The face of America is changing. The nation is becoming more and more diverse – ethnically, culturally, and religiously. For some in our communities this is a rather frightening prospect. We hear it said on a regular basis that the traditional American way of life is disappearing – and by that people mean that the days seem to mean Waspish America. It is true that an America that’s defined in White, Protestant, Anglo terms is fading into the past. Yes, the days in which America’s religious diversity could be summed up in the words “Catholic, Protestant, Jew” are gone. Although these three traditions didn’t comprise the entirety of the American religious landscape a half century ago, most of the other faith traditions existed on the margins of society. Those who once lived on the margins have begun to take their place in the center of our society, and as a result a new American reality is being forged. What that will look like in the end, no one knows, but a new America is in the process of being shaped.
We Americans have prided ourselves on being a nation of immigrants, though unfortunately reality has been at best complex. As European immigrants began to take up residence in the Americas in the 15th century and later, they (we) pushed the original residents off their land and almost into extinction. Then there is the horrific history of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, by which millions of Africans were brought to this land against their will. But whether people came to this land of their own choice or not, together we have formed a nation and a people.
The grand myth of American life is the belief that when immigrants came to America they assimilated into the majority culture. While it’s true that that a dominant “American culture” emerged early in our history that was defined by the English language, European customs, and even Protestant religious values, the values, languages, and cultures of immigrants lingered on and even added to the emerging American culture. There was a bit of melting occurring, but not every aspect of culture melted away. If nothing else stands as a reminder of this reality, think about the variety of cuisine available to us in this nation. Cultural traditions have continued to hang on even as representatives of the dominant culture sought to melt them away.
It’s worth noting that one of the arguments for public education as it began to take shape in the 19th century is that public schools could further this process of assimilation. Indeed, it may surprise some in our community to learn that one reason why religion and the Bible were taught in these schools was that advocates hoped that Catholic immigrants would give up their religion in favor of Protestantism. It didn’t work then and it won’t work now. People have learned how to keep and pass on the cultural values of their own communities, even as they have taken their place in American life. And, in my opinion, we are the richer for it.
Now, it has taken a while for these demographic changes to become embodied in our governing institutions, but Congress, for instance, is beginning to reflect these demographic changes. Consider that it was just a few years ago, that we welcomed the first Muslim into Congress. Now, much was made (not all of it positive) of the fact that Keith Ellison of Wisconsin took the oath of office using the Qur’an rather than the Bible. But his decision broke the ice and since then Congress has continued to diversify religiously.
Consider for a moment two important events that took place on Wednesday as a new Congress was sworn into office. First, we saw the swearing into office of the first Buddhist member of the Senate, Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii). Even as Senator Hirono took her place in the Senate, her successor in Congress, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), became the first Hindu to serve in Congress. Like Rep. Ellison Rep. Gabbard chose to take the oath office using the sacred text of her own faith tradition. In this case, it was Bhagavad Gita upon which she placed her hand and swore to uphold the Constitution of the United States. Yes, these two women represent the new face of America, where Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, and many other faith traditions join with the traditional three – Protestant, Catholic, and Jew.
I realize that for some in our community these developments are suggestive of the decline of American culture. As Stephen Prothero, a Harvard Religion Professor, reminded readers of USA Today in a column, in the year 2000, when a Hindu priest offered the first Hindu Prayer in the US House of Representatives, one Christian group denounced it as an “indication that our nation is drifting from its Judeo-Christian roots.” In 2007, a group interrupted a Hindu prayer in the Senate asking that “Jesus would forgive the nation ‘for allowing a prayer of the wicked’.” Yes, things are changing, but rather than resist these changes, perhaps we could celebrate them. Perhaps the United States is beginning to truly reflect our potential to be a nation that not only welcomes immigrants but embraces the diversity that they bring to the public square. No one needs to live on the margins any more. Every voice can be heard, even if we don’t always agree with each other. And if any community is in the position to celebrate our diversity it is Troy, where 20% of the residents are of Asian descent, and a great many of these members of our community are either Muslim or Hindu. We may not see this diversity represented in the halls of our local government – yet – but the time is coming when the diversity that is beginning to make its mark in the halls of Congress will be manifested in our local governing bodies.
Won’t you join me in celebrating the gift that Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and Sen. Mazie Hirono bring to our nation’s highest legislative body? May this reality help encourage us to step boldly into this new America, so that letting go of our fears we might embrace the exciting possibilities that lie before us!
