This is a video from this week in the Brazilian Congress. This is reported to be a congresswoman who has an extraordinary voice. As much as I loved the performance, it is worth noting that this is a religious song where members express their faith — a practice that raised concerns with those in Brazil who believe strongly in the separation of church and state.
Great performance, great voice, but is this the proper venue?
Of course, after the last NFL season, many would argue that it is still better than Steven Tyler singing anything.
Barbara:
“Brazil does not have separation between church and state as part of the constitution nor as a social practice”
Don’t say that, please. This is so, but so extremly wrong.
Brazil has separation between church and state and it’s in our Constitution.
I’ve posted that above.
Don’t write what you don’t know, please. It’s forbidden by our Constitution that the Federal Government establishes any sort of alliance or cult with any kind of religion whatsoever. The only exception would be the interest of the population what does not apply in this video posted above.
I so respect your opinion but your information may mislead someone who in the future reads your post.
The principle of laïcité is stablished in Brazil by our Constitution, however due to dubious interpretations and also since the people have not manifested strongly claiming their rights as they should, some episodes like the one in this video still happen on our Congress.
This was a specific celebratin of the 100th anniversary of the Assembly of God in Brazil and they held this session for it’s purpose.
However, it was against our Constituion.
Here is our Constitution:
TÍTULO III
Da Organização do Estado
CAPÍTULO I
DA ORGANIZAÇÃO POLÍTICO-ADMINISTRATIVA
Art. 19. É vedado à União, aos Estados, ao Distrito Federal e aos Municípios:
I – estabelecer cultos religiosos ou igrejas, subvencioná-los, embaraçar-lhes o funcionamento ou manter com eles ou seus representantes relações de dependência ou aliança, ressalvada, na forma da lei, a colaboração de interesse público;
Roughly translating it says that it’s forbidden for the Union, the Federal District (Brasília) e the Cities to establish religious cults, mainting with them or it’s representatives any relation of dependence, alliance, with the exception of a colaboration of public interest.
As you can see, this video clearly shows something that goes against the principle of laïcité. The only exception in our Constituion would be the colaboration of public interest, that clearly doesn’t apply.
Our country is divided, according to “Censo 2000” this way:
Catholics: 73,8%
Protestants: 15,4%
Without religion: 7,4%
Spiritualists: 1,3%
Other christians: 1,2%
Others: 0.9%
I wouldn’t even put everyone else in this conversation but I can assure you that the catholics would not agree with that. I’m not catholic by the way and I don’t think that this has to do with having a religion or not.
This goes beyond religion.
In my way of seeing this, it’s about respecting the individual, the human being. Each one should be respected and no one should be forced to receive a doctrine without asking for it.
If someone wants to know more about a doctrine, a specifc religion, or a course of any kind, this individual should have the right to seek this knowledge by himself without anyone forcing him to recieve it.
In Congress the only thing that should be happening is politics and nothing else. There are specific places for one to express his faith and it’s at his church, his home, his synagogue, his mosque and so on.
Our Constituion was not respected but putting law aside and thinking, feeling as humans, this goes beyond that. It’s not about what’s written on a sheet of paper and what’s allowed or not. Many things are written and many are not. Many things are written and are not followed by men. Many are not written and men do.
What should be felt is the right of everyone else of not be forced to received what they do not what to. I my self when I recently got in touch with this video felt so desrespected that you maybe don’t even immagine how.
Well. Maybe now you do. I even spent time writing here since I saw that some people thought this was not that big a deal. It is. And some people don’t have a clue about what goes on here in Brazil.
Things are for real and where not turning our faces the other way.
Barbara: “…There are plenty of neo-pentacostal groups in Brazil that use extremely dubious methods to raise funds for extremely dubious purposes. Most churches have sheep in wolves clothings, including neo-pentacostal, pentacostal, evangelical, protestant, Roman Catholic and many other non-Christian groups as well.”
—
That is all too often the case right here in the U.S. 🙂
Brazil does not have separation between church and state as part of the constitution nor as a social practice. Brazil allows for freedom of religion. There are religious demonstrations at many if not most governmental ceremonies, albeit the vast majority of these demonstrations are Roman Catholic.
The woman singing makes it clear in her introductory remarks that she is there to honor the Assembly of God for its 100th anniversary since its establishment in Brazil. This denomination is a serious one that holds Biblical principles. The comment about dishonesty is unfairly directed. There are plenty of neo-pentacostal groups in Brazil that use extremely dubious methods to raise funds for extremely dubious purposes. Most churches have sheep in wolves clothings, including neo-pentacostal, pentacostal, evangelical, protestant, Roman Catholic and many other non-Christian groups as well.
US citizen residing in Brazil
I meant to add that comment above to the piece on the bankers. I will back up and try again.
God be praised.
He can NEVER be silenced !!!!!