DIVERSITY | Offering a place for everyone
On The Record
Historically, not only Catholics, but all believers have found here the freedom to worship God in accordance with the dictates of their conscience, while at the same time being accepted as part of a commonwealth in which each individual group can make its voice heard.
Chart
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A New U.S. Religious Landscape
A tradition of religious tolerance plus constitutional safeguards have made religious life in the United States one of most diverse and vibrant in the world.
Feature Article
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Cumber Is U.S. Envoy to Islamic Group
Sada Cumber was appointed as the first U.S. special envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference in February 2008. Here he comments on the opportunities his new role presents.
In Their Own Words
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America is a land of many faiths, and teenagers in America practice their religions in a variety of ways. Here are some reflections on life and religion by a group of typical American youngsters.
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a
Maggie Boyle, 16, grade 11, Saint Mary's Ryken, Leonardtown, MarylandI practice my faith through my everyday actions. I try to lead others by my example and I always make choices that would be acceptable to my strong values. Attending a Catholic school has been a major influence on the way I practice my faith and has truly helped me through all the struggles of school. My faith has given me a strong foundation to base my life on and has been an important influence throughout my entire life.
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b
Cindy Holden, 14, grade 9, West Springfield High School, Springfield, VirginiaMy religion has a fairly big influence on who I am, how I act and how I write. Being a Jew has taught me to question, and to come up with meanings of my own from the Torah [the first five books of the Bible], not just take what most people assume it means as set in stone. You can take passages in the Torah and connect them to everyday life, and understand them better for it.
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c
Aakash Chudasam, 14, grade 11, Oakton High School, Herndon, VirginiaMy family is from India, and we are Hindus. I was born in England. We came to the United States when I was 8 years old, and we are American citizens now. Every Sunday, I go to meetings of a group called Swadhyay [which means self-study in Sanskrit, the language of ancient India]. We discuss not only cultural issues, but ethical ones as well. It helps me to understand myself better, and keeps me in touch with my cultural heritage.
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d
Alisha Weisser, 17, grade 11, St. Mary's Ryken High School, Leonardtown, MarylandMy religion has shaped my life in many ways. The most important lesson that my religion, Roman Catholicism, has taught me is that I have to live my life around the church. By attending Mass on a regular basis, it has taught me how to prioritize things in my life. To me, the church comes first, then family and friends, and then everything else.
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e
Ambreen Ali, 16, grade 12, Westridge School for Girls, South Pasadena, CaliforniaI was born in the United States, and my family is from India. We are Muslim. I belong to a youth group called "Muslims in Action" or "MIA." The members of our MIA group come from many different countries, and many, like myself, were born in the United States. We have a lot of different activities, including fund raisers for such things as tsunami relief and humanitarian aid for people in Iraq and Afghanistan. I'm proud to be a Muslim, and my religion is an important part of my life.
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a