The town I live in, in the South of England has a population of 16,000. We have a CofE church and school, a RC church, a Mosque and a small Xtian bookshop. They are mostly empty except at Xmas and Easter it seems. The mosque is used regularly, but we only have a handful of Muslims. I have not met a single religious person since living in the town, except for two young America Mormons doing missionary work in the High Street and they were largely ignored or politely brushed off by people as I observed them for about 45 minutes.

The UK just isn't particularly religious, at least in my environs.

Now, when I lived in Houston! Boy, that's a whole different kettle of fish.

(January 28, 2015 at 11:22 am)Xeno Wrote: What the hell...? I wonder what the attendance is like.

Very good. The Mid-Western region of the United States is quite religious, especially in the rural areas.

In my town in Washington, population about 170,000, there are too many to count.

From the crutch finder site, I count 27 Baptist churches alone. Doesn't count Catholics, Lutheran, and all the rest. There are probably more than one hundred total. Can't drive hardly a mile without passing one.

And this from an area that is one of the least religious in the U.S. My area is colored as "less than 35%". I don't notice any of the neighbors scurrying off to talk with invisible friends, but someone must be.

Well, that looks depressing.

Holy shit Utah.

(January 28, 2015 at 11:48 am)Xeno Wrote: Well, that looks depressing.

Understanding the prevalence of religion in the U.S. usually is.

I live in a small village, and I think we have just 2 churches. I was in one of them yesterday, we're renting the room for setting up self defence classes. It was just a big hall. And a piano, sadly it was the most knackered one I've ever played! About half the notes don't play at all the rest are off with a sickening reverb. Made little difference whether I was concentrating or not :p

(January 28, 2015 at 11:50 am)Faith No More Wrote:

(January 28, 2015 at 11:48 am)Xeno Wrote: Well, that looks depressing.

Understanding the prevalence of religion in the U.S. usually is.

Looking at that map and the overwhelming prevalence and influence of religion in the U.S. is why some of us non-believers are a bit feisty about fighting against it.

On the upside though, even here, the trend is diminishing church attendance and the best part: the young are falling away.

One day, maybe one of these church monstrosities will be turned into a bar.

(January 28, 2015 at 12:07 pm)JesusHChrist Wrote: One day, maybe one of these church monstrosities will be turned into a bar.

"Under the dead rabbi"

(January 28, 2015 at 12:07 pm)JesusHChrist Wrote: One day, maybe one of these church monstrosities will be turned into a bar.

The best clubs I've been to have been old churches.

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Also, I question the validity of that map given its coloring of mid-Michigan. Their quantification of religious adherents must be off, because there's absolutely no way that it's less than 35% in this area. This place is full of passive holy-rollers.