Why are there so many Christian fundamentalists in the US compared to in other countries?

Question

No offensive answers please. I'm just trying to understand why as I don't live in the US.

This article says less than half of Americans believe in evolution, whereas in Europe it's more like 75-90% of people.
http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn9786&feedId=online-news_rss20

And also on tv as I type there is a documentary about all the bigotry vs. gays in America as opposed to in Europe etc.

Why all the fundamentalism in the US?

thanks for all the great replies. I guess it's all a matter of history

Answer 1

It's related to the history of the US in the 1850s when big-time revival events started to catch on. These events increased the influence of Christianity on peoples' lives, especially in the south and midwest, and these values were passed on to children.

Answer 2

well, come to think of it, the United States as we know it today was founded by some Christian fundementalists who were looking to take their religion with them to a "new" place. Lucky for them there was a big old patch of land where the Atlantic turns into the Pacific where no one else lived.

Well, nobody that mattered anyway. And so, in the name of God and Manifest Destiny, the wilderness was eventually tamed.

The country was founded under the guise of spreading Christianity from sea to shining sea, and that is the romantic version of the story that is taught to the children raised there.

And if God says so, then everything must be fine and good. This is how the Christian fundementalist ideals are perpetuatued. They can be bigoted, and ignorant, and self-righteous, and particularly closed-minded...all in the name of their God.

Answer 3

That goes back to the early beginnings of the USA. When the orginal first 13 states started, which we back then called colonies, these colonies got established by the early immigrants coming mainly from Europe and Great Britain. With that followed Christianity or early Fundamentalist Christians. Every one of these organizations was trying to find a place in this world to freely worship the God of their choice as they redeemed to fit it. Thats how it all started in the USA. Since then the Fundamentalist Christian churches have built their skills with new developments such as money, new technology to spread their fundamentalists ideas. It's incoorperated in the American society. And it will always be here. Nevertheless, our basic constitution was founded by those early Christian pilgrim's that came here to find a place of worship. See Thomas Jeffereson, etc. Compare this to European country's one must say:"Europe has the distinct seperation of Church vs State. " Not here in America. Fundamentalist Churches or Religious institution's have much power here and much influence hereinto political affairs ( for instances Mormon's here in Utah 100% impact in government in the state), considered to European states and country's. I hope this explaintion is helpful.

Answer 4

That's an excellent question, and I don't think that we really have a good answer to it. Here's my wild guess:

I suppose that the Founding Fathers' insistence on freedom of religion made the U.S. fertile ground for religious belief systems, and since most of the people who came here were Christians, that is the religion that most took hold. With the general attitude of non-interference, the evolution of Christian faith in America was fairly unimpeded, and religions will tend to evolve towards less tolerant, more fundamentalist versions when left alone (simply because more tolerant religions are not as able to compete for and retain adherents).

Answer 5

Fundamental truths of the Bible were basic beliefs of 98% of early Americans. The reason they came to America from Europe was for freedom to practice their beliefs and not be under the burdening taxes of the mother land. So, for 200 years in most homes, schools, churches, and communities Christian truths were taught and embraced. The percent of Americans who believe in God and oppose homosexuality has actually gone down over the years because of our changing society and lack of churches to have an influence in society. If things continue America will eventually be like Europe. Other countries have had other religious influences throughout their history.

Answer 6

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord" Psalms 33:12
Most fundamental religions were kicked out of Europe over the past centuries. The quakers, anabaptists, puritans, hugenots, etc. They disagreed with the "state" churches in Europe and so they were persecuted and driven out. Many came to America, and found the freedom to worship as the pleased. America was built on fundamental religious freedom and it still maintains a strong influence in our nation.

Answer 7

Christians traveled to America to escape persecutions in Europe, thus creating this great country. Its greatness is due to the vast variety of religious beliefs that live and work together every day. That tolerance is strength and should be admired.

That is what our founding Fathers were.

Answer 8

I suspect that it has to do with certain culltural traditions. America has always been rather anti-intellectual at its core. The American ideal hero is often someone who is only moderately well educated with a strong instinctive sense of right and wrong...and usually a dead shot with a gun.

Fundamentalism is easy, requires little in-depth research, and provides simple-minded answers. Many Americans simply don't have time for more complex investigations or deep thought, I guess. I find it to be intellectually lazy.

Answer 9

Many of the first European settlers in North America came here because of their religious beliefs, which were out of step at home in Europe. These include the Pilgrams and many others. This planted a seed of fundamentalism that has never extinguished.

Answer 10

I think it stems from how modern America originated; IE from Christian nutters from the UK.

USA is still an "adolescent" country. It is a few hundred years old. It still clings to the ideas that formed it. It is not confident enough yet to stand by its own ideas, although this is not far off.

Here in the UK, we are well past the stage of living in "fear" or "love" of God, and we realise that we form our own destinies, with no-one to answer to.