America, A Christian Nation?
America, A Christian Nation...?
Introduction to Religion
REL 2000
April 24, 2012
It has been said before that the United States is considered a Christian nation. Many citizens truly believe this, while other strongly oppose this belief. Contrary to what critics imply, a Christian nation is not one in which all citizens are Christians, the laws require everyone to adhere to Christian theology, or all leaders are Christians. America is a Christian nation only in the sense that the majority of its population happens to be Christian. But unfortunately, religious conservatives use this fact as an excuse to try and impose their religious beliefs and social agenda on the rest of the nation. America today is a highly diverse nation when it comes to religion. Now there are religions such as Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, and Hindu, as well as Atheist and Agnostic. If America was essentially a Christian nation, then none of these other religions would be practiced. A survey done by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life detail statistics on religion in America. Among the 35,000 adults surveyed, ages 18 or older, 78.4% considered their selves to be Christian. Christian, meaning either Protestant, Catholic, Mormon, Jehovah’s Witness, Orthodox, or other Christians. 4.7% are considered other religions, such as Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, other world religions, and other faiths. Those to be considered Atheist, Agnostic, or nothing in particular were about 16.1%. Only an insignificant 0.8% didn’t know or refused a religion. Many key findings were found based on these surveys. More than ¼ of American adults (28%) left the faith in which they were raised in favor of another religion- or no religion. The survey does confirm that the United States is becoming a minority Protestant country (51%). But another reason why the survey might be wrong is because the United States has the theory of separation of church and state that is enforced in the country. The United States
Introduction to Religion
REL 2000
April 24, 2012
It has been said before that the United States is considered a Christian nation. Many citizens truly believe this, while other strongly oppose this belief. Contrary to what critics imply, a Christian nation is not one in which all citizens are Christians, the laws require everyone to adhere to Christian theology, or all leaders are Christians. America is a Christian nation only in the sense that the majority of its population happens to be Christian. But unfortunately, religious conservatives use this fact as an excuse to try and impose their religious beliefs and social agenda on the rest of the nation. America today is a highly diverse nation when it comes to religion. Now there are religions such as Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, and Hindu, as well as Atheist and Agnostic. If America was essentially a Christian nation, then none of these other religions would be practiced. A survey done by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life detail statistics on religion in America. Among the 35,000 adults surveyed, ages 18 or older, 78.4% considered their selves to be Christian. Christian, meaning either Protestant, Catholic, Mormon, Jehovah’s Witness, Orthodox, or other Christians. 4.7% are considered other religions, such as Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, other world religions, and other faiths. Those to be considered Atheist, Agnostic, or nothing in particular were about 16.1%. Only an insignificant 0.8% didn’t know or refused a religion. Many key findings were found based on these surveys. More than ¼ of American adults (28%) left the faith in which they were raised in favor of another religion- or no religion. The survey does confirm that the United States is becoming a minority Protestant country (51%). But another reason why the survey might be wrong is because the United States has the theory of separation of church and state that is enforced in the country. The United States
Bibliography: "Summary of Key Findings." Statistics on Religion in America Report. Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, 2007. Web. 19 Apr. 2012. . Cushman, Charlotte. "Is America a Christian Nation?" American Thinker. 2010. Web. 19 Apr. 2012. . "America: A Christian Nation?" HubPages. Web. 19 Apr. 2012. . Price, R. G. "History of the Separation of Church and State in America." Rational Revolution. 27 Mar. 2004. Web. 23 Apr. 2012. .