Is it possible to have a happy well adjusted Christian family and live in Las Vegas?

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Damn!â„¢sumgirl

I have lived in Las Vegas all of my life, and come from a well adjusted Catholic family. I now have a well adjusted family my self, married with 2 kids, and love this town! I live in the southwest part of town, and though I am not a "Christian" there are plenty of good people in Vegas. Do your research, visit, and check out the community, it is a good place to live. There are plenty of suburbs here, away from the strip and downtown.
Good Luck!

diggerfoxx

YES !! It is possible to have a very good life in Vegas. Las Vegas is like any other city in the U.S. It has it's good points/areas and it's bad. When you get away from the Las Vegas Blvd aka the strip, its a very good city to live in. The best thing about NV in general, very low property taxes, 1% for every 100,000 and NO state income tax. The state in general has a very rich history and offers a lot of outdoor activities year round. The cost of living is comparable, if not lower than a lot of other cities it's size in other states. When you move there, be sure to take the time to see various parts of the state. Make sure you go over to Lake Tahoe, a very nice for a visit, be sure to take the time and go on one of the two cruises of the lake. You will not be disappointed! When my wife and I lived in the state, we always went somewhere every weekend. WE loved living in the state and were sad to leave. In Vegas be sure to see some of the very fine shows, many are families. As long as you stay away from north Vegas you will be fine. Great weather all year long, although, sometimes cold in the winter (30s and 40s ) Hendreson in the southeast is a very safe and nice place to live, nice view of the strip.

My cat Jake owns me

Hi Nicole,

I am a Christian that was raised with a Methodist upbringing, and I had reservations about even marrying in Las Vegas, but someone pointed out that the building is not the church, but the people inside. I know this isn't your situation, but I guess you have to see Las Vegas differently. There is hate, gangs and violence everywhere in the world, even in the most Christian atmospheres, no matter where you live, and maybe it would help if you remember, and I know you do, that God is everywhere, and will protect your children. Maybe you should go with your children to check out what the atmosphere is, and then relax when you see that there are other good, God fearing Christians there. Best wishes on your move!

thejanith

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!! Ok, I'm done. I really did have a good laugh at your question. I'm from Las Vegas, you see, born and raised there, and left after university. I've been a Christian most of my life and was raised in a Christian family. The only reason I do not currently live n Las Vegas is that I'm working in a ministry now that has its offices in California. I haven't lived in Las Vegas for a few years now, of course, but can certainly say that there are plenty of Christians.

The biggest difference to you will be the climate, I'm sure. It's a lot hotter than Maine and there is very little greenery around that area. My mom was from upstate New York and sometimes missed her 'green.' You can grow a lawn and a garden, certainly, but it's not the same thing.

One wise thing my mom did for us kids was show us how to look for and find beauty anywhere. If you look at the shading of the colors on the rocks (our mountains don't all have trees, but are beautiful nonetheless) and the deep blue of the sky and the friendly faces all around you, you'll be able to find beauty anywhere. Beauty doesn't have to be green. Deserts are only ugly to those who can't see their beauty.

There are plenty of opportunities for sports and such. Ask your relatives about the prevalence of gang violence. The city is big enough that there are probably many areas that are perfectly safe.

bbrzt

I live in Henderson, which is near Las Vegas. I came to live here a year ago from Hawaii and from the moment I came to live here my whole life has changed for the better. I would have never thought.

I had told my children before living here that I would homeschool them if they had difficulties with the children at school, but they ended up doing excellent in their schools (straight A's). Some people have told me that the schools are easier. I do not agree. My son is in high school and there were only 14 people out of 750 that had straight A's in school. My son is also in some very difficult classes. Last year in Hawaii, he had barely passed. My kids say the kids here are more friendly than the ones they had encountered in Hawaii.

Living in Henderson is not like living in Las Vegas. It is a much more residential area. There is not that much traffic driving around here, even during peak times. It is very easy to drive around Henderson.

There is a Christian church nearby our house and every time they have church they have so many people there. They have so many people that there are always policemen out there when they are done. At the same place, they also have a lot of children's sports in the afternoon.

Wherever you live, you should always be careful and be aware of your surroundings. There are things here that I probably wouldn't do the same as if I were living in Hawaii, but it does not bother me or change my life dramatically.

You make your life what it is supposed to be.

Morgan G

My brother and sister-in-law live in Vegas and just had a child and now they are seriously thinking about moving because they said the school system is really bad.

Sherry

haha, yes it is safe here. we are not all hookers, drug dealers, and gang members. the media gives us a bad name, but unfortunately it doesnt stop tourists from coming here. here's my advice, and i have lived here for almost ten years...

live close to work. driving the freeways here is an atrocious experiance, so avoid it if possible. your kids will be fine. even if they go to public schools. vegas is a family friendly place. there are things for the kids to do everywhere you turn around. try to live southwest if you can and it is close to work. i live southwest, and work northwest. sw is the place to be if you want more of a family scene. feel free to email me with any specific questions you may have!!

cookie

remember you are commissioned to be a light in the darkness. if you go there, ask the Lord to guide your steps. wisely perhaps, live on the outskirts of sin city. but don't hide away. your family can be good examples of Christian virtue and hope for the lost people who live there. life in this worldis a challenge anywhere, there is no christian utopia. God wants us to interact with the lost for their sake, but not be tainted.

Servette

What Christianity has anything to do?????? It seems the way you asked, it is maybe better to be, Buddhist, Muslim or Jewish to live in Las Vegas?
If religion is an issue, you should stay where you are.

kavekarst

Absolutely.
Leave all your problems behind.
Las Vegas needs one problem free Christian family.
Please be careful not to aquire new problems in Nevada.
POSTSCRIPTUM - Can you pray for potable water too?

vegasdog

If you've been in Maine your entire life I wouldn't recommend moving to Vegas. It's pretty much the complete opposite. I did a lot of moving and a lot of travelling before I settled here, and it was still an adjustment. And it was just me, no kids.

