Religion

Just as East Asian cultures are generally derived from ancient Chinese thought and
philosophy of the schools of Confucism, Buddhism, and Taoism, our Western
philosophy is infused in a similar fashion by Christianity and Judaism. Perhaps more
than any other aspect of America culture, an understanding of the role of religion in our
lives provides key insight into the character, principles, values, and souls of the
American people.

Religions are highly complicated, interwoven and controversial. With the aim of
acquainting you with our religious diversity, this chapter provides overviews of religion
and its effect on our culture, politics, and the spiritual lives of Americans. It is meant to
give you just an inkling (hint) of this vast subject that would take volumes to explain.

Our churches and religious organizations continue to play important societal roles.
They:

• Provide moral guidance and places for worship and social

gatherings.

• Operate many elementary and secondary schools, colleges,

universities, hospitals, and nursing homes.

• Provide aid for the poor, the elderly, refugees, orphans, and other
people in need, both in the U.S. and around the world.

• Take active roles in discussing such issues as birth control and

rights for minorities, immigrants, and women.

We have three fundamental religious types in America.

• Christian – The vast majority (79%) of Americans are Christians,

a religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. The three basic
Christian groups are:
Protestant – 51%.
Roman Catholic – 24%
Eastern Orthodox – 0.6 %.
• Judaism – The next largest type comprises about 1.7 percent.
• Others – This includes Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and
miscellaneous others that comprise 2 percent.

Importance of Religion – America is regarded among the most religious and

religiously diverse countries in the world where 95 percent say they believe in God, 60
percent are members of an organized religious group, and nearly two-thirds call religion
important in their lives. In Poland, 35 percent say religion is important; in Britain it is
33, Canada 30, Italy 27, Germany 21, Russia 14, Japan 12, and France 11 percent. Latin
American attitudes about religion compare closely with the U.S. Fifty-eight percent of
Americans say it is necessary to believe in God to be a moral, good person. Thirteen
percent of the French, 25 percent of the British, and 27 percent of Italians agree.
Mississippi is the most religious U.S. state, with almost six in 10 residents classified in
one study as “very religious.” Vermont and New Hampshire are the least religious states
where less than one in four qualifies as “very religious.” While many in the U.S. still
cling to the traditions of their religion, 44 percent of us do not go to church. And many
believe that a person can still be a good person even if they do not practice their religion
or do not have a religious faith, a change that came about in the 1960s.

Religious Influence – In contrast to countries that have one dominant religion, we

have hundreds of organized religions. In some nations, religion can be a unifying
influence. In America it is another source of our diversity. In our early days, religion had
a major, controlling influence in the everyday lives of Americans. Today it has relatively
less influence. Marriage between members of different religions, once frowned upon, is
now commonplace, as is not attending weekly church services.

And the role of women in religious ceremonies is increasing. For most Americans,
religion is a personal matter usually not discussed in everyday conversation as it once
was. This is in contrast to India and Muslim countries where the vast majority of people
engage in daily rituals, making religion one of the most important facets of life. We are
free to criticize religions here, unlike some Muslim countries where it might land people
in jail.

New Religions – Despite the traditional popularity of Christianity in America, many

people have turned to new religions or movements, another indicator of our diversity
and the restless spirit of Americans. More than one-quarter of American adults have left
the faith in which they were raised in favor of another religion or no religion at all. While
nearly one-in-three Americans (31%) were raised in the Catholic faith, today fewer than
one-infour (24%) describe themselves as Catholic. Some Americans have sought the
teachings of Asian religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam. Some have turned
to astrology and spiritualism, and some mix and match these paths to spirituality.

Preachers of religion on TV attract about a fifth of Americans and their financial

donations. Even though sexual and financial scandals have affected many of the biggest
names in television evangelism (preaching beliefs to those who do not hold those
beliefs), religious broadcasting is stronger and more diverse now than ever.

Some religious leaders today still travel from town to town the old fashion way and
conduct spirited gospel (teachings of Christ) meetings in tents, quote the Bible, and
instill the fear of God in worshipers.

Church and State – Unlike some countries, we have always had a separation of
church and state. Europeans who did not want to conform to a religious belief dictated
by their government left their homelands in the 1600s and sailed to America.
Consequently, today our government does not control religion, and religion does not
control our government, at least in theory. In reality, Christian fundamentalist groups
have become a powerful factor in U.S. politics and society. Their influence ranges from
domestic affairs (law, health care, education, science) to international politics. It is even
a key factor in elections. This contrasts with China where Catholics, evangelical
Christians, Muslims, and Buddhists still report varying forms of government repression.
In spite of our separation of government and church, two-thirds say the president
should be guided by his faith when making policy decisions.

