The 50 Most Violent Cities in the World Are Mostly Catholic

Last Days Watchman ^ | Julio Severo

[juliosevero]

The 50 Most Violent Cities in the World Are Mostly Catholic

By Julio Severo

Business Insider reported a new ranking of the world's most violent cities, explaining that a full one-third of global homicides occur in Latin America, even though the region has just 8% of the world's population, according to UN data. It said,

"Drug trafficking, gang wars, political instability, corruption, and poverty contribute to the region's elevated violence. [This] ranking includes cities with a population of more than 300,000 and doesn't count deaths in combat zones or cities with unavailable data, so some dangerous cities might not be represented on the list."

This ranking does not include cities' religious predominance. But in this report, I will include it, because in Latin America religion has always been fundamental for its existence and inseparable from its national identity.

Most cities mentioned in this report are located in predominantly Catholic nations, according to The CIA World Factbook 2014, which reports the following religious predominance:

Honduras: Roman Catholic 97%.

Venezuela: Roman Catholic 96%.

Mexico: Roman Catholic 82.7%.

Brazil: Roman Catholic 73.6%.

Colombia: Roman Catholic 90%.

The United States, whose religious predominance is Protestant, is also represented in this report, with very violent cities. Coincidentally or not, all of these U.S. cities have a predominantly Catholic profile: St. Louis (predominantly Catholic), Detroit (predominantly Catholic), New Orleans (predominantly Catholic) and Baltimore (predominantly Catholic).

Here is the Business Insider report on the 50 most violent cities in the world:

1. San Pedro Sula, Honduras had 171.20 homicides per 100,000 residents.

2. Caracas, Venezuela had 115.98 homicides per 100,000 residents.

3. Acapulco, Mexico had 104.16 homicides per 100,000 residents.

4. Joao Pessoa, Brazil had 79.41 homicides per 100,000 residents.

5. Distrito Central, Honduras had 77.65 homicides per 100,000 residents.

6. Maceio, Brazil had 72.91 homicides per 100,000 residents.

7. Valencia, Venezuela had 71.08 homicides per 100,000 residents.

8. Fortaleza, Brazil had 66.55 homicides per 100,000 residents.

9. Cali, Colombia had 65.25 homicides per 100,000 residents.

10. Sao Luis, Brazil had 64.71 homicides per 100,000 residents.

11. Natal, Brazil had 63.68 homicides per 100,000 residents.

12. Ciudad Guayana, Venezuela had 62.13 homicides per 100,000 residents.

13. San Salvador, El Salvador had 61.21 homicides per 100,000 residents.

14. Cape Town, South Africa had 60 homicides per 100,000 residents.

15. Vitoria, Brazil had 57 homicides per 100,000 residents.

16. Cuiaba, Brazil had 56.46 homicides per 100,000 residents.

17. Salvador (and RMS), Brazil had 54.31 homicides per 100,000 residents.

18. Belem, Brazil had 53.06 homicides per 100,000 residents.

19. St. Louis, Missouri had 49.93 homicides per 100,000 residents.

20. Teresina, Brazil had 49.49 homicides per 100,000 residents.

21. Barquisimeto, Venezuela had 46.46 homicides per 100,000 residents.

22. Detroit, Michigan had 44.87 homicides per 100,000 residents.

23. Goiania, Brazil had 44.82 homicides per 100,000 residents.

24. Culiacan, Mexico had 42.17 homicides per 100,000 residents.

25. Guatemala City, Guatemala had 41.90 homicides per 100,000 residents.

26. Kingston, Jamaica had 40.59 homicides per 100,000 residents.

27. Juarez, Mexico had 39.94 homicides per 100,000 residents.

28. New Orleans, Louisiana had 39.61 homicides per 100,000 residents.

29. Recife, Brazil had 39.05 homicides per 100,000 residents.

30. Campina Grande, Brazil had 37.97 homicides per 100,000 residents.

31. Obregon, Mexico had 37.71 homicides per 100,000 residents.

32. Palmira, Colombia had 37.66 homicides per 100,000 residents.

33. Manaus, Brazil had 37.07 homicides per 100,000 residents.

34. Nuevo Laredo, Mexico had 34.92 homicides per 100,000 residents.

35. Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa had 34.89 homicides per 100,000 residents.

36. Pereira, Colombia had 34.68 homicides per 100,000 residents.

37. Porto Alegre, Brazil had 34.65 homicides per 100,000 residents.

38. Durban, South Africa had 34.48 homicides per 100,000 residents.

39. Aracaju, Brazil had 34.19 homicides per 100,000 residents.

40. Baltimore, Maryland had 33.92 homicides per 100,000 residents.

41. Victoria, Mexico had 33.91 homicides per 100,000 residents.

42. Belo Horizonte, Brazil had 33.39 homicides per 100,000 residents.

43. Chihuahua, Mexico had 33.29 homicides per 100,000 residents.

44. Curitiba, Brazil had 31.48 homicides per 100,000 residents.

45. Tijuana, Mexico had 29.90 homicides per 100,000 residents.

46. Macapa, Brazil had 28.87 homicides per 100,000 residents.

47. Cucuta, Colombia had 28.43 homicides per 100,000 residents.

48. Torreon, Mexico had 27.81 homicides per 100,000 residents.

49. Medellin, Colombia had 26.91 homicides per 100,000 residents.

50. Cuernavaca, Mexico had 25.45 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Because the overwhelming majority of these cities are Catholic, some questions are necessary. Why has not the Catholic religious influence been enough to protect these societies from pervasive social violence? Why has the Catholic Church in Latin America often embraced Liberation Theology to solve political, corruption, and poverty issues?

