Religious Freedom in the United States

When the puritans first settled in North America their intention was to escape religious confines. They sought to form their own nation where there would be religious freedom and a separation of church and state. However, unknowingly these refugees built a foundation that would later suppress foreign religion. Due to this historical Christian tie, a sense of public Protestantism has manifested in American culture. As a result Christianity dominates the religious realm in the United States while other “ethnic religions” are forced to either change their religion or adopt Christian beliefs. Still, these diverse minority groups struggle to keep their faiths alive in the United States.

            Public Protestantism became ingrained in American Culture during the 17^th century when the puritans settled and instilled certain ethos and priorities that held a prominent role in government¹.  As a result Protestantism found it’s way atop the social order. Christian influence did not slow down; by 1893 Christians attempted to further expand their supremacy at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The fair was purposely set up to make Christianity glow as the religion of the world, with all of the other religions left organized to appear primitive². The end result was actually quite the opposite for religious leaders such as Swami Vivekananda, shocked the public with beautiful speeches about their religion. However, Vivekananda was not successful in presenting his religion of Hinduism but rather he was successful in presenting a new form of export Hinduism that was better accepted by Americans.

            Religion that did not originate in United States often changes drastically upon entering American society. This change can be referred to as the difference between “ethnic religion” and “export religion”.  Ethnic religion is the religion practiced by the immigrant while export religion is the new Americanized form of that religion that often followed by the next generation. Religions are forced to change once they enter the United States so that they become “normal” and fit into a society dominated by Protestantism⁴. These religions are susceptible to racialization. Racialization is when we put a certain face on religion^3; it is apparent in the depiction of monks in the United States.

            In the United States there is an image that links all eastern monks together. Though these monks can be a part of completely different religious backgrounds they are tied together by the persona of Oriental Monk. The oriental monk is seen as a caregiver, a sort of nurturer⁵. Thus, here in the United States, religions like Hinduism and Buddhism have changed into lifestyles rather than religion. Americans have taken these religions and cultivated them into lifestyles rather than follow the original texts and foundation of the religion. Conservatives of the ethnic religions try to return to their roots but the most successful groups conform to the export tradition of the religion. Sadly, it seems that true religious freedom does not exist here in the United States.

            It is apparent that the United States is not truly a haven for those seeking religious freedom. Rather, diverse minority traditions are forced to conform in a Christianized society. Outsiders deem these groups as “different” and do not accept them unless they fulfill certain standards. As a result these ethnic religions have transformed into new export religions. Protestantism governs what religion is in America. Still, we find followers of ethnic religion doing whatever they can to keep their religions alive in the U.S.

¹Khyati Y. Joshi, “The Racialization of Hinduism, Islam, and Sikhism in the United States” (Massachusetts: Routledge, 2006), 215

²Richard Seager, The Midway Plaisance and the Magic of the White City, (Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press, 1995), 26.

³ Joshi 214

⁴ William Hutchinson, Pluralism in the United States, (Ann Harbor Michigan: Sheridan Books, 2003).

⁵Jane Iwamura, The Orient Monk in American Culture, (California: UC Press, 2000), 36.