Unlike Europe, God is often mentioned by American politicians. Here, religious freedom
was at the foundation of the U.S. where many Pilgrims came to freely practice their
religion. In France, the separation of church and state was to shield the state from the
socially dominant Catholic Church. That gave roots to secularism, which basically sees
religion as a threat to democracy and to a republican state. So strangely in the U.S. it is
politically correct to be religious, while in Europe—France in particular—it is politically
correct to be secular.

Even though our Constitution requires a separation of religion and state, this whole
issue is somewhat muddy (not defined clearly). On the one hand, Judges have
overturned plans calling for the government to give the same financial aid to religious
schools that is being given to public schools, and have ruled unconstitutional a number
of programs to teach the Bible or recite prayers in public schools. Yet our currency has
“In God We Trust” printed on it, and some local government officials might begin a
meeting with a prayer. Crazy, huh?

What Surveys Say – Over a third of Americans say they go to religious services at
least once a week. The top 10 states in church attendance other than Utah are in the
South. At the other end of the spectrum, the states with lowest attendance are either in
New England or the West. Other findings:

• Heaven – More than three out of four adults expect to go to heaven where they will
have eternal life, while just two percent think they will be condemned to hell.

• Catholics – The story of America is a story of change and shifting views. In an ABC
News/Washington Post poll, about six in ten Catholics felt the church was out of touch
with their views, including premarital sex, birth control, the death penalty,
ordaining women, and allowing priests to marry, all of which are opposed by this church.
Two-thirds say the pope should focus less on traditional policies and more on changing
policies to reflect the attitudes and lifestyles of Catholics today.

• Prayer – Nine out of 10 Americans say they pray to God. They pray for these things
most often: their own families (98%), world’s children (81%), world peace (77%), and
co-workers (69%). Fewer than half believe that God is a man, while 43 percent say God
doesn’t have a gender. One percent thinks God is a woman.

Let’s look at our three fundamental religious types: Christianity, Judaism, and other
minor religions. You will learn about their history, their differences, their basic beliefs,
and key terms that you can use in your conversations with Americans. This
understanding might also provide insight into the general moral code of your American
contact. Keep in mind that the religious community in the U.S., like everything else, is
very diverse. This discussion is only meant to give you a broad overview.

CHRISTIANITY
Christianity [kriss-tee-AN-ih-tee] is based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. It is
believed that God sent Jesus to the world as the Son of God, and that man can achieve
eternal life by believing in Jesus. Born about 4 BC to Mary and Joseph in a manger—a
housing for farm animals—His birth is celebrated on December 25th as Christmas, one
of our national holidays. Jesus taught that man could enter the kingdom of God (eternal
life) with a change of heart and repentance for sins, love of God and neighbor, and a
concern for justice.

Jesus was crucified (nailed to a cross where he died) in 30 AD by the Romans because of
his religious teachings. For this reason, the cross became the symbol of Christianity.
Besides appearing in our churches, on gravestones, and sometimes hanging on walls in
our homes, you will see the cross worn as jewelry.

The Rocky Mountain state of Utah is the most Christian state with around 78 percent
identifying as Christian adherents; Maine is the least with about 27 percent.

The Bible – This name is given to several collections of writings held sacred by the
Jewish and Christian religions. The Bible is the most widely distributed book in world
history and has been translated more times, and into more languages (2200), than any
other book. Scholars value the Bible not only as an important religious document, but
also as a great literary work. Some Americans, both young and old, attend Bible study
classes.

When an American president takes the Oath of Office, he places one hand on a Bible.
But he does not swear an oath to his God; he swears to “support and defend the
Constitution of the United States.” Witnesses in court are sworn in by placing their hand
on the Bible and swearing to tell the truth, “…so help you God.” If you visit a hotel in
America, you will probably find a Bible in your room that was put there by a Bible
society. You will hear public speakers quote lines from the Bible. Some high school
students attend private Bible study classes before the start of school each day in Utah. In
religious based school they might be part of the curriculum.

The Ten Commandments – Christian ethics derive to a large extent from the Jewish
traditions in the Old Testament book in the Bible, including the Ten Commandments.
This is a list of rules for living and worship that, according to the Bible, God wrote and,
in theory, is supposed to guide our conduct.

1. You shall have no other gods before me.

2. You shall not make any graven image of me.
3. You shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day (Sunday or day of worship), to keep it holy.
5. Honor your father and mother.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. You shall not covet [desire] your neighbor’s house, wife, or other possessions.

