Reply #73: Don't know if you watched PBS's Colonial House..

[Dover]

but it brought people together to re-enact and re-experience Colonial life (1600's) in a very small village on the east coast.

One of the families that participated were strong Baptists from the Waco Tx. area (not exactly rural). After a great deal of stress around the issue of religion and attendance at church, the eldest daughter replied that she just had not realized how many different types of belief systems, people and perspectives there were that directly challenged her own. She wanted to go back to her church and tight community.

So yes, it's a very insular group, and I'm sure exposure to "others" is very frightening, stressful and disorienting. The same would be true for ANY isolated group that had established it's own codes for living and beliefs. It's interesting to me that those who preach that everyone but TRUE believers will be 'left behind' in the rapture, feel very much left behind in the amidst of these seemingly fast paced and chaotic times.

How do isolated groups get integrated into society? Or is this just one of those situations where, if they don't isolate and buffer themselves they become extinct?