Cinnamon rolls with Christ on the side

[Gypsy]

So, I'm from CA. In CA, in my experience of living there for over 30 years, faith is a private thing generally. The most you'll hear is "Merry Christmas" or something similar on holidays unless you specifically enquire. No one blesses you in the grocery store. You don't get a helping of Christ with your food. And people don't randomly pray for you for every little thing.

And I live in TX now. I seriously can't order cinnamon rolls without a helping of "this is my trad wife business, help me make money in the only way I'm allowed. Bless you and you are in my prayers... blah, blah, blah."

I was never hostile toward religion. Texas is changing that. I feel like snarling when billboards are praying for me on the freeway. When radio announcers for rock channels prosletize. When going into a boutique or leaving it is accompanied by "Hope you have a blessed day." And don't get me started on the anti-abortion propaganda.

I've always been "you do you" and I still am. But I am sick and tired of my "you do you" being met with "you do [my version of] Christ" everywhere. I honestly hate leaving my house here sometimes. It's either patriarchy, toxic masculinity, late-stage capitalist apathy toward anything other than money and power, or a form of Christanity that nauseatingly enshires all three of those.

We plan to move in 2 years but there are days I want to move that timeline up. Needless to say: I didn't order the cinnamon rolls.

 

[AdaBeta27]

The South has always been more religious than other places. I was raised in the mid-Atlantic states but we were all schooled that religion is a personal thing. When I lived in the South, I just politely went along with it. I hate to say it, but the current political climate and its unholy courting of the evangelicals and white supremacists has encouraged the religious extremists, misogynists, racists, and antisemites everywhere to get up in everyone's face with it. Toxic masculinity has always been rampant in the lower class people where I grew up. They don't educate their women nor ensure that they get any vocational training that will allow them to earn a decent living. Then they tie them down to religion, home, and hearth, and a lifetime of servitude and scutwork and menial employment. That's small-town America nowadays.

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

The South has always been more religious than other places. I was raised in the mid-Atlantic states but we were all schooled that religion is a personal thing. When I lived in the South, I just politely went along with it. I hate to say it, but the current political climate and its unholy courting of the evangelicals and white supremacists has encouraged the religious extremists, misogynists, racists, and antisemites everywhere to get up in everyone's face with it. Toxic masculinity has always been rampant in the lower class people where I grew up. They don't educate their women nor ensure that they get any vocational training that will allow them to earn a decent living. Then they tie them down to religion, home, and hearth, and a lifetime of servitude and scutwork and menial employment. That's small-town America nowadays.

Sadly, you're very right. We've regressed 100 years in about four.

 

[Matata]

I once had a woman (stupid me for answering the door) stick her foot in the door to prevent me closing it when I politely told her I wasn't interested in joining her church and refused to take the brochure she was trying to force in my hand. I saw the name of the church on the brochure and called the pastor, filled him in on what happened, and asked him to remind his congregants to respect people's "no" or risk being arrested for trespassing.

There is an elderly couple who I frequently encounter on my morning walk. They are devout and passionate about spreading the word. They've approached me numerous times over the years trying to stuff literature in my hand, shouting Jesus loves you, and once stepped into the street in front of my car to try to give me literature.

I told them politely each time that I respected their right to believe and that I was not a believer which prompted them to try to convert me and I would just walk away while they shouted Jesus loves you at me. They are notorious in the neighborhood and do this to all they meet. And then one day I lost my patience to the point I made sure they cross the street when they see me coming. They still do the Jesus loves you schtick although not as loud to which I reply Hail Satan and I enjoy the look of horror on their faces. I am so done with it.

 

[stracci2000]

I live in the neighboring (very blue) state to the west.
A few times I had to drive into TX for work meetings.
As soon as the highway crosses over the state line into TX, drivers are subjected to religious billboards.
I was always happy to return home.

 

[oncrutchesrightnow]

I wonder if there is an increase in outward displays of faith in general or if it just certain areas. When I was a kid, the whole town was religious but there were not a lot of outward expressions. Now I feel like the world has become less religious but there are more outward expressions.

 

[kenny]

I'm in So California, but there are some of "those people" here too.

In the last year or so, when someone adds a, "Have a blessed day" to thier goodbye I respond, "I'm an atheist. You have a nice day".

Visibility matters.

 

[Lookinagain]

I’m in MA so i don’t see it but i think in some parts of the country they feel they have more of a license to be in your face. My town requires a permit for anyone to go door to door. Check to see if yours does. Most of these people don’t have them.

 

[Matata]

Now I feel like the world has become less religious but there are more outward expressions.

Visibility matters.

I think part of the increase in outward expression is that the US is becoming less religious and perhaps the religious are afraid that their rights may be taken away if non believers become the majority. If they remain highly visible perhaps they feel they won't be marginalized. The infiltration of religion into government, the push that is occurring to make the US a christian nationalist country is, I suspect, indicative of the fear of the country becoming less religious which means they'll have less control over policy.

 

[Gypsy]

I love Hail Satan. You are my role model Matata.

 

[Avondale]

I scrolled by a YouTube video clip from some American TV channel earlier today. News about a woman who was attacked by pitbulls and was in hospital, in critical condition and in danger of having both her arms amputated. Thumbnail caption read "PRAYERS NEEDED".

Yeah, all the good prayers will do. What she'll need is a mountain of cash. First to cover her hospital expenses because, you see, medical help is a service, and not, oh, I don't know, a basic human right. Then, to cover all of her living expenses for the rest of her life. And last, but not least, to pay for everything she'll need for her recovery, from physio and occupation therapy to just therapy. At least that was my first thought. Oddly, the news network wasn't calling for donations, or giving a public platform to popularise a fundraiser. But they were using the call for prayers in order to grab attention for more views. How Christian of them.

I learned shortly after she died.