The Bible Belt

[TopazRaven]

So I was wondering, do we have any members here on CAA who live in the Bible Belt states? If anyone is not familiar with the term, the bible belt is used to refer to the southern United States because they have the highest numbers of professing Christians and church attendance. I know it may be a stupid question, but I'm actually kind of curious, with statistics aside are things more well Christ-like in the south? Do more people really follow Jesus' teachings more often or better then say the north? What brought this on was I listen to country music sometimes and realized quite a lot of it is actually about well....sex or drinking or something.

Just in a less crude way then some pop and/or rap music. I know not all Southerns listen to or even like country, but it is where country music got it's start in the US. Anyway country music aside I know this isn't a real representation of the south, it's just what got me thinking about this subject to begin with. Meanwhile, I'm sorry, but I had no idea where to put this. It didn't seem like a big enough question to put in TD, yet most of my threads always seem to head down that route anyway! Not trying to make life harder for the mods I promise, so if this needs to be moved eventually I'm apologizing before hand!

Once again sorry if this seems like a stupid or stereotypical question or something. I'm just a silly yankee. Not out to offend anyone or something so hope it doesn't seem like that.

[ShiroiHikari]

Well...country music is pretty different from how it was when it started. In fact, modern country is more like...rock 'n roll with fiddles, steel guitars, and twangy accents.

I live in Oklahoma, which I'm pretty sure is considered part of the Bible Belt. There's a church on every corner here, and generally Oklahomans are known for being friendly, generous, and helpful, though I'm not sure if that's due to the influence of Christianity or if it's just "Southern hospitality" (for the record, I don't consider Oklahoma a "Southern" state).

[Yuki-Anne]

Having lived both within that area, and outside, I have to say that no matter where you go, you're going to find people who say they are Christian and yet lead really screwed-up lives. That being said, I always felt like I encountered that more when I lived in the Bible belt.

[rocklobster]

Louisiana native here. But I despise country music. It's really got way too much similarity in it.

[TopazRaven]

Well...country music is pretty different from how it was when it started. In fact, modern country is more like...rock 'n roll with fiddles, steel guitars, and twangy accents.

I live in Oklahoma, which I'm pretty sure is considered part of the Bible Belt. There's a church on every corner here, and generally Oklahomans are known for being friendly, generous, and helpful, though I'm not sure if that's due to the influence of Christianity or if it's just "Southern hospitality" (for the record, I don't consider Oklahoma a "Southern" state).

I can see what you mean. I'm not sure if I've ever actually heard any real or old country music. Mostly what's on the radio and the stuff my mom listens to.

I'm pretty sure both Oklahoma and Ohio are a part of the bible belt even though they aren't in the south so you are correct! That's interesting to know, in least you never have trouble finding a church, right?

Having lived both within that area, and outside, I have to say that no matter where you go, you're going to find people who say they are Christian and yet lead really screwed-up lives. That being said, I always felt like I encountered that more when I lived in the Bible belt.

Really? Hm, I guess you do get that everywhere then. I haven't actually really met someone like that where I live yet that I can think of (ok, maybe my half-sisters), but I also don't personally know many other Christians here either.

Louisiana native here. But I despise country music. It's really got way too much similarity in it.

Yay Louisiana! I can understand what you mean. I like country, but half of the time I think they all sound the same and don't know who it is singing the song.

[Sheenar]

Born-and-raised Texan here.

I have to agree with what Yuki-Anne posted. There are lots of genuine Christians here, but also a lot of ones like she mentioned --who talk the talk, but definitely don't walk the walk --some more off the deep end than others.

A lot of people in my department (the good ol' Ag people) profess to know God, but engage in behaviors that don't match up with what they profess. I know I do the same at times myself, though --just in different ways.

[armeck]

country music = pop/rock with an accent
yeah i live right in the heart of the bible belt. i hate most country music though. i wouldn't say more people follow God here. or they do better, but people here are a bit more old fashioned than the people on the west coast states that i have lived in. a lot of places are closed sunday morning and wednesday night, there is a church on every corner, stuff like that. there seems to be a bit more of a christian atmosphere here than california. but. not a lot

[ADXC]

Yep, NC born and bred.


I'm not a huge fan of country music, but my sister listens to it a lot.

[Xeno]

I currently live in Oklahoma and have lived in a number of other Bible Belt states over the course of my life. To answe your question, there are a lot of people professing to be Christians out here who show no sign of Christ in their lives in any way.

I also consider Oklahoma to be the mid-west, but often call it North Texas to make the residents mad, kekeke.

