Considering relocating to KY---Religion an issue? (law, authority, rated) - Kentucky - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

dixiegirl7 · 10-26-2009, 04:26 PM

Most areas of Kentucky are conservative and fairly religious. This is heart of the Bible Belt. However, as someone said, Ketuckians for the most part are live and let live people. I would flaunt your beliefs and usually the subject won't ever even come up. Church membership and participation is sort of the center of things in rural communities and even in the larger cities, but not going won't cause you to be ostracized in any way. There are over zealous people every place, but Kentucky has no more than anyplace else.

goobersmoochers · 10-26-2009, 04:53 PM

Beilart, I'm laughing..."It" has a name? I must be clueless!! Or maybe word just hasn't got out this far west....

SO back to my original question to keep us both out of trouble.... I just "came out" to my mom and told her that I suspect I might be desiring a relationship with a state back east. She wants to find out more....where is the best and most truthful place to learn? Mom is hyper religious (Southern Baptist); I am decidedly NOT....Is there a place in Kentucky where we can both feel comfortable?

Oh, and I just read your post, Dixiegirl. Thanks for the response. People who are religious don't always get how we non-religious types sometimes feel left out/persecuted/ostracized/whiney...

beilart · 10-26-2009, 05:11 PM

[quote=goobersmoochers;11356116]Is there a place in Kentucky where we can both feel comfortable?

Try Bardstown, KY

dixiegirl7 · 10-26-2009, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goobersmoochers

Beilart, I'm laughing..."It" has a name? I must be clueless!! Or maybe word just hasn't got out this far west....

SO back to my original question to keep us both out of trouble.... I just "came out" to my mom and told her that I suspect I might be desiring a relationship with a state back east. She wants to find out more....where is the best and most truthful place to learn? Mom is hyper religious (Southern Baptist); I am decidedly NOT....Is there a place in Kentucky where we can both feel comfortable?

Oh, and I just read your post, Dixiegirl. Thanks for the response. People who are religious don't always get how we non-religious types sometimes feel left out/persecuted/ostracized/whiney...

I am not sure if I understand that last sentence, but I don't think religion, religious preference or the lack thereof comes up in conversation much around here.

erickp · 10-27-2009, 12:57 AM

As to the KKK question, there are pockets of racists in Kentucky, just as there are everywhere. Stereotypes are deceiving. Klanwatch identifies 11 active hate groups in Kentucky, less than any state east of the Mississippi, except for Wisconsin and some of the small northeastern states.

SPLCenter.org: Hate Groups Map

To religion... beliefs aside, churchgoers tend to be responsible, helpful, law-abiding members of society, so one could do a lot worse for neighbors.

As to being agnostic, (forgive me for giving an un-asked for opinion) I think most church people probably hope your feelings change at some point, because we honestly think the joy of belief enhances one's life. At the same time, trying to shove Jesus down people's throats is a perversion of what true religion is supposed to represent. There are some diehard zealots who may nag you, just as there are some people who insist that everyone should think Obama is a criminal, or that Bush was an idiot.

People may ask you questions, but it's more from a standpoint of curiosity. As previous posters have said, it's a question of live and let live. It works both ways. As long as someone doesn't use his opinions as a means of demeaning others, there generally isn't a problem. If someone think's he's better than you are based only on his faith, he's (a) ignoring the scriptual teaching against judging others and (b) a doofus.

To put it in sports terms, if you go into a Packers bar as a polite rival fan, you'll probably be okay. If you act like a jerk, and start mouthing off about how the Packers suck, and how great the Bears and the Vikings are, you're liable to get your butt kicked. But seriously, what would you expect?

In fairness, I should mention that some people may be a little wary, because of so many instances of where newcomers to a community turn out to be the people who sue the school board because there's a prayer before the basketball game, or write letters to the editor about the nativity scene in the Christmas display. Obviously, I'm not specifically referring to you, as I don't know you. I just think it should be mentioned out of fairness. I mean no offense.

My daughter has lived out west since 1998. She, too is in a racial minority where she lives. Were it not for her husband's family, who are locals, she says she'd come back in a minute.

Best of luck to you. I wish ewveryone were so thoughtful in making decisions. I hope you'll be delighted in your new home.

beilart · 10-27-2009, 02:26 AM

"In fairness, I should mention that some people may be a little wary, because of so many instances of where newcomers to a community turn out to be the people who sue the school board because there's a prayer before the basketball game, or write letters to the editor about the nativity scene in the Christmas display."

And isn't this the most stupid thing ever done? I am not a Christian but I taught school for 21 years and kept a Bible right on top of my desk all of those years. Figured it couldn't hurt and came in handy on the bad days. I dared anyone to take it away from me too!

SFLWR · 10-27-2009, 07:23 AM

good post erickp ! Beilart- you puzzle me

goobersmoochers · 10-27-2009, 08:05 AM

Thanks, erikp! I just want a place where I feel welcome. Live and let live sounds great to me. I'm not one to push my beliefs down people's throats, either. I just want to find a place for my family that has a lot of people who see us as the nice folks that we are, thoughful and kind, respectful and responsible, and not see us as "not Christian." I want to find people who see my wonderful daughters as smart, sweet, hard workers and not look down on them for believing what they believe, and not prevent their kids from being friends with them because they don't go to church. Too many times my girls have lost friends because the parents or even the kids found out my girls don't/won't go to church. It makes me truly sad. I can deal with it; I have for decades, but my kids shouldn't have to.

I used to live in a town (Carlsbad, NM)that had a beautiful Nativity Scene on the courthouse lawn every Christmas. Now, we don't celebrate Christmas, because we are not Christians, but that Nativity Scene was there for decades before I was born, and I had a lot of happy childhood memories attached to it. As a kid, every year we'd go see it after driving around looking at Christmas lights. (My parents were very religious--still are, and I was raised Baptist.) When my girls were born, we continued that tradition: drive around and look at Christmas lights, then end up at the courthouse to see the Nativity Scene. Only difference was, instead of teaching my girls that this was "The One Truth," I taught them that this was the way some believed. They were free to believe it, or not. But I stressed respect for others' beliefs. My girls chose not to believe, but I required that they have some respect.

A few years ago, a group of atheists complained to the city of Carlsbad about that Nativity scene on the basis of separation of church and state, and the compromise they reached was to simply add other "religious" symbols as well. So they added a Star of David, and a bunch of Disney characters and Santa. I was horrified! The end result was a desecration of the Christian religion, and a mockery of religion in general. To what purpose? It didn't make me feel better, it only made local Christians hate us more, because they thought we were in on it.

Live and let live. I just want a place where we are appreciated for who we are, not judged for what we are not.

Sundance · 10-27-2009, 08:41 AM

One thing for sure, wherever you go, there you are.

beilart · 10-27-2009, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SFLWR

good post erickp ! Beilart- you puzzle me

Why? Because I am not a Christian but am a person who likes the literature of the Bible and thinks Jesus had some good words or because I kept a Bible on my desk? By the way, the Bible on the desk was partly for me to read when I wanted to, partly for my students to read when they wanted to and partly because the nitwits on the school board told me I couldn't have it in my room.