What Place Does Religion Have in Hawaii?
Over more than six years in Hawaii I didn’t meet many people that were overtly, devoutly religious. It seems like the people in the islands, in general, are extremely happy to be living in paradise on earth and they’re not looking for whatever paradise might be found in religion.
That said, there are churches all over the islands – and some Buddhist temples as well. I knew Christians, Jews, Rastafarians, those that believed earth itself was god… There is a large Mormon University on Oahu – BYU, and there are a lot of Mormon students attending. If there are Hindus, and Hare Krishnas I didn’t see them. There were some guys shaven bald with one little pony tail sticking up walking the streets in robes and handing out pamphlets – I ignored them at the time, but today wish I would have known which group they were from – quite possibly the Hare Krishna group, but I cannot say for sure.
Mainlanders coming over to Hawaii are either atheist, agnostic, or Christian – again, speaking in generalities. There are those from the Philippines that are predominantly Catholic. Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Korean, and Vietnamese residents are mostly Zen, Mahayana and Theravada Buddhist. Indonesians and Malaysians are mostly Muslim.
Hasidic Jews, Jehovah’s Witnesses and others all have a presence in Hawaii. There is no one, dominant religion, and however you choose to worship, there is probably a group for you – at least on Oahu.
Nearly ½ of Hawaii’s residents practice some form of Christianity meaning, Catholic, Christian, Protestant, etc. Nearly any denomination existing in the mainland also exists here in Hawaii.
Far east religions play an important role Buddhism, Shinto, Hinduism, Islam, and other spiritual practices are all found on the islands.
Religious followers in Hawaii are distributed as follows (data by religious establishments themselves):
- Christianity: 351,000 (28.9%)
- Buddhism: 110,000 (9%)
- Judaism: 10,000 (0.8%)
- Other: 100,000 (10%)*
- Unaffiliated: 650,000 (51.1%)**
“Other” in this data are religions other than Christianity, Buddhism, or Judaism; this group includes Bah?’? Faith, Confucianism, Daoism, Traditional Hawaiian religious beliefs, Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Shintoism, Zoroastrianism, and other religions.
“Unaffiliated” refers to people who do not belong to a congregation; this group includes agnostics, atheists, humanists, and the irreligious.
Aloha Peter, I live in Captain Cook on the Big Island, If this way let’s find time to get together. Ken<
Aloha Ken! We have a live show every other Friday. You will get an email next week Wednesday with details. Join us live! Also you can hit reply on any email you get from me and goes right to my inbox.
It’s not “Mormon “, but The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The nickname Mormon is not correct , and shows ignorance.
One of the most influential Hindu monasteries in the world, Himalayan Academy, is in Kauai. They publish a very widely read magazine called Hinduism Today. Hinduism, however, never ever proselytizes. You don’t need anyone to convert you; you can just decide to become a Hindu by abandoning narrow, limiting religions with fixed agendas. You can just feel one with all of the earth, all of the universe, all of humanity. You can learn to sense the immense power pervading all that you see, and all that you do not see, including yourself. You come to know that power and energy as the Supreme One. In Hinduism you are taught to question, question, question. The answers will come from within you, and never from a teacher. It is THEN that you become a Hindu.
Would like to join and stay at the monastery in Hawaii
How do I process this
Chaminade is not the Mormon school, that is Catholic. BYU-Hawaii in Laie, is the Mormon college.
Thanks for the correction! Updated.