My Vacation In Fundyville

[Rhia]

I'm at the very tail-end of the bible-belt in southeast PA; I thought being so close to Philly, that it wouldn't be a problem - I was really expecting something close to home (near Boston) when I moved down here.

 

It really should not have been surprising, but it was - to find that when I would go home with my boyfriend to visit his family in Lancaster County (only 40 minutes west!), that there were churches LINING the roads, not just one or two here and there on the street corners. The grocery store clerks would say "God bless you" as you left, and EVERYWHERE I looked, there were signs, people, and such saying "Praise the Lord", etc. I even heard people ON THE STREET just talking, saying that this was "God's country" in Lancaster, and if those "evil atheists" didn't like it, they shouldn't even come to visit!

 

I couldn't believe what I was hearing, especially seeing as 10 more minutes west was a large Renaissance fair where there were pagans and pride flags and people running around dressed as pirates and women with their breasts spilling out of their corsets (I nearly bought one too!).

 

Now I'm about a half-hour north of Philly, and even though people aren't as religious, I still feel really stifled here. I just find that lately, I'm really homesick to return to Mass. Everything is so comfortable and familiar - I miss hearing familiar accents (I have a STRONG Mass accent), and being able to wear a Red Sox hat without being given dirty looks, and getting DECENT ice-coffee at Dunkin Donuts (it exists down here, but the quality isn't as good), and "packies", and so much about home that it's nearly driving me mad.

 

The problem is that until further notice, I can't go home - I wouldn't be allowed back at my mom's.

 

[/hijack]

 

Anyway, I can see how the south would be crazy to so many people, seeing as this far south (which is still pretty north) is too much for me!

[Franciscan Monkey]

I was working in Scottsmoor, Florida, and a customer told me that the reason why he likes living in Scottsmoor so much was because "the blacks know better than to come here."

I don't go to Scottsmoor either, and I'm not even black!

 

Consider yourself lucky! I have to go there relatively often.

 

Burnedout, you say you are in the Florida panhandle, are you near Pensacola? If so, then you've surely heard of the town of Jay. It is notoriously racist. For a number of years one of their residents put up a sign that said, "N*****s, don't let the sun set on you in Jay."

 

Holy Crap! Are you serious? I spent a lot of time in Jay in the mid 90's for business. I never got that kind of impression. Of course, I'm white as wonder bread and consider myself a citified-Florida-psedu-redneck! On the other hand you're taking about a really small town with exactly ONE traffic light and a phone book which consists of exactly 7 pages (I got bored and counted them one time!). So it's really no surprise that there's an asshole resident or 2 around.

 

 

I have been through Jay, in fact, we have gone to rodeo's there and honestly I have NEVER seen a sign such as you described. I am not saying that is not the way it was at one time but over the last 20 years, there has been growth in the area, at least until this last housing slump, and I am sure there are people like that but they have been heavily diluted by newcomers or moved away. I am not saying there is not some in the area but honestly no more than I have seen anywhere else in other places anywhere in the USA. I suspect that if you look hard enough, you will find racism and bigotry anywhere. I am not saying it is right, it just is the way it is and it takes generations of time and education to change.

 

I have family and friends who live in and around Milton and Pace. One of my friends who goes through Jay often said that the sign was taken down within the last two years, so that's pretty recent. It does seem, however, that these kind of things happen more often in very small towns.

 

Outback Jack, the post-it on the Ten Commandments is an awesome idea! I hope you do it.

 

Respectfully,

Franciscan Monkey

[Naughtyhamster]

Here's something that always cracks me up. The redneck kids flying their rebel flags on their pickup trucks and thumping rap music! Like those kids have ever been to the hood!

 

 

My friend's family is kind of like that, but they listen to Clay Aiken though he's been known to date women of all races.

[Hineni]

I can relate, Shackled. I was just in that area last October...stayed a week. Got a cabin in the mountains...had to take the road that leads to the entrance of Dollywood. There were banners announcing "Gopsel Week" at Dollywood...dashed all hope of going for the thrills and watching artisans at work.

 

Maybe it was just me, but I saw so much religious stuff that I almost just wanted to stay hold up in the cabin the whole time and play air hockey.

