Why is American society so religious in comparison to other industrial societies?

The first white settlers on American soil were Puritans who came with the mission of building a New Jerusalem. The new nation inherited this missionary spirit and guided by it became the mightiest world superpower. In America religion combined with democracy became an important factor of successful development. After the Constitution separated the church from the state religious beliefs became a matter of individual choice for every citizen and existing religious sects and churches had to compete for every parishioner. This competition made religious organizations better adapted to human needs and generated thousands of talented preachers trying to revive the faith in the hearts of their fellow citizens. Dominant role in American religious practice is played by Protestantism and its different sects teaching that individual salvation entirely depends on human goodwill. American capitalism and entrepreneurship are based on the same principle of individual implication and free choice and this similarity also contributes to popularity of religious believes. Unlimited religious freedom led to creation of unimaginable number of different churches and sects trying to recruit new followers thanks to the latest publicity and PR techniques. Many Americans are coming to the church in search of personal identity because they wish to belong to a religious group sharing their own moral values. Numerous immigrants coming to the US are joining appropriate religious communities looking for moral support and practical assistance; this is often the case of Catholics and Jews.

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