Live with Beautiful Scenery, Weather? You Probably Don;t Go to Church
It seems like an oxymoron (love that word!). But would you believe that people who live in the most beautiful places -- foam-tipped crashing waves in their backyard, trees full of birds and lush green bowers of leaves -- are the least religious? Who else do they think created all this? Now, before you dismiss me as a bible-thumper, I just marvel at the rush of pink streaking the early morning winter sky or the birds breaking the dawn in the dark in late spring. I'm not sure how anyone can not see a force greater than themselves in this tableau. But a new study says that communities with beautiful scenery and weather have lower rates of religious affiliation, according to newswise.com. And it turns out they're just like me. It's not about not believing in God, but about seeing the sacred in nature. “Beautiful weather, mountains and waterfronts can serve as conduits to the sacred, just like traditional religious congregations,” says lead author Tod...