religion and America?

Question

since coming to this site , I have been shocked on many occasions at the differences between the US and here in the UK

someone in another question just told about her counsellor telling her to go to church
and this happens with the AA also I believe ?
and in malls sometimes there are churches ?
and people preaching in streets ?
and billboards about religion ?
and religious TV and advertisements ?

have I missed anything ?

is this all for real ?

ahhh ok guys ... so it depends on where about you are in the US right ?

yeah it is pretty weird

Answer 1

You missed a lot by not seeing this with your eyes or hearing it with your ears. It is as real as apple pie and baseball.

Since the beginning of the Bush administration, the federal government can support church based systems (as charities).

Professionals in some parts of the country have been advising patients and clients to "Church up." Some communities have shut down public food pantries and shelters in favor of religious based operations.

There are churches in malls and in store fronts. This is especially true in smaller communities, but is very wide spread. Street preaching and rallies are very common in some localities.

Yes, billboards are also erected. Some are very specific, while other are presented as messages "from God."

There are several religious radio and television networks. The latter are broadcast and cable channels. "Totally Christian Television" has made great strides in the last couple of years. Some places of business play "Christian radio" for their employees.

Advertisements are presented as public service announcements. There are also graffiti message campaigns with slogans like "Get Right With God" or "Jesus Saves."

Locations in parts of rural American mark the site of automobile crashes with road-side Crosses as memorials.

In the Midwest (the Heartland), several churches send younger members door to door to "spread the word" or hand out leaflets or pamphlets. These are also found under windshield wipers of cars parked in public parking lots.

Some book stores refuse to sell some books based upon the owner's personal convictions. Some magazine racks in more liberal stores have the cover of the current issue of some magazines hidden behind a cardboard sheet with only the name of the magazine on it.

Even when these activities are contrary to local or state civil laws, nothing is ever done.

Religious book and gift shops are also wide spread and have started up on the Net.

The biggest issue you missed is the switch from mostly public schools to private church run schools and homeschooling for better control over the materials taught (or not taught, like the concept of Evolution). In some communities, as much as 20% of the school age children do not attend public schools.

Answer 2

Yes, it depends on where you are. In California, for example, there are no billboards, but there are many, many fringe religions and cults and such. Now here in Missouri, I was a bit startled to see huge billboards (and a LOT of them) which have just a religious message. They are not even advertising a particular church, but are instead pure propaganda, generally about either Catholic or fundamentalist beliefs. There was a church in the shopping mall in Scotts Valley, California, in a building that had been a discount store. Yes, AA will suggest people go to church but again, in California . . . let's just say CA is an exception to almost everything. At the other extreme is the Bible belt region, basically the southeastern states through Texas. People not only preach in the streets, they preach and hand out pamphlets and otherwise do religious outreach in shopping malls, at parking lots, anywhere they are not driven away. Several groups are in the habit of going door to door to preach, and individuals buy these weird little comic books from Chick Publications and leave them in phone booths and on bus seats and in shopping carts.

Yes, it's all for real, and it's pretty scary when you consider that a substantial number of them are fundamentalists, the ones that think it would be a good idea to trash the First Amendment and legally declare the US to be a Christian Nation.

It's not like the UK, where the C of E has always been there and can be taken for granted. They have no dignity, and run the most absurd televangelist shows, revival meetings where people are "born again" and speak in tongues. We have a snake handling Bible religion that really does handle poisonous snakes and drink poison to prove their faith.

It's a crazy world, but you gotta laugh so you don't cry.

Answer 3

Some of the larger churches do put up billboards encouraging people to go to church. I think they are in good taste; not pushy. I've seen some TV commercials from a specific church, encouraging people to attend. I've never seen people actually preaching in the streets, but it seems that it must happen in larger cities. Sometimes churches are in strip malls, but not the larger shopping malls. Some of the smaller churches rent space where they can find it, and a strip mall does have a lot of parking! I've even seen a courthouse in a strip mall! That was unusual. AA is based on a religious premise, so it would not be unusual for the leaders to encourage people to attend church services. I can't say anything about the counselor telling someone to go to church, since I don't know what that was about.

It is surprising to find so many religious comments, considering the government of this country is trying to make us an atheist country. Considering this country was founded upon the ideals of freedom of religion, I am distressed over the way the government is trying to get God out of the US. We need to promote religion in this country, and encourage everyone to worship however they feel is right. We need to find a way to practice religious tolerance not intolerance. From what I've seen on this board, there is a lot of intolerance here.

