America, the melting pot of religions

The United States is universally regarded as the “Land of the Free” and the “Melting Pot” because people from all backgrounds can revel in the freedoms afforded to its citizens. For example, the First Amendment protects citizens’ freedom of speech, press, assembly, petition, and religion. That last right is an homage to the country’s roots. Many of the Thirteen Colonies’ first settlers were Protestants escaping from religious persecution in Europe. As a result, the United States does not have an official religion.

Despite this fact, Christianity remains the most prevalent religion in America. According to the Pew Research Center, “63% of U.S. adults identify as Christians (including 43% who are Protestant, 19% who are Catholic, and 2% who are Mormon)” (https://pewrsr.ch/3OV47ei).

Protestants belong to Christian religions that branched off from the Catholic Church in the Protestant Reformation because they were unhappy with the practices of the Catholic Church. Roman Catholics, on the other hand, follow the Catholic Church’s teachings, which include the Seven Sacraments and the Ten Commandments, under the Pope, the head of the Church.

The “nones” are a growing group in America generally defined by their lack of affiliation with a religion. Although this term does not take into consideration a person’s belief in a god, atheists (don’t believe in a higher power) and agnostics (believe that it can’t be known if a higher power exists) are often included in surveys. It may even refer to whether or not a person is affiliated with a church. Regardless, the number of “nones” is predicted to grow as younger people distance themselves from religion.

The remaining people who are not categorized as Christians or “nones” are followers of Judaism (Jews), Hinduism (Hindus), Buddhism (Buddhists), or Islam (Muslims).