6. +New+Religions

=**__American Jews__**=

__How it started:__ -First Jews to Settle: 1654, from Brazil, then New Amsterdam -Revolution: Jewish population was 1,500 in US -5 or 6 congregations and no rabbis -NY has largest population of Jews -By 1850, there are 50,000 Jews -Immigrants from Germany, Poland and Hungary = 150,000 in 1860

__What they believed:__ -Had to try to modernize traditions while still being distinct Jews -Monotheistic -Originally were all orthodox, but some became reformed -Kosher diets

__How they adapted__ -Some had to work on Sabbath, Saturday -Worshiped from an English prayer book -Women and men could worship together

__Discrimination__ -Less discrimination than Catholics or Mormons because of their small numbers and they were scattered -Had to try to modernize traditions while still being distinct Jews -Jew Bill: Maryland Assembly passes Jew Bill- removes restrictions that prevent Jews from holding public office

=**Mormonism**=


 * Beginnings were Western New York
 * Joseph Smith Jr.
 * "seized upon by some power that entirely overcame me"
 * told him existing churches were false
 * true church of God was about to be established on earth
 * Founded the Church of Jesus and latter-day Saints
 * Many people were attracted to the Mormon Church because...
 * spoke to beliefs of the majority of New Yorkers
 * spoke words of hope to the "weary and weary" hearts
 * threatened to be indicted for blasphemy
 * moved to Kirtland, Ohio
 * Kirtland, Ohio- first Mormon temple
 * Experimented with church running the economy
 * Church trustees controlled members property and made Mormons work building temples and other structures
 * Moved to Independence, Missouri
 * accused of inciting slave insurrections
 * seized Mormon property and farms
 * Smith arrested for treason and sent to be shot
 * escaped
 * Values
 * Abstinence from tobacco
 * Stress of family and community responsibilities


 * Anti-Mormonist's
 * Thought they were bizarre, isolated, and self-contained

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 * Why People trashed Mormons
 * Ministers attacked them because they rejected the legitimacy of the established Churches
 * Insisting the book of Mormon was of equal rank with the Bible
 * Corrupt Moral values
 * Polygamy- the practice or custom of having more then one wife or husband
 * Truth- only 10-20% of Mormons practiced polygamy
 * Mormons Today:
 * One of the fastest growing religious groups in the United States
 * members are known for their piety, industriousness, sobriety, and thrift

=Utopian Socialism: The Shakers=


 * A perfectionist society
 * Kind of like the Quakers
 * Believed one should have a one on one connection with God, but just be able to talk to him instead of going through a system
 * Mother Ann Lee
 * Founded Shaker Religion
 * Wanted to create a "perfect" society
 * Second Coming of Christ
 * children died and she thought it was because she had committed the sin of sex
 * Lifestyle of Shakers
 * Men and Women equal
 * Separated from each other
 * Everybody shares property
 * Simplicity is emphasized
 * No special decorations and about the same clothes
 * Beliefs of a Shaker
 * NO SEX
 * Sex is a sin
 * Obtained children by adopting
 * Successful for years, but changing times weakened the religion

=**Utopian Socialism: The Oneida Community**=

o Grew up in wealthy family o Father taught him to “fear the lord” o Known by his community as a rebel o Attended and graduated from Dartmouth College o Former lawyer o One day he became terminally ill, and praised god for help, making him a more religious human being o Live by Utopianism, or Perfectionism o Brought an abrupt end to Oneida Community • Fled to Canada for adultery (having sexual relations with a married individual) o Ended Oneida Community in 1879 o Believed people should strive to become perfect by ending the existence of sins, forever o Complex Marriage • Every man and woman are married to one another • Could have sexual intercourses • Could NOT fall in love o Ascending Fellowship • When young virgins are brought into the system of complex marriages • Selected by elders o Mutual Criticism • Any member of the community that is being reprimanded is criticized in front of a committee o Confession • Members of the community were sinless after being converted • They did not need to confess for wrongdoings o Regeneration • Belief that Christ’s death was not a sin the the common man, but a blow to Satan • Anyone who believed this, was release from any sin, and therefore, regenerated o Separation • Members separated into the community • Main separation was meant to be sexual o Revelation • People were to share every surprising fact about themselves • No secrets o Equality of the Sexes • Men and women were treated equally o Millennial Kingdom • Introduced in A.D. 70 • Noyes believed it was Christ’s Second Coming
 * • Joseph Humphrey Noyes was founder of Oneida Community**
 * • Oneida Community Beliefs**

=**Utopian Socialism: New Harmony**=

o Scottish Industrialist o Came to America in 1824 o Studied success of Shakers o Believed that a Utopian community was very possible o Britain was a bad place to start a Utopian community • Negative influence such as Industrial Revolution o America was a good place to start a Utopian community • Myths that say lifestyle there allows you to do whatever you want, whenever you want • Important for a Utopian community o Believed that a person’s character was shaped based upon their environment • If you control an environment, you would become a superior person o Rejected Christianity • He thought he needed something with more importance than a social reform o Failed Utopian group o Sold their religion to Owen o Transformed into New Harmony o Equality • Every human had the right to equality o Secularism (Unreligious) • One-sentence wedding ceremonies • Children are raised outside of parent’s homes o No central belief o No religious motivation o Lasted 3 years
 * • Robert Owen was the founder of New Harmony religion**
 * • Rappites**
 * • Beliefs**
 * • Why it failed**