Castiel233 Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 For those of you who live, of have visited a Bible-belt state, what are your impressions. Did you feel endangered as a non believer? Is there a genuine threat to your life, liberty and pursuit of happiness as an atheist Would you feel you had the confidence to start a free-thought group for example and very publicly advertise the fact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdelsolray Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 I lived in the Southern United States (southern Mississippi and northeast Louisiana) for about six years. I mostly have fond memories of that time, and of the people who lived there. I was relatively inactive at that time when it came to religion or religious beliefs. I did not have much interaction with folks on that set of subjects. I did observe, however, that religious beliefs were held without question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 I don't have sources off the top of my head, though the AtheistNexus website has quite a few. The trouble seems to strike most for two groups: The young, whose parents are true believers and want to constantly check to see how their "walk with the Lard" is doing. These can end up having their college money and other resources cut off if they are not careful. Depending on where you are, some atheist groups have, in the past 10 years or so, been vandalized for being atheist. Ironically, some of the Xians I ran with towards the end of my Christianity admitted as much, claiming those who did the vandalizing in rural areas were not True Christians. I definitely think if you are an activist type you will run into trouble. Ask anyone working for the Southern Poverty Law Center. If you wanted to have a Libertarian sticker and promote Libertarian free thought at Berkley or in San Francisco, you would run into similar trouble. It's just the way majorities tend to behave. The difference with Christians is those who do this allege they're doing the work of their god. I agree, especially as you get a bit older, it's easier to stay beneath the radar. The evangelists are really after the young ones anyway. And, if you get to know their euphamisms and don't be friends with those who are too strongly linked, you should be fine. Only those who start to doubt your authenticity will question and that won't happen if you stay away from the churches. I do know someone in Tennessee who attends a UU church, and when she's asked what church she attends, she can just say UU. While the Evangelicals will never see that as a valid church, it at least passes muster in social situations. And quite well, she says. They leave her alone when she says that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrotherJosh Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 Shameless plug for a friend. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/godlessindixie/ What you’ll find here are mostly my thoughts and ramblings about living as a skeptic in the Deep South. If you’re not from around here, you probably wouldn’t believe how central religion is to life in the South. I was raised in this culture, and I spent two decades of my life passionately pursuing the ideals of evangelical Christianity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chikirin Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 There's lots of churches but also lots of nudie bars, gun stores, fireworks stores, pawn shops, discount cigarette stores, liquor stores, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gall Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 There's lots of churches but also lots of nudie bars, gun stores, fireworks stores, pawn shops, discount cigarette stores, liquor stores, etc. Sounds like every city in America anywhere that I have ever been. sort of lame actually and gets boring fast. Rather spend time in the woods and fields. At least I can take my liquor out there and don't have to see the pawn shops... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blood Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Bible belt types have an "existential" fear of atheists. If they know you on a personal level, they don't feel threatened by you, and are inclined to therefore treat you normally. What they fear is "atheism" generally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
directionless Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 I grew up in a Bible Belt state and now I live in another Bible Belt state. In between I lived in a non-Bible Belt state. I think it's useful to remember that a Bible Belt state might be 60/40 for regular church attendance whereas a non-Bible Belt state might be 40/60. (Pew Forum has some surveys, but I can't find them right now.) That's not a big difference except in politics. The main difference I see is that people in the Bible Belt might say "have a blessed day". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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