Slog - Comments on binLaden@blogspot.com http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/05/binladenblogspotcom I've been having fun lately perusing random blogs. Not the political blogs, but goofy personal blogs that people—hockey coaches, young parents, dads, stressed teens, librarians, foodies, PHd candidates, Renaissance Fair types, soldiers in Iraq —write for their friends and their moms (or not their moms in some cases). It's kind of like getting a chance to finally meet all those people you move through airports with. You do actually get a bead on Americans and their lives. Hard to find a common denominator, but I do get a sense that people are calmer and more lighthearted than our frantic media... Copyright 2008 Mon, 21 May 2007 14:20:25 -0800 Tue, 22 May 2007 01:07:48 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by weird
Yeah, it's weird if you've ever done phone-canvassing how many people say "God Bless" or something similar in their outgoing messages. Even the Mayor does this in his yearly speeches ("God Bless our home, Seattle" or something like that.)

People are just raised that way.

]]> weird http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/05/binladenblogspotcom#c722222 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/05/binladenblogspotcom#c722222 Life Mon, 21 May 2007 14:28:04 -0800 Comment by ouch stop hitting me. "get a beat on Americans and their lives"?

]]> ouch stop hitting me. http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/05/binladenblogspotcom#c722247 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/05/binladenblogspotcom#c722247 Life Mon, 21 May 2007 14:48:58 -0800 Comment by Angry Andrew If you want unconsciously cut and pasted filler, read my transit blog man!

]]> Angry Andrew http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/05/binladenblogspotcom#c722252 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/05/binladenblogspotcom#c722252 Life Mon, 21 May 2007 14:58:55 -0800 Comment by elswinger I couldn't find the numbers, but here are a couple of graphics. Washington is one of the three (if not #1) least religous states in the country. Therefor it is surprising people around here find it incredulous that people believe in God (for me the jury is still out).


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Religions_by_State.PNG

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Religions_of_the_US.PNG

]]> elswinger http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/05/binladenblogspotcom#c722258 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/05/binladenblogspotcom#c722258 Life Mon, 21 May 2007 15:09:24 -0800 Comment by Enigma @4
Those maps aren't very effective at portraying religiosity. What does religion mean in those stats? Since geographic regions in each state can be very different (a heavy catholic county can be right next to a heavy protastant county) how accurate is it to portray religion by state?
Seattle tends to be very unorganized religiously, but that doesn't mean people don't have personal beliefs. And what about Spokane. Pretty sure on the rural side of the state religion plays a bigger role.

]]> Enigma http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/05/binladenblogspotcom#c722326 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/05/binladenblogspotcom#c722326 Life Mon, 21 May 2007 16:26:20 -0800 Comment by elswinger I saw actual numbers awhile ago but I couldn't find them on Yahoo or Google. My memory was Washington was last in "being religious" and believing in God.

Not that there is anything wrong with that.

]]> elswinger http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/05/binladenblogspotcom#c722339 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/05/binladenblogspotcom#c722339 Life Mon, 21 May 2007 16:50:59 -0800 Comment by Original Andrew There's a big diff between "ceremonial deism," such as the mentioned phrases that have worked their way into everyday language over the centuries, and people who actually believe that a supernatural authority figure gives a damn about whether their mail gets delivered on time or their team wins a football game.

Washington State does have some of the highest rates of atheism and lowest rates of church attendance in the US. It probably has something to do with our high education levels compared to the rest of the country.

]]> Original Andrew http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/05/binladenblogspotcom#c722348 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/05/binladenblogspotcom#c722348 Life Mon, 21 May 2007 17:07:55 -0800 Comment by carlos bead on.

http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/000308.html

]]> carlos http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/05/binladenblogspotcom#c722378 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/05/binladenblogspotcom#c722378 Life Mon, 21 May 2007 17:46:02 -0800 Comment by jamier Wow, those maps make me so very glad I live in Seattle. And I thought I was in Jesus Land working on the eastside.

]]> jamier http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/05/binladenblogspotcom#c722396 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/05/binladenblogspotcom#c722396 Life Mon, 21 May 2007 18:14:40 -0800 Comment by Anonymous Yes. Just what exactly is the point of wearing one's religion on one's sleeve? Kinda reminds me of those ridiculous gay pride parades.

]]> Anonymous http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/05/binladenblogspotcom#c722514 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/05/binladenblogspotcom#c722514 Life Tue, 22 May 2007 01:07:48 -0800