Religious people everywhere

[Ned]

GFY

[McQ]

GFY

So, Ned. You ready to go bye bye?

[karadan]

What does GFY mean?

(is that a silly question?)    

[pinkocommie]

What does GFY mean?

(is that a silly question?)    :secret:

[karadan]

What does GFY mean?

(is that a silly question?)    :secret:

Aha. The derogatory version would make more sense, coming from Ned.

[elliebean]

Aha. The derogatory version would make more sense, coming from Ned.

That's the funniest thing about these types... "Jesus loves you and died to save you, so go fuck yourself!"  

[notself]

I was raised in rural Washington and nothing that's been said about rural America can be applied to me or the majority of my peers.  My extended family all come from rural Iowa, and from what I've been told, the characterization of rural America that's been put forth wouldn't apply to them either.  Not all rural America is backwards, stupid and intensely religious.  Some of it certainly is, but definitely not all of it.

Also, from what I've been told, Al Jazeera is about as reputable a news source as FOX News.  Is that not true?

As for living in rural Washington, that doesn't count because you are on the Left Coast. (This is what people call the West Coast in Arkansas when they are being polite). Iowa is much more liberal than the South.  As for video posted on Al Jazeera's web site, it is spot on.  Watch the video again and then read this.  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100821/ap_ ... t_soldiers

The Air Force and Army military academies have both been accused of proselytizing students by fundamentalist religious officers and instructors.  http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/25/us/25 ... .html?_r=1

[pinkocommie]

I was raised in rural Washington and nothing that's been said about rural America can be applied to me or the majority of my peers.  My extended family all come from rural Iowa, and from what I've been told, the characterization of rural America that's been put forth wouldn't apply to them either.  Not all rural America is backwards, stupid and intensely religious.  Some of it certainly is, but definitely not all of it.

Also, from what I've been told, Al Jazeera is about as reputable a news source as FOX News.  Is that not true?

As for living in rural Washington, that doesn't count because you are on the Left Coast. (This is what people call the West Coast in Arkansas when they are being polite). Iowa is much more liberal than the South.  As for video posted on Al Jazeera's web site, it is spot on.  Watch the video again and then read this.  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100821/ap_ ... t_soldiers

The Air Force and Army military academies have both been accused of proselytizing students by fundamentalist religious officers and instructors.  http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/25/us/25 ... .html?_r=1

I read that about the Christian concert today - it'll be interesting to see what repercussions occur if any.    

My comment about rural Washington and Iowa was in response to your comment -

Living in rural America is like living in the Middle Ages.

I felt that that was an incorrect statement because of how general the statement was - you didn't say living in some areas of rural America, you simply said rural America.  Having grown up in rural America, I felt inclined to speak up as a reminder that your experience with rural America is not indicative of all rural America.  I don't see how rural Washington doesn't count as rural America, though, so I guess we must have different ideas of what would be considered rural America?  Are you just using the term 'rural America' instead of 'the South'?  Hahaha.  Regardless, I don't disagree that living in *some* of rural America is like living in the middle ages.

As for the questions about Al Jazeera - I was seriously asking if it was a reputable news organization.  I guess I should start a new thread instead of asking it here though.  Sorry!

[notself]

From what I have read from the Al Jazeera  itself, it seems as balanced as any news source.  Before the Democratic Convention back when everyone was curious about who Obama would pick for President, Al Jazeera predicted it would be Biden.  It is an interesting paper.

I read several online newspapers and they are all more balanced than Fox. That's not hard to do.

Yes, I agree not all small town America is the same if only because nothing is universal.

[notself]

pinkocommie,

I wonder if the differences between your experiences with small towns and mine have to do with the predominate religion of the small towns.  The two largest religious groups who control most of the town are variations of Baptist followed by variations of Pentacostols.  These people are so serious about their religious beliefs that the talk about the end times at town fairs and tractor pulls.

