I try not to be too political on this blog. I know it will alienate some readers. But some issues (LGBT rights, human rights, women’s rights, freedom, etc.) get me going enough that I break my soft rule and make a post anyway.
This time it is about the Catholics. Sigh.
I was raised a Catholic. Being a devoted Catholic was encouraged in my family. My mother is a devoted Catholic, as is her life partner. But about 35 years ago I gave up Catholicism for Lent. ;-) Never to look back.
So here in Brazil, the oft-touted largest Catholic nation in the world (note to world: most people don’t actually believe or practice), it is news that the Catholic population is shrinking faster than people have thought or believed. In 2003, 74% of the Brazilian population identified as Catholic. In 2009 it was only 68%. [sad face…]
"That is a strong transformation rate. Changes that take place in 100 years are now taking place within ten. If this drop of one in 100 Catholics each year continues, in 20 years, less than half of the population will be Catholic," said Marcelo Neri, the head of Getulio Vargas Foundation. [sad face…]
Brazil remains the most Catholic country in the world, with 130 million adherents, but this is the first time in 140 years that less than 70 percent of the population is Catholic. [sad face…]
As a Gay Man looking for equality (not to mention women who need medical freedom or trans people who just need to be SEEN!) I say – happy us – that the so-called Christian church, the Catholics, are waning in power.
There – I said it.
Here is the source of the quotes.
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14 comments:
I lOVE that button. I used to fantasize about stopping in front of the hospital regularly and give the priest who was out there protesting abortions a piece of my mind and put him in his place, but I could never find the words.
The sad hting out here is that there seems to be no end of Evangelicals. My brother-in-law just told me Xuxa is satanic. Xuxa? Come on.
Catholicism is indeed shrinking in Brasil. However and unfortunately, there has an increase of evangelics. And they are much more conservative than Catholics.
You both have nailed it -- beware the evangelicals...
Unfortunately.
Beware Xuxa....
hahaha -- or as they would say in brazil: kkkkkkkk
:-)
Jim,
We have to be careful what we ask for, Catholics are shrinking because the Jehovah's Witness, the Mormons and the radical Baptists and other weird cults are increasing in popularity among the poor Brazilians.
They are ubber conservative and are trying to get their power in Congress. These freaks have a strong political agenda and will still cause a lot of headaches for generations to come.
We should definitely try to pass laws that if these religions want to have a saying in Politics they need to loose their "tax exempt" status.
I just think religion should always stay away from politics, not a good combination at all.
Ray
You are exactly right Ray. Being critical of the Catholics is not meant to be pro the alternative...
Be careful who you vote for.
I say let's vote with the Green Party in Brazil right now, they usually offer great intelligent candidates as choices.
Translates to "Partido Verde" PV.
Ray
Religion... argh !
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/09/girl-power/gorney-text
Great article, Ginger. Thanks.
At one point in history, the powers that be at the Catholic church provided a lot of services. They acted as therapists and marriage counselors, they were the source for art and history, they were educators, they were the social core of a community, they were essentially the law... Obviously, most of those functions have been replaced, so it is no wonder that the Catholics are losing power. I also was raised Catholic - I even had an uncle that was a Catholic priest. But the overwhelming hypocrisy that I witnessed made me seek out other possibilities. Let's face it, the Catholic church was good for controlling chaos in the middle ages, but we have evolved as humans and perhaps organized religion (especially that which no longer benefits the people) is a casualty of that process.
I also was raised a Catholic, and my mother is a strict Catholic (still is) - she was even raised by nuns! But, like many others as I grew up I was turned off by it, what with all the guilt they lay on you (which STILL follows me to this day!) and the hypocrisy I just knew deep down inside something was wrong.
I believe there is value in religion however, those that control the religion twist it into something ugly. I am not religious more spiritual. or whatever. But I think that the churches make backwards statements about jesus for example, who love and protected all the "low status" people in society. sorry but jesus was a feminist and loved gays. So I think it's quite ironic.
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