America -- One Large Melting Pot

      In Michel-Guillame Jean de Crevecoeur's  Letters of an American Farmer, he shows the differences between Europe and America and explains the way in which a European becomes an American. He says that in America, men control their own fate depending on how hard they work. He claims that however hard a man works, he will be equally rewarded, but in Europe a hardworking man may owe money or service to a landlord or prince. In this way he compares men to plants, writing, "The goodness and flavour of the fruit proceeds from the peculiar soil and exposition in which they grow." Therefore, in order for Europeans to thrive and have success, they must conform to the likes of an American by attaining new ideas and opinions. No matter the country of origin, a man becomes "American" when he works hard to fulfill his own dreams, not working to serve another, when he thinks of himself and those around him as free, which also leads to religious tolerance, and when he prides himself in the work that he does. He discusses the different types of Americans based on their location of living, but he summarizes all of these topics in his last sentence by writing, "Go thou and work and till; thou shalt prosper, provided thou be just, grateful and industrious."

       Crevecoeur addresses the issue of religion in his letter. As Enlightenment thoughts permeate the thoughts of many Americans, many know there is a God, based on the teachings of their fathers, but zeal and passion aren't reasonable; they are a feeling, so they don't become too involved in having a passionate faith. This description of Christianity concerned me a lot because as someone from a cultural background other than America, I hear much about and witness the differences in Christianity in America compared to that of other countries. Faith in America tends to seem more shallow and less bold and to be more tolerant to other beliefs in order to not offend a person's neighbor. American society was founded on the ideas of freedom and just reasoning, which are some of the Enlightenment ideas. Many Americans still portray them through the way they view and act on their religion because the culture emphasizes materialistic passions.

Is the tolerance of religion during the time of Crevecoeur the reason for the moderate Christianity found in America today?