Christianity, in its New Testament format, was totally dependent on the Holy Spirit. There are God's promises that the transformational moves of Holy Spirit were not limited for the past, but they are also available for today:  

"And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy." (Acts 2:17-18 ESV)

The charismatic movement is a part of the fulfilment of this promise.

Yet, the Catholic Church in Latin America has frequently been much more open to Liberation Theology promises than to Bible promises about the transformational power of the Holy Spirit. Latin American Catholics have been also very open to syncretism with several forms of African religions like voodoo, Candomble and Santeria. Even in New Orleans, in the U.S., voodoo has been syncretized with the Catholic culture. Brazil, the largest Catholic nation in the world, is rife with Candomble, the Brazilian variety of voodoo, which is black magic. Is it a wonder that Brazil is more violent than nations in war?

Syncretism with African religions (which have been viewed as witchcraft by evangelical churches) is very old and widespread in Latin American Catholicism, especially in Brazil.

Despite these powerful dark inroads in the Latin American Catholic culture, the Catholic Church has been very limitedly open to the charismatic movement and especially to the power of the Holy Spirit against the witchcraft's powers.

In Catholic Latin America, witchcraft and Liberation Theology have helped promote violence, because their nature and spirit are demonic.

The Catholic Church in Latin America should seriously consider why she is less open to the transformational power of the Holy Spirit, why her members are more open to witchcraft and why her members and leaders are more open to Marxism.

With information from Business Insider.

Portuguese version of this article: As 50 cidades mais violentas do mundo sao quase todas catolicas

Source: Last Days Watchman

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Brazil: more violent than nations in war

[kinsman redeemer]

Once again, for me it's not about "Catholics" - it's about "Catholicism."

..and you have been VERY crude in this thread.

[MortMan]

And the 50 most violent terrorists in the world are muslim.

Which of those two facts is more likely to be causative?

(BTW - I noticed that many, of not most of the cited cities are in socialist countries, to boot.)

[redleghunter]

You should make an honest comparison between murder rates in Brazil (the largest Catholic nation in the world) and murder rates in America (the largest Protestant nation in the world).

Do your figures include aborted pre-born babies? Abortion is violent too.

[Mrs. Don-o]

"...falls apart like a folding chair under the pressure of Michael Moore."

Thank you! I'm stealin' that!

:o)

[miss marmelstein]

If you don’t want crude (and I dispute your accusation), try and get evangelicals to stop putting up lying, nasty phony statistics (foolishly so!) against Catholics and Catholicism. Don’t wave a red flag at a bull and then wonder why you were charged.

And Catholics certainly don’t have a patch on crude when it comes to the villainous religious forums here.

[miss marmelstein]

Most non-Catholics on FR are truly decent people. That is why you will see shock and horror when one of these types of threads slip the moorings of the religious forums and crosses over onto the breaking news forums. That’s how this thread came to my attention - I never go near the religious forums because I wish to shield myself from the unmitigated ugliness. When some people were thrown off FR a few months ago, I was astonished at how many Protestants and non-religious people came out and admitted how appalled they were as to what went on in this forums. It was illuminating!

[redleghunter]

You are welcome! It just popped in my mind. I saw a recent picture of Michael Moore in a specially made giant oak chair. So figured a folding chair can no longer contain him:)

May you have a Blessed Advent with family and friends.

[truth_seeker]

No cities on the list from Spain, Portugal, Italy which are mainly Catholic.

It appears the factor driving the high murder rates is more racial than religious.

[redleghunter]

Or what happens to societies which embrace socialism. You know that ‘S’ word the Muslim-in-chief is pressing on us.

[metmom]

Thank you.

[metmom]

I’m guessing that nobody is holding a gun to your head making you post your vile filth on FR.

You can consider that someone is trying to provoke Catholics, but you don’t have to give them what they want.

Did you ever read the Beatitudes where Jesus told us how to deal with those who oppose us?

Maybe you should pick up a Bible and learn something.

[miss marmelstein]

My infamous post #7 (read it, you’ll hate it) was actually meant for you. I was wondering when you were going to show up. I posted no filth - anything filthy is in your own nasty head.

[metmom]

In your dreams........

BTW, since you misdirected that post, did you ever apologize to MamaB for unloading your filth on her?

[miss marmelstein]

Why don’t you try apologizing to all the Catholics you slime every single day here, mom? Your hypocrisy is only outdone by your foolishness.

[metmom]

Can’t say as I’m surprised.......

[miss marmelstein]

You know, like others have stated, you bore me to tears. So that is why I have never bothered to go through your comments here at FR. But I would be interested in knowing whether you’ve ever commented outside of the religious forums. I don’t recall meeting you on a political thread. You seem stuck in the Hotel California of anti-Catholic hatred. Heck, I don’t even meet you, mom, on the wholesome cooking forums. A nice mommy like you must have a tuna casserole, surely?

[WVKayaker]

Miss Smarmy is having a hissy fit again, I see...and again revealing a lack of Scriptural guidance.

Matthew 5: 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, "Raca," is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, "You fool!" will be in danger of the fire of hell.

[miss marmelstein]

Hey, I’d rather risk hell fire, Preacher from Night of the Hunter, than meet up with you in real life.

[WVKayaker]

Hey, I’d rather risk hell fire

How Christian of you. - /sarc

Oh, I'm sorry, you're Roman Catholic! You are already at risk of hellfire!

[miss marmelstein]

Your comment should stand for this entire thread.