Usually, I introduce a topic and then discuss if the reality of it is good or bad. As fun as that is, being the biased Hindu I am, I'm going to take the stance that this week's topic reality is better than good. Looking at the bucket list, I noticed how "Going To Church Every Sunday" was the option for "Commitment To Family Tradition and Religion." It brought to my attention the idea of ethnicity and the role it has played in our history as Americans (Yes, even though I am Hindu, I am American. I'm always asked that). Ethnicity often times ties into culture and religion.
Usually from the family viewpoint, the average Christian family will all go to the same church. Taken, this is most of the time, but not all the time. Being Hindu, I get some lee way. When you think back through to the Europeans coming to North America (Starting in 1500s), you see religion playing a major role. This carried on for quite some time throughout history. You see the different branches of Christianity stick out and freedom of religion being the issue in between. Christianity was at the center of everyday life, and if you went against it, you suffered the consequences. Even just practicing Christianity in the "wrong" form. The very reason separatist Puritans came to America in 1620. They didn't believe in the King and feared him going back on his word. They wanted to practice religion to the fullest. Just look at Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, the main character acted out against society and religion and suffered a good part of her adult life because of this. People gossiped about her and the other kids were rude to hers.
Even worse than being a different strand of Christianity than the others around you, was practicing a different religion completely. As immigrants from other races came into North America, they didn't always practice Christianity. It caused conflict in the eyes of peace. I mean, we're talking about the same people who wanted to go to war with the Native Americans because they couldn't figure out how to share. Obviously, looking at the present, some kind of religious tolerance was found. Sorta.
People more so started to come to America from India in the 1960s. Although, they had been immigrating since the early 1900s. Unlike the past, Hindu people didn't have as much of a struggle establishing their religion in America. At this point, people practiced the faith in their own homes. It's not uncommon for an average Hindu family to have a small temple in their own homes somewhere. The one in my house hangs on a wall in my kitchen. As was every other religion in America, Hinduism bound families together. Even those who don't believe in the religion will often times visit the temple with their family just to keep peace. The first Hindu temple was established in the U.S. in 1906 in San Francisco. It started an awakening for Hindu's everywhere. Slowly, more temples started to be built, even though the funding was hard to come by. It's always interesting to see how religion can bring people together for good and bad. My religion brings me closer to friends and family all over the world sometimes. My point through all of this was though, (as I really didn't know where I was going with this after a while) was that all different religions are experienced in society today no matter the race or discrimination. It's moral for some and something I personally value for me.
Usually from the family viewpoint, the average Christian family will all go to the same church. Taken, this is most of the time, but not all the time. Being Hindu, I get some lee way. When you think back through to the Europeans coming to North America (Starting in 1500s), you see religion playing a major role. This carried on for quite some time throughout history. You see the different branches of Christianity stick out and freedom of religion being the issue in between. Christianity was at the center of everyday life, and if you went against it, you suffered the consequences. Even just practicing Christianity in the "wrong" form. The very reason separatist Puritans came to America in 1620. They didn't believe in the King and feared him going back on his word. They wanted to practice religion to the fullest. Just look at Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, the main character acted out against society and religion and suffered a good part of her adult life because of this. People gossiped about her and the other kids were rude to hers.
Even worse than being a different strand of Christianity than the others around you, was practicing a different religion completely. As immigrants from other races came into North America, they didn't always practice Christianity. It caused conflict in the eyes of peace. I mean, we're talking about the same people who wanted to go to war with the Native Americans because they couldn't figure out how to share. Obviously, looking at the present, some kind of religious tolerance was found. Sorta.
People more so started to come to America from India in the 1960s. Although, they had been immigrating since the early 1900s. Unlike the past, Hindu people didn't have as much of a struggle establishing their religion in America. At this point, people practiced the faith in their own homes. It's not uncommon for an average Hindu family to have a small temple in their own homes somewhere. The one in my house hangs on a wall in my kitchen. As was every other religion in America, Hinduism bound families together. Even those who don't believe in the religion will often times visit the temple with their family just to keep peace. The first Hindu temple was established in the U.S. in 1906 in San Francisco. It started an awakening for Hindu's everywhere. Slowly, more temples started to be built, even though the funding was hard to come by. It's always interesting to see how religion can bring people together for good and bad. My religion brings me closer to friends and family all over the world sometimes. My point through all of this was though, (as I really didn't know where I was going with this after a while) was that all different religions are experienced in society today no matter the race or discrimination. It's moral for some and something I personally value for me.