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Catholic New Jersey:
No but unlike Maryland which may have chosen Catholics if they could have found them in adequ8ate numbers, New Jersey neither sought them out or banned them. The Dutch and the Swedish were protestant and the early English Colonists were primarily Anglican. Catholicism like agnostics ant atheists existed, they simply avoided the advertisement of their belief system or lack of, any such system.

Americans were beginning a more lay-ed back concept or laissez-faire attitude regarding the role of religion in a civil society. It was more open to the respect of people (albeit of different faiths and beliefs) as long as they gave you that same privilege.) Certainly there was religious intolerance.

Catholics experienced it. Judaism experiences it. Mormons, Muslims, Pagans, Scientology. Shintos, Sanitarians and Buddhist's all experience tough times practicing their faith. We have had the Mormon Wars, historical Supreme Court findings, the Salem Witch Trials and early efforts like the Maryland Toleration Act to lead US Citizens toward a more accepting and gracious social standing with our neighbors.

Catholics took a long time to become a viable US Political Force. Al Smith was a popular New York politician but was defeated in his run for the Office of President much more because he was a Catholic than because he was Irish (which he was identified with, since in truth he was equally English, Irish, Italian and German.) When John Kennedy became the US President it was less relevant what his religion was, and more important to the Electorate that he was Young, Vital and Irish.

Or as that famous social commentator Rodney King once stated, "People why can't we just get along."
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15y ago

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