Minority Migration

The next decade witnessed Sunday’s popularity rise by leaps and bounds. Such was his escalating popularity that his followers failed to accommodate in town halls and churches.

In terms of accessibility, elderly Latinos forgo doctor visits even though they are Medicare insured because they cannot cover out-of-pocket costs. Similarly, low finances make impose difficulties in paying for transportation. Like other minority groups, elderly Latinos have to rely solely on Social Security, with only 20% of them having private pension and 27% having income from assets, compared to a higher 43% and 67%, respectively, in non-Latino groups (Wallace). The low finance elderly Latinos experience results from overrepresentation in low-wage jobs that don’t offer retirement benefits (Wallace)..

The increase in religious alternatives in the Americas presents another challenge to Christianity. This rise in the exposure to other faiths in the Americas is due largely to an increase in immigration, especially after World War II (Stott 72). People, emigrating from other

Thomas Jefferson believed that expanding westward was the key to a healthy nation. Forty percent of the population lived in trans -Appalachian west. Most people had left their homes from the East for a economic opportunity.

In Chapter 1, Bibby claims there are two reasons for the decline of weekly churchgoers. The first reason was because of a shift in immigration patterns, and secondly was the change of mindset of religion led by the baby boomer generation (p. 14). In the immigration patterns area, Bibby explains that Protestant religion has been losing its so-called immigration pipeline (immigrants from other countries whom are Protestant coming over), therefore number of newcomers has declined. In reference to the baby boomer generation, described in Chapter 2, Bibby explains it simply: “by the 1970s the number of active members who were dying out numbered the people who were taking their places” (p.15). As pipeline was going down, birth rates were too, and then with rise of baby boomers stakes were even higher for decline in religion. Baby boomers in the 60s brought with it four cultural trends: From Dominance to Diversity, From Obligation to Gratification, deference to discernment, and from homes to careers (p. 18-28). All four of these trends helped to significantly reshape religion. The aftermath on a positive note,

In the past couple of decades the rise in non-denominational churches has been increasing greatly and are said to be the second largest group of Protestants (Moore, 2011). It is said that most that break off and become apart of this fast growing belief come from a protestant upbringing. The study shows that more people are determining on where to worship by how they like the nursery, if the worship music is good, is it close to home, rather than I am a Catholic I need to go to a Catholic Church. As of 2010, four percent of Americans fall into this non-denominational group (Thumma, 2010).

Clearly today’s patterns are very different from those of the past. How then to explain them? There are two fields of thought here. Secularists take the simple opinion: lack of attendance and reduction of belief means a

Talking of the number of the “unchurched” people in Northern America alone, there has been an increase of compared to the 15 percent increase in the general population. Large churches which used to be filled with multitudes of followers in the 1950s currently have a small fraction of their initial capacity.

Bryan Iguchi had this beautiful narration that set the tone for what was next to come. Along with this narration came some beautiful shots of nature with an amazing soundtrack behind all this.

Overlaping seasonally into rural family life, was religion. It played an important role in family and society, as it does today. Looking back, one would find many aspects of religion which have survived to present-day. One of which, was the practice of holding Sundays for rest from work, and church services. These Sunday masses brought together both rich and poor Christian families alike. Religious worship was not exclusively reserved for Sundays, services were also held during Saturday afternoons and of course, certain holidays. Children were baptised at birth, and holidays were celebrated with feasts in which all family members attended. Certain parts of the religious facet have changed since this historical time period. One of the more surprising differences back then, was perhaps the fact that priests did

Immigrants all around the world come to the United States. Most people who immigrated to the U.S. come from Mexico because they want to work to send money back home to their families. Some immigrants leave their countries because they want to live in another place. One of the worst reasons immigration happens is because of forced removal. Young immigrants come to school to enhance their future to start a new life here because of war or the economy in their country. About 11.4 million undocumented immigrants residing in the U.S. paid $11,840,943,000 in state and local taxes in 2012.

There are two types of migrants, especially families, that have been affected by IIRIRA, legal migrants and illegal migrants. It is the different treatment of these two migrants under the law for family reunification benefits that create a hierarchy of mixed status families, which prioritizes wealthier, fairer and better educated migrants over those who are low-income, non-white and less educated. The profiles legal migrant spouses, such visa-overstaying and legal permanent residents, are vastly different than the profiles of undocumented spouses entering the border illegally. Migrants seeking any type of temporary visa for the US is required to prove sufficient funds to cover all costs of the trip and intent to depart after the completion of one’s trip (Bureau of Consular Affairs).

The United States has a history of being tremendously diverse in religions and cultures from all over the world. Although our nation is immensely diverse, one in four Americans are Roman Catholic today (Chase, 1-23-15). With such a large population, Roman Catholics have had multiple changes and barriers to their religious faith. Many Catholics can trace back to the point in time when their ancestors arrived in the United States and what specific events altered their religious experiences. Although most immigrants arrived to the United States during the 19th century, Catholic immigration occurred many years before the European movement My mother and father both grew up in the Roman Catholic faith with their ancestors migrating to the United States in the 1850s. Although their families came to the US at the same time, they had some different social and political experiences growing up.

Almost a majority, 47%, of the conference’s 608 churches, are composed of fewer than 100 weekly attendees. In fact, 23% of churches contain fewer than 50 weekly attendees and account for 3.4% of the conference’s total weekly attendance. Sixteen churches boast more than 1,000 weekly attendants and account for 18.5% of the conference’s total weekly attendance. Compared to other UMC conferences, a large amount of Florida’s attendees are found in churches with large congregations.

According to the stats, Christianity in America is declining. A massive research on religion changes from 2007 to 2014 in America showed that Christianity in America has dropped from being the religion of 78.4% to 70.6% to Americans, while those who identify with unaffiliated has risen 6.7% (America’s Changing Religious Landscape). The drop in Christianity, according to the study, is “driven mainly by declines among mainline Protestants and Catholics” (America’s Changing Religious Landscape). A quick observation can tell a person that the percent of Christians going down is about equal to the percent rise of the unaffiliated. Some people might assume that the drop in Christianity comes from the fact that more people are realizing that it is