Someone is standing in line at a department store, waiting for their turn to pay for their purchases. It is mid-December and the weather is cold and snowy and people are bustling about trying to complete their Christmas shopping. The person who is at the cash register checking the customers out seems to be in the Christmas spirit telling the shoppers to have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year as they finish paying and head toward the front doors to leave. This would usually bring a smile to the face of the person on the receiving end, but as of late, this once joyful sentiment is now offensive. Since when is it wrong to tell a person to have a Merry Christmas? There is only one answer – religious diversity in a nation that was once predominately
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Critics argue that by having more religions, they become less divine and more humanistic. It is also exposes Americans to views and ideas that may challenge their current religious beliefs. Having a wide array of religious beliefs and identities challenges the long-held understandings of America’s Christian heritage and religious character that can reinforce a commitment to religion. An obvious problem with religious pluralism is how any one of the multiple expressions of faith can claim to profess the truth about a higher power amidst such diversity. Another issue regarding pluralism would be that it fosters a market of religious choice that can lead churches to compete for members by tailoring messages to attract audiences. This then will degenerate into people “shopping” for a place of worship that best suits them. A notion of devotion to God is easily lost when religion takes part in a free-market, consumerist mentality. This will bring about those who state that they are spiritual but not religious; they believe in a “higher power” but one not defined by organized religion. This individualistic attitude can weaken traditional norms of faith, which in turn reduces religious vitality (FiveThirtyEight, “Religious Diversity May Be Making America Less Religious”, …show more content…
There is a rich tradition in America of viewing religious diversity in positive terms, but many citizens still consider it a threat to democracy and an undermining of long-established American values. Add this to the question as to whether increasing religious diversity will exacerbate the divide between those who think religion is important and those who don’t. With these views being expressed freely it is no wonder that many Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus wonder whether their religious freedom will be honored. Muslims complain about experiencing discrimination at work and the number of hate crimes against them is increasing (Marsden, 2001). This is true among several religious groups showing that being of a different religious culture could possibly mean being looked down upon because they are not Christian. This will eventually lead to confrontations with not only legal consequences, but political and social consequences (Flowers, 2005). With this stress fracture due to religious diversity, it can and has weakened America as a nation (Accuracy in Media, “Diversity Has Weakened America”,
Critics argue that by having more religions, they become less divine and more humanistic. It is also exposes Americans to views and ideas that may challenge their current religious beliefs. Having a wide array of religious beliefs and identities challenges the long-held understandings of America’s Christian heritage and religious character that can reinforce a commitment to religion. An obvious problem with religious pluralism is how any one of the multiple expressions of faith can claim to profess the truth about a higher power amidst such diversity. Another issue regarding pluralism would be that it fosters a market of religious choice that can lead churches to compete for members by tailoring messages to attract audiences. This then will degenerate into people “shopping” for a place of worship that best suits them. A notion of devotion to God is easily lost when religion takes part in a free-market, consumerist mentality. This will bring about those who state that they are spiritual but not religious; they believe in a “higher power” but one not defined by organized religion. This individualistic attitude can weaken traditional norms of faith, which in turn reduces religious vitality (FiveThirtyEight, “Religious Diversity May Be Making America Less Religious”, …show more content…
There is a rich tradition in America of viewing religious diversity in positive terms, but many citizens still consider it a threat to democracy and an undermining of long-established American values. Add this to the question as to whether increasing religious diversity will exacerbate the divide between those who think religion is important and those who don’t. With these views being expressed freely it is no wonder that many Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus wonder whether their religious freedom will be honored. Muslims complain about experiencing discrimination at work and the number of hate crimes against them is increasing (Marsden, 2001). This is true among several religious groups showing that being of a different religious culture could possibly mean being looked down upon because they are not Christian. This will eventually lead to confrontations with not only legal consequences, but political and social consequences (Flowers, 2005). With this stress fracture due to religious diversity, it can and has weakened America as a nation (Accuracy in Media, “Diversity Has Weakened America”,