As for safety and gangs and such, it should be noted that for the fourth year in a row, Nevada was ranked as the most dangerous state in the Union. (Not counting D.C.) http://money.cnn.com/2007/03/22/real_estate/dangerous_states/index.htm?postversion=2007032212

Does that mean you'll get carjacked driving to the grocery store? Probably not. I've been here going on five years and have never had a problem. Maybe I'm lucky. Maybe those years living in Roxbury, MA, helped me learn how to avoid trouble. I don't know.

Does that factoid make me think about leaving? Not really. Today it's Nevada, tomorrow it'll be whatever the new hotspot is. It's something to keep in mind though.

There are plenty of quiet neighborhoods around. It's also a good time to buy a house, as there are plenty of them on the market. I live on the Vegas/Henderson border myself, and it's a little more quiet and established out this way than the west side of town.

I'm not a fan of homeschool, but to each his own. If you're involved in church or other community activities, you'll find plenty of stuff to keep your kids busy. There are huge soccer fields near my house, and there are soccer games going on well into the night. I don't know that there's any crime issue over there at all. As long as your kids aren't playing soccer downtown, they'll probably be alright.

Still though, I don't think it's a good idea. Vegas is a great place to move when you're young and you need to make a few bucks. Come in, work a few years, and get out.

We're not going to have anymore water in ten years anyway, so I don't see much point in making long term plans to stay here.

Update: By the way, Maine is the 48th most dangerous state, just slightly more dangerous than Vermont and South Dakota.

suzij

If the Mormons thrive here and trust me they do, a Christian will have no problem. Vice and temptation is everywhere in the world, just more in the open in Las Vegas. Also there are many, many churches. I had 5 of them, 4 Christian less than a mile from my house.

The Vegas Tourist

People have been living and raising well adjusted families here for over 100 years.

Remember, we were founded by mormons and the gambling law was introduced in 1931 by a Mormon.

Homeschooling is big here, because the schools suck.

Off the strip, we are real people living in real houses with real families. We are not a bunch of drunk habitual gamblers!!

vickifunes

Is there any reason why you couldn't pay a visit to Las Vegas first before thinking about taking the big step of moving there? Paying a visit to Vegas would be a really good idea. It's the kind of place you need to see for yourself...and once you see it, you'll know how YOU feel about it.

Las Vegas doesn't really offer anyone any "new" types of vices; there are booze, drugs & girlie shows everywhere, right? And nowadays, there's gambling nearly everywhere, too. But, Las Vegas is a place where it's all very VISIBLE.

Can you live with large billboards...and on them girls showing plenty of skin & cleavage? If you can ignore that personally, can you live with your sons viewing these things on a regular basis? Las Vegas has "something for everyone," including casinos with no girlie shows whatsoever, and family-friendly activities. Nevertheless, there is NO ESCAPE from the constant onslaught of billboards in Las Vegas; even the taxi cabs carry small billboards on both the rear and the top of the cars.

What do you think about your boys being exposed constantly to gambling? If you live in an area where there's Native American gaming nearby, you may think that gambling's not hard to live with. Well, Native American casinos don't seem too intrusive to me, either. I don't gamble personally, but those casinos, well, if you don't gamble, you can avoid them.

You CANNOT avoid exposure to gambling in Las Vegas and you WILL be presented many times each day with opportunities to gamble. Slot machines will be in the 7-11 where you run in to buy a newspaper. They're at restaurants, gas stations, the airport. As you go about your daily business, you'll simply run into them "every time you turn around," as the saying goes.

You and your spouse probably won't have any problem living with these things. They'll be annoying, maddening, or simply make you feel tired of looking at them...but they won't change your basic values. You've got your way of living already "set." How would you feel if your sons grew up to disagree with your values? Would you be really irritated if they grew up to be gamblers? Would you be upset if they chose to go to nudie shows? Would you always feel responsible and regret your decision to move to Las Vegas if they did these things...or even decided to make their living in the casinos, as so many Southern Nevadans do?

On the other hand, even Maine isn't insulated from drugs, booze and party people. Would you feel like you wasted valuable years that you could be living around your family members if you stayed in Maine but your boys "strayed from the fold" anyway?

You really have no guarantees no matter where you decide to live. So, I guess there's no way to tell which road you should take. Line up the pro's and con's about your plans. Talk with God about your ideas on the matter. If He says you can make a go of it in Vegas, then, undoubtedly you can. Many Christians live there. The thing is, what does He want for YOUR family?

tbugs

The climate change from Maine to Nevada would probably do you in. The summers get to well over 100 degrees on a routine basis and even though people say it is a dry heat, it is HOT.

The traffic in and around Las Vegas is terrible. The interstate highways are crowded and dangerous. It is not possible to drive without going on the interstates, either.

Yes, taxes are lower with no state income tax. That is a small trade-off for quality of life.

You can see how Las Vegas is expanding into the desert. They are going to run out of water soon. Utilities are very expensive.

Home schooling your kids is your choice. Not a smart choice, but your choice.

Lots of Hispanics in Las Vegas so there are lots of gangs and gang violence. Lots of illegal drugs so there is again, lots of violence.

Basically, you would be kind of crazy to consider moving to Las Vegas from Maine.

shelly92555

My friend lived there for 15 years and she has said that she cannot think of any good area. Henderson would be better than las vegas, but still is not real great. My friend also had a hard time finding a church there and the communities are very clickish. ALSO IT IS VERY HOT

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