Reaching Religious Pluralism in America

As Diane Eck explains in “A New Religious America”, what America needs is “…to create a positive pluralism that builds upon our differences rather than ignores them” (Eck, 337). Although as a nation we are close, unfortunately, as of now, this is not the case. As of now, a small, loud, and persistent minority of religions don’t just ignore other religious groups, they condemn them.

The majority of Americans are more than accepting of religions other than their own or lack of one. Eck notes that, “What it means to be American is constantly being expressed in new ways as the fabric of America’s people changes” (Eck, 338). It’s part of being an American. Chicago hosted the Parliament of the World’s Religions, which was part of the 1893 World Fair (Eck, 366). The Department of Defense has had Wiccans working for them for over twenty years (Eck, 358). An American orthodox Jew was quoted saying, “…after centuries of being persecuted precisely because of the way he looks and he eats, he is for the first time in a place where it is perfectly all right for him to wear a black coat and to talk Yiddish…” (Eck, 338).

America has “…the American Buddhist Congress, the American Muslim Council, the Federation of Zoroastrians in North America, and the Jain Associations in North America,” among others (Eck, 337). These religious groups have become part of mainstream American culture. Yet they are still discriminated against by fundamental religious minorities, especially those in power. In 2003, the New York Branch of the Salvation Army set in motions to “Christianize” its social services department. A consultant requested “…a list of gay employees, discouraged the hiring of non-Christians, and demanded that all staffers fill out forms detailing their church attendance” (Goldberg, 129). Anyone who did not fit their criteria was fired and anyone who refused to give out such information was eventually driven out.

This fundamentalist minority is becoming so much of a problem that the government has recently intervened on numerous occasions. One such occasion had to do with a young girl being forced to return to public schooling, as opposed to the homeschooling she had been receiving from her mother. Her mother had spent the majority of her daughter’s teachings focusing on Bible study. A state official said “The girl’s ‘vigorous defense of her religious beliefs’ indicated that she had not been exposed to other points of view” (falwell.com). On another occasion, Salam Al-Marayati, an open and active U.S. Muslim and director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, was nominated in 1999 to the National Commission on Terrorism. This was met with great hostility from the Jewish community. He was called by them a “terrorist sympathizer cloaked in a moderate’s guise” (Eck, 362). It’s noteworthy to point out that this was pre-9/11. Though he had more than enough credentials for the position, because of the outcry, his nomination was revoked.

This “vigorous defense” often leads to destructive and violent acts. A “…Lao Buddhist temple on the fringes of Rockford, Illinois, was sprayed with rifle fire and then had a pipe bomb land in the front yard…” (Eck, 340). In 1992, Muslim leaders about to pray at their Massachusetts mosque on Ramadan were hit with stones (Eck, 342). In 1999, three synagogues from a congregation over 150 years old in Sacramento were burned down (Eck, 343). Though these acts demonstrate a deep desire for separatism, what followed in each circumstance was strong connection and support for the victimized religions from religious groups other than their own. The Lao Buddhists of Rockford were immediately and publically welcomed by Urban Ministries, a Christian association. In Massachusetts, the President of the Springfield Council of Churches organized a public invitation to the mosque where Muslim leaders were hit with stones. A local rabbi spoke on television of the mosque, stating that Jews should speak out whenever there is any crime of hate. And as for the three synagogues in Sacramento, the Muslim Public Affairs Council released a statement condemning the attacks.

Adaptation is one of the most basic phenomena of biology. Those who don’t adapt will eventually become extinct. Fundamentalists in America are a minority. With America having acceptance of numerous religions, fundamentalists see themselves as endangered. They are afraid of becoming extinct. And with programs such as “Partners in Dialogue,” they should be (Eck, 370). By accepting other religions, religions have made more friends and allies than enemies, hence making their religion stronger. Fundamentalists must give in to acceptance, for their own survival. If this doesn’t happen, they will be no more. Either way, whether they accept and adapt or condemn and fade away, religious pluralism in America is on its way to becoming a reality, with or without them.

Armstrong, Karen. Kingdom Coming. New York: Norton, 2006.

Eck, Diane L. A New Religious America. San Francisco: Harper, 1997.

Falwell, Jonathan. Is Diversity Threatening Christianity? Fallwell.com. Jerry Falwell. September 02, 2009. http://www.falwell.com/index.cfm?PID=19611.