Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

sacredblasphemies t1_irem93n wrote

I found Southern hospitality to be conditional.

Oh, they will be very friendly but the moment they find out that you, say, aren't Christian, that hospitality can change at the drop of a dime.

I don't feel that about Mainers. No one has yet asked me about my religion since I moved here... and I appreciate that.

30

[deleted] t1_irevouh wrote

My best friend lives in Kansas and I was shocked when she told me it’s normal to be asked what church you go to in casual conversation. Maine is incredibly secular, that’s just not done here. (And welcome, belatedly!)

18

freeski919 t1_irewg61 wrote

Maine is the least religious state in the country. One of the many reasons I like it here.

19

biglymonies t1_irfkv54 wrote

I think maybe I've just lucked out, but that hasn't been my experience at all.

I moved to the South from Maine. All of my friends and neighbors down here are super religious - like, "my dad is a preacher" and "my family owns a church" kind of religious. I'm not religious at all.

We've been down here for a couple of years now and nobody has tried converting us to be Southern Baptists haha. We get invited to and usually attend the post-church Sunday barbecue events. We invite them over for dinner, attend their kids' birthday parties, have beers/bourbon together, etc.

Honestly, living here is the first time I've ever experienced anything close to a sense of community. I know and like almost all of my neighbors, and I've become good friends with many of their family members. We help each other out with lawn stuff, dog/house/short babysitting requests, checking to see if someone left their garage door open for them, etc.

6