World Religions in America

World Religions in America

The world is filled with religions that seem like they are competing for the most followers.  Traditionally certain religions have been in specific geographic areas, but with the change of our society and the mobilization of almost everyone, World Religions in America reflect the beliefs of people from every corner of the globe or world map.

Each of the major world religions in America has a symbol that represents its beliefs, dogmas, and followers.  For people in the Western World the cross may have been the most familiar symbol but now we have learned more about many more of the symbols although some of these are still unknown to most people. You may have seen the bumper sticker that uses different religious symbols to spell out the word co-exist.

In some ways this is a beautiful painting but there are some things that many would take offense at.  The fact that the cross is the center and everything else spreads out from that may be deeply disturbing to other religions outside of Christianity.  Some devout evangelical Christians would be offended by the idea that other World Religions in America are in any way connected to Christianity.

Buddha is a familiar statue even to most Americans, however their familiarity with the rotund little man does not mean that they have any idea of the beliefs of Buddhism they just know that Buddhism is one of the five major World Religions in America

Budhism is one of the peaceful World Religions in America. Here small children are parading through the streets in a prayerful attitude dressed in white robes and heads shaved representing purity.

Ralph Waldo Emerson led the Transcendentalism movement in the 19th century America.  The views that the divine is found in all nature and humanity was developed by Immanuel Kant.  This is one of the World Religions in America that has faded in popularity.

The Sihk religion is relatively unknown and less populous.  Its followers are sometimes mistaken for Muslims because of the way they dress.  However their clothing and their beliefs are very distinct from Islam.  With an emphasis on meditation and a peaceful life there have been many westerners attracted to their religion.

 

Xenu is the deity of the Scientology religion.  It is said to be a very strange religion that has some big Hollywood names as its followers.  Tom Cruise is perhaps the biggest celebrity name that is a member of Scientology , but he is not the only one.  World Religions in America may not consider this to be a real religion by some definitions.

 

Shintoism is really not quite like most religions.  Shinto is based on honoring one’s ancestors.  Prayers are said to the ancestors and by dishonoring them the Japanese people believe that you can expect bad things to happen to you.  So there is some form of power that ancestors have to bless or punish their descendants.

 

Sun Myung Moon is the head of the Unification Church.  The followers used to be called “moonies” as a term of ridicule.  In the seventies and eighties the church grew as one of the World Religions in America but due to some problems the publicity for the church was some what negative and the church waned from prominence.

Santa Maria is a Central South American religion that twist Catholicism with tribal mysticism and elevates Mary to supreme deity.  They have parades and statues that they worship all of this was a result of the strong missionary effort by the Catholic Priest several centuries ago.  There is some Santa Maria Practice in the southern states of the World Religions in America

World Religions in America – Christianity

Martin Luther was a Catholic priest who was dissatisfied with the Catholic Church and after nailing his 95 theses on the church door he left and became the father of the Protestant movement.  Although the Lutheran churches claim to be the teachers of Martin Luther’s theology all protestants are followers of Martin Luther in the World Religions in America

 

The Eastern Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, and Russian Orthodox are churches that had a division with the Roman Catholic Church and believe that they hold the true way above all of the World Religions in America.  Each of them have intricate worship involving incense, and ceremony that make it very inviting and beautiful although difficult to understand since many of the services are held in languages other than English.

 

The Hutterites were Anabaptist from Germany who moved to the United States and live in closed communities.  They are similar to the Amish although they use technology and machinery, but they don’t allow marriage outside of the colony.  They are among a handful of communal World Religions in America.

 

 

Hare Krishna is another communal type religion. It is definitely considered by most to be a cult.

 

The Dalai Lama teaches that his approach is above religion.  However, most of World Religions in America believe that they too are not just a religion. In the last several decades that has become a theme or proselytism of religions to claim that they are not a religion.

 

 

The Pope is the head of the Christian Church a claim made by the Vatican which is a small country inside of Rome Italy.  Pope Benedict is the  current pope but a large segment of self proclaimed Christians reject his leadership and claim no relationship with the Roman Catholic Church.

 

Bhagavad Gita is the hymnal and poetry of the Hindu religion.   Hinduism believes in reincarnation and Karma influences your next life form with a goal of reaching Nirvana.  Because of their views Hindu’s are reluctant to kill anything especially certain animal life forms.  The Hindu people are among the most welcoming of other World Religions in America

 

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The Amish people are found in Central part of the United States in farming regions.  They believe that all technology and mechanical advancement are encumberments that come in the way of a right relationship with God.

 

The face of peaceful women praying and symbols of world religions seems nice, but it is not the experience of most religions.  Most of World Religions in America have participated in or supported vocally war efforts against other religions or other people.  It would be nice if the world religions were committed to peace instead of conflict.

Judaism is considered to be the oldest religion and  is closely related to Islam and Christianity in some ways being the fore father of both of these other religions.  They think they precede all other World Religions in America

 

 

Islam has many foes and much of it has been caused by the fundamentalist wing that has decided to fight against Western world.   Islam has many branches but it is perhaps the most patriarchal in nature and has very little benefit for the women who are relegated to service of the men.  However there are many Muslims who are kind and loving and completely unconnected to the extremist who hate all the other World Religions in America

 

 

 

Hindu worship centers are peaceful places and can be a place to contemplate, meditate and commune with God.  World Religions in America is diverse and strange brew.