The Happiest Places in Americahttp://lenedge.blogspot.com/

I stumbled upon an article in the AARP magazine entitled, 5 happiest cities in America.  There were some surprises: Boulder, CO; San Jose, CA; Seattle, WA; Madison, WI: and Honolulu, HI. The result was based on a Gallup Survey of the cities’ residents. So, it reveals the perception of the residents that were surveyed.  Certainly, if you perceive or believe that you are happy, then you are. The article stated that the

Gallup survey suggests that, with a few exceptions, the happiest residents dwell in midsize cities — that is, big enough to avoid boredom, yet small enough to feel like a real community (and actually find parking when you need it). Here's a sampling of the happiest cities in America, where overall well-being is the overriding vibe.

In trying to understand the results, I researched several characteristics of the cities – their geographic location, weather patterns, and other physical characteristics – that may contribute to the likability of a particular location. Madison is a northern US city with very cold, and sometimes, long winters.  The average monthly temperatures range from 10oF during the winter to a high of 83oF during the summer.

Honolulu is on a tropical island paradise with average monthly temperatures ranging from 65oF to 88oF. Pleasant year-round temperatures, with tropical beaches, flora and fauna provide a relaxing lifestyle for its residents, and one envied by many mainlanders.  Boulder, Colorado is slightly cooler than Wisconsin in the summers as well as having slightly warmer winter temperatures.  Interestingly, Boulder is 5,344 feet above sea level which makes for thinner air, and surrounding mountain ridges and canyons that facilitate lots of winter sports as a result of its heavy snowfall.  In addition, residents of Boulder and the neighboring environs of Denver are actively engaged in outdoor activities like road biking and jogging.  Although Seattle is located further north than Madison, it is generally warmer with far less snow during the winters but experiences cooler summer temperatures.  Seattle is known for its rainy climate, between 3 and 6 inches during the winter months, but with temperatures warmer than Wisconsin but chillier than Honolulu.  Although the average temperatures between Seattle and Boulder are not very different, the altitudes are remarkably dissimilar.  The city of Seattle is primarily at low altitude ranging from sea level to 520 feet.

So what about San Jose?  The average monthly temperatures range from 42oF to 82oF and experiences rainfall measurements of 2 to 3 inches during the Fall and Winter and less than 1 inch from May to October.  These statistics seem to eliminate rainfall, temperature, altitude, latitude, or longitude as contributing factors to happiness.  Weather appears not to be an overriding factor that influences happiness. 

So what are the factors that contribute to happiness?  Maybe a better question would be, “What are the factors or experiences that do not appear to contribute to happiness?”  I was struck by the fact that none of the top five were located in the South, usually characterized as the Bible belt. These states are often characterized as conservative, and part of America’s heartland; regions that pride themselves on their strong moral values, love of country, independence, love of liberty, and so-called "second amendment rights."

A 2009 Gallup tracking poll revealed that the ten states with the highest church attendance in America are southern states, except Utah which was ranked at No. 5. Mississippi was No. 1. These southern states also exhibit the lowest women’s health outcomes. Lowest ranked were Mississippi, Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Texas.  Other studies suggest that these states are generally among the poorest, the fattest and politically conservative.  Residents of the happiest cities are often regarded as liberal, educated, amoral and atheistic.  But is it surprising that the unhappiest people live in regions of America where there appears to be in a perpetual fight against the President, the government, immigration, taxes, their congress, and virtually everything about modern day American society and perpetually engaged in what they call a culture war?

 I consider myself fairly conservative in my lifestyle choices.  My religious beliefs have been a major factor in my outlook on life and I consider myself to be very happy and content with life – all as a result of my religious outlook.  (I am reminded of a song I learnt as a child: “I have a joy in my heart to stay.”) I believe in a Christianity that expresses thankfulness, generosity, and peace of mind; a Christianity that seeks for the happiness of all.  True religion should embody a love of the citizen and the alien, the weak and strong.  Christianity or religion that is meaningful should seek to protect the vulnerable among us; seek to serve the poor and dispossessed and actively demonstrate external serenity.  A religion that simply seeks self-preservation and hoarding of resources is a sad religion and makes for an unhappy people.  So, I end his blog with a question to ponder. Does it mean that religion, or at least the claims of religion, does not play a significant role in happiness among Americans?  Maybe, just maybe, it is the way religion is practiced that generates those unhappy people in those unhappy states and cities. 

Are We a Christian nation?

I have often heard this statement from many Americans, and about America: “We are a Christian nation.”  I have always been troubled by this assertion and have wondered what it means.  Recently, a facebook friend posted the following statement on his facebook page:

“Denmark and Sweden are among the least religious nations in the world, Yet they enjoy the highest standard of living in the world and a main reason for that is because the people are concerned about each other and look out for each other, so even though taxes are a little high, the people don't mind because they are concerned that every one (rich/middle class/poor) has a right to hassle free health care (Note I did not say free, nothing is free). One cannot say the same for this country where most proclaim to be Christians. Most of the people in Denmark and Sweden are non religious or Atheists, Yet they seem demonstrate more Christian values than us who pride ourselves as Christians......go figure!!!”

Reading that statement set me to thinking about that statement again, “We (America) are a Christian nation.” Of course Christianity cannot be measured simply by the number of people who have access to healthcare but it does say something about the moral values of a people and a nation who seemingly care little about millions of their fellow citizens who have very limited or no access to healthcare while they stridently make claims to corporate Christianity. 

