Religion in the Bible Belt
Daniel Crisman
Issue date: 10/1/07 Section: ViewPoint
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The Bible Belt. The very phrase sent a cold shiver down my spine at the thought of moving down from Boston. I was a Massachusetts Wiccan going to Jesus Christ's Court, and I was afraid I would not like the judges. But in moving to Tennessee, I did not get what I expected, and I wanted to find out more. The question in my mind as I interviewed five different students with very different views was: Does the Bible Belt hold up the stereotype of being intolerant? What I discovered was certainly noteworthy.
The first interviews were with Jeremy Brooks, a freshman mathematics major, and a Southern Baptist from Harrogate, Tenn., and his twin sister, Lauren Brooks, a biology major, also Southern Baptist. They are both members of the Baptist Collegiate Ministries, and they shared similar ideas about how it affects their lives.
Jeremy said, "It makes me stop and think that Christ died for me to save me from my sins, and that makes me want to live a better life." Lauren made a similar comment, "It is my life. He [Christ] laid down his life for me. I as a Christian should lay down my life for Him." Jeremy said his raising did not affect his choice of religion. Lauren said that they were raised Southern Baptist, but she chose willingly to follow the path.
I asked the others how their religions affected their lives as well. Wesley Surber, a freshman from Maynorville, Tenn., and also a math major, talked to me about his belief in an unnamed god. "I believe there is a god," he said, "But in a specific sect, I can't believe in it." He went on to say, "I base my life on helping people and helping myself. I believe you can't lead a good life without helping others." That sentiment seemed to be a common theme among all those interviewed.
Niko Ramsey is a Wiccan from West Chester, Ohio. She is a freshman English major, and when asked why she chose Wicca, she said, "It seemed right" - an outlook I could perfectly relate to. She went on to say, "My relatives, except my parents, are all Christians. My parents didn't raise me as anything specific, but my grandparents tried to push me into that path." So it would seem that parents do have an effect on their child's religion, and this could be the reason for predominate Christianity in the South. When I asked her about how being a Pagan had an effect on her life, she said, "I follow the Wiccan Rede." The Rede states "An' it harm none, do what ye will." "I'm very in tune with nature. I love nature," she added.
The first interviews were with Jeremy Brooks, a freshman mathematics major, and a Southern Baptist from Harrogate, Tenn., and his twin sister, Lauren Brooks, a biology major, also Southern Baptist. They are both members of the Baptist Collegiate Ministries, and they shared similar ideas about how it affects their lives.
Jeremy said, "It makes me stop and think that Christ died for me to save me from my sins, and that makes me want to live a better life." Lauren made a similar comment, "It is my life. He [Christ] laid down his life for me. I as a Christian should lay down my life for Him." Jeremy said his raising did not affect his choice of religion. Lauren said that they were raised Southern Baptist, but she chose willingly to follow the path.
I asked the others how their religions affected their lives as well. Wesley Surber, a freshman from Maynorville, Tenn., and also a math major, talked to me about his belief in an unnamed god. "I believe there is a god," he said, "But in a specific sect, I can't believe in it." He went on to say, "I base my life on helping people and helping myself. I believe you can't lead a good life without helping others." That sentiment seemed to be a common theme among all those interviewed.
Niko Ramsey is a Wiccan from West Chester, Ohio. She is a freshman English major, and when asked why she chose Wicca, she said, "It seemed right" - an outlook I could perfectly relate to. She went on to say, "My relatives, except my parents, are all Christians. My parents didn't raise me as anything specific, but my grandparents tried to push me into that path." So it would seem that parents do have an effect on their child's religion, and this could be the reason for predominate Christianity in the South. When I asked her about how being a Pagan had an effect on her life, she said, "I follow the Wiccan Rede." The Rede states "An' it harm none, do what ye will." "I'm very in tune with nature. I love nature," she added.