Reflection

I have thoroughly enjoyed this class and have learned a lot about various cultures, ways
of thinking, and religious beliefs and how each of these effects the culture, laws, and
behaviors of American life.

1. In what ways have you become more aware of your religious landscape?

My understanding of the religious landscape of American and the world at large has
increased dramatically throughout this course. I knew nothing about several religions
that I now have a good working knowledge of. There are a myriad of ways in which
American culture, politics, and history have been shaped and influenced by religion. I
feel much more informed about the religious landscape and have found it satisfying to
see a man wearing a turban and a steel bracelet and knowing that he is Sikh or to see a
woman with a hijab and knowing why she wears it and what it means to her and her
faith.
2. Refer back to how you answered the question Do you believe America is a
Christian nation? Has your response changed? Explain.

I think my response was fairly informed so I dont think my view has changed very
much. As I said before, it depends on whether you are talking about the majority or
whether you mean that America is a nation based on Christianity. We certainly are a
nation whose laws and culture reflect the majority religious beliefs which is Christian but
that culture and those practices are very much being challenged and are changing as
our nation becomes more diverse and as we become more accepting of that diversity. I
believe that we are heading in a good direction.
I think it is fantastic that America has a bedrock of religious fervor in our past and
present and I think that has very much shaped our nation for the good. Changing our
foundation which is built upon Christian values and morals into a foundation without
values or morals would be a travesty but changing the values and morals to reflect a
happy marriage of the variant religious culture is welcome.
So yes and no. That is my answer. Give us a few more years and I think the answer
might be a definitive no but right now, Christian values and practices are still very
steeped in American culture and government. We see a lot more of other faiths being
represented now and that is a good thing.
3. As we face increasing diversity, how are our beliefs and identities (American)
changing to accommodate this diversity?

The process of changing deep rooted ideas and norms is a difficult and messy process.
We are doing pretty good all things considered. I think that many are mourning the
changes and feel that they should not have changed while others rejoice in the new
flexibility of the nation. I truly believe that there is no such thing as a nation that perfectly
accommodates all religious beliefs and all cultures. We all have to adapt and make
compromises. Sometimes I worry that, in our zeal to be more tolerant and accepting of
the variety of beliefs in America, we may end up abandoning all moral values in the
interest of not offending someone with our religious values. I see this tendency too often
instead of the one I would like to see.
What I would like to see is a nation where a prayer is offered before a civic meeting by
anyone present, it may be a Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, or a member of a cult.
Everyone in attendance will give the respect that is due to the one praying. If a person
doesnt have a form of prayer in their faith then they would read or recite something that
is particularly meaningful to them. It is much better to let everyone practice and share
their religion than to let no one do so. In the public square, I want to see this kind of
blending of beliefs, not the situation where someone claims that another person is
pushing their beliefs on the world by practicing their religion or demonstrating their
religious beliefs in public. That kind of fearful intolerance breeds persecution and leads
us down a path where religious freedom is removed by people calling for a separation
of church and state when what they really mean is a separation of church from the
state.
Let us welcome religion into the city, state and national culture and stop getting
offended at every little thing that doesnt agree with our individual beliefs. We dont have
the luxury of believing one thing as a whole nation and having everyone live in bliss. We
have to deal with diversity so lets embrace it and let everyone worship as they please
instead of suppressing everyone's beliefs so no one has religious freedom.
Now that Im done with my soap box, Ill try to properly answer the question. We are
starting to make slight changes in the law to allow for freedom of religion. We are seeing
many efforts to educate people about religion which often sweeps away prejudice. We
are seeing many make their religious beliefs more public and there is a growing trend of
acceptance that has followed. This is all good and it ought to continue.
4. Do you believe the risks associated with diversity are worth it? Why?

Yes, diversity is the spice of life. We need it. We gain so much from others who
challenge our perspective and offer new solutions to problems we never thought of. We
will see diversity lead to prejudice or persecution and we will lose lives to the terrible
acts that prejudice promotes but we also see progress and greatness that comes from
working with the collective talents and views of the diverse group. Diversity is what built
America and it must stay.
 5. What can you do to encourage a reflective pluralism in your community?

This is perhaps the hardest question of them all. It is easy to offer up an opinion but it is
much harder to take an active part in changing the world.
I have reflected on this several times during the course. I wondered if I might go out and
visit the various churches in our area. I wondered if I would be able to make friends of
other faiths and build a more unified community. I also wonder about whether I have the
time to do all of that or if Ill get too busy to attend another church because of my own
commitments in my faith.
I have always, and will continue to express my pluralistic beliefs to others. I really would
like to make time in my life to attend the worship services of other faiths. I enjoyed going
to the Jehovahs Witness meeting and I have been wanting to go to the Presbyterian
church downtown. I met the pastor while doing some work on the building and really
enjoyed our conversation. I told him I would come to one of his sermons but I have
never gone since I am very active in my church on Sundays and find it difficult to make
time for both services as well as my other obligations.
It looks like its time for me to do some introspection and see if I can do a little more and
make time for this important pursuit.