In Sao Paulo, Brazil, a New Evangelical Church Opens Every Week

“Data from Pindograma, a data journalism site, shows that over the last decade, every six days São Paulo city has had a new evangelical church. The data points to their expansion in poor neighbourhoods, accompanied by an increase in the political participation of followers and pastors.”

GlobalVoices.Org

This is a phenomenal rate of expansion, but perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised at the alarming infestation of churches in a city named after the Apostle Paul.

The evangelical movement in Brazil is just as reactionary and anti-science as it is in the United States. Evangelicalism is a global menace and it’s an indictment of American democracy that we export this pernicious Christian philosophy all over the world.

It’s distressing that evangelicalism has been making inroads in poor neighborhoods, the “pie in the sky” mentality discourages poor people from using political means to improve their lives since they are promised mansions in heaven.

Imagine if every six days a new medical clinic, library or school opened in Sao Paulo instead of a tax-exempt evangelical church.

Evangelicalism is an existential threat to democracy and freedom worldwide, and we must destroy it in America to keep it from infecting the rest of the world.

Brazil Building New Giant Jesus Statue, Taller Than Iconic Christ the Redeemer Statue

“A giant new statue of Christ being constructed in southern Brazil will rise even higher than the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue that overlooks Rio de Janeiro.

The statue, to be named Christ the Protector, will stand 140 feet tall, including its pedestal, making it one of the world’s tallest statues of Christ with outstretched arms.”

France24.Com

Brazil has the world’s largest Catholic population, but the huge country with the largest economy in Latin America is mired in violence and poverty. According to the World Health Organization Brazil has one of the highest rates of homicide in the world.

History teaches us that the most religious countries tend to have the greatest systemic and intractable problems of racism, poverty and ignorance.

You’d think that cities in Brazil wouldn’t be competing to see who can erect the tallest statue of Jesus, and instead would focus on tackling issues of crime, poverty and wealth inequality.

Promoters say that the giant statue of Jesus is intended both to inspire faith and encourage tourism, which begs the questions: How empty and superficial is your faith if it takes a giant idol to stimulate your religious devotion?

Religious tomfoolery isn’t unique to Brazil, it thrives in America as well. The late Oral Roberts sought to inspire his donors to give millions towards building the tallest hospital in Tulsa by telling them that he had a vision of a 900-foot-tall Jesus.

And of course, there’s the Ark Encounter theme park in dirt poor Kentucky that features a humongous replica of Noah’s Ark.

Dear God, when will humanity evolve beyond the need for giant idols?