The Weather Outside is... Making Some Question Their Faith
I found this Pew study on religion to be a rather season appropriate topic. First, it's lovely to see that faith is slowly losing the war on reason where the hearts and minds are concerned anyway, even if the win them Media war.
Also, I see a real correlation here between winter and reductions in belief. Take two conservative states like Oklahoma and Nebraska. You would think similar in many ways, but the southern of the two is the more religious. Utah is second in attendance but 10th or higher in all other measures.
Don't think a snowstorm is significant factor in driving so many to question their faith?
Guess which is more religious, Alaska or Hawaii?
Comments
No wonder Sarah quit her job to become a teabag author -- maybe she could see Russia, but not Heaven, from Alaska.
Now you got me looking up her bio - her 1st or 4 colleges was Hawaii Pacific University in Honolulu.
that should read 1st "of" 4
although "or" is more folksy
Arizona, California, and Nevada aren't exactly cold weather states and their well below the median in religious adherence here. The snow storms in Nebraska are as bad or worse than anything in California (outside the mountains where almost all the people live). Yeah, I know, hardly anyone lives in Nebraska anywhere.
...and they're well below... Sigh.
...and they're well below... Sigh.
I wonder - more time to read when you can't/shouldn't go out? I teach in Maine in the summer, and my friends and I had to remark on the overabundance of independent bookstores. I'm not suggesting that people don't read the Bible, but generally 1 copy will do you, plus, perhaps, a concordance. There must be a market for all of those shops, and I don't think the vacation community is geared toward reading.
nice article and very dood comments, best regards
Hmm.. looking at the Pew study, I see a larger corellation between majority religions in areas than weather patterns.
http://strangemaps.wordpress.com/2008/01/27/237-regionalism-and-religiosity/
You will see that babtist states have high % of 'religious belief in daily lives'. The next question is are babtists more prone to bring religion into daily lives.
That doesn't explain Alaska Hawaii
you quote the two states with huge indiginous populations and rebellion in thier hearts (vs mainland USA) as indicative of the American norm? I think you are reaching ;)
New Mexico doesn't have a large enough indiginous peoples for you.
I am not saying I am right.
I am just pointing out a correlation and wondering if it means anything.
I would be interested in seeing the numbers on European countries. I believe the northern ones are the least religious there as well.
Hey R7, not trying to pick a fight! I'm as curious as you are.
If I were home I'd toss numbers on the dominant religion map and see how things coorelate, but alas I am on me mum's laptop sans mouse *8)
Looking again at the least religious states, they all seem to have Catholicism (and a tad Lutheran) populations. Hawaii is the exception, but after visiting there, I think the 'are you religious' question is less about Catholicism and more about the Hawaiian native beliefs. (100% guessing here).
If you find anything about Europe/Asia etc, I'd love to see it though!
No problem,
You can see that the trend very loosely holds in Europe.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Europe_belief_in_god-christianity.png
Poland and Iceland being some clear exceptions and the eastern block being generally confused on the topic.
interesting!!!
contrast that with this map of major religions in europe:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Europereligionmap_en.png
the higher %s in THIS case belong to Catholic countries (look at Ireland and Poland for high % in northern climes)
your link got cut off.
use a "<" before and ">" after to keep that from happening.
PS: I write this from Kansas (smack dab between Neb. and Okl.) and there is a blizzard over all three states.
continuing down here to avoid the narrows...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Europe_religion_map_en.png
(thanks for the link tip!)
I want to look at asia and s america too.
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