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Archiver > GEN-MEDIEVAL > 2002-01 > 1010955700


From: Renia <>
Subject: Re: American Religious Freedom
Date: Sun, 13 Jan 2002 21:01:40 +0000 (UTC)
References: <20020112230726.35909.qmail@web13306.mail.yahoo.com>, <a9b2ce02.0201130438.f2b3e2b@posting.google.com>, <6xj08.820$Zh1.519730@news02.optonline.net>


The rise of Papism under Charles I was not condusive to sectarian worship and
during that period many people left England for American shores to escape papal
doctrine. But I have read somewhere, that in America, most of the sects were
even more intolerant of other sects than papism had been of them, which caused
some friction such as JSG describes below.

Renia

John Steele Gordon wrote:

> "Bryant Smith" <> wrote in message
> news:...
> > (Arthur Murata) wrote in message
> news:<>...
> > > "Religious freedom" is what we Americans are taught in
> > > grade school but it is largely a fairy tale since it
> > > applied to only a miniscule percentage of immigrants.
> > > Certainly, Granted, there are notable exceptions -
> > > Anabaptists, Mormons, Puritans, etc. but they account for
> > > only a few of millions who came to America. Best, Bronwen
> > >
> > The "Mormons" did not come to America. Their sect was American
> > in its origins. The history of their emigrations under persecution
> > gives the lie to our vaunted "freedom of religion."
> > Bryant Smith
> > Playa Palo Seco
> > Costa Rica
> > (still a U.S. citizen!)
>
> This is off topic, of course, but many, many Mormons converted by
> missionaries sent abroad have emigrated to the United States. In the 19th
> century many of these Mormon immigrants were from Scandinavia, which is why
> Scandinavian names are so common among Mormons.
>
> And the Puritans were not in the least interested in religious freedom. They
> came to New England so that they could have an established religion of their
> liking. Disagreeing with that established orthodoxy was not exactly
> encouraged. Just ask Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson. My 8th great
> grandfather, the Rev. William Screven, got booted out of Maine with his
> congregation in 1682 for trying to organize a Baptist congregation. He moved
> to South Carolina, where most sects were tolerated, even after the Anglican
> church was later officially established there.
>
> If anyone knows his English origins (we know only that he was born in
> Somerton, Somersetshire, 1629), do please let me know.
>
> JSG

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