A sucker is born every minute

[SkullKing]

i have to agree that calling them idiots can be a bit harsh. after all, brazil is a different culture that is much more immersed in religion than the US.

On what exactly do you base this affirmation?

I get the impression that the opposite is true since religion seem to be brought up a lot more in USA Politics than Brazilian politics. And the U.S. has more stuff like the "westboro baptist church", the hole "this country was founded on biblical principles" and the "under god" in the pledge.


It does seems that Brazilian churches are less segmented.(Bigger religious organizations, while the U.S. has more independent churches)

[Kheldarson]

On what exactly do you base this affirmation?

I get the impression that the opposite is true since religion seem to be brought up a lot more in USA Politics than Brazilian politics. And the U.S. has more stuff like the "westboro baptist church", the hole "this country was founded on biblical principles" and the "under god" in the pledge.

It does seems that Brazilian churches are less segmented.(Bigger religious organizations, while the U.S. has more independent churches)

That's because it has a different historical culture. Which is what siead was saying. Historically, Brazil and much of Central and South America have been tied to Spain, Portugal, and the Catholic Church. The independence of religious affiliation granted through the Protestant movement is a relatively new thing for that region.

Which is also why religion doesn't come up that often from that region as well. What's there to bring up? Everybody's from the same church and dogma. Also, just different culture entirely.

But it's rather common trope in the Catholic Church, at least in the regions I've been in the US, that Hispanics (especially those directly from the region) tend to be far more faithful than the average American.

[SkullKing]

Which is also why religion doesn't come up that often from that region as well. What's there to bring up? Everybody's from the same church and dogma.

If that was the case wouldn´t there me more blending of politics and religion? I get the impression the two are a bit better separated in Brazil where you have less leaders political leaders talking about god, or god and governments, or commenting on laws from religious arguments.

It does seems to me that the whole "religious brainwashing" thing that siead_lietrathua mentions is more common in the us. And that Brazil as a whole puts greater cultural importance on getting along well with everybody.

Also, Brazilians are not hispanic. And I think Brazilians are more religiously diverse than most hispanics.

[Kheldarson]

If that was the case wouldn´t there me more blending of politics and religion? I get the impression the two are a bit better separated in Brazil where you have less leaders political leaders talking about god, or god and governments, or commenting on laws from religious arguments.

It does seems to me that the whole "religious brainwashing" thing that siead_lietrathua mentions is more common in the us. And that Brazil as a whole puts greater cultural importance on getting along well with everybody.

Also, Brazilians are not hispanic. And I think Brazilians are more religiously diverse than most hispanics.

I was being overly generic and just commenting on a trend that's been noticed for the last bit.

And actually, no, having the same religious background does not necessarily mean that you have more of a blending. Part of the issue you see in the US is the fact that the different sects and religions all feel like they have to defend their viewpoint from the others. So it can become more strident. Whereas is a less diverse culture you may not see that drive.

[siead_lietrathua]

Also, Brazilians are not hispanic. And I think Brazilians are more religiously diverse than most hispanics.

Brazil is considered a latino, not hispanic, country.
BUT just the quick, wikipedia stats i found were, brazil religions: Roman Catholicism (74%) Protestantism (18%) Non religious (7%) Spiritualists (1%). certainly not any more diverse than a hispanic country like mexico where it is Catholic Church (82.7%) Other Christians (9.7%) Other religions (2.9%) Non-religious (4.7%). both are over 90% christian.
(both are 2010 census surveys)

also it's hard to compare the USA. in brazil, religion does shape the moral code of the country, sure, but it is less in your face. in the states, political leaders tote their religion as a tool to get elected, being as loud as possible to out-perform each other.

people can be brainwashed even without religion. blaming the victims for being idiots when we do not know their ages, how long they may have been groomed, their mental health states, etc, is in my opinion a mean thing to do.

[SkullKing]

Brazil is considered a latino, not hispanic, country.
BUT just the quick, wikipedia stats i found were, brazil religions: Roman Catholicism (74%) Protestantism (18%) Non religious (7%) Spiritualists (1%). certainly not any more diverse than a hispanic country like mexico where it is Catholic Church (82.7%) Other Christians (9.7%) Other religions (2.9%) Non-religious (4.7%). both are over 90% christian.
(both are 2010 census surveys)

Yeas but in brazil a lot of religions mingle.

