bradw

Hi Zora,

I live in St. Louis, MO. Many of the people I come in contact with are Catholics and seem quite happy minding their own business when it comes to religion. While there are a lot of big fundy churches in the area, and Kurt Warner is their gawd, I really haven't had any problems religion-wise living in the city.

But when I head south, I hear the banjos a strummin'....

BibleBelted

Hi Zora,

I'm a grampa from NE Oklahoma (just an hour from SE MO) and I feel your pain.

I know what you're talking about, but my experience has been that the type of extreme nitwit you had your conversation with is fairly rare. Usually even the other fundies disapprove of their sanctimonious attitudes. I hope this is true in your case, and you're not really in some kind of Stepford-fundy hell.

I don't advertise my unbelief, but admit it to anyone rude enough to ask me where I go to church. From my own experience, I'm finding most people are decent, and religious mostly because everyone else around them claims to be. They really don't put much thought into it, and the church is a place for socializing because people living in rural areas often have few other places to go.

I hope the a-hole you had your conversation with is just a local crank, and not indicative of the community as a whole. Keep your head up, remain calm - and maybe things will get better.

On a related note, the whole right-wing radio insanity is really making it more difficult to identify yourself as godless without being considered a traitor. At least your Air Force roots may short-circuit some of that. Welcome to the neighborhood and keep us posted. I hope things improve.

By the way, how long have you been living there?

girlwriter

Welcome Zora, and hang in there!

girlwriter

Zora

We have lived in MO since 1996, when my husband retired after 30 years in USAF. I am really sick of the "if you ain't religious, you ain't American" sentiment which is so prevalent everywhere here. Its on radio, TV, in all the papers, etc. Once in awhile, somebody sends a letter to the editor that disagrees. Then, ten people send in letters demanding deportation for him/her.

I never do the "Hi, I'm Zora, and I'm an atheist" thing. When asked point blank, I will not lie, however. Until coming here, most people were just disappointed to learn of my "ugly little secret" except for one Jewish employer who said "I heard you are an atheist. Is that true?" When I said yes, he said "Good for you!"

I have found some casual friends among the outcasts....you know, Mormon cultists, etc. The Methodists are pretty OK, but small in number. But, you are right. Everybody goes to church because that's all there is to do and that's all there is to talk about. Seems to me the more poverty and the less education you have in an area, the more religion there is. That's the situation here in Hickory County!

beoba

Mmm.. yeah.

If that was what defined being American, I wouldn't mind being something else.