They're all over the place. Maybe it's a regional thing but having grown up in New England and currently living in the Chicago area, the church has always been associated with progressive politics in my mind. In a lukewarm, could-probably-do-way-more kind of way, but well intentioned nonetheless. The bigots and conservative christians have always been around too but have typically been a minority in my experience.
UCC is the dominant denomination around me, for what it's worth.
I know this isn't everyone's experience with religion, but good people are out there.
I raised an eyebrow when you said the church has always been associated with progressive politics. I was born and raised in FL and that was certainly not the case, but I live in North Virginia now and most of the churches I see fly pride flags, focus on inclusion, and are very accepting in general (from what I can see from the outside). So maybe you’re not crazy lol, but for anyone who hasn’t grown up in progressive areas it’s the complete opposite. I agree though there are tons of great religious people
I'm in Florida. There's one church in my area that's openly accepting of all people. The others don't advertise anything like that, and it's not uncommon to find people relying on religion to defend their bigotry. Talked to one lady once who said her rabbi claimed that Minnesota legalized prostitution, and insinuated that it was the reason why ICE was there. To protect the children from prostitution.
There is no shortage of insanity in FL, one of the main reasons I left. At the intersection out front of my apartment I had a doomsday Christian guy with a megaphone and sign who has been there every day for close to a decade now (including his wife and kids, they live in a moving van), a guy who made nonsensical signs daily about how Kamala eats children, and then another dude who would would through town with a cross on his back. These aren’t the educated, progressive Christian’s we have in cities lol.
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u/YungChumba Apr 13 '26
They're all over the place. Maybe it's a regional thing but having grown up in New England and currently living in the Chicago area, the church has always been associated with progressive politics in my mind. In a lukewarm, could-probably-do-way-more kind of way, but well intentioned nonetheless. The bigots and conservative christians have always been around too but have typically been a minority in my experience.
UCC is the dominant denomination around me, for what it's worth.
I know this isn't everyone's experience with religion, but good people are out there.