What’s it like being a non-believer in South Carolina?

Discussion prompt:
South Carolina is one of the most religious states in the country. Church affiliation is often assumed to be the norm, and a common question when meeting someone new is, “Where do you go to church?” Religion frequently appears in public life as well—public meetings begin with prayer, political rhetoric invokes faith, and religious identity is often treated as a marker of belonging and trustworthiness.

Charleston is sometimes called “The Holy City,” a nickname reflecting its historic skyline of church steeples and its enduring religious culture. While the Charleston area is more politically and culturally diverse than many parts of the state, atheists, agnostics, and secular humanists still encounter strong social expectations around religion. For many non-believers, this can create moments of awkwardness, pressure to conform, or a sense of being out of place.

For secular humanists and other non-religious people, this raises important questions about authenticity, community, and how to live out our values in a religious environment. Humanism affirms reason, ethical responsibility, and respect for people of all beliefs—but navigating a culture where non-belief is often misunderstood can require careful judgment and resilience.

Related questions:

• When someone asks, “Where do you go to church?”, how do you usually respond?
• How open are you about being non-religious in different areas of your life (work, family, social settings)?
• Have you experienced pressure, awkwardness, or exclusion because of your non-belief? How did you handle it?
• How should secular humanists respond when religious practices appear in civic settings, such as public meetings or school events?
• How can we maintain good relationships with religious neighbors and coworkers while still being honest about our worldview?
• What role do communities like SHL play in helping secular people feel less isolated?

Living as a secular humanist in a religious culture can be challenging—but it can also create opportunities to model curiosity, empathy, and intellectual honesty. How do you navigate that balance in your own life?

***All participants are asked to familiarize themselves with and agree to follow our code of conduct.

About the group:
The Freethinkers' Forum is a monthly gathering facilitated by the Secular Humanist of the Lowcountry to discuss topics of interest to freethinkers, atheists, agnostics and other non-religious people. The purpose of these gatherings is to foster respectful dialogue of interesting and intellectually stimulating topics. The focus is discussion and so we will not have speakers. We may have brief presentations to introduce topics, but those will be restricted to 15 minutes or less. There may be optional readings or television or film recommendations to stimulate discussion.