You, Latinas, + the Church

[Micky10]

Thoughts - Opinions -

Being that I am a Catholic, and always have been, the thought has crossed my mind more than once; what, or how, or does it even matter, do you, if not a Catholic, reconcile the fact that the Catholic religion is a large factor in the bases of the Latino culture? I do not want a war or pissin' contest here, this is simply an honest question. And this is not a question about wheather your novia or wife is a full blown Catholic or minimal. The Catholic church plays and has played a major role in the shaping of the Latino culture - honest thoughts and opinions.

Love - Micky

[Flaco]

Micky
I was raised catholic and it just seems like too much of a controlling factor than a good religion. The bible gives it a good fundation, but the catholic spin on it is not to my taste. I don't care too much for that aspect of latin culture. Lucky for me, Luckygirl is christian, and maybe I will convert before it is all said and done.

[JMitch1959]

My wife is a Catholic. I have a lot of respect for the religion. I think it's a stabilizing force in Latin American culture.

I went with my wife a few times. It made me laugh a little when they started sprinking the water on the congregation and such. It's not for me, but I have more respect for that religion than most of the evangelical religions; especially those where they bark like dogs, and claim they're speaking in tongues; which makes no sense to me. Who knows what they're saying?

When the Apostle Peter spoke in tongues to the crowds, people in the crowd heard him in their particular language, which was a miracle, as their were people who spoke several different languages in the crowd.

I have a lot of respect for the past few Popes.

[LastLion]

I am 1/2 catholic never was confirmed. I still believe that is the religion I closest Identify with.


Those of you that appreciate that Latinas are family oriented, loving and dedicated to their man,, really ought to know that comes from their culture being rooted in Catholicsm.

That is one of the major changes happening in Latin american culture right now.. With catholicsm declining and other christian and more atheists, those aspects of the culture are changing as well.. Women are becoming more independant and all the power to them, but they are in my eyes losing some of their charm at the same time. The culture is being amercanized for better use of a word... Amercanization is much worse than catholicsm.. I think catholicsm needs to evovle a little, but than again I was smoking a joint behind the school when most of my friends were going to catocism classes...

Mom & Dad werent to happy with me for cutting catocism classes!!! jajjaja

[Airto]

Micky

That is just the way it is, what I think does not matter . I have heard from friends as Flaco said it can be too controlling. I am not Catholic.

[Ciza29]

I think it will be hard for me and I was raised catholic. I actually went to my catacism classes through 8th grade. Here in Mexico, I call them show catholics. They make a big show at every holiday and everyone believes they are more catholic than the people in the US. The difference is that religion was so engrained in us as kids and through the culture that when I was a kid, you followed the rules of the church. It has gotten to the point where church was no longer needed.

For instance, it was taboo to get pregnant outside of wedlock regardless of religion. No one was going to church but no one was committing the big sins.

Here in Mexico, they go to church and go crazy on the big holidays like no one else. They also have no problems with stealing from their coworkers, having sex and children out of wedlock, lying, drinking, drugs and judging everyone. They grew up believing that your sins would be forgivin so they do whatever they want thinking everything is forgiven. I have never seen a culture so self absorbed, but I haven't been everywhere.

They also believe in Horoscopes and all types of vodoo(false gods). If you asked anyone, they would tell you Mexico is more religious and much more catholic than the US. I can tell you it appears that way but they are not religious at all but completely superstitious. They are still sacraficing virgins to the gods. Now they think a big celebration will appease the Spanish god.

[HonkyTonk]

The following is to be taken in context. My humor is lost on some. Some of it serious, some not. No offense is meant to anyone.

I tend to agree with Ciza. Latinas seem to declare their faith in God and the Catholic church but have no problem living outside the Catholic church's teachings for the reasons Ciza gave. Do whatever you want and ask a priest for forgiveness and all's I don't think so...

Me? I was formally excommunicated from the Catholic church when I was 12 or 13. I guess I missed a few too many confessions and holy days. The priest told me that what I confessed was totally unacceptable and excommunicated me. He didn't forget to tell me the gates of heaven were closed forever to me. I said: "Does that mean I don't have to say 50 Hail Marys and 50 Our Fathers? He said "Yes". I said "I also guess I don't have to come to future confessions then?" No answer, he just slammed that window shut. Hey, I'd rather be smoking cigarettes and reading the National Enquirer with my friends anyway when my parents thought I was at church.

