How come there's so much christianity in USA?

What jimahl said,

Google The Christian Paradox. Many US Christians have such a superficial understanding of their religion that it is debatable they understand the tenets well enough for the term to be meaningful.

Amazingly, Jesus was not a Republican. He also never preached trickle down economics; he said to help the poor instead of helping the rich and expecting it to benefit everyone. He never used personal responsibility as an excuse not to help the downtrodden.

In general the teachings of Jesus have been replaced with Christian nationalism here. The belief is that the US is God’s chosen land and people. American Exceptionalism teaches us that we alone are the world’s moral compass and our Christianity is a synthesis of Puritanism, Capitalism and Imperialism. Christianity is more of a political movement than a personal journey here.

IMHO, there is quite a bit of historical revisionism going on. It’s true that the original colonists were seeking religious freedom, but in those days everyone was religious. It’s not that they were religious and the societies they fleed were not, it’s that they were religious rebels.

At the time of the revolution, hardly anyone in the US went to church. Half the founding fathers were Deists, and the other half were liberal Christians. Something happened between then and now, and that something was world war 2, Korea, McCarthy, Vietnam, the rise of communism, the Moral Majority and their anointed president, Ronald Reagan.

The rise of religion into US politics, and it’s spread into the public as a whole, is relatively recent. I’ve seen it happen within my own lifetime.

Yeah I understand what your saying thats a good question. But some people dont really take christianity the right way. They think as being a Christian its like a “rule” to go to church. Really its not you shouldnt have to make urself, but me being a christian I go because I love getting messages from god having his comfort in worship. Going to church is a break for me, a break from stress. I love it. Iam in no way afraid of my god. He & the bible gives me comfort. Just theres a lot of things about christianity people need to understand it takes time & not studying but experience.

Hate to inform you, that Chrisianity is also the predominant belief in Norway, just as it is in the US.

You’re absolutely not informing me on this. The difference is that in Norway it seems like christian belief are more relaxed.People are not going to church that much either. They read the Bible, and that’s that. Maybe a trip to church to meet friends on chritmas eve.

in christianity they want to convert everyone into being christian. and they say something like you need to save urself, if you dont accept jesus than you go to hell, and other bs. religion makes no sense at all.

I really appreciate that so many people have something to say about this! The one comment by me further up where I say “Well that’s mature” was to a dude who have either deleted his answer (if that’s possible), or it has been deleted by some staff person. (It was generally a racist, anti gay answer by a dude called “13 inches” or something).

Thanx again for the answers, but it still seems to me that most of you don’t have an answer for why so many christian people are afraid, and lack that comfort that I thought a christian belief would and should create.

And what’s most sad is that it seems like it’s the young people who are the most afraid, when it’s actually the young people who need that security that I thought would come from being a christian.

Whats sad is some christians are afraid of God. They’ve got this relious attitude where they think they are not worthy to approach God, but thats not how its supposed to be. God is our Father, our Friend, are Savior, and He says that we should approach him boldly and without fear. a lot of people, I guess, dont know what Love and Kindness are and dont really know how to recieve that. I think that we all are in diar need of pure love, acceptance and peace that is stable in secure. That comes from God, at least that what I’ve always known to be true in my life. I hope this answered your question. Sorry its so long :)

It’s very…odd, to say the least, reading (here) and considering history. Most Americans that I’ve read here don’t understand that “god” was never part of the pledge of allegience (written by a christian) until 70 years later…ignorantly, they think it was there from the beginning.

What’s even more strange is given that we have separation of church and state in the US that it was added AND that it hasn’t been removed (this “god” reference).

You’d think, if a Christian wrote it…it would be “good enough”…perhaps even inspired by his faith? Even though it lacked the mention of god.

I think the “revisionism” comment is spot on.

Our country started at the tail end of the Enlightenment. While our founding fathers may be more conservative than us in some ways they certainly weren’t when it comes to religion. Among many of the Christians of the era there was a strong anti-clerical feeling and the Quakers, Shakers, Unitarians and Universalists (U&U were 2 separate religions back then) were very liberal Christian sects by today’s standards. There were some Deists and Pantheists as well.

well the reason why their are so many christians in america is the reason that in history of the 13 colonies, people immigrated due to the religious freedom europe did not offer.

and I really dont know why people so afraid. you are right, a christian is suppossed to find comfort while developing a relationship with God.

So the average American really believe there’s a hell??

I dont know about the average american. but the average american christians should, seeing how jesus talked about it 3 times more than he did about heaven.

I think most americans who claim to be christian do so more out of tradition than actual belief. Most Americans barely ever think about it very deeply. Most go through the motions with very little conviction.

Hopefully in a 100 years or so this discussion will seem silly to most, as we are becoming more and more secular as time goes by.

The US was pretty much founded by Christians. There is a separation of church and state but the pledge to our flag has the words under god in it.

As for the fear thing, some Christians, SOME (so don’t flame me saying your not one of them, I never said you were) use fear to try to convert people. So do other religions. They tell you if you do not fallow there religion you will burn in hell bla bla. Then when they say that they also come a crossed as being scared that if they do not fallow the rules and try to make others they to will go to hell.

im not from the US but coming from a highly christian country, I get the impression that this is because of history and culture that’s passed from generation to generation. Before the 1500s, people in my country practiced what are considered now as pagan religions but eversince the colonization of our country waaay back in the old times, christianity was imposed.

Im a nonpracticing catholic and I dont really give a dang if god exists or not (if yes, then ok, if not then its still ok) probably because my parents arent really religious and I see no significance/use in believing there is a god or there is none. people here mostly go to church on sundays and believe in god because this practice is what was taught to them.

“The true religious people also would not preach to other people about their religion because they are taught to accept everyone…including every one’s differences”.

Well, if you say so. But that’s not my impression. Other than that, your answer was good :-)

on sundays we go the pub and watch the footie

americans go to church,. dont they?

the farting preacher is wicked lol

My parents are Christians and they find comfort in their religion…they are not scared of God or of what the church might think of them. They go to church on Sundays if they feel up to it but they do not feel pressured to go.

I think that there are a lot of religious people in America because long ago it was accepted as normal…a lot of people won’t change something that isn’t broken. There are some people that are probably afraid of God but the true religious people are not afraid they are accepting. The true religious people also would not preach to other people about their religion because they are taught to accept everyone…including every one’s differences.

There are several reasons why the US is more religious than Europe. One is history. The U.S. has historically welcomed more religious minorities and refugees. Separation of church and state is also a factor: the U.S. has it, Europe doesn’t.

But I also think greater socio-economic disparity and lack of education explain higher religious participation in the U.S. On the other hand, there is some evidence that American society is becoming more secular, and will probably resemble Europe in the not so distant future.

yes they do

its because they think that god will dam them to hell if they do something wrong I dont understand either!

So the average American really believe there’s a hell??

Hate to inform you, that Chrisianity is also the predominant belief in Norway, just as it is in the US.

I’m wondering, Toadly, if you took into account that a “liberal Christian” in the 17th century would be considered a highly conservative Christan these days … everthing is relative to the time period.

“Some” fled Europe for religious freedom like the Heugonots or the Puritains… but the great majority brought European religions with them…Catholic, Episcopalians, Methodists…

*At the time of the revolution, hardly anyone in the US went to church

It would be interesting to see your research on that statement…

Tho many of the founding fathers were Deists, they were for the most part, attached to organized religions…32 signers of the Declaration of Independence were Episcopalian/Anglican - 13 were Congregationalists - 12 were Presbyterians - 2 were Unitarian - 2 were Quaker - and 1 was Catholic.

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