 

Oh yeah...the "Miracle Theatre"...I noticed that as we parked the car at Wonderworks to check out some science stuff. I was nauseated when I saw that they had this poor camel over at the Miracle Theartre for the purpose of rides. Husband and I had a convo on how much money that theartre must generate....(sickening!)

 

Along the route that led up to our cabin, there were homemade signs declaring "JESUS IS LORD", and the like.

 

Had a great vacation, regardless...one of my favorite spots in TN.

[Guest Clivedurdle]

Room for a doctorate in anthropology here!

 

From my limited experience - brother in California - there are some very strange tribal customs around.

 

Barnes and Noble in Bakersfield for example - I thought I had mistakenly gone into a xian bookstore!

 

And Crater Lake Oregon, with huge tour coaches with some creationist group driving around.

 

Is it much different to Saudi Arabia? What would the xian term be for Sharia law? Tablet Law?

[Guest Chuck Darwin]

I'm Canadian and I frequently travel to VA to visit my parents (who are also Canadian citizens but live there because of my Dad's work). I also love to tour the south. I currently live in Toronto (pop 2.5 million) but I was born and raised in a city of 50,000. Outside of Amish and Mennonite areas, any signs are rare. Churches aren't on every corner and all Canadian x-tian denominations report dwindling numbers of parishoners. No one ever says "God blees you" here except for the Salvation Army people manning the xmas kettle drives.I am always shocked and stunned by the sheer number of churches, x-tian signs everywhere, and religiousness of the people I encounter from PA further south. To those that live in the bubba belt areas, it may not seem unusual but it is to those from very liberal and secular Canada. How religious or devout a region seems to be is entirely in the beholder based on what they are used to.

[Japedo]

I will say this, I have traveled to places in the North East and because of my southern accent, I have gotten some of the same stares and looks as some folks who come to the south might receive.

 

 

 

Burned, I don't doubt that. You can usually tell the visitors and transplants they stick out like a sore thumb. They will talk to you in line, smile, and that right there sets off bells n whistles in any yankee. If people are nice they must be trying to pick pocket you or something. Trust me I think it myself sometimes, It depends. Next time your in the NE and are standing in a line look around, out side of other transplants, very few will be talking other then with the group of people they are with. It is the norm here. I look at people who start talking to me with a confused look on my face, I know I must because I am confused. I never know how to answer them other then the.. ah huh.. really? that's nice, I feel very awkward talking to strangers about the items in their basket, or what their grand kids are up to, how they spent last Christmas. ..

 

I know this will probably sound awful but. One year a new neighbor moved next door to us. A week later I get a knock on my door. A nice women who came across as a little to friendly. Enthusiastic, big smile and introducing herself. She brought us cookies and small purple flowers. I didn't let her in, I never talked to her again just gave polite waves if I saw her, I took the cookies and said thank you, but tossed them. It's never happened to me before or sense and it freaked me out I must say my husband also agreed that it was weird and odd. .

 

I don't know where she was from I didn't ask, but she had a southern accent.

 

People in the NE are suspicious of overly nice people, they are aren't the norm here. People are nice don't get me wrong, but we are standoffish as I say. The lady's intentions were probably pure at heart, I just don't trust people right off the bat who's brining gifts to strangers. What if I had been some criminal or something? How was she to know? I dunno it boggles my mind people do that.

[AgnosticBob AtheistPants]

I've lived here my entire life and never really experienced any whacko'ish Xtianity stuff. Hell, off the top of my head I can count 15 churches within a 1.5 mile radius of my house here in Montgomery, but otherwise everything is just like every other large city I've been to. People telling me "god bless" or "have a blessed day" is about as far as it goes.

 

 

I'm always amazed by those who say they've lived in the south their entire lives and never experienced any of the "whacko'ish Xtianity stuff". I grew up in the south and spent a good part of my adult life there. I was only away from it for maybe ten to twelve years out of my 38. Aside from LIVING the whacko Christianity shit for the majority of it, I still experience it to this day. Maybe it takes leaving for a long period and then coming back in order to recognize it.