A few years earlier: My mother asked me who I got into a fight with today as my knuckels were bloody more often than not. No fight today ma, just an altercation with Sister Elizabeth and her ruler again. She told me that was totally unacceptable. I told her if she thought Sister Eliz. was bad, she ought to see the wrath the principal Sister Eileen laid upon me from time to time. She put me in public school after finishing the 5th grade, though I still had to go to church. Riiiiiight... (*see below)

Micky, I had no respect for the Catholic church till I went to LAm. (Notice I didn't say Catholics, just the church!) There I saw all the good they did being the only place the people could go and lean on for their faith. They sure didn't build those churches with a donation plate. Maybe we just don't hear it, but I don't recall a priest doing the unspeakable down under. Makes me wonder what those good people would believe in if it wasn't for the Catholic church. I shudder...

Anybody who thinks the Catholic church means nothing to those in the latin culture are fooling themselves. Whether they live it or not isn't the point. It's a matter of how deep their convictions go, and with many it's deep. Put it this way, there's no way I'd ever tell a Catholic joke to a Catholic of any origin. It's not only not funny to them, but an insult.

I've known a few who've married foreign latinas and church was not an issue. The do like to go though, even if it's not a Catholic church. I don't go to church other than weddings and funerals. If I married one that did, I'd have no problem going with her to a Catholic church.

I'd just better not run into Sisters Elizabeth and Eileen

As a side note: You don't have to be Catholic to have a meaningful relationship with them. Just don't be an athiest or most likely that would be a real deal breaker.

* It reminded me of a cartoon by my favorite cartooist Don Larson.

It was a cartoon of a bunch of buffalo's bullying a little fat kid with glasses. The caption said: "An impressionable moment in the life of young Buffalo Bill"

[El Capitan]

Originally Posted by HonkyTonk

Anybody who thinks the Catholic church means nothing to those in the latin culture are fooling themselves. Whether they live it or not isn't the point. It's a matter of how deep their convictions go, and with many it's deep. Put it this way, there's no way I'd ever tell a Catholic joke to a Catholic of any origin. It's not only not funny to them, but an insult.

I've known a few who've married foreign latinas and church was not an issue. The do like to go though, even if it's not a Catholic church. I don't go to church other than weddings and funerals. If I married one that did, I'd have no problem going with her to a Catholic church.

I'd just better not run into Sisters Elizabeth and Eileen

As a side note: You don't have to be Catholic to have a meaningful relationship with them. Just don't be an athiest or most likely that would be a real deal breaker.

* It reminded me of a cartoon by my favorite cartooist Don Larson.

It was a cartoon of a bunch of buffalo's bullying a little fat kid with glasses. The caption said: "An impressionable moment in the life of young Buffalo Bill"

Every once in a while we still get a little morsel in here that people ought to really pay attention to...nice job Tonk! I'll send you a few Band-Aids for the knuckles...

[LastLion]

My big pennance in school was getting my mouthed washed out regularly, I had the ruler on the knuckles but that didn't affect me like when Sister Stetson would get a toothbrush and slowly srbu it on a bar of soap, it was a well practiced skill she had.
The pain of watching that alone made me squeel..

Than the vigorous brushing of my tongue would just put me over the top.. To this day I still dont use soap!

Same as tonk my mother pulled me out of that school in the 5th grade and I moved to public. From than on out is was party time!! Interestingly enough Sister Stetson offered me a free ride from 6-8th grade, we passed..

I hold no hard feelings to her as a matter of fact. Those were my best performing years in school.. Public school for a sheltered kid like I was was like being a kid in a candy store!! Not good!

[Ciza29]

Over the years I got to be quite a connoisseur of soap. My personal preference was for Lux, but I found Palmolive had a nice, piquant after-dinner flavor - heady, but with just a touch of mellow smoothness. Life Buoy, on the other hand... A Christmas Story


I miss Gary Larson, sheer genius(Don Larson pitched a perfect game in the world serious which isn't bad either).

The younger generations here are much less Catholic than the older generations. I don't know if this is happening in Colombia as well.

When life is not in your control, one needs something to give them hope. The Catholic church did that in latin america just like it does for the poor and those on death row in the US.