PaulJane

I by no means want to start a controversial debate here, I just have an innocent question.

When people speak of certain parts of the South West and various other area's they tend to mention the hostilities of religious groups. I have heard people mention that they are discriminated against because they dont believe a particular thing. How true is this? I myself am a practising Christian and am strong in my faith but this kind of discrimination sickens me. I personally dont want to be part of an area where I am in some kind 'in crowd' because of what I believe. If Christians were being discriminated against im certain there would be an uproar (or maybe not!) so its not acceptable for the reverse to happen.

So is this a common feature or merely a perception?

P.S. I really dont mean to step on toe's with this thread

meauxna

The South, not the South West. Things out West are different. Well heck, things down South are very different!

I think the observation among the expats has been that religion is expressed more overtly in the US than in the UK. It's my observation that there are more flavors of Christianity in the US than the UK.

There are sects in Christianity that think they are charged with proselytizing and saving souls. These folks NEED to talk to you about their spiritual journey. Interestingly enough, the last person to practice that on me is an English blokey who was refinishing my hardwood floors in the US..


I think you will be a lot happier overall in the US if you try to not generalize about the people.

Leslie

Your last paragraph opposes your first. There is even some religious intolerance in the <gasp> Pacific Northwest if memory serves.

Leslie

As with every stereotype there is some truth therein. It's not a hard and fast rule though and you'll find plenty of hostility and discrimination outside of the church as well.

meauxna

Very fair point about the PNW. We had the Rajneeshis first though!

Although first para was responding to what I thought he had heard. I haven't seen people particularly discuss the religious intolerance of the South West.
Just the gun totin'.

Leslie

The South West isn't really that different than Texas (for example Arizona has very similar voting trends and local laws) and Texas is considered to be a Southern state.

When the term "South" was coined most of the country hadn't been settled so it referred what physically now exists on the eastern border of the US.

The "Deep South" actually lies in the southeast quarter of the US.

The "Old West" is really the south and the heartland.

I like old maps.

meauxna

Thank you for sharing.

I thought Texas was 'like a whole 'nother country'? Or is that over?

Leslie

It is and it isn't. It all depends on where you're coming from mentally.

Ray

Stick with L Ron Hubbard...

fatbrit

You can leave us out of it, thank you very much..

Leslie

Suck it up.

Bluegrass Lass

Judging by that map, NM must feel very isolated being surrounded by that sea of red!

fatbrit

The last election was a disaster for sanity in AZ

We:
Voted for McCain/Palin
Stuck it to the gays with a constitutional amendment to ensure that faggots weren't demeaning god-given effing marriage.
Lost our only prominent Dem -- the governor -- to the new administration, and the replacement is a Repugnant as is the majority effing legislature.
Re-elected the fine team of Arpaio and Thomas in Maricopa to bash the beaners -- though the former is currently under investigation by both the DoJ and the Senate.

Yep -- we're a sad bloody state, you're right!

Leslie

You get used to it after a while.

Leslie

It sits there bewildered like somebody that's been dropped out of a spaceship into the wrong town.