Los Angeles Ethnic Groups and Religions

In today’s state of increased globalization and inescapable cultural spread, the religious and spiritual face of communities around the globe has dramatically begun to change. Especially in Los Angeles, ethnicities and religions from all parts of the world have been drawn to create one of the most diverse civilizations in history. It is unlikely that any other place can rival the close quartered variety of Los Angeles’ religion, spanning Abrahamic World Religions, representation of local indigenous cultures and lifestyles, as well as traditional eastern religions.

In addition to this, many New Religious Movements or NRMs have sprung forth, some utilizing the variety of philosophy, history and culture present in these already established religions, others drawing completely unique and distinct elements. As Los Angeles has long been considered the epicenter of pop culture and story in the United States, and to some extent the world, it is worth considering trends with roots in Los Angeles may propagate in the future, influencing the world.

In this way, the religious state of Los Angeles now, at the forefront of social modernization, may paint a picture of, or at least act as a testing site, for the sociological structures of the future.

Particularly of interest is the variety of NRMs which have emerged, and their existences’ consequence for the changing face of society. The Self Realization Fellowship, a religious movement dating to the early 20th century, serves as a prime example for the evolution of modern day religion and spirituality. While NRMs like the Self Realization Fellowship (SRF) are commonly stereotyped to be carried on by younger, more susceptible adults, the unique belief system and structure of SRF has found a way to attract a variety of groups by validating and reinterpreting the beliefs and texts of traditional, established religions.

Get quality help now

Dr. Karlyna PhD

Verified

Proficient in: Culture

4.7 (235)

“ Amazing writer! I am really satisfied with her work. An excellent price as well. ”

+84 relevant experts are online

Hire writer

Through a comparison of the SRF, belief system, community and lifestyle in addition to its foundational works, with that of a previously dominant religion, Christianity, more specifically Catholicism, an understanding of the novel role SRF and other NRMs plays in the lives of those of its communities as opposed to alternate traditional religious systems will be considered. Through this analysis, both a greater understanding of the SRF as a valid religious system, and societal phenomenon will be provided.

Prior to providing any background or analysis of SRF, and the two belief practices it draws most from, Hinduism and Christianity, I would like to provide context for my own affiliation with SRF. In this way, I would like to provide, in addition to my study of SRF sunday morning meditation practitioners, a case study of my fathers interest with SRF, and reflexively, my own feelings toward it. My hope is that this will better illuminate the lens I view SRF through, so that any possible bias in my writing can be accounted for. Both my mother and father (60 and mid 50s), are, and have raised me to be Catholic and conservative politically. My mother, originally from a small town in Illinois, and my father, from a lower class immigrant Irish family of Boston, could be considered traditional Americans. Before start of school at UCLA, I had spent my entire life in a predominantly white, upper middle class town in Massachusetts, and had completed seven years of Catholic schooling.

Regardless, I have considered myself agnostic and apolitical for six years now. Upon moving to California, my parents also coincidentally moved based on a career opportunity for my father. My father, who works in space technology, who I would describe as abrasive and hyper rational, would typically not be affiliated with any new religious movement, as he sees morality in society, work, family and all parts of his life as very black and white as drawn own by the Bible and Catholic authorities. However, since our move to California, he has found the text, Autobiography of a Yogi to take a new authoritative position in his life, completely opening him to the eastern mysticism SRF is based in, all under the guise of respect for Christianity and a scientific approach to worship and faith. While his new interest does not offend me, I have found it very surprising when he’s requested of me and my mother to close our eyes for five minutes during dinner to allow for ourselves to appreciate, or rather meditate on the flavor of food in our mouths.

Ultimately, as this is a completely new component to my father’s personality, I wanted to understand the draw SRF holds. In addition to this, any similarities in belief to Catholicism are of critical interest, as these connections have clearly provided a bridge for my father’s late life metanoia. Before delving into the specific beliefs of SRF itself, a primer on the history, development and beliefs of Hinduism is necessary. Hinduism itself, is not simply a religion or system of beliefs in the western sense, but instead encompaasses an entire Indian way of life, or Dharma. Hinduism has no original founder or precise date of origin, although it is generally regarded to have matured to a distinct religious system between 500 BCE and 300 CE.

Instead, Hinduism was born out of a melding and regularization of Indian cultural practices and philosophies, of which are still revisited and reinterpretted today, allowing for a continual wrestling with the truths of Indian and Hindu texts. As Hinduism encompasses a variety of cultural and spiritual traditions, revered texts and strains of philosophy, Hindus are allowed a greater level of personal engagement with the interpretation of text and tradition and therefore, are allowed a greater degree of freedom in choosing the role Hinduism is to play and serve in their lives. In addition, the lack of authoritative body in Hinduism or concrete, enforced tenets means those affiliated with Hinduism may classify themselves as monotheistic, polytheistic, pantheistic, atheistic or any other categorization fitting with their personal interpretation and practice.

Ultimately, while Hinduism itself appears to be a sort of umbrella term for the diverse practices and beliefs once unique to Indian culture and now held by over a billion people worldwide, there are certain practices, texts and views which provide a general backbone to the traditional practice of Hinduism. Hinduism as practiced today covers a wide variety of practices and beliefs, however, certain texts, philosophical ideas, rituals, religious beliefs and lore are distinct to the Hindu lifestyle. Classic texts such as Vedas, the Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads discuss philosophy, mythology, ritual practices as well as yoga. Many of these concepts can be viewed in terms of the four Purusharthas