For example there are people who go to church and considers themselves christians, however they regularly attend candomble rituals(similar to santeria), or get blessed by a priest when they go to church and by a pagan priest/priestess after or considers thanselves to be cristians but go to card reader and things like that for divination which the church frown upon.

Carnival is a pagan fest(the catholic church for example, is explicitly against the useof any cristian imagery in carnival events) however it is considere dby many the biggest hopllyday in Brazil.

does this kind of thing happen in USA?

[siead_lietrathua]

does this kind of thing happen in USA?

plenty of christians in the USA and canada do seances, card readings, participate in pagan rituals assimilated into their own faith (yule logs and easter bunnies anyone?)

but int he end, what the states does doesn't matter. this case took place in brazil, and it's the brazilian culture that needs to be examined when talking about why people would have succumbed to this priest, in this specific case. am i not explaining it clear enough? regardless of what other rituals they may follow, the majority of people in brazil, and more importantly the victims of this case consider themselves part of the RCC.

[crashhelmet]

Carnival is a pagan fest(the catholic church for example, is explicitly against the useof any cristian imagery in carnival events) however it is considere dby many the biggest hopllyday in Brazil.

does this kind of thing happen in USA?

Actually...

Carnaval is not pagan. It might have been inspired by Saturnalia (A December event) but it is a Catholic event done for Catholic reasons.

Carnaval comes from the phrase "Carne Lavare," which means "To remove meat." Carnaval starts the Friday before Ash Wednesday and ends on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, aka Fat Tuesday, aka Mardi Gras. As in the New Orleans version of Carnaval. Its purpose was to get everything out before Lent and its 40 days and nights of sacrifice started.

Both events have since grown into indulgences that the Catholic Church does care for and that's why there are no longer any religious references.

If anything, the Pagans have taken a Christian event, instead of the other way around.

[Andara Bledin]

If anything, the Pagans have taken a Christian event, instead of the other way around.

Well, only if you ignore the fact that the Catholics took it from the Romans who took it from the Greeks. It is very much a pagan holiday, from start to finish.

Oh, and the meaning isn't "to remove meat" but "to raise flesh." It was originally an excuse to indulge in wine and excess. These days it's closer to its roots than the Catholics want it to be.

[crashhelmet]

Well, only if you ignore the fact that the Catholics took it from the Romans who took it from the Greeks. It is very much a pagan holiday, from start to finish.

Oh, and the meaning isn't "to remove meat" but "to raise flesh." It was originally an excuse to indulge in wine and excess. These days it's closer to its roots than the Catholics want it to be.

The literal translation is actually "To wash meat" but I think you're thinking of the word raze and not raise.

If Carnaval was held in December, right before Christmas, I'd agree with you. But it's not.

They didn't take over a holiday or an event and convert it to a Christian holiday/event like Easter and Christmas. They created their own, brand new event. Using a different event as inspiration is not the same as converting the event itself. Its roots are what it was in the late 1700s when it started. Not in Ancient Greece where they got an idea of what to do.

[Panacea]

that being said, can we PLEASE not compare assault on adults to assault on children.it's like comparing rape of a fully developed adult to one with a mental disability,

I brought that issue up to get people to think about what they were saying about the victims of this particular crime. In no way am I suggesting that crimes against children are not heinous.

Which is also why religion doesn't come up that often from that region as well. What's there to bring up? Everybody's from the same church and dogma. Also, just different culture entirely.

Not everyone in Brazil is Roman Catholic. Evangelical Protestantism is making great strides all over South America, including in Brazil.

[Kheldarson]

Not everyone in Brazil is Roman Catholic. Evangelical Protestantism is making great strides all over South America, including in Brazil.

Oh, I know. But that's a historically recent event in comparison to how we've had religion in the nation. That was kind of my point.

[Dakhur]

To bring this back on point -- wouldn't this fall under a health issue? He's deliberately opened these people up to all sorts of diseases. And don't most USNA states have some sort of mental hygiene laws that will cover something like this?