[Radical Dreamer]

I live in SC, as I've mentioned elsewhere, and my experience has been somewhat varied. There are certainly plenty of honest, Christ-following people here who love Jesus and really have a heart for God. There's also a lot of stale, dead churches that aren't growing, and aren't preaching the Word of God. There's a lot of nominal Christianity as well. Hypocrisy exists within the life of every Christian, but you'll likely find more of it in the Bible Belt, mostly because there are more people who profess Christianity as their religion. You'll also find a lot more people mixing their politics with Christianity here, which characterizes a lot of what my experience here with other people has been (this isn't intended to get anyone talking about politics, it's just a descriptive factor XD). I'm not sure how things in the North or West typically are, since I haven't been yet, but that's my experience from living here. XD

There actually is a church on nearly every corner, though. XD

[Princess Kairi]

I live in Tennessee and I hate country music with an exception of a few songs. There are a lot of churches around where I live. In fact, there's one within walking distance of me. I hear a lot of people bragging about going to church or using church as an excuse to get out of doing stuff, but when I see them with their friends, they don't act like Christians at all. It was more common when I was in high school, but I do still see it in college.

[ShiroiHikari]

I also consider Oklahoma to be the mid-west, but often call it North Texas to make the residents mad, kekeke.

I was raised here and I sometimes call it "Texas Lite".

[shooraijin]

I'm not sure if this thread is about the Bible Belt or the Mason-Dixon Line.

[Okami]

Hey, I live in Michigan and there's practically a church on every corner, here, too! XD

[Psycho Molos]

I currently live in Oklahoma and have lived in a number of other Bible Belt states over the course of my life. To answe your question, there are a lot of people professing to be Christians out here who show no sign of Christ in their lives in any way.

I also consider Oklahoma to be the mid-west, but often call it North Texas to make the residents mad, kekeke.

So now there's five people on here that live in this piece of crap state?

Calling it North Texas or Texas Lite is an insult to Texas especially since this state is cursed. Even more so since this state is the only plot of God's creation made when God went to the bathroom. If only I didn't have a legal leash trapping me here...I'd be out of this giant pile of poop a long time ago.

[Xeno]

So now there's five people on here that live in this piece of crap state?

Calling it North Texas or Texas Lite is an insult to Texas especially since this state is cursed. Even more so since this state is the only plot of God's creation made when God went to the bathroom. If only I didn't have a legal leash trapping me here...I'd be out of this giant pile of poop a long time ago.

I actually don't have that much dis-dane for it. I kind of like it here. I much prefer it to Kentucky/Tennessee where I moved from, or Alabama where I live before KY/TN.

[Shao Feng-Li]

Born and raised in California, now living in Northern Idaho I probably wouldn't be welcome down south XD

[Syreth]

Washington is weird. The West side of the state is very different from the East side of the state where I live. On the East side, it's probably more similar to Bible Belt culture than on the West side. I lived on the Bible Belt for a couple of years in both the Western and Eastern U.S., and there does seem to be a marked difference. Though there's so many differences between the mindsets you can encounter in the areas that it's hard to say how they converge, and probably even harder to say if there are more actual believers or not in any given area.

In terms of music, the East side of Washington seems to tend more toward country music, much like in the Bible Belt, while the West side tends more toward indie music and emerging genres. Of course, there is also a sizable Hispanic population in Eastern Washington as well, which brings Mariachi and other genres of that flavor.

[Kaligraphic]

I put on my Bible Belt every Sunday. It keeps my Bible Pants up.

[Cognitive Gear]

To generalize, I think that the Bible Belt is more "old fashioned" than anything else, including being Biblical. This goes for both the positive and negative connotations. So people may be more polite, but they also still have problems with segregation, sexism, and all of those wonderful things.

So it's a mixed bag, like anywhere else.

[sailorsaturn]

Well...country music is pretty different from how it was when it started. In fact, modern country is more like...rock 'n roll with fiddles, steel guitars, and twangy accents.

I live in Oklahoma, which I'm pretty sure is considered part of the Bible Belt. There's a church on every corner here, and generally Oklahomans are known for being friendly, generous, and helpful, though I'm not sure if that's due to the influence of Christianity or if it's just "Southern hospitality" (for the record, I don't consider Oklahoma a "Southern" state).

This... Almost exactly.

I was raised here and I sometimes call it "Texas Lite".

*Tries to not get insulted*

I also consider Oklahoma to be the mid-west, but often call it North Texas to make the residents mad, kekeke.

... *Tries to not get insulted*

So now there's five people on here that live in this piece of crap state?

Calling it North Texas or Texas Lite is an insult to Texas especially since this state is cursed. Even more so since this state is the only plot of God's creation made when God went to the bathroom. If only I didn't have a legal leash trapping me here...I'd be out of this giant pile of poop a long time ago.

