Religion in the USA

Looking at religion in the USA, we are once more faced with some typical American contradictions. From its very beginning as a nation, America has been extremely careful to separate church and state, religion and government. The Constitution forbids the Government to give special favors to any religion. As a result there is no official state church or a state supported religion in the USA. There are no legal or official religious holidays. Christmas, for example, is an important religious holiday for Christians, but Congress cannot proclaim it to be an official or legal holiday. To do so would be to violate the Constitution. There are no political parties in the USA that have «Christian» in their names. Yet, religion continues to be quite important to many Americans (especially when compared with people in other countries).

Since Americans are free to form and follow any religious beliefs or religion they wish, there are a great many beliefs, denominations and churches in the United States. The Roman Catholic Church is, by far, the largest, with about 52 million members. Although there are approximately 78 million Americans who call themselves «Protestants», they are distributed among many independent churches. There is no one church or church group that speaks for all Protestants or would be listened to by all. Each group rather supports itself. It employs its own ministers, its own buildings, and follows its own beliefs.

One of the fastest growing church groups in the USA are the Mormons. Other world religions are also increasing their numbers and influence in the US. Over 2 million members of the Islamic religion live in America. Recent immigration from Asia has raised the number of the Buddhists in America to several hundred thousand - no one seems quite sure how many. Several hundred thousand Hindus have also come to the USA. In recent years young, native-born Americans have shown great interest in these and other Eastern religions and philosophies.

Pastors in American churches are expected to be active in the civic affairs of their communities. Often they have psychological training and spend part of their time counseling their church members with personal problems. They preach to congregations assembled in small chapels or huge city cathedrals, in modern synagogues and even sometimes in drive-in churches, where people can worship without leaving their cars! Some evangelic preachers reach a television audience of millions.

How do Americans of so many different religions manage to live together under common laws? Most Americans are proud of America's religious variety. They consider it an important benefit of religious freedom. On public occasions they stress the ideas most religious people share - belief in God and a respect for oilier human beings.

6. DECIDE IF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS ARE TRUE OR FALSE ACCORDING TO THE TEXT ABOVE:

1. In the USA religion is not supposed to interfere in government matters.

2. Christmas is the only official religious holiday in the USA.

3. The Roman Catholic Church has the most followers in the USA.

4. Almost all world religions exist in America.

5. American pastors' only duty is to preach to their congregation.

6. The laws in the USA are different for different religions.

7. For many Americans religion is quite important.

7. CHOOSE A SUITABLE WORD FROM THE BOX TO FILL IN THE BLANKS IN THE FOLLOWING TEXT:

political lives Americans minimal plays true

influence religion comparison separation

Although religion __________(1) an important role in the personal _____________(2) of many Americans, it has little direct connection to ______________(3) matters, it is especially ______________(4) at the national level. The size of America, the tradition of religious toleration, and the _________________(5) of church and state by law, as well as extreme variety of religious backgrounds of _______________ (6) have prevented religion from gaining much _____________(7) on politics. Especially in __________________(8) with many other western countries, the influence of________________ (9) on public and political institutions in the USA is _______________ (10).

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