American Religion

Religion competency be considered as a means or rule of expressing ones belief in and fealty to a being or entity that transcends the human individual. The topic of an the Statesn allegiance is sustainable to a true degree, as historic in ally the people has been subject to the developing influence of certain traditional religious radicals.However, because of the splintering of worship as well as the go for to keep the commonwealth free from religious tyranny, it has to a fault been apparent that the get together States exists without every baffleing or unifying religious requirement. Furthermore, if one considers worship to be show through and through belief in and devotion to a particular being, entity, or approximation, and so the joined States index be seen to be populated by a root of persons who devote themselves to some(prenominal) different ideologies, so that no single the Statesn piety exists.Yet despite these dissenting views, when one settle by the underlying sentiments of the majority of the nation toward non-Protestant religions, as well as the earth of elected or appointed positives of the Protestant arm of Christianity in governmental positions, it might be said that the overarching religion of the unite States is in fact Protestant Christianity. The linked States was first populated in the 17th century by Pilgrims and Puritans who sought freeing from tyrannical oppression specifically through the freedom to design their non-conformist Protestant religion (Seelye, 58).These persons sought to build a lodge based on the religious practices they in demand(p) the freedom to perform. The fact that these advocates of the Christian religion were founders of the the Statesn nation gives credence to the idea that the American religion is steeped in Christianity. Certainly, the laws that govern the society are based on m any laws advocated by the religion. The actions of the American settlers during and consequent to the time of the Pilgrims also point toward Protestant and Non-Conformist Christianity being the religion of the United States.Expansion was a great deal effected through the missionary efforts of Americans, who acted in the name of Christianity as well as of the United States. Other factors that lead to the idea of Protestantism as being the religion of America are the prevailing fear and disbelieve of Catholicism that has existed within the solid ground passim its years (Carty, 11). This fear has been seen in several areas, but is markedly represented in the sentiments surrounding the election to the U. S. presidency of behind F. Kennedy (11).This president was cognise to be a Catholic, and during his candidacy, his affiliation with that religion was widely considered a significant barrier to his election. Father Thurston Davis, editor-in-chief of the Jesuit cartridge holder America, made a heavy comment concerning JFK and the religious sentiments of the general American popul ation. He said Kennedy had been found to wear himself more or less as al close any Catholic death chair might have been expected to tolerate himself in a land generally dominated by a healthy residual Protestant tradition (Catholic view, 1962).Other politicians and leaders, such as Eleanor Roosevelt, have been known to oppose American governmental retain of Catholic schools (Carty, 69), and this too gives the printing process that Protestantism might be considered Americas religion. It is also possible to oppose the idea of Christianity or any otherwise religion as being the religion of the American state. It has been advocated that the United States constitution forbids the imposition of religion of any sort upon an individual residing in the country ( immature).Therefore, no form of religion should, correspond to the American constitution, be required in schools, courts, or any other governmentally run or chartered institution. This gives the impression that the United S tates has no particular religion, as this insulation of church and state was mandated in an effort to preserve the practice of all varieties of religion within the country. However, one may fluent counteract this idea of Americas not entertaining Christianity as its state religion when one considers the keep existence of chaplains in Congress and in the military.This points to the existence of a double standard, and hints that although America pretends to be welcoming of all religions and overtone to none, a strong undercurrent of devotion to the peculiarly Protestant brand of Christianity still exists within the country. According to John Young in his essay entitled why Does Congress however Have a Chaplain, James Madison had warned way tooshie when that Catholics and other non-Protestants had virtually no lay on the line of serving in such a capacity. Since then, only two Catholics have been phratry chaplain. No Jews. No Hindus. No Muslims. No Buddhists. No surprise. Youn g expresses the idea that since so many Americans are at least(prenominal) nominally or traditionally connected to Protestant organizations, the existence of any chaplain in the U. S. Congress would lead to the appointment of primarily the religious representatives of Protestant Christianity to fill that position. Since this has turn up to be the case, one might argue that despite opinions to the contrary, the official American religion is in fact Protestant Christianity. The separation of church and state, which is considered to be advocated by the United States Constitution, points toward Americas having no official religion.The fact that prayer and Bible culture is now restricted within schools and other governmental institutions would give the impression that Christianity is for certain not the religion of choice for roughly Americans. Yet, America was founded by a group of people whose main reason for crossover the Atlantic was to garner the freedom to practice their Pro testant religion. Furthermore, the existence of strong anti-Catholic sentiments throughout the country and the continued existence chaplain positions in governmental bodies defies this idea. This points instead to the presence of a deeply Protestant tradition to which most Americans adhere.References Carty, T. A Catholic in the livid House? Religion, politics, and John. F. Kennedys presidential campaign. new-fashioned York Palgrave-MacMillan, 2004. Catholic view of JFK. Time (in federation with CNN). 19 January 1962. 29 April 2007. http//www. time. com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,895853,00. html Seelye, John. Memorys Nation The Place of Plymouth Rock. Chapel cumulus University of North Carolina Press, 1998. Young, John. Why Does Congress Still Have a Chaplain. Sun Networks. celestial latitude 1999. 29 April 2007. http//www. sunnetworks. net/ggarman/young. htm