Taylor Summers

RELS 2400 Reflection

Do you believe America is more of a secular or a religious country? Why?

I believe that America is more of a religious country than a secular country for now. Why do I say this…
Thanks to this class I was able to see just how religiously diverse America actually is. I believe there are
many Americans that have religious beliefs even with the ever so changing social norms that society
keeps introducing. While I think we are a religiously advanced country now, I do believe that will change
in the future. Social beliefs keep changing and these changes seem to be growing in the opposite
direction than religious beliefs. So, I think that people will either decide to abandon religion all together
or religion will have to become more willing to accept the new social norms in its teachings.

What do you believe is a responsible relationship between religion and American culture?

I think there should be some flexibility when it comes to religion and American culture. We as Americans
have the unique experience of having religious freedom. With this privilege there are many religions that
have found their way here in America. While most of these religions have different teachings each of us
as Americans should be respectful of their beliefs and not discriminate against them. While in this class I
had the great opportunity of attending a Islamic Center. While there the members expressed how
different American culture was when compared to their culture back home. Even though it was a change
they were glad to take part in their new culture and they were extremely grateful to have the freedom to
practice their religion here.

How have you become more aware of your religious landscape?

I believe that I have become way more aware of the religious landscape here in Utah and throughout the
country. In this class we completed a religious landscape project where we researched the religious
diversity on a local, state, and national level. We were also able to attend the meetings of two different
religious denominations. This project opened my eyes to how religiously diverse we are as a state and
nation. I was surprised to find out how many other churches there are besides the LDS faith here in
Utah. So, thanks to this class I am way more aware of the religious landscape in my local community.

In what ways do you believe our religious minorities are impacting the “public square”?

I believe that our religious minorities are doing a good job of impacting the public square in a positive
and respectful manner. While attending a Islamic Center and a Baptist church both religious minorities
here in Utah. The members were so friendly to us and all of them wanted to greet us and answer any
questions we might have. So thanks to this experience I believe the religious minorities we have as a
country are doing what they can with their small numbers to impact the public square in a positive
manner.

How is this course connected to other courses you have taken and/or to your everyday life?

I don’t think this course can be compared to other courses I have taken as SLCC. But it can be connected
to my everyday life. Being a student, I have the privilege of coming in contact with many people whether
it’s my teachers or my fellow students. They all have certain beliefs, now whether their beliefs are
religious based or not this class has taught me the importance of understanding people and what they
believe. Being understanding I think allows us as Americans to avoid any contention that might arise over
religious arguments. Just taking some time to understand where people are coming from can prove to be
a valuable skill when connecting with people in our everyday lives.