Travis Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 I help out in a conversation class in Ajijic for people who want to learn English and had three women last week, age range in the 30's and 40's that day. Somehow the conversation turned to religion, and of course, Catholicism, and one said, "Only about 40% of Ajijic is Catholic." Hmmmm. After some further discussion, I took that definition to mean that only about 40% (or so) were devout (ish?) and currently practicing Catholics. Still, all three pretty much agreed with the number, thereabouts. All the women had been baptized Catholic, etc., and had been exposed to the Church, obviously. And one mother with younger girls - one of which was there - had done the same for her daughters, for her own personal reasons. But those reasons weren't out of religious conviction, they were practical. I was surprised by the statement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmh Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 The rest is probably Cristian which is some flavor of Protestantism and Evangelism. There are lots of people who are not Catholics in Mexco.The various Chrstian groups are growng and the Catholics are not they are actually decreasing. The Catholic church gets a lot of play and is powerful because it is one block of people but if you addup all the other religions it really adds up. Heck in Chiapas we even have 400 Moslems.oung I know many d Mexicans who are Catholcs because they were baptized and married in church but do not go to churc just like the French.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisy2013 Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 40% is probably those not attending church. Here is what I found: The last census is 95.3% of the population is Catholic but only 47% attend church weekly. Mexico has the world's second largest number of Catholics after Brazil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmh Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 It all depends on the area but the Christians are gaining and many of the Catholics are not going to church so although they are counting themselves as Catholics the Catholic number is going down. Many people who are counted as Catholics have nothing to do with the church. I do not know about this area but amongst the poor indigenous communities the christians are gaining big time and they are very active at recruiting new people when the Catholics are not. In many village the number of non Catholcs is 50% Here I do not know but I know a majorty of people who like me say they are Catholic because I was baptized and raised as a Catholic but I never go to church unless I have to for a special event. In the Census I am one of the Catholic but what does that mean?? Nada and for practising Catholics I am not a Catholic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattoleriver Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 The rest is probably Cristian which is some flavor of Protestantism and Evangelism. I do not know about this area but amongst the poor indigenous communities the christians are gaining big time and they are very active at recruiting new people when the Catholics are not. I had always thought of the Catholic church as a Christian church, has something changed? If not Christ, who do they follow? George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xena Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 Catholics consider themselves Christians but various brands of christianity say they are not because they "worship" Mary and believe good deeds can earn you salvation. These are no-noes for some sects. If you google something like "Are Catholics Christians" you will find out way more than you want to know about why you are most likely never getting into christian heaven. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dichosalocura Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 Xena, you are correct from a protestant view point, but what is Christianity? Who created it as we understand it today? What people took a small cult and turned it into the worlds most popular or populous religion? If you look back at history you will see Rome in the center of all Christian history. Not only did the Romans, including especially the eastern Romans, like Constantine, turn this small sect into a world religion but they edited the Bible and decided out of the many circulating books of the time, what should go into the Holy Bible and what should be the Christian message. So, the real question is, what does it mean to be Christian and are the new guys on the block......the protestants..........are they truly Christian? If you look at the history of Christianity, you will realize that the protestant or evangelical message is kind of new and does not espouse to the true Christianity that has been understood through out the ages. Another cool thing about the Catholics is that, yes, they believe in the Holy Bible but they generally are not literalists like the evangelicals. The Catholics understand that the Bible was written a long time ago by holy men that were very close spiritually to God for their time period. But to truly understand the scriptures is to understand how it related to the history and culture of the people that lived near and around Jerusalem. We Catholics recognize that it is impossible for us to give a honest and accurate interpretation for the writings of people that lived two thousand and more years ago. Catholics may have many faults but at least they are attempting to relate the Bible to our modern way of life. Historically speaking, Catholic doctrine has moved forward many times and has attempted to be relative to Christians of today. Granted, the Church still has many steps to take as we move forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luisa Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 It seems to me that Christian fundamentalists co-opted the Christian label back in the 80's or early 90's. I knew a Presbyterian minister who was told that he wasn't a Christian because he was a Presbyterian. Mexico is experiencing a large growth in groups such as Seventh Day Adventists, Latter Day Saints, and fundamentalