@johnprytz I think that “Bible Belt” moniker is greatly exaggerated.

[pewforum.org]

If you click on the above link you'll see a rating of various religious practices and values in the South. Under each table is a tab to click on and see how the various regions compare in religious practices. If you look you'll see that while the South is indeed more religious, the differences among the regions are not very great. There are certainly not enough differences to warrant labeling the South as the "bible belt". The South is a huge and diverse region, the most populous region, with every conceivable religion and religious opinion.

IMO it is not religion that’s the problem. It’s a bunch of sleazy, egotistical, power-hungry politicians who stir up controversy in their efforts to gain votes. My fundamentalist neighbors have little influence on my life. So far as “evangelicals”, Hillary Clinton is a Methodist, and that’s evangelical. The religious angle is greatly overstated IMO.

Well, I have to backtrack because in my state the sale of sex toys is illegal but the law is ignored. Wouldn’t it be the ticket to be wrapped up in the bedroom and have the police beat down your door, storm in with automatic rifles, etc., seize the evidence, and cart you off to jail? I don’t know whether to laugh or cry at such a silly law and the silly politicians who maintain such a law.

But I really don’t expect any sort of religious takeover. My concern at the moment is that a huge hurricane is moving into our area, and will be here in hours. Power will no doubt be down, possibly for weeks. Cheers!

@johnprytz it seems to me that rural, farming regions tend to be conservative. They don’t change as fast because of a sparser population and less cultural stimulation. Religion is only a part of that conservatism and is not the cause IMO. When folks vote for conservatives it’s not just because of religion. I imagine if you polled the members of one of those evil “evangelical” churches you’d find a variety of political opinions. The news media have gone slap crazy with their divisive, exaggerated propaganda. Remember that Obama was opposed to gay marriage in his first campaign. Also he was very hard on illegal immigrants and he fought against Islamic extremists. Everything gets overhyped and blown out of proportion.

That hurricane has passed and we had no damage and the power didn’t go off. It was said to be a category four, the biggest hurricane ever recorded to hit the panhandle, caused by global warming, blah, blah, blah.