":Both in current numbers (24%) and in historical context, Roman Catholics are a minority religion in America. Even among Christian ""believers"", the ratio is more than two to one in favor of Protestants. This is no suprise: of the 13 colonies, only one had a significant Catholic presence (Maryland). Today, of the 24% Catholics, most (about 12-14% of the country) are now Catholic hispanics, mostly in California, Texas, and Florida (probably more, with undocumented Mexicans). The remainder are mostly Irish and Italian Catholics, in the Northeastern cities. Likewise most Protestants in the country are segregated, and live in the South and Midwest. There is a religious segregation in the country that muddies the appreciation of the ""other"". Of the Protestant/Reformation movement, most are mainline or evangelical/born again/fundamentalist churches. Orthodox are not a Reformation faith, but Mormans and Pentacostals probably trace origins through the chaotic, developing Reformation movement. Of the 20% not now calling themselves Christian, most are agnostic (probably with mostly Protestant roots), but some are Muslim, Jewish, or have Asian-rooted faiths. The main things apparently affecting religious population size are: Mexican immigration (Catholic), mainline Protestant church attendance and birthrate (declining), conservative Protestant activism (increasing), intermarriage (tending toward dominant faith of partners or agnosticism, ergo all ""conservative"" churches, born-agains, opus dei, othodox jewry increasing). In sum, Roman Catholics may be a plurality denomination (24%) compared to next largest (Baptists), but a Christian faith/movement smaller in size by half than the Protestant/Reformation movement, and again, in historical context in America, not a surprise. -2 November 2005

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