Serious, respectful question: What is it with the South and religion?

Question

I really intend no disrespect. I'm from the Northeast and, like a great many other Americans, I don't understand the hold that fundamentalism seems to have over the South.

Yes, we have churches and a few fundamentalists and all that up here too but even those who actually go to church just seem to have a more relaxed attitude about religion here.

This question is posted in "Politics" because I'm greatly interested in politics and religion greatly influences politics, particularly in the South.

As I said, no disrespect intended. I've been a visitor to the South and found Southerners to be gracious and friendly people. I just don't get the religion thing. Can anyone explain?

Perhaps "fundamentalism" is a word too fraught with baggage. What I'm referring to is religious zealotry, for lack of a more precise phrase.

I live in a part of South Jersey that lies south of the Mason-DixonLine and we just don't have that kind of religious intensity here.

Answer 1

As someone who grew up in Georgia and has lived in Texas my entire adult life, I am qualified to answer this question.

The south's geography was more rural, and based on farming. Fewer cities, metropolitan areas. As such, church is simply in the DNA of the southern culture. The church was always the center of the social interaction, for generations. You simply don't KNOW another way. For hundreds of years, people worked their farms (a very solo, isloationist activity)...and interacted through the church.

I know this isn't a high brow intellectural answer--but it is truly a lifestyle answer. And through the years, even with shifts in the economic makeup, it is still just simply the way of life in many southern communities.

It is that simple--and that complex.

Answer 2

I don't think you'll get a real good answer here, those from the south are prejudiced in their own favor and those from elsewhere just don't know.

Interacting with southerners is interesting - you get folks who claim to be disgusted with minorities or gays in general but would turn around and defend or support to the ultimate a minority or gay person who they know personally. You get waitresses who are all sweetness and sugar and stand behind the counter smoking and gossiping while you wait forever for service. So I find the stereotypes to be misleading and an oversimplification. Southerners are not all religious nuts, nor are they all bigots, nor are they all polite.

And as for fundamentalism, why don't you look at Indiana, where the Jim Jones cult got its start. I actually think that it is more a social thing, you use the church as a primary point for social interaction when there is a lack of other appropriate social outlets, that would account for fundamentalism in rural and inner city urban areas.

Answer 3

You would have to define 'fundamentalism'...
I travel all over the country and I find that in the South, people tend to be more polite, more caring and just flat out more pleasant.
They are far more traditional in their belief system - family, church, work.
I also see a large number of them taking a moment before eating - in public - to offer a prayer of thanks.
Does that qualify as 'fundamentalism'?
To me it seems heartfelt and gracious - I certainly don't think of it as a negative.
When did being 'religous' become a 'bad' thing?
I personally am not a very religous person, but it's hard to deny the amount of positivity that these folks seem to derive from their beliefs.
Maybe more of us should 'get religion'.

Answer 4

It's cultural reality. Nothing to explain. I disagree that fundamentalism has a hold on the South, however. Southern Baptists are not necessarily fundamentalists.

Answer 5

Maybe they really have convictions. We might not agree with them but they are true to their beliefs.

I think that is much better than churches filled with people because it's the thing to do, it's a social life, it's politically advantageous.

Even the Catholic Church supports their members that support abortion; marriage is no longer sacred, the Kennedy's proclaim their Catholicism all the time and do not live up to any of it's precepts.

Answer 6

You do know that there are fundamentalists in most parts of the country. Many black people are fundamentalists too. I also am from the Northeast.

Answer 7

I don't think there's really anything to explain. People from different places think differently. A southerner might just as well ask what's with liberlism and the northeast?

Answer 8

youthful females (of any race) are taught that they ought to latest themselves as suitable women human beings in accordance to the yank suitable and search out men that in good structure that suitable. the yank suitable isn't so inclusive even if. contained in the united statesthe beliefs for both women and men human beings are white with exception to circumstances which may contain funds or wealth. to discover oneself in a courting with someone who would not in good structure an suitable contained in the united statesis frequently seen "abnormal". even with the actuality that there are quite some those who will courageous to bypass or straddle such social taboos, maximum received't. i hit upon that white men contained in the U.S, more beneficial than many different communities, have a great deal of concern in dropping social prestige and maximum, in my opinion, received't pursue actual courting that would jeopardize prestige.

Answer 9

Seems to me that once you go south of the Masson Dixen line people's IQ goes down by at least 25%. The worst education systems are in the south.
People with low IQ's are easily manipulated.
No disrespect, of course.

Answer 10

All we can do is watch fox news and listen to hate radio until the war on terror is over.