According to this article, a new Gallup Poll finds that Mississippi is the state where the most people – 85%– say yes when asked, "Is religion an important part of your daily life?" Joining Mississippi in the top "most religious" states are other notches in the Bible Belt: Alabama (82%), South Carolina (80%), Tennessee (79%), Louisiana (78%) and Arkansas (78%). On the low end, less than half of Vermonters — 42% — answered that same question in the affirmative. Following Vermont are New Hampshire (46%), Maine (48%), Massachusetts (48%), Alaska (51%) and Washington (52%).
However, according to this article, Mississippi is also the unhealthiest state in America. It has the highest rate of teenage births in the nation, the highest age-adjusted death rate, the highest infant mortality rate, the highest rate of sexually transmitted diseases, and the largest percentage of obese adults and adults who do not exercise. In 2nd place is Louisiana, and also on the list is South Carolina at #7 (with a high number of new AIDS cases and a high rate of sexually transmitted diseases), Alabama at #9 (with a high rate of obesity and non-exercising adults), Arkansas at #14 and Tennessee at #15. On the list of healthiest states though is New Hampshire at #2 (with the lowest rates of sexually transmitted diseases and lowest levels of teenage births), Vermont at #3 (with the lowest rate of new AIDS cases reported), Maine at #4, Massachusetts at #5 (with the second-lowest percentage of obese adults), and Washington at #13 (with a low percentage of adult smokers and a high percentage of adults who exercise).
And what about education? Well this article tells us that of the ten least educated states Tennessee is #2, Louisiana #3, Alabama #4, Arkansas #7, and Mississippi #8. Yet of the most educated states, Massachusetts is #1 with 35.8 percent of the population holding four-year degrees. Also in the top ten? You guessed it…Vermont is #7, New Hampshire is #9, and Washington is #10.
Looking at these statistics I can't help but notice a strange connection. So I wonder, is being religious bad for you?
Haha! I know this is a “serious” topic but I use to say that maybe if people down south weren’t so “friendly”, then maybe they wouldn’t be so “itchy” (upon researching STD rates per state, etc).
Yes, religion is bad for you. But Jesus is good for you.
Ha! I was thinkin’ that them Bible belters is stupid and sickly cuz they can’t afford a education or health insurance on account of …
Wait for it …
TITHING.
Doc, you beat me to it.
WOW! I actually agree with DOC and JOE on something…the sun, moon, and stars have aligned…is Jesus coming back soon?
After yet another PBC graduate was sent to prison I’m starting to wonder. I haven’t seen statistics but If anyone can find ones on Bible College graduates that are convicted of felonies it would be interesting.
I think the link you are seeing is poverty and minority rates. The poverty and minority statistical rates in the South vers the North East and North West could not be more different.
One state to throw your whole “analysis” off: California low religion high poverty high teenage birth rates, High drug use and high crime.
Obesity in the south is culture that has nothing to do with religion or faith.
Ah I live in CA and it about 50/50 out here. Just because it’s a very liberal state, doesn’t mean it’s not a church state. That’s why it’s not in the top 10 category for any of these things, good or bad. Not sure why you think it’s on the low religion end…plenty of people profess religion as a daily part of their lives out here. Outside San Francisco and Los Angeles there are church folk everywhere. One stat I saw said Orange County was 95% republican with 85% of residents going to church on a regular basis. Sacramento is a big republican town and San Diego is a big military town with tons of church people.
And yes you are right about poverty…that affects obesity, crime, and pregnancy rates. But the fact is that all those Bible belt states rank in the top 10 for faith in God yet they have all these problems, whereas states in the Northeast and Northwest rank in the top 10 for lack of faith in God and they don’t have those same problems, is more then just a coincidence to me.
I think it’s because people who live in religion don’t have a relationship with God. They depend on their religious acts and duties to maintain their faith, but when temptation strikes they fall because there’s no real value in religion. Yet people who simply believe and trust in Jesus without all the religious hoopla have more strength to fight temptation.
I think it’s because people who live in religion don’t have a relationship with God. They depend on their religious acts and duties to maintain their faith, but when temptation strikes they fall because there’s no real value in religion. Yet people who simply believe and trust in Jesus without all the religious hoopla have more strength to fight temptation.
AMEN .. Brother!
Me too. Sad eyes, crooked crosses, in God’s country.
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Yeah…and it’s being destroyed by a legislature that can’t get it’s act together. Spending millions on some crazy woman who can have 14 kids unchecked and billions on programs that don’t help anyone, while increasing sales tax, property tax, gas tax, and income tax, all while laying off thousands of teachers. It’s nuts.
I know, Alex. My daughter (a school teacher) just got her pink slip this week.
And did you hear how we’re already outta money?
Who wudda thought?….what a drag, man.
-joe
I’ll admit that after I was a Christian, I fell into sexual sin when I should have known better. People are people and tend to fall short of the glory of God. I’d say it is the religious nature of churches. If I opened up to anybody, we all know how I’d be treated & received even by those who claim to be open-minded. The religious nature pushes these issues underground.
There may be other factors with the statistics too.
The South tends to be more conservative so hence sin would be pushed underground for the sake of keeping a good image. As for the churches, I heard that the churches are trying to be seeker friendly and often water down the messages. And megachurches are on the rise and as always the emphasis is on a Christian image.
Then again, the so-called liberals are not that open minded either. I was on the MAX downtown with my distant family members who were 11 & 8 yrs old. I was 17 at that time. I had people give me VERY dirty looks assuming that I was a young mother.
Admin; Start a new thread. Please.
Maybe those “most religious” are the ones Tokin’ the Ghost.