What is it like to be a non-christian and living in the Bible Belt areas in America?

Answer 1

I am a Christian but I wanted to answer anyway please. From nursery age to around age 12 children here are invited to a week of Vacation Bible School during summer break. All the area churches have them in the summer. It's days of videos, crafts, songs, skits, stories.Some children go to a different one every week until school starts again. Almost all children attend at least one. Non-Christians in the South will tell you they believe in God whether they really do or not, because they don't want their mama to be ashamed of them. All Southerners have heard of the Bible stories and much about the Bible even if they have not been brought up in church. We have 17 churches on the road from my house to my mother's house 1 hour and 15 minutes from me.Every community has one or more churches. If a person says they don't believe in God it's upsetting to us. It colors all parts of our lives here.

Answer 2

actually, I'm a non-conventional Christian living is a cesspool of bible belters. It's aweful. I've been fired before because the conservative owner found out I was a Liberal.

The worst is when they start overtalking you and quoting the Bible. These people just can't listen. My sister-in-law thinks I'm Satans' child because I'm from the Christian left.

Be prepared to either keep a very low profile on your beliefes or be outcast and unemployed here.

BTW, these people are some of the nastiest, rudest, most violent, racist, in-the-closet drunks you'll ever meet. Their kids come out of these homes ready to rock and roll an get into very destructive life patterns.

Answer 3

I was raised a Christian and have been an active church-goer for the past three years, but for seven years prior to that (1997-2004) I was involved in Neopaganism. I live in Atlanta. Fortunately, it's a large enough town that I was able to socialize with other Neopagans or kindred spirits who accepted me for who I am. Even now that I'm back in Christianity, I'm still far more liberal than most, so I choose my friends carefully. It's never easy being the minority, whether that involves skin color, sexual orientation, or dietary preference. When you're in the minority, it's important to believe in yourself and choose your friends carefully. Also while there's nothing to be gained in being a doormat, I think it's better to be kind to people, even to the ignorant members of the privileged majority who treat you poorly. Why? Because at the end of the day, self-respect matters more than the approval of others. And I feel more self-respect when I'm kind and considerate to others, even to those who don't "deserve" it.

Answer 4

i could only imagine. i was raised in a Christian home, im a PK.. it sucked! i'm not an Atheist or Gnostic but i have different views. So i feel sorry for anyone put into that situation. I know first hand how Evil, so-called & self righteous, "christians(lowercase due to title only)" can be. There are also honest true Christians who will accept & love you regardless of your religeous or spiritual practice. To each his own is how i feel. and to Kittywink up there, vacation Bible school= free day care.

Answer 5

This is the most civilised question (and answers) on religion that I have seen on YA.

I don't live in the Bible belt but I can imagine that it is not exactly atheist paradise. They do love their Jesus down there. They are not all loonies, though. Scary thing is that they actually got one of their lot into the White House...

Answer 6

Ugh..it's awful. I'm an atheist and I live in a very small town in Oklahoma with only 5 thousand people and we have 25 churches. I think we're up to 28 now. When people realize I'm an atheist they just give me this look like, "Oh my god, I can't socialize with you or I'm gonna catch what you have O_O!!" In my college literature classes, out of 10 people I was the only person to believe in evolution. Everyone else believed in creation. It's horrible.

By the way, it's one reason I'm moving to Europe this fall.

Edit: to the person below me, in Denmark there is one church per town, and hardly anyone attends. Most people in Denmark are atheist like I am. Because the Christians went and destroyed their original viking religion.

Answer 7

I do have self assurance there's a spiritual void in united statesa., yet regrettably it exists in some church homes additionally. i'm at present "unchurched" via fact, in assessment to Barack Obama, i've got left church homes via fact of issues pastors have pronounced or have did not say...that doesn't advise i'm not Spirit crammed! Camp conferences sound great. I certainly have domicile conferences with acquaintances and relatives in view that i've got not got here upon a church to stay with. Many are starting to be removed from God and easily specializing in feeling good. God Bless.

Answer 8

In response to kitty above me, I live in the south and I'm not a Christian, and I certainly don't act religious to pacify my parents or anyone else.

To answer the question, for me personally I don't think its THAT bad. I actually think its entertaining to see all the drama the different churches create among eachother.

Answer 9

It is horrible, from the beginning of life, religious dogma is brainwashed into your system. Every thing that U do is measured against so called christian values. Religion is shoved down ur face everyday. Freedom of Religion, right as long as u believe what everyone else does. u are labeled not a good person because u are not a so called christian. After shoving down their ideals down u throat they will not be open minded enough to even listen to your thoughts and values. u do not matter to them, U are a evil person.
They can stick their high and mighty crap down their own throats for all that I care. I do not need it.

Answer 10

Maybe if you educated yourself on what it is to be a christian by reading the Bible and checking out "what makes them tick", you might not be so narrowminded, as to why it is you ,"don't believe, and ,why that seems to be an issue for you. Knock and the door will open, seek and you shall find.