*Tries to not get... angry*
In all seriousness, I like this state- it's my home. Yes, right now the weather is blistering hot and the wind can push you right over, in the Winter it will be freezing cold and the wind will be able to push you right over, and in the Spring if you're not too busy sneezing the wind will push you right over (The Fall is pretty nice in my opinion.) but this is where I grew up and this is where my friends and family are. We aren't without our problems here, but we aren't without our blessing either.

[ShiroiHikari]

I had no idea so many people on this forum lived in the same state as me.

...I don't know how I feel about that.

[Yamamaya]

To generalize, I think that the Bible Belt is more "old fashioned" than anything else, including being Biblical. This goes for both the positive and negative connotations. So people may be more polite, but they also still have problems with segregation, sexism, and all of those wonderful things.

So it's a mixed bag, like anywhere else.

Homophobia as well. Although I won't get into that to avoid a political conversation.

I feel like you really nailed it on the head. People in the Bible Belt as a rule tend to be more old fashioned, and perhaps more friendly and polite. However, the area is not without its dark side.

Generally speaking though, more people attend Christian churches in the Bible Belt than elsewhere.

As for me, I live in the Midwest, so I don't know a lot about the Southern Bible Belt states.

[Psycho Molos]

I had no idea so many people on this forum lived in the same state as me.

...I don't know how I feel about that.

yea and I take it that being smart as all of us are, we live around the only two metropolitan areas and not in the hundreds of "Hick-villes" around the state, some of which boggle the mind like...where my ex-stepdad, the typical Okie hick that made my teenage life heck with abuse came frome...Coweta. It's so close to Tulsa it should grow and be a REAL CITY but it's not getting denser, it's staying a Hickville.

Of course ppl are friendly around here but that's just the only intelligent people in the state....and if a hick is ever nice to anyone it's more than likely not a relative because hicks are known to be abusive to their relatives and so stupid that they make my second ex-gf look like Stephen Hawking! LOL Just to show how stupid hicks are....2nd ex has Downes.

[ADXC]

One of the reason for all these unhealthy things such as prejudice and homophobia mostly come from tradition.

Normally I like traditions, but this is one that parents sometimes re-enforce because that's how they were brought up. As I type right now, my inner-self is screaming because to be honest I am sometimes prejudicial. It is nothing personal; it's just how I was raised. Now, I know that that is a bad thing and I am trying to change that part of myself for the better of God's kingdom.

But just keep in mind, don't hate those who hate others. Chances are they do have a good reason for it such as their parents teaching it to them. However, don't be inactive about this either. Work with different people who have prejudicial problems and there can be recovery albeit slow.

[Radical Dreamer]

To address people being more polite in the South for the sake of this thread, I can assure you that not everyone who seems polite is actually polite. XD There's a lot of gossip behind the pleasantries. People will often be kind and genteel to your face, but actually hate your guts behind your back. XD

Also there's the whole issue with "bless his/her heart." XD In the South, it's socially acceptable to say just about anything about someone, as long as you follow it up with that phrase. It wouldn't be rare to hear someone say something like, "The way that girl dresses, she just doesn't seem to have a mirror in her house, bless her heart!"

It's absurd. XD

[Sheenar]

Also there's the whole issue with "bless his/her heart." XD In the South, it's socially acceptable to say just about anything about someone, as long as you follow it up with that phrase. It wouldn't be rare to hear someone say something like, "The way that girl dresses, she just doesn't seem to have a mirror in her house, bless her heart!"

It's absurd. XD

YES, I hear that a lot. It makes no sense to me.

Or it is acceptable to spread gossip in the form of a "prayer request" for a person. Ugh.

[Yamamaya]

To address people being more polite in the South for the sake of this thread, I can assure you that not everyone who seems polite is actually polite. XD There's a lot of gossip behind the pleasantries. People will often be kind and genteel to your face, but actually hate your guts behind your back. XD

Also there's the whole issue with "bless his/her heart." XD In the South, it's socially acceptable to say just about anything about someone, as long as you follow it up with that phrase. It wouldn't be rare to hear someone say something like, "The way that girl dresses, she just doesn't seem to have a mirror in her house, bless her heart!"

It's absurd. XD

My mom did come from the South so she heard that phrase a lot. My brother told me that saying, "Bless her/his heart" can really mean, "Oh they're so stupid." However, I hear it used in many non negative connotations, so I was a bit confused.

Thanks for clearing that up Radical.

Well that's usually how things are in every polite society, such as Victorian England and Japan. The insults simply become more subtle.

In addition, I have to say I find female Southern Accents to be rather attractive. Unless it's a Texan accent. Oh man, I can't stand that accent.

No offense to Texans

[Radical Dreamer]

YES, I hear that a lot. It makes no sense to me.

Or it is acceptable to spread gossip in the form of a "prayer request" for a person. Ugh.

Oh my gosh YES. That bothers me SO MUCH. XD

[ShiroiHikari]

Superficial politeness is a problem in a lot of societies.