Religion And Ethnic Diversity

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Religion and Ethnic Diversity
Jessica Knott
ETH/125
01/17/2015
Gail De Cina
Religion and Ethnic Diversity

America has many different religious and ethnic groups. In America you are allowed to have religious freedom and there are many people of all kinds of races, and even though there should not be any prejudice in this country there is. Latter-day Saints (Mormons), and Pacific Islanders have been discriminated against in this country, but they have also contributed as well.

Latter-Day Saints have a lot of differences when it comes to the way they worship. Mormons have some of the same structure as Christianity, but also differ in a lot of ways. Some people even wonder if they are even Christians. Mormons believe that Jesus began to restore his church through the prophet Joseph Smith in 1820, and today there are still many modern day prophets. Mormons also believe that Most of our scriptural writings have come through apostles and prophets. Through apostles and prophets, God has given His children sacred writings called scriptures. (http://www.mormon.org/faq/topic/culture/question/purpose-of-bible)

Other religious groups have scrutinized Mormons. Maybe the most, by the group that they say that they belong. Other Christian groups say that Mormons do not go by the authority of God, disregard what the Bible says, and are anti-Christian. So, in fact, most Christian groups are in agreement that Mormons are not Christians, but their group. (R. Philip Roberts, 1998.)

Mormons have contributed to American culture by introducing polygamy. Even though a lot of people outside of the Mormon faith disagree with polygamy who are they to say who is right and wrong when it comes to religion and peoples beliefs? Even though it was once permitted, Mormon polygamy had been discontinued by the Church's president. Guided by inspiration, he had directed that such marriages no longer be performed. (Hardy, B. C. (2008)

People, that look at others differences and not similarities, are always going to have some prejudice against others. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is no exception. Mormons are discriminated against the most at Christian schools. They are highly recommended to not apply. (http://mormonmatters.org/2008/02/24/discrimination-like-ive-ever-seen-before/) Mormons have also been discriminated against because of the polygamist practices that they used to take place. I have myself heard that Mormon men are perverts and only want to have many wives because they are lazy or want to have sex with more than one woman. The people, who discriminate against Mormons, are the Christian schools that will not let a Mormon student learn there because of the denomination of her/his Christian group does not agree with others. Also, the uninformed people who do not want to understand where they are coming from. People who think Mormons are wrong because they have different beliefs than others.

I still find Mormons harder to understand than other Christian groups. I find it hard to believe certain things that they believe, but I in part think that is because I was raised differently than they were, and I was enculturated to believe other Christian values. I do not in any way believe I am right over them, who is to say what is right and what is wrong when it comes to faith?

Polynesian people are a group all their own, and they come from islands in the Pacific. They speak a few different languages the most spoken is Samoan. Pacific Islanders have a very family oriented culture. One thing that I have learned that Polynesians from all the islands combined like to do is participate in Luau’s. A luau is a big celebration and dinner accompanied by entertainment. (http://www.polynesia.com/history-of-the-luau.html#.VLnCoS57yFo)

Pacific Islanders are very inviting to other people of different ethnic groups and have no problem