Here are some other troubling statistics.  In a report published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime based on data collected between 1995 and 2011, there were 14,748 intentional homicides[1] in America, at a rate[2] of 4.8.  As a comparison, Sweden had 91 homicides at a rate of 1.0; Norway, 29 at a rate of 0.6; United Kingdom, 722 at a rate of 1.2; Canada, 554 at a rate of 1.6.  The United States ranks far worse among all European or Western countries, except a few countries of the former Soviet Union – Belarus, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, Estonia, and Lithuania. (I have excluded Africa and Central America from the comparisons as the statistics in those regions are heavily influenced by civil wars, failed states and drug wars.)[3]  Americans, though vocally expressive about their Christian faith live in society that is extremely violent and awash with guns (over 300 million) which are the primary tools of violence and murder.  But America’s claim of Christianity, democracy and freedom is supported by a powerful Christian community which it proposes our political and financial model as the only viable avenue to social stability.  To the non-Christian onlookers, our culture reeks of violence, immorality, hatred, and a disdain for the poor, the immigrant and the dispossessed. The Originator of Christianity himself stood for the widow, the imprisoned, the sick, the orphans and all the underclass.  (I will exclude the current gun debate from my discussion). 

 What does it say about our “Christian” society that we are so much more violent and seemingly uncaring than our self-professed agnostic European neighbors?  What does it say about our Christian values that our cities are inundated with thousands of homeless and mentally unstable citizens all destitute and lacking basic medical care while our politicians support a system that maintain laws and policies designed to support an upper class awash in wealth, immorality and hedonism.  How are we a Christian nation, the richest on earth, while many of our citizens involuntarily live in want and need?

As the battle over taxes and guns, healthcare and immigration, deficits and budgets takes over Washington, our Christianity is expressed individually, not corporately. So, are we a Christian nation? What impact do I make on the society in which I live?  How can I make it safer and thus lighten the burden for all?  Is it relevant that supposedly God-less European societies live more peacefully and seem to support laws that facilitate more lawful and pleasant societies than we do?  So are we a Christian nation?  No!  We are not a Christian nation. To support that viewpoint is to ignore the millions of citizens – Muslim, Hindu, Atheist, Agnostic, Jew, and others – who make a notable contribution to our society and make it work, and to ignore the many Christians whose un-Christian behavior contribute to our society’s demise.  We are a nation of pluralism, of numerous peoples of ethnic and religious diversity living together with the goal of helping and supporting each other in this democratic republic.  The question is best answered by our individual behavior.  Christians must rethink this claim by many in our country and start living individually as Christians, behaving like the God-man whose name we claim; who instructed us to be the light to the world and the salt, the flavor, of the earth? 

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[1] Intentional homicide in this case is defined as unlawful death purposefully inflicted on a person by another person

[2] The rate is a measure of the number of intentional homicides per year per 100,000 inhabitants

[3] For more information http://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/statistics/Homicide/Globa_study_on_homicide_2011_web.pdf retrieved February 8, 2013

 

A God of Reason

When I was a young boy growing up on the island of Tobago in the West Indies, my parents provided my brothers and me with the responsibility of taking care of animals – sheep, goats, cows and chickens. Our duties included taking the sheep and goats out to pasture in the morning where they were tethered to stakes or trees and allowed to graze. In the afternoon after returning home from school, we would bring the animals home for the night. I recall one afternoon we found one of the goats hanging by its rope – dead. It had been tethered on an embankment and had gotten itself entangled and slid down the bank. Unable to gets its feet safely on the ground below, the rope around its neck formed a noose choking it to death by asphyxiation. We hastily called our Dad. He concluded that because its body was quite warm, the animal had recently died. Because of our religious tradition, Dad indicated that it was unfit to eat. He called the neighbor and offered it to them, which they gladly accepted. “Why did you do that?” I asked my Dad. His explanation shaped my thinking and became the foundation for how I have made many decisions in my life with regard to religious, ethnic and social diversity.

Christians and Jews believe that the Old Testament books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy contain God’s laws for living – instructions that govern health, social interaction, diet, and worship. My Dad’s explanation was based on the following passage found in Deuteronomy 14:21 (New International Version). The passage reads as follows: “Do not eat anything you find already dead. You may give it to the foreigner residing in any of your towns, and they may eat it, or you may sell it to any other foreigner. But you are a people holy to the LORD your God.” In the book of Leviticus, God had previously instructed the Jews to abstain from certain foods, including the flesh of animals that had been found dead. In fact, the process of slaughtering and draining the flesh of all blood is still carefully followed today in Jewish culture (Kosher meat). Leviticus 11: 39, 40 (NIV) reads, “If an animal that you are allowed to eat dies, anyone who touches its carcass will be unclean till evening. Anyone who eats some of its carcass must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening. Anyone who picks up the carcass must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening.”

Given the strict instructions previously given, why did God recommend that such unclean meat could be given or sold to the ‘foreigner’ for food? Did he not care about the eating habits of the non-Jew? Was he subscribing to a double standard? What is meant by the ritual cleanliness suggested in Leviticus? Are these values critical to people living in the 21st century? (In a future blog, I will express my opinion about the relevance and timeliness of these laws for society today.)

Lessons Learned
God is a God of reason. I believe that these illustrations demonstrate a God that respects the power of choice; a God that encourages people to live within the constructs of their understanding of Him; a God who does not legitimize the enforcement of values by one people on another; a God who teaches us to be tolerant; a God who allows us to choose to be wrong; a God who encourages us to reach people where they are based on their understanding of Him. Although God encouraged the Jews to be an example to all people, their example was to be one of personal holiness and personal obedience to Him rather than the imposition of our, or His, values on our neighbors. In that boyhood experience, my father taught me that respect for the choices of others is God’s supreme gift for living in a community of love and respect for each other. The current militarism of fundamentalist religious groups, be they Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Bhuddist, or Hindu, does not demonstrate the will of God for human beings living together in a world of religious, ethnic, and cultural diversity. The fusion of political power with the religious legalism is destined to be the death knell of a constructive and ordered society.