CHAPTER+6+-+Religion

 Religion -Ron Cliff Hinton

===This chapter's story was very interesting. It began with a story about five women driving through Ohio with their religious garb. The women were Muslim and were wearing their Hijab and were heading to a post death ritual. WHen they stopped for gas they received negative looks and comments from on lookers.===

===This is a very common scene around the United States of America. Religion is one of the most influential factors in this country. It is commonly debated and said that the US itself was founded on religious principles itself, thus influencing the majority of its citizens to cultivate with that form of organized religion. That religion is Christianity.===

===In a society that boasts Christianity, other religious views are often under attack by the dominant religion in our country. Many times by the people who believe in that religion. Since religion can even influence the way a person looks, speaks, and acts it is no secret in most cases to identify someone with their chosen belief. A common trend in the United States is that acknowledgement is a given but acceptance is something totally different. Many faith believers of other religions are under attack.===

===America defines itself as the big "tossed salad." America strayed away from using the analogy of "melting pot" when the acknowledgement of other races, cultures, and religions occurred. America wanted to move away from collecting a big variety of races, cultures, and religions and "melting" them into one but they wanted each to stay separate but together at the same time. Religion in itself screams diversity. With different religions practices, beliefs, and observations are different. There are different styles of garb, different holidays, different spiritual rituals that set each apart from another religion. America as a whole sometimes struggles to keep Christianity, its most dominant religion outside of its operational realm in which the separation of church and state theory was born.===

===The more diverse America began to be the more the "founding Christian religious practices" did not align with its population. People demanded the separation of the two for an equal right. In Article VI, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution declares that "no religious test shall ever be required as an qualification to any office or public trust under the United States."===

===Many different Christians beliefs vary as well in the United States. Especially among different areas in which diversity plays its role. Many Southern Christians believe differently than its Northern Christian counter parts when it comes to issues such as acceptance. Christian religion is one of the least unified religions based on belief. Islam and Judaism both rank higher.===

===In order for religion to "work" in our society people of all religions and cultures need to be more aware and more educated on others and their beliefs. We need to buy in on a diverse culture and celebrate rather than scrutinize others for how they believe.===


 * In what cases have religion played a factor in your life and your life decisions? Positive, negative?**