Answer 4

Here in the Southern States, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana are all considered the Bible Belt. Florida is sort of similar to California as two other answerers stated. There is a Church of Christian faith about every mile. We have Baptists (big popular one) Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Evangelical, Catholic, Episcopalian, Church of God, 7 Day Adventists, Jahovah Witnesses, Pentacostal (pretty new growing with in the last 10 yrs and mostly those of the Hispanic culture dissalutioned by American Catholic Churches) one small Mosque ( it is in a small old store building) and the Synagogue is in the next major city Charlotte North Carolina. These faiths I mentioned are just in my County with a population of 93,000 called Gaston County! Google it. In the major city next to us - if you look through the phone book - there are over 6 pages, front to back, of nothing but religious worshipping centers. Go to Whitepages.com and search Charlotte NC and Churches and look at the numbers behind it. It will astonish you. Most of these Bible Belt states are similar.
The Pentacostal faith has sprung up a lot over the past 3 yrs and many have opened nondenominational churches, small and large, in that same time frame. If you are a "church" you do not have to pay taxes (sort of like a "tax free" business) Many of these "new" churches or start up churches I see the pastors driving new cars, wearing nice suits, and live in a very nice home within a 3 yr period. I look at their parishoners and they are mostly lower and middle class and are not as nice looking. It is all a money racket with the new ones, but for the churches that have been here for the past 100 to 300 yrs, are mostly considered generational churches and congregations with "old money" running it. Don't get me wrong though. Many of the "older" churches donate thousands of dollars a year to the local food banks as well as the Crisis centers that help people with electric bills, heating bills or heating fuel, and food or school supplies for kids.
Some even have a free clothing office for those who may need them and are open 3 days a week and run by volunteers. But, the sad thing is that there are still Bible Thumpers sometimes, especially when we Pagans have a fair or meeting in the park, and those that still come by your home to try to preach to you or even convert you. Most are pretty nice about it now a days, but they used to be really pushy like a door to door salesman. About every week I still find a pamphlet in my door jam. ((sigh))
We have the tele-evangelists - usually on Sundays - the radio evangelists and now have also radio stations that only play contemperary Chrisitian music. So, yes, it is for real. Scarry isn't it?

Answer 5

Well, I'll admit that I haven't been on U.S. soil for almost three years, but in the twenty-three years prior to that that I lived in the U.S. I never saw any churches in malls, or anyone preaching on the streets. I saw religious billboards only near churches, and I don't remember ever seeing a religious advertisement...other than commercials for Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons.

As for AA, they only suggest a belief in SOME sort of higher power.

The thing with the U.S. is there's a little bit of everything. It depends on where you go.

Answer 6

Yes it is true in part....I lived in NY/NJ area...in NYC you'd see preachers on street corners (or after a heavy metal concert - they'd be talking about satan and evil handing out little leaflets =) But now I live in Florida (south) ....and yes in the south there are billboards all over the place...churches in strip malls....signs posted everywhere little fishes on every car....part of the Bible belt down here and the more into "the country" you get the worse it is (ironically along with racism, go figure that one out!).....

Though I will say I have never seen an ad for religion on TV, but then again I don't watch much anyway.

((((Pangel)))

Answer 7

Religion here in America is quite different from Brazil, too. I am from Brazil and there people are much more respectful toward other people's religion. In Brazil, religion is never a discussion or a fight (generally speaking, of course there is one or another a little bit more fanatic about religion, but in general, it is never a polemic subject). Brazil is primarily Catholic, we have a catholic church in each corner, however, it is more than just following the dogma. It is just about Faith in God, Jesus and the Virgin Mary, everybody party, everybody drinks, everybody makes sex, everybody is happy in Brazil, despite the urban violence and poverty in certain areas. We see churches full of people, but people with freedom to do whatever they want, there is no judgment. If we see someone committing any crime or sin, we never talk about that person referring to religion or anything.

Here in America, I have felt more pressure about religion than never before. It is like there is always someone judging me and worse condemning me. It is funny!

Peace!

Answer 8

Pangel,

I am not sure the UK and US are that different .

People preach in the streets in the UK too. There was one famous Preacher in Oxford Street , London . He was there for years with his Megaphone, until he was declared a public nuisance and banned from Westminster borough – now he preaches around Stratford tube station and shopping centre ! You can usually find Preachers outside Tube stations , there is one regular chap I see at Liverpool St, if you fancy a gander - oh and there is an Islam stall in Brick Lane, always having a good ol' Preach on a Sunday. And of course there is speakers corner, that's always full of Faith-Heads !

I see religious posters everyday on the tube in London usually quoting a Bible or Quran verse. And if Benny Hinn comes to London ... they have massive posters.

We have over a dozen Faith-head channels in the UK on cable, choose your pick :

137 The Vision Channel Broadcasting Saturday 9am-9.30am, Sunday 9am-10am
137 Life TV Some Christian programmes on Sundays at 11am and 4pm
760 GOD Channel Preaching, teaching, worship, features and kids' programmes
761 GOD Europe Preaching, teaching, worship from the UK and around the world
762 Wonderful Mostly Christian programming from the USA and Africa
763 TBN Europe Christian programming from around the world
764 Daystar USA. Creation videos with music. Teaching and preaching
765 Revelation London. Christian programming from the UK and USA
766 UCB TV UK. Christian programming, culturally relevant to the UK & Ireland
767 Inspiration Network Int. USA. Programming from around the world. Preaching. Missionary bias.
768 Loveworld TV London. US style Preaching. Teaching, Praise/worship, interviews
769 Eternal Word TV Network (Roman Catholic) Religious, news, family programmes from USA & UK
770 Gospel Channel Europe From Iceland. Programming mostly from the USA and Scandinavia.
771 The Word Network Programming from the USA for Urban Ministries and Gospel music.
772 Genesis TV New, from the same stable as Revelation TV. R music TV at various times.

I am guessing you don’t live in London and don’t have Sky TV ?

Answer 9

Yeah in America we have all of they above, but I think it's pretty cool. God is where the people are it. I believe that for too long it's been about the big cathedral stained glass churches (not that they are bad.) What matters to God is our hearts and that we are there to worship Him.

Any way we can spread the Word is awesome.... As long as it's done in a loving matter led by the Holy Spirit.

Answer 10

As another non American (Commonwealth citizen), who has occasionally visited the place, I too am amazed at the differences you have noticed as well as the insular attitudes. I find well educated & traveled Americans charming, intelligent and well informed. However as to the average Joe in the street, as you have inferred, something is amiss in the land of the free. (Free from what?)