How religious is Pittsburgh (Penn Hills, Wilkinsburg: fit in, apartment, house)

[chicknpotpie]

How religious is Pittsburgh (in the city, not burbs)? Are most people church goers? Are non-reglious people subtly ostracized?

[JoeLeaphorn]

Originally Posted by chicknpotpie

How religious is Pittsburgh (in the city, not burbs)? Are most people church goers? Are non-reglious people subtly ostracized?

There are many strong Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Hindu communities in Pittsburgh and I would have to say that Pittsburgh has not experienced as steep a decline in attendance at religious services as many other communities. In part this is religious and in part it is because politics and religion go together in Pittsburgh.

There are many other Pittsburghers who believe in God but don't attend regular services.

I have a few friends who are atheists and at least some of them complain that they are looked down upon by believers but, in my experience, this is partly because they are the militant, in-your-face kind of atheists who are as intolerant of believers as believers are of them.

Most people don't go out of their way to discover what are your religious beliefs and my view is that my beliefs are nobody's business but mine.

[Awesomo.2000]

It is extremely religious here. Just yesterday I had a bunch of picketers infront of my apartment picketing my agnostic views and damning me to hell! One picket sign said, "Jesus forgives all but those who don't accept him as lord and savior", and another read "Go to church you evil Heathen!" Everything is pretty much controlled by the church. You have to say 7 Hail Marys before entering a adult video store and 5 before entering a bar (6 if you get drunk at the bar). Things like living with your boyfriend/girfriend and not being married, having kids out of wedlock, not going to church on Sundays, watching rated R movies, listening to Rock and Roll, etc, etc really crawls under people's skin here, and if you do dare to do one of those heithen things, watch out! you will be shunned for the rest of your life. Better just go move somewhere else. Christians in Pittsburgh don't forgive!

[JoeLeaphorn]

Originally Posted by awesomo2000returns

It is extremely religious here. Just yesterday I had a bunch of picketers infront of my apartment picketing my agnostic views and damning me to hell! One picket sign said, "Jesus forgives all but those who don't accept him as lord and savior", and another read "Go to church you evil Heathen!"

Gee, I wonder why that didn't make the news? It's not like it was a big news day, yesterday. This is a joke, right?

Originally Posted by awesomo2000returns

Everything is pretty much controlled by the church. You have to say 7 Hail Marys before entering a adult video store and 5 before entering a bar (6 if you get drunk at the bar). Things like living with your boyfriend/girfriend and not being married, having kids out of wedlock, not going to church on Sundays, watching rated R movies, listening to Rock and Roll, etc, etc really crawls under people's skin here, and if you do dare to do one of those heithen things, watch out! you will be shunned for the rest of your life. Better just go move somewhere else. Christians in Pittsburgh don't forgive!

Cut me a break. Pittsburgh has an openly gay council person. I don't see his house being picketed. I have done almost everything on your list, above, and can't think of anyone ever giving me a hassle because of it.

[Awesomo.2000]

Really? I wonder why I have such a hard time? Maybe I am doing something wrong.

[mattjd]

Originally Posted by JoeLeaphorn

There are many strong Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Hindu communities in Pittsburgh

Really? Where exactly is this strong Muslim and Hindu community? Sure, everyone knows Squirrel Hill and the Jewish history there, but Muslim and Hindu??? In Pittsburgh?!?!?! Maybe a few here and there spread out amongst the city, but certainly not a well-organized, strong community.

Pittsburgh is fairly religious...probably very religious compared to other large cities. It's a pretty socially conservative area and you will see people protesting outside the abortion clinic downtown, but that would be anywhere. I've lived outside the city in the burbs, but i don't think you will have a problem being non-religious in Pittsburgh. I mean, it's not something that I'd wear a t-shirt advertising, but I don't think it's going to be an issue. If you're really concerned about it, move to a more younger/liberal area...like oakland, shady side, squirrel hill, etc. or the south side. These areas are filled with young people, college students, liberals, yuppies, hippies, etc. You would fit in fine there. Carson St. has a lot of fair trade coffee shops that allow you to get free wireless access for your macbook too.

[Awesomo.2000]

OK, without the sarcasm.

Pittsburgh is no different than other cities. Sure cities like Seattle, San Fran, Portland are going to have more younger 20 something educated agnostic or aethist like me. There is a large Catholic base here, but that is the same with most east coast cities. Cities with growing young populations like Denver still have very conservative religious suburbs. We don't have mega churches like they have out there. Religion is everywhere. I noticed Pittsburgh and Philly has lots of Catholics, Denver had a lot of mega church Protestants, Salt Lake had a lot of Mormons, LA has its scientologist. Pittsburgh is not like Salt Lake though where the Mormon church has a strong influence on the town. There may be a lot of practacing Catholics here, and one thing I noticed when moving back is the extreme amount of fish frys this time of year, but it is not rubbed in your face. Just eat the fish sandwiches and keep your opinions to yourself, and that is how Pittsburgh rolls.

[JoeLeaphorn]

Originally Posted by mattjd

Really? Where exactly is this strong Muslim and Hindu community? Sure, everyone knows Squirrel Hill and the Jewish history there, but Muslim and Hindu??? In Pittsburgh?!?!?! Maybe a few here and there spread out amongst the city, but certainly not a well-organized, strong community.

Let's see. There are the following Hindu temples:

Hindu Jain Temple, Monroeville
Sri Venkateswara Temple, Penn Hills
Shri Shirdi Sai Baba Temple

and the following Islamic mosques

Islamic Center, Oakland
Muslim Community Center, Monroeville
Mastid Al-Aw Wal of Pittsburgh, Hill District
Masjid al Mu'min, East Liberty
Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam, Wilkinsburg

Now, considering the demographics of Pittsburgh, I'd say that there is decent representation of the Hindu and Muslim communities in terms of organizations.

[Tinare]

Originally Posted by mattjd

Really? Where exactly is this strong Muslim and Hindu community? Sure, everyone knows Squirrel Hill and the Jewish history there, but Muslim and Hindu??? In Pittsburgh?!?!?! Maybe a few here and there spread out amongst the city, but certainly not a well-organized, strong community.

I can't speak to the muslim community, but the Hindu community is indeed strong in Pittsburgh. There are three sizable Hindu temples in the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh, the most visible being the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Penn Hills. It's the big white one you can see on the hill from the Parkway East.

Pittsburgh Hindu Temples - Venkateswara Temple, Penn Hills

[SIZE=5][/SIZE]

[Jay_F]

I think a lot of folks here have strong religious beliefs, but it does not feel smothering/preachy/bible thumping/hypocritical as it did to me living in the South, Midwest, or especially Utah. Cross into southern IN from Ohio or into some smallish towns, and you were welcomed with disturbing anti abortion billboards. Utah felt like a paranoid theocracy, and a subset from the US... Weirdest place I ever lived.