The 10 Least Religious States: Also the Meanest?

The New American ^ | 28 May 2012 | Selwyn Duke

[Paladins Prayer]

When it comes to religiosity, some American states truly do fit in to the union — the European Union, that is.

According to recent surveys, the most and least religious states are mainly where one might expect: respectively, the Bible Belt of the South, and New England and the West. A recent Gallup study, for instance, rated (in order) Mississippi, Utah, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, South Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, and Oklahoma as the 10 most religious states; and Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Alaska, Oregon, Nevada, Washington, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, New York, and Rhode Island (the last three were tied for 10th place) as the least.

This is significant because authentic religiosity correlates with many other things. Just consider voting patterns, for instance. Nine of the 10 most religious states are conservative bastions that consistently vote Republican in presidential elections; the one exception is North Carolina, which, owing in large part to demographic changes, is now a Republican-leaning swing state. In contrast, 10 of the least religious states are either Democrat bastions or are close to that; the exceptions are Democratic-leaning swing state New Hampshire; and Alaska, whose rugged rural individualism breeds a conservative libertarianism. And is it surprising that these American states vote like Europeans? When it comes to faith, their residents believe like Europeans. Modern liberalism is the political arm du jour of atheism.

Another thing that correlates with atheism is lower charitable giving.

[redhead]

"Alaska is as conservative as they come, but more like a different country than a different state. Reason is all the different cultures and with the influx of Asians; becoming more so. Many Indians also tend to dismiss White Man’s Religion too and yet I know many Indians who are registered Repubs due to their military service."

Yep. I've lived in Alaska for 35 years or so, and have noticed the same effect.

[Sola Veritas]

“The author says Maine is Mean—but gives no examples, and would have liked some.”

It is a hard thing to explain. My father is from Maine but has lived in Oklahoma since he met and married my mother there after WWII.

I have many relatives in that state. I wouldn’t describe them as “mean” or even “unfriendly.” I would describe them as “Not friendly.” I don’t think they mean to be that way, it is just the culture where being outgoing and friendly was bad manners. Whereas, in my home state of Oklahoma, being anything other than friendly and outgoing would be considered bad manners. These are generalisms, but essentially the truth.

It was funny this came up, because I was trying to explain to my 16 year old son that he wouldn’t like living in Maine just yesterday.

[Vigilanteman]

I really don’t fully understand the anti-Mormon thing that some obsess about.

I've come to the conclusion that it is because Mormons are very bad for their business-- lay ministry and all that . . .

When pgkdan and I were kids, Roman Catholics were the main objects of their wrath.

After JFK was elected, that suddenly became unfashionable although they still slither around bashing Catholics if you look closely enough.

They're just not quite as organized or open about it because loud-mouthed bullies just aren't quite as comfortable taking on the largest Christian denomination in America as opposed to one which is only 2% of the U.S. population.

[who knows what evil?]

Great article...I was speaking to a couple of New Hampshire teachers a few weeks back, and I mentioned that 'New Hampshire was the least religious state in the country'. One of the female ones broke out into a BIG smile and spat out "Good!"

They have YOUR children...

[who knows what evil?]

Of course, I've always thought the NE was a place of terrible stingy snobs, but that's just me.

An accurate assessment...I amuse myself by dropping a nickel on the ground between two conversing New Englanders...I love the sound of their heads hitting each other...

[Mamzelle]

So why do they so love being taxed?

[who knows what evil?]

In Cedar City, Utah, I hit a patch of snow while trying to parallel park and wound up skidding so that I was perpendicular to the street, then I couldn't drive away because my wheels were stuck in the snow. A group of teenagers suddenly appeared and pulled my car out.

I had a similar experience in East Tennessee...I had pulled off the road with a flat tire, and was in the middle of changing it when a group of teen-agers pulled up; offering to help us with the flat. Since I was nearly done; I declined, and they drove off. My wife (a native but reformed New Englander) was stunned to see teen-agers offering to help...she thought they were going to carjack us. I smiled..."welcome to Tennessee...welcome to the United States."

[wardaddy]

Texas should be on the list

[ansel12]

Wow, you despise Christians and Christianity, the very foundation of America and it's people in the most nasty ways, while whining about normal people criticizing the little Mormon cult.

[WashingtonSource]

bump

[America always]

Now that’s funny! Also, unfortunately, all to true.

[SZonian]

Rent free baby, rent free. Life is grand.

[ansel12]

You may have a hard time with it, but Texas is the greatest state in America, the conservative opposite of California.

Which state do you currently live in?

[who knows what evil?]

So why do they so love being taxed?

That's their idea of charity...

A police officer was murdered in NH a few weeks ago...right on cue; a concerned citizen suggests that our property taxes be RAISED so we can give police officers a BIG raise; since they put their lives on the line every day as our 'protectors'. G-d forbid this woman writes a personal check from her OWN account for this cause...

Yeah...that'll happen.

[ExCTCitizen]

Democratic-leaning swing state New Hampshire;

No, New Hampshire is not Democratic leaning...they (the people of NH) are more libertarian!! Their slogan is: LIVE FREE OR DIE

[SaraJohnson]

I had the misfortune of living in Maryland next to DC for a spell one time. I made great friends there but the public culture was crude and hard.

[hal ogen]

I agree whole-heartedly. Thirty years there was more than enough.