The Lord’s Prayer – This is a simple Christian prayer that many learn by heart. It is
sometimes used in public and private prayers and invites man to draw near to God. For
some, calling God “Father” does not mean that God is masculine because He is beyond
the categories of gender. Some religions, however, do view God as a man.

“Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be
done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive our
trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the
glory, for ever and ever. Amen.”

Forgiveness and loving and helping our neighbor are at the heart of Christian ethics and,
in turn, our culture. The Prayer suggests we should forgive others who do wrong deeds
to us before we can ask forgiveness for our own misdeeds. When Jesus was dying on the
cross, he said to God of his slayers, “Forgive them Father, they know not what they do.”
In more recent times, a mentally deranged young man shot President Reagan in 1981.
Reagan, who was a member of the Presbyterian Church, believed he could not pray to
God to spare his own life as long as he had hatred in his soul for the man who tried to
kill him. So, the president forgave and prayed for the young man, then began to pray for
himself. He eventually healed. Let’s now look at our various religions.

PROTESTANT CHURCHES

The largest group of Christian religions in the U.S. are called Protestants, derived from
the word “protest.” Besides disliking thecorruption and power of the Catholic Church in
the 1600s, Protestants wanted the Bible translated from Latin into the common
language of the people. They also thought that each person should think and grow in the
Christian life and not rely on a formal church structure to make decisions for them.

We call this period of time the Reformation [ref-or-MAY-shun] (to reform is to

change). America has not become as secularized (nonreligious) as Europe due in part to
our Protestant churches. You might hear the demographic term WASP, which refers to
a person who is a white, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant whose ancestry is typically Northern
European. The following are our five most popular Protestant churches. Chances are
pretty good that an American you meet might belong to one of these. Feel free to ask
questions and discuss their church with them.

Lutheran Church – Born in Germany in 1483, Martin Luther is

known as the Father of Protestantism. He hoped the Catholic Church would reform its
practices. It didn’t, so there was a separation from it. Based on its number of church
members, it is the fourth largest religion in the U.S.
Baptist Church – Each local Baptist church appoints its own leaders (ministers) for
preaching and teaching. These local churches are self-governing and self-supporting,
ranging in size from twenty or so members to many hundreds. It is the second largest
organized religion in the U.S.

Methodist Church – The Church encourages members to think for themselves. So

they don’t necessarily share the same opinions about every faith issue or social concern.
It has 36,000 churches in the U.S. and is our third largest religion.

Presbyterian Church – The Church is governed at all levels by a combination of

clergy and church members, men and women alike. Like many other Christian churches,
they engage in missionary activities to alleviate hunger, foster self-development,
respond to disasters, preach the gospel, heal the sick, and educate new generations for
the future. It is our fifth largest religion.

Episcopal Church – The Episcopal [ih-PISS-kuh-puhl] Church traces its roots to the
Church of England, which, in turn, developed from the Catholic Church. During the
1600s, English Protestants, called Puritans, sought more reforms and sailed to
America when change did not come. In 1789, after our Revolutionary War, settlers in the
colonies separated from the Church of England and formed the Protestant Episcopal
Church. It is our seventh largest religion. A Man for All Seasons (1966) is a classic film
about King Henry VIII’s decision to break from the Roman Catholic Church to form his
own Church of England.

OTHER FUNDAMENTAL RELIGIONS

The third and smallest group of other fundamental religions practiced in the U.S.
include Asian-based religions and Islam. These religions appeal to some Americans
because of their alternative views to Christianity and Judaism.

• Hinduism [HIN-du-is-um] with 1.5 million members in the U.S. is in direct

opposition to America’s idea of equality. It has a strict system of social classes, ranging
from the priests and scholars at the top, down to servants at the bottom. At the same
time it offers spiritualism, culture, and history that appeal to many.

• Buddhism [BOOD-is-um] has 800,000 followers in the U.S. More recently, Tibetan
Buddhism has entered the mainstream American consciousness fuelled by the influence
of the free-Tibet movement, the charisma of the Dalai Lama, and the interest of
Hollywood personalities like Richard Gere, Martin Scorsese, and Steven Seagal.

• Confucianism [kon-FU-she-is-um] is viewed by some more as a philosophy than a

religion. It stresses a well-ordered society in which parents rule their children and
emphasize deep respect for one’s ancestors and the past. Don’t be surprised if you hear
Americans utter one of his beliefs, such as “Confucius says, never impose on others what
you would not choose for yourself.”
• Islam [IZ-lhom] believers worship God directly without the intercession of priests,
clergy, or saints. People who practice the religion of Islam are called Muslims [MUHZ-
lums]. It is estimated that North America has about 5 million Muslims.