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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]A culture that encourages being outspoken about faith, attending church, believing in God. (Generally.)

Versus a culture that encourages skepticism, intellectual curiosity over faith, and being more attached to the notion that science is incompatible with faith. (Generally.)

I say none of those things in a positive or pejorative way.[/quote]

So cultural differences. Do you think that culture is prevalent in the schools in the South too? 
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Absolutely. [/quote]

I grew up in the South and was forced to pray in public school, in the 90s.  By forced to pray, I mean the principal came on over the intercom, and said "bow your heads, let us pray, heavenly father...blah blah."  I told my homeroom teacher this was illegal and she told me to shut up and stop being ridiculous.  There was prayer at all school events such as athletic events and graduations.  [b]I remember our cheerleaders being very excited and crying when someone was saved.  [/b]

Here the first question you are asked is "what do you do?"  There it is "where do you go to church?"  There's tremendous emphasis placed on church-going, especially in smaller towns.

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What does this mean? 
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Cheerleaders were happy when they learned that a friend of theirs had asked Jesus to enter their heart and he did.  This means that person will go to heaven when they die, so it is cause for great celebration[/quote]

Thank you for explaining. At first I thought it might be football related but I guess not. :)

Were most kids "saved"? Was there pressure if you were not already? Teenage years can be tough - think this made it harder - or easier - at all?

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NP Most of the kids at my school were saved. I grew up in an evangelical Christian area. You had to be saved (ask and accept Jesus into your heart) to become a Christian. You couldn't just go to church. Once you were old enough to understand right and wrong and take some responsibility for your actions, you had to be saved, make a public proclamation of your faith, and be baptized. It was expected of everyone, because not to do so meant you were basically rejecting your family's religion.

Some people didn't go to church, but most people did. Even if they didn't believe in it. It's easier to just go along with it than to take a stand against your community. In my 4th grade class, on Monday mornings, our teacher had us line up for recess with the kids who went to church/Sunday school at the head of the line, and the kids who skipped at the rear. We didn't have to pray every morning at school, but teachers would often recommend and allow time for a quick silent prayer before tests, and there was always a prayer at events (potlucks, sporting events, etc.) In high school, the most popular club was FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes). We had revivals geared toward teens a few times a year where it was expected for the teens to pledge to remain virgins until marriage. Some of those revivals made you go up to the front of the auditorium or stand at your seat so someone could bring you a form/card to sign that was your "contract with god" that you could show the world, or you'd get a ring to wear to remind yourself you were married to god until you marry your husband/wife. It was all very public and no one was forced to participate, but if you didn't, you were slut shamed at school the next week.

Not conforming to those beliefs was incredibly hard for kids. Most of us just pretended until we got out of that small town, went to college and had some real life experiences, and then either stopped with religion or became more moderate. The ones who stayed, even if they drank and did drugs or had sex on Friday nights then showed up with their chastity rings on Sunday mornings at church, eventually settled down and put the same pressure to conform on their own kids.

I graduated high school in 1997. This was in the 1990s. From my high school friends' Facebook pages (at least the ones who stayed), it's still happening with the next generation. [/quote]

Sorry this happened to you.  Congrats on getting out.[/quote]

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