Christianity
Since Florida was colonized by the Spanish and the French, the vast majority of the inhabitants are Christians. In fact, during slavery, blacks could be freed if they agreed to convert to Christianity. Then, the different immigrations, especially Cuban, have reinforced the influence of this religion on the society and its state structures. Protestants are the most numerous (almost 50%), but because they are separated into several churches, Catholics are the most important united church (about 25%). Today, a large segment of these Floridian Christians are moving toward conservative or fundamentalist movements. While some moderates still read the Bible in an enlightened way, a growing number of others interpret it with a simplistic worldview of good versus evil. On the other hand, the Florida church has not escaped pedophile priests, with a resounding scandal in Palm Beach County. However, Florida will remain Florida, even if the eccentricity is not yet a wishful thinking. As proof, a Christian nudist camp, the Lake Como Nudist Resort, has been established south of Tampa, with a church next to the water park: the faithful can choose between two outfits for the Sunday service... Because according to the founder Bill Martin, the Bible is very clear: before Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden of Eden, they were naked.
Reform and Orthodox Judaism
With approximately 500,000 Jewish voters, Florida has one of the largest Hebrew communities in the United States. This large community has migrated from the northwestern United States, Russia and Cuba. The majority are Reform, but some are Orthodox.
Islam
It is not always easy to practice the Muslim religion in Florida, even if the situation tends to improve. However, although the community is not in the majority, it represents a significant part of the population. Florida's Muslims are largely from Southeast Asian or North African countries. Since the 2000s, more and more Hispanic Americans are converting to Islam. But because of the paranoia that followed the 9/11 attacks and the Orlando massacre in 2016, Muslims have learned to be quiet, including in their worship. Awareness campaigns are taking place to change views and fight against Islamophobia.
Santería
Santería originated in Cuba. This religion is a derivative of the Yoruba religion, which originated in Nigeria and was imported by African slaves. Santería is based on the worship of a pantheon of African gods, created in the image of man. These god-men have accumulated the experience and knowledge gathered by their ancestors over the centuries. Their cult is partly based on witchcraft and animal sacrifice. In Florida, this religion is practiced by a minority of Cubans, generally descendants of slaves. Practitioners of this religion prefer the name of lukumi.
