Bible Belt

The Bible Belt is a geographical region including part of the South and midsection of the United States. It is so called because of the rough shape of the region: it resembles a belt around much of the lower middle of the nation and the majority of the inhabitants are practising Christians (hence the 'Bible' belt). Social conservatism is a dominant paradigm within the Bible Belt.

The Bible Belt includes all of the southern states as well as the Lower Midwestern States.

Bible Belt States

• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Florida (Northern part)
• Georgia
• Illinois (Southern part)
• Indiana
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Nebraska (Southern part)
• Louisiana
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• New Mexico (South Western corner)
• North Carolina
• Ohio (Southern part)
• Oklahoma
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Virginia
• West Virginia

Bible Belt Statistics

The divorce rate, the murder rate and the obesity rate are all higher in the Bible Belt than in the rest of the United States. The Bible Belt has a higher murder rate than other regions of the United States The Bible Belt's teen pregnancy rates are the highest in the country. There is more poverty in the Bible Belt than elsewhere. Health overall is poor. Sexually transmitted disease rates are also high. Hate and intolerance is well represented. Those who can't or won't take the Christian values where they live secretly subscribe to pornography. The level of agreement in a state with the statement that “Even today miracles are performed by the power of God” predicted higher pornography consumption. States claiming to have old-fashioned values about family and marriage purchased substantially more adult-content subscriptions.

From a logical standpoint, the Bible Belt's strict Christian morals (often forced) are causing controversy amongst the local population. This evidence is quite useful in a debate against a Christian when the overused "Christianity makes people moral" point is brought up. It also brings up the point that shoving Christianity down kid's throats does not work, and causes them to have contempt for Christianity.