disappointed me. I am soaking all this information in like a sponge. A few things to remember.......We are not religious...i was raised baptist and my wife was raised catholic, however, we have gone away from the religions for our own reasons. We have problems in Idaho because we are not mormon, it is HUGE over here, but we are doing just fine, just gotta find people who don't care about that kind of stuff....we are prior military (like i said before) and we have been from coast to coast, north to south....we really just want to know about the environment.

Thank you all again for this banter. it is a welcomed debate i have no problem reading.

[eddie gein]

Originally Posted by TetonTank

Again this community has not disappointed me. I am soaking all this information in like a sponge. A few things to remember.......We are not religious...i was raised baptist and my wife was raised catholic, however, we have gone away from the religions for our own reasons. We have problems in Idaho because we are not mormon, it is HUGE over here, but we are doing just fine, just gotta find people who don't care about that kind of stuff....we are prior military (like i said before) and we have been from coast to coast, north to south....we really just want to know about the environment.

Thank you all again for this banter. it is a welcomed debate i have no problem reading.

While religious people are pervasive in Oklahoma, there are really large atheist and humanist groups in town as well. It's conservative but there are plenty of liberals and liberal parts of town. We do have a Mormon Temple though.

[dvxhd]

Originally Posted by TetonTank

Again this community has not disappointed me. I am soaking all this information in like a sponge. A few things to remember.......We are not religious...i was raised baptist and my wife was raised catholic, however, we have gone away from the religions for our own reasons. We have problems in Idaho because we are not mormon, it is HUGE over here, but we are doing just fine, just gotta find people who don't care about that kind of stuff....we are prior military (like i said before) and we have been from coast to coast, north to south....we really just want to know about the environment.

Thank you all again for this banter. it is a welcomed debate i have no problem reading.

Too bad you can't visit within the next couple weeks. Basically every building downtown does a lighting scheme with the cross throughout December. You can Google pics if you want to see for yourself. Personally I find it insulting and disrespectful to non-Christians, but they do it every year around this time, but it does go over well amongst the general population. While I've seen generic Christmas decorations in any city this year, the crosses are alien to me and may not go over well in many other cities.

[Bass&Catfish2008]

Originally Posted by dvxhd

Too bad you can't visit within the next couple weeks. Basically every building downtown does a lighting scheme with the cross throughout December. You can Google pics if you want to see for yourself. Personally I find it insulting and disrespectful to non-Christians, but they do it every year around this time, but it does go over well amongst the general population. While I've seen generic Christmas decorations in any city this year, the crosses are alien to me and may not go over well in many other cities.

Sheesh, lightin' up, Pardner.

Merry CHRISTmas to you, DVXHD!

[dvxhd]

Originally Posted by Bass&Catfish2008

Sheesh, lightin' up, Pardner.

Merry CHRISTmas to you, DVXHD!

And a happy Yule and Saturnalia to you! Both of which are pre-Christian holidays that Christianity ripped off to make Christmas, from the time of year it's celebrated to red/green colors, reindeer and holly symbolism. Would locals be happy if I put out gaudy decorations to celebrate a holiday based on the Romans, their former oppressors and the culture that created a holiday that Christians swiped?

[Bass&Catfish2008]

Originally Posted by dvxhd

And a happy Yule and Saturnalia to you! Both of which are pre-Christian holidays that Christianity ripped off to make Christmas, from the time of year it's celebrated to red/green colors, reindeer and holly symbolism. Would locals be happy if I put out gaudy decorations to celebrate a holiday based on the Romans, their former oppressors and the culture that created a holiday that Christians swiped?

I say do whatever floats your boat, Spanky! You'll probably get some funny looks but if I were you, in the spirit of nonconformity, I would say to the naysayers, "Bring it!"

On the flip, I didn't even have to become a Christian to be thief (Christmas traditions, etc.) as my non-Native Southern ancestors were land thieves anyhow. I guess we Christians come by it honestly....me and my Redneck kin especially.

Now, where's that darn yule log so I can indulge in some good ol' fashioned paganism?!

[flyingcat2k]

Originally Posted by dvxhd

And a happy Yule and Saturnalia to you! Both of which are pre-Christian holidays that Christianity ripped off to make Christmas, from the time of year it's celebrated to red/green colors, reindeer and holly symbolism. Would locals be happy if I put out gaudy decorations to celebrate a holiday based on the Romans, their former oppressors and the culture that created a holiday that Christians swiped?

The Christians have already done this too. They'll put a crucifix up just about anywhere. Heck, someone dragged a crucifix up Kiliminjaro this week. That's an old Roman symbol reminding people to not mess with Rome.

I doubt most Christians would even notice your decorations as foreign. They celebrate at the wrong time of year, put up Pagan Trees and boughs in their house and tell their kids an undead saint delivers presents to everyone on the same day around the world. The reindeer came from a 19th century poem except for Rudolph who started as the marketing property of Montgomery Ward.

[nightbird47]

Originally Posted by TetonTank

Again this community has not disappointed me. I am soaking all this information in like a sponge. A few things to remember.......We are not religious...i was raised baptist and my wife was raised catholic, however, we have gone away from the religions for our own reasons. We have problems in Idaho because we are not mormon, it is HUGE over here, but we are doing just fine, just gotta find people who don't care about that kind of stuff....we are prior military (like i said before) and we have been from coast to coast, north to south....we really just want to know about the environment.

Thank you all again for this banter. it is a welcomed debate i have no problem reading.

I'm pagan, eclectic wiccan to be exact. I don't tell anyone what they should believe and have never had a problem here. I ignore all the christan stuff. The funny thing is that supposed open minded Califorinia or at least Riverside County, is FULL of very pushy and in your face christan zelots. I had people rush up to me and say there was time to be saved when they saw my pent. The pagan gatherings there are mostly by invite and you need to know someone since these people try to get one of their own in to disrupt and try to save them. Nothing like that has happened here.

I've found people friendly and helpful here, and if you don't want to be their best buddy they don't insist. I'm not the most social type, but its okay if people are put off too. Not my business why. Maybe that's why I seem to have no problems.

I think with your attitude you would feel welcome here. And while some will tell you that we are 'flat' and 'plain' since it doesn't look like Yosemite (especially dedicated California fans) I find that the open space and the trees and the rolling hills (where I am its mostly that) and the beautiful sunsets, AND the lack of smog makes fully up for beautiful nature I never got to. And I love that a few blocks away from my house is open space, not more houses and shops and traffic.