The most important feature in religious diversity is an absolute truth. There are different forms of diversity which include sexual orientation, racial diversity, political diversity, religious diversity, and lifestyle diversity. The development and escalation of diversity in the world are seen as a significant social phenomenon in the society. The focus of this paper is to analyze religious diversity in the U.S.
America has seen an incredible transformation in the religious aspects of its citizens. Varying in beliefs and practices, some religions in America have flourished while others literally disintegrated. This has been greatly influenced by multiculturalism in the United States.
Some religions are formed by immigrant heritages but some were founded from within the stats (Hout & Fischer, 2001). Religion plays a very imperative role in the lives of many Americans because the majority of people subscribe to at least one particular religion.
The majority of Americans identify themselves with the Christian faith. Only a few of the entire population lack the religion that they pledge loyalty. In America, therefore, there is a very high level of adherence to religious beliefs. Nonetheless, the United States have worked hard to separate the state from religion being the only developed country without an official religion recognized by law.
Americans are entitled to the freedom of their religious affiliation (Hout & Fischer, 2001). Almost every religion found in the entire world is practiced in America which can be attributed to immigration.
The United States of America is on the brink of division due to religious difference. It happened in the past and as it seems, history will repeat itself if the people of America keep on expressing the hostility they manifest against each other based on religious differences. It is evident that political stands on certain national matters are greatly influenced by religion.
These include such matters as the issue of abortion, for example. Therefore, it is important to note that religion can be used to divide the people as adherents fighting for supremacy (Hemeyer, 2010).
All the religious groups in the United States have embraced the religious pluralism arguing that there is only one true God. The only difference is with the formalities they exercise in reaching out their God. All regions teach and support purity of the heart as a way of embracing humanity as they all condemn violence and intolerance. However, in every religion there is a hidden belief that their faith is the only one, which is true in the world, hence it ends up looking down upon other religions.
This means that religions in the world are divided by their beliefs and attitudes towards other forms of faiths (Hemeyer, 2010). Religions, which are considered universal such as the Catholic Church and Anglican Church, have a religious set of practices and messages that they follow universally.
In these churches, anyone is allowed to go and worship regardless of one’s culture and color. Religions such as Pentecostal churches usually go out for missions intended to convert members of different cultures with different beliefs into their own belief.
These churches usually believe that these groups of people lack proper religious standpoint and teachings thus the change is meant to bring them to the right point where they can get proper teachings.
These religions’ main motive is not to have cultural-bound practices such as social customs, daily life, diet, and family law in their systems but their main interest is to change these people’s behaviors so that they conform to their behavioral norms. The Pentecostal churches are also concerned with the individual’s state of mind and system beliefs.
However, when we consider relativism, there is no viewpoint that is unlimited hence this means that all religions claims and views are true to some point because what the religion claims is an absolute truth, yet no one knows the real or absolute truth. This means that absolute truth is not known and no religion deserves to get people’s attention and commitment. Relativism, therefore, claims that everyone should be irreligious because there is no one who knows the truth (Hemeyer, 2010).
It means that people should not be joined by religious groups due to their claims, believes or the kind of truth they hold. Everyone should pick or join a religion that they feel is right for them based on their own beliefs. People should not be convinced to join a particular group of religion based on what they preach or the kind of truth they are preaching; instead a person should analyze the churches and out of their consent choose the kind of religion, which best suits their beliefs.
It is wrong for people to tolerate a religion because they have been forced into it. People should not allow others to force them into a religion. Other churches also tolerate people because they want their number to multiply. Churches grant civil liberties to their congregation regardless of how they feel concerning their faith.
There are churches, especially Pentecostal churches, that are willing to give freedom to people in order to have religious meeting. Tolerant people can join any church despite the fact that they do not accept the beliefs of a particular religion (Diana, 2001).
These groups are usually willing to share their own fundamental freedoms with others. Tolerance is the best decision to make especially when it comes to deciding which religion to join. It is not morally wrong for churches to tolerate people of other cultures and have a big congregation (Kenneth & Carl, 2000).
People should also join a particular religion because they believe and agree with its beliefs. However, it is morally wrong to tolerate a religion yet your values and beliefs concerning the religion are different.
In conclusion, religious diversity is a reality in the entire universe. Each religion embraces varied beliefs that followers are required to adhere to in order to achieve the purity of heart (Kenneth & Carl, 2000). There are cases whereby conflicts have arisen between different religious groups based on their beliefs.
Nevertheless, religions are based on truth and it is the mandate of every person to recognize this truth before deciding to join a group. People should not be forced to join a particular religion (Kenneth & Carl, 2000). They should be given the chance to choose the region they feel upholds the values they think should be upheld.
A free religious affiliation is more likely to be upheld compared to a forced religious belief. Americans have enjoyed the freedom of religious choice for a long time and this cannot be taken away from them. Nonetheless, the religious hardiness and battle for supremacy is an underlying threat to the peace interactions of the divergent religions in the United States.
References
Diana, E. (2001). A New Religious America: How a Christian Country Has Now Become the World’s Most Religiously Diverse Nation. New York, NY: HarperCollins.
Hemeyer, J. (2010). Religion in America. New York, NY: Prentice Hall Publishers.
Hout, M., & Fischer, C. (2001). Religious Diversity in America, 1940-2000. Web.
Kenneth, K., & Carl, H. (2000). Evangelical Affirmations. New Jersey, NJ: Prentice Hall Publishers.