 

I live in Los Angeles now and yes, there are crazy Christians here too, but for the most part, the general consensus is that Christians ARE crazy. For example, my girlfriend and I went to see the movie "There Will Be Blood" this weekend. There's a great scene at the end of the movie that is extremely anti-Christian and anti-God. The entire theatre burst into laughter at it. I return monthly to the small town in Alabama where my children are still imprisoned. In this little town in Northeast rural Alabama where I spent the majority of my time in the south, you wouldn't even find that movie in theatres because of the anti-christian sentiment, never mind hear anyone laugh about it. They wouldn't allow "The Golden Compass" into it's theatre because of all the hubbub about the author's professed atheism and the story's supposed anti-religious message. They wouldn't play the Borat movie either. Anything that could be construed as anti-Christian is anathema.

 

There's also a little arcade/mini-golf course in the same shopping center with the theater in this small town and there's Christian graffiti scratched into all the podiums used for marking scores at each hole; "Jesus Rocks!" and "God Rules!" and all kinds of silly Christian nonsense like that. I know that I've heard the local Christian radio station playing in some of the fast food joints there. There are churches on every corner and yes, they're all well attended too. Pentecostal churches make up the majority in that area. The children generally don't go Trick-or-Treating on Halloween but instead have "Trick or Trunk" at the local churches. There are also "Hallelujah" parties instead of Halloween parties. Another big thing around Halloween in the local churches are the "Hell Houses" where they try to scare the love of god into you. The south is not the ONLY place where these types of things are found, but they are the most PREVALENT there. I'm so damned glad I got out.

 

If you love the south and can't understand what I'm saying, then great for you. I'm not saying L.A. is the greatest place in the world to live. To each his own. The south is for some and not for others. The big city is for some and not for others. (and let me tell you, Birmingham, AL is NOT a "big city" by any stretch of the imagination).

[xandermac]

Birmingham is a big city to me. I'm glad your out of the south too! I don't like the fundy bullshit here either, but you kind of offended me Mr. Pants. You make it sound like we're all goat roping inbred jeebus freaks.

[AgnosticBob AtheistPants]

I don't like the fundy bullshit here either, but you kind of offended me Mr. Pants. You make it sound like we're all goat roping inbred jeebus freaks.

 

Well if that's the case then I'm offending myself as well. I was born there, raised there and lived there. No, not EVERYONE in the south is a "goat roping inbred jeebus freak", but again, that type is most prevalent in the South. I'm uncertain as to what I said that makes it sound as if ALL are like that. I was pretty specific about WHERE the shit I dealt with took place and that it was a small town in Northeast Alabama. I'm writing in the context of everything else that's been written in this thread and I think it's been stated pretty clearly that the cake gets nuttier the further out from the civilized center you go. While Birmingham is a small city in comparison to places like Atlanta, L.A. and N.Y., I'm certain there are far more atheists, agnostics, and other non-christian types there than there are in Boaz, Alabama.

 

It's not my intent to insult anyone here unless you're an ACTUAL "goat roping inbred jeebus freak". If you're not one, what have you got to worry about? As Ro-Bear said earlier, the stereo-types are there for a reason. If they don't apply to you, then let it roll off your back. I got plenty of comments about moving to "the land of fruits and nuts" when I told my former employer I was taking a position in L.A. Everybody's got their opinions and if we don't like them, we're fortunately our own person and can choose to ignore them.

 

Again, I'm not writing to insult. This is the rants section and I'm adding my own experience in my own rant about life in the south as a southerner. Don't take it personally.

[xandermac]

Ok sorry. By the way, I live in Albertville.

[AgnosticBob AtheistPants]

Ok sorry. By the way, I live in Albertville.

 

HOLY crap. You mean there are atheists on Sand Mountain??? And in Ah'ertville even???

 

I'll be there next week, btw.

[Jessica Sideways]

I'm getting a bit of religious flak whenever I go to Denver. I've noticed that some Jesus freak is putting those bible tracts in the periodical dispensers near the corner of Broadway & Colfax. How? Well, I have to transfer to the 15L to get to work and it just happens to board right there. And what do I do? I lift the bible tracts, tear them into fours, and put them back into the dispensers.

 

I am thinking about taping a letter to them next time, should this continue. Fortunately, I may be getting a job with the City of Westminster, so I shouldn't have to deal with this crap anymore.