Why some are religious and some aren't

A great difference I’ve noticed between America and Sweden is regarding religion and the practicing of belief. Religion is important to many Americans, and it is not uncommon to pray before dinner or go to church on a regular basis. In Sweden many see themselves as Christians, however, they do not practice their religion actively apart from the normal Christian traditions. (Which initial cause is often forgotten)

As I spoke with my host mother, she couldn’t believe that you could be a part of church without truly believing in your religion or practicing it actively. How come the religious traditions are so much stronger in America in comparison with the similarly modern Sweden?

There are many answers. The first may be connected to the history of the country of dreams: America was founded by pilgrims who fled religious suppression. What united the pilgrims was the search for refuge and free practice of religion. Thereby, as they settled, religion continued to be an important uniting factor in the society.

It is also a question of traditions and culture; if you are raised secular, you will probably continue raising your own children in the same way. If you prayed before dinner when you were a child, you most probably will try to keep those traditions alive. This explains the continual importance of the initially uniting religious practices of the early pilgrims in America.  

Another factor is the size of the two countries. America is huge in comparison to the small and safe country in the north. The American daily life is more confusing, you have more options, more people – more everything. This can cause confusion or a feeling of not being safe. Religion can answer the spiritual questions which science can’t, and in the large and young country of America, the spiritual questions may be of a larger amount than in Sweden.