Posted on 05/03/2007 12:50:55 PM PDT by siunevada
CARAPICUIBA, Brazil (Reuters) - For years, Ronaldo da Silva's daily routine consisted of drinking himself into a stupor until he passed out on a sidewalk.
Now he spends his days praying and singing with hundreds of fellow Christians at the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God in Carapicuiba, a sprawling shantytown on the outskirts of Sao Paulo where Pentecostal congregations are found on just about every block.
"I'd probably be dead or in jail if it weren't for this church," said da Silva, a 38-year-old former Catholic who claims God cured him of epilepsy and helped him straighten out his life when he converted to Pentecostalism a decade ago.
Conversions like da Silva's are increasingly common all over Brazil, where a boom in evangelical Protestantism is steadily chipping away at the supremacy of the Roman Catholic Church.
The trend, which is playing out all across Latin America, poses a major challenge for Pope Benedict, who arrives in Brazil on May 9 for a five-day visit largely aimed at blunting the decline of Catholicism in this continent-sized nation.
Although Brazil still has more Catholics than any other country in the world, with about 125 million, the percentage of believers that practice the Vatican's brand of Christianity has been dropping rapidly in the last three decades.
When the late Pope John Paul II visited Brazil in 1980, 89 percent of Brazilians identified themselves as Catholic. By 2000, when the last census was taken, the share of Catholics in the population had fallen to 74 percent.
The number of evangelical Protestants nearly tripled in the same period to 26 million, or about 15 percent of the population.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
>> Oh, puleeese. Eucharist is a weekly part of my life, outside the Catholic Church **gasp**. <<
I’m curious: What denomination ARE you? (The Orthodox also administer the sacraments. The Lutherans lost apostolic succession, so mostly quit believing in the objective Real Presence shortly after it ceased being present... go figure. And the Episcopalians think they have it, but they also believe Bishop Vicki Robinson and Gov. McGreavey make for fine priests.) Most denominations just “re-enact” the Eucharist.
To be fair, I am not sure how devout a Catholic McGrevy ever was. Keep in mind, he also claimed to be a devout Heterosexual at the same time. I think we all remember how that turned out.
Ya got a point there.
Thank you.
So . . . Christian brotherhood is a very parochial homogeneous thing in that construction on reality . . .
Doesn’t sound like the Jesus I know.
Sounds like doing unto others has been torn out of that Bible, too.
Oh, I know, it’s been rewritten by the magisterical to be
“Do unto others before they do to you.”
I see.
Oh, I’m terribly moved by the flattery. First rate flattery. Must influence tons of people in the desired direction.
From who’s perspective?
Have a lot of trouble believing that’s God’s perspective.
if you look at the new testament it’s pretty homogenous indeed (Christian and non-Christian).
that would actually be WHY St Paul mentioned one should be wary of wolves pitching alternate versions.
as for desired direction Holy Scripture has already articulated the right direction, if groups refuse that or seek to pervert it and instead seek their own alternatives they’re wolves plain and simple.
There’s plenty of Scripture to construe such postings as I’m responding to
to be from a wolf pack.
Sweet ain’t it.
indeed there is lots of scripture, like the one where St Paul articulates plainly why having a brotherhood with wolves is foul.
Help please!
_________________________________
Very interesting. Sources please.
OR: I know you probably just pinged me because I was involved with this post. I know MANY ex-Catholics that are worshipping in Spirit and Truth outide the C church and have no desire to return.
I would be interested in sources too .. NYer?
Lutherans know that Christ is truly present in their communion hosts.
I’m curious if there’s a pastor in your life.
I'm NOT a denomination. I am a human. A Christian. Blood-bought, born again, Spirit filled.
I worship in an Anglican church. *smile*
Thanks for asking.
what good would a pastor be if he suggest that one should converse with folks on a mission to pervert scripture?
I am always more interested in the source/research material than dogmatic, anecdotal, (wishful) "facts".
anyone who claims to be a pastor and teaches against St Paul is a false prophet btw,
pastor (n.)
1242, “shepherd,” also “spiritual guide, shepherd of souls” (1377), from O.Fr. pastur “herdsman, shepherd” (12c.), from L. pastorem (nom. pastor) “shepherd,” from pastus, pp. of pascere “to lead to pasture, graze,” from PIE base *pa- “to tend, keep, pasture, feed, guard” (see food). The spiritual sense was in Church L. (cf. Gregory’s “Cura Pastoralis”). The verb in the Christian sense is from 1872.
I rebuke such an allegation applied to me in the Name of Jesus.
Interesting. Incredible.
All I said was . . . I was curious if you had a pastor.
My impression was that you did not.
It appears that my impression is confirmed.
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