I voted for a Mormon for President as did nearly half of Americans, though I do not share his faith. You have also forgotten two leading conservatives of Indian descent: Governors Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Nikki Haley of South Carolina. I don’t know what their religious faiths are; it’s far more important to me what their policies are. You seem to assume that diversity of religious belief means uniformity of political thought. America needs all views to make the best soup: left, right and center. President Obama may have appointed people of color and diverse religions to his cabinet and Supreme Court, but their political views all line up with his big government leftist views. I suspect the new representative from Arizona is a Democrat and swore to defend the Living Constitution and not the written U.S. Constitution with amendments. Most members of Congress cannot tell you which article of the Constitution allows the bills they pass.
America continues its fiscal slide towards Greece, only there is no EU to bail us and the rest of the world out. Congress continues to ignore the elephant under the rug that will sink our ship if we don’t do something about it soon. Would you support a pro-life, conservative Sikh, Hindu or agnostic running for public office who believed in getting budgets done on time and defending the Bill of Rights, including freedom of religion, not merely freedom of worship? I would.
I think you've missed the point. My point wasn't a partisan one, which you seem to continually desire to stir up, but a religious one. Who I vote for ideologically -- isn't the point of the conversation.
Imagine that, someone who rejects labels, because they really shouldn't matter. Also because they are usually misused, simplistic, and illogical. This woman is perhaps the opposite of Dale, because labels are the only thing that matters to him and he is incapable of seeing anything else, especially when they really don't have anything at all to do with the issue at hand. Just look at his (many) words above.
I disagree with many of the political opinions in this article, as well as your syncretistic religious views. We can be honest about the differences between faiths, while embracing the vast common ground all faiths share (including theological liberalism and secularism). “I realize that for some in our community these developments are suggestive of the decline of American culture” sounds professorial and looking down your nose at others who are less enlightened. “Denouncing” Hindu prayers is someone’s opinion, if indeed they did; “drifting from its Judeo-Christian roots” is a fact, which you embrace. I enjoy the increased diversity too, as long as American (i.e. Judeo-Christian) values of freedom aren’t suppressed. Some former Hindu practices, such as burning a widow on her husband’s funeral pyre, were wicked and are no longer allowed (perhaps due to British missionary influence?). I agree with some of what you wrote: calling all Hindus wicked is wrong.
Freedom of religion, including the freedom to change one’s religion and freedom from religion if that’s their bent. But someone’s right to freedom from religion can’t interfere with us practicing ours. Just because some or most people believe something is wrong doesn’t mean we should silence free speech for everyone. Or force people to violate their conscience by paying for abortion-causing drugs. “Marriage equality” for Daffy and you is redefining marriage for others, going against the clear teaching of Jesus in the Bible. That’s the beauty of America. One person, one vote, and hopefully minorities have their rights protected, too. I’m just trying to block secularism from being established as the state religion in America (remember the First Amendment?), keeping the open forum we have always had for all beliefs. Not perfect and always room for improvement, but the most freedom of any country in the world.
I note how Dale very reliably proves the point you made about how he has crowbar partisan politics into every breath. I also note how has very reliably proved my point by calling you names. He also very rudely, unreasonably and inaccurately attacks your writing. Pretty hypocritical from a guy who writes what that guy written. How he accused you of looking down your nose at people who being extremly intolerant of other Americans' religion was a bit odd but not surprising. I was a little surprised by his implication that changes in Indian culture were the result of Christian MIssionaries. That was at best paternalistic, at worst pretty racist. No one should be surprised by the clear misrepresentations of history, though. As we know, that's par for the course with Dale. Again, thanks for another blog. It was interesting and well written, no matter what Dale says.
http://adaniel.tripod.com/sati.htm "A few rulers of India tried to ban this custom. The Mughals tried to ban it. The British, due to the efforts of Hindu reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy outlawed this custom in 1829." Wikipedia confirms my view: "Attempts to limit or ban the practice had been made by individual British officers in the 18th century, but without the backing of the British East India Company. The first formal British ban was imposed in 1798, in the city of Calcutta only. The practice continued in surrounding regions. Toward the end of the 18th century, the evangelical church in Britain, and its members in India, started campaigns against sati. Leaders of these campaigns included William Carey and William Wilberforce, and both appeared to be motivated by their love for the Indian people and their desire to introduce Indians to Christianity. These movements put pressure on the company to ban the act. The Bengal Presidency started collecting figures on the practice in 1813." William Wilberforce, the man who fought with Prime Minister Pitt, John Newton and others to end Britain's slave trade in 1805 and fellow missionary William Carey worked to try to end the practice. So Hindu reformers and British missionaries both influenced the humanitarian changes made to a formerly wicked system. There is only one race, the human race. All are made in God's image.
Throughout our history Americans have expressed dismay over waves of immigration (Irish, Italian, eastern European, and now Hispanics), but each wave has assimilated.