Denominationalism Quotes
America is one of the few countries where formal religious affiliation and church going has increased in the last centuries. Religiosity has decreased throughout Europe and most of the rest of the world. In 1776 however, compared to the rest of the world, religiosity in the American Colonies was very sparce, especially since a number of the colonies had been founded by religious sects to obtain religious freedom. Ironically, America has become a more religious nation in large part because it did NOT have an established religion and all were free to worship or not as they saw fit. No other nation has spawned as many new religions in modern times. Mormonism, Evangelicals, Christian Science are just a few. There was room and freedom for new religions to arise.
This is an excellent example of the many public insults that the Irish religious leaders hurled at each other exacerbating the intercommunal tension between the Catholics and Protestants. There were amost no Irish leaders of either religion who tried to dampen the animosity and conflict.
Note that in addition to getting rid of the authority of the King, New York—over a decade before the Bill of Rights and the First Amendment, provided for a ban on an established church or favoring one Christian sect over another. Even then New York was a multi religious and multi ethnic society with its strong Dutch tradition along with the English tradition. New York did not go as far as the First Amendment would do later in terms of freedom of religion. NY only mentioned Christian sects. However they did implement separation of church and state and an establishment clause. See {621429} for another clause that ensures separation of church and state.
