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RELIGIOUS PRACTICE IN THE USA
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Due to its diverse, multicultural makeup, the US is also a multi-religious society. The American government is secular, which means it runs independently of any religious institution, and it follows an official policy of religious tolerance. The major religious faith practiced in the US is protestant Christianity.
In general, large urban centers (for example, New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, etc.) tend to have the most varied religious communities; however, there are stark regional differences within the country. For instance, in the Western states, only 59% of people report a belief in God, yet in the South, also known as "The Bible Belt," the figure jumps to 86%. The US has a relatively low percentage of people with no religious beliefs (4%). There nonetheless seems to be a high level of flexibility in terms of religious affiliation, as studies have shown that around half of American adults leave the faith they were brought up in -- either to switch to a different religion or to abandon religious affiliation altogether.
Many colleges across the United States provide interfaith chapels or services for their students. Students can also find listings of various church denominations, organizations, and faith centres in local phonebooks and weekend editions of local newspapers. Google searches may also help students find more information about local faith centres and faith-based events.
| Self-Identified Religious Practice in the US |
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| Religion |
Percentage of Americans |
|
 Protestant |
51.3% |
| Roman Catholic |
23.9% |
| Mormon |
1.7% |
| Other Christian |
1.6% |
| Total Christian |
78.5% |
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| Jewish |
1.7% |
| Buddhist |
0.7% |
| Muslim |
0.6% |
| *other or unspecified |
2.5% |
| none |
4% |
| unaffiliated |
12.1% |
| |
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Source: CIA World Factbook, 2009
* According to the American Religious Identification Survey of 2001, other religious affiliations in the US include Unitarian/ Universalist, Hindu, Native American, Scientologist, Baha’I, Sikh, Rastafarian, Eckankar, Wiccan, Pagan and more. |
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