The desire to assimilate into mainstream American society created changes in traditional Japanese Buddhist religious architecture and ritual and culture in order to conform to the predominant Protestant Christian religion: temples resembled Christian churches in their interior style and design (replacing "tatami" mats with pews and introducing lecterns), and supplemented traditional Shinshu liturgy with introduction of Western musical instruments (organs and pianos) in services, singing of "gathas" modeled after Christian hymns and male and female choirs. These changes remain today and are considered the norm for American Jōdo Shinshū temples.