[Thumpalumpacus]

Well, I lived in Pittsburg, TX not too far from Texarkana, and that's about as dyed-in-the-wool SoBaptist as you can get, and we sure didn't run around doing that.   Also lived in Paso Robles, CA, which was a mix of Baptist and Methodist, mostly; again, no xian zombieland thing going on.  Same with Millington, TN, Rantoul, Il, and Soccorro, NM, in which places I've spent a total of about 16 months.

I'm sure there are weird little niches where everyone walks around talking about endtimes, but to assert that they are a general feature of rural Americana doesn't match what I've seen in my life.

[notself]

Well, I lived in Pittsburg, TX not too far from Texarkana, and that's about as dyed-in-the-wool SoBaptist as you can get, and we sure didn't run around doing that.   Also lived in Paso Robles, CA, which was a mix of Baptist and Methodist, mostly; again, no xian zombieland thing going on.  Same with Millington, TN, Rantoul, Il, and Soccorro, NM, in which places I've spent a total of about 16 months.

I'm sure there are weird little niches where everyone walks around talking about endtimes, but to assert that they are a general feature of rural Americana doesn't match what I've seen in my life.

I was speaking of my town.  Note that I used the phrase "the town" in my comments.  I have looked at some of the towns you listed and the average age of the populations is between 30-35.  The average age of my town is 53.  Perhaps that is the reason I hear so much about the end times and the thinking is so rigid.  

Tell me, in the towns you mention, when you have a fair or town celebration does the mayor say a Christian prayer to kick things off?  I have been in a store and when the clerk added up the bill it totaled $6.66 and she crossed through the number and charged $6.65 because she didn't want to charge me the devil's number.  Have you had a similar experience in any of your towns?  Have you gone into restaurants in your towns and had pictures of Jesus hanging on the wall as decor?

[Thumpalumpacus]

I was speaking of my town.  Note that I used the phrase "the town" in my comments.  I have looked at some of the towns you listed and the average age of the populations is between 30-35.  The average age of my town is 53.  Perhaps that is the reason I hear so much about the end times and the thinking is so rigid.  

My apologies, I was still thinking in the generalized terms appearing earlier in the thread.

Tell me, in the towns you mention, when you have a fair or town celebration does the mayor say a Christian prayer to kick things off?

I've seen that before, but I've also seen prayer-less events.

I have been in a store and when the clerk added up the bill it totaled $6.66 and she crossed through the number and charged $6.65 because she didn't want to charge me the devil's number.  Have you had a similar experience in any of your towns?

No.

Have you gone into restaurants in your towns and had pictures of Jesus hanging on the wall as decor?

Yes, but those were the exceptions, in my experience.

Ironically enough (in the context of this conversation), a buddy of mine in the Air Force, a vociferous atheist, was from Pine Bluff.

[pinkocommie]

pinkocommie,

I wonder if the differences between your experiences with small towns and mine have to do with the predominate religion of the small towns.  The two largest religious groups who control most of the town are variations of Baptist followed by variations of Pentacostols.  These people are so serious about their religious beliefs that the talk about the end times at town fairs and tractor pulls.

That's a good point and I'm sure that does affect the public climate in regard to religiosity in a given area.  I've never experienced living in a Baptist community - that sounds like living in some uneasy bizarre-o world.

[notself]

I think the overall size of the state may have something to do with the conforming mindset.  Arkansas has a total population of 2.8 million.  The capitol is the largest city and has a population of 600,000.  Pine Bluff is about 50,000 and Fayetteville is 50,000.  Most of the towns have populations of 2000 or less.  When I go to Little Rock, I drive through a towns with populations of 1200, 600 and the smallest "town" has a population of 9.

The best thing happening in Arkansas right now is the funding of $100,000+ to provide broad band Internet access to all communities.  I think over time, that will make a huge difference.

Thump,
Does your Airforce buddy have any trouble from the higher ups for being an atheist?