Las Vegas Weekly

November 15, 2010 · 1:52 PM

Ranking the holiness of Sin City

By April Corbin

Christ Episcopal Church: 2000 S. Maryland Parkway

Photo: Beverly Poppe

Men’s Health magazine continues its mission to rank major US cities in any and all ways they can think of, regardless of how interesting, relevant or scientifically accurate. They have already named us the 11th drunkest city, as well as the 70th most sexually active city—two findings I would argue contradict one another. Then again, I’m a horny drunk.

Anyway ... This month the magazine looks at holiness—as in the number of many places of worship per capita, religious organizations, volunteers for said organizations and amount donated to religious organizations. Not surprisingly, Bible Belt cities do well. Meanwhile, Las Vegas ties with Philadelphia and Modesto, California for 56th place. That can be good or bad, depending on your personal belief system.

The New York Daily News simply couldn’t believe it. They asked Men’s Health Editor Matt Marion how their city could rank 25 spots below Sin City—they house the World Council of Religious Leaders, for Christ’s Sake! Marion quipped back, “In Las Vegas there’s a lot of praying going on in front of those gaming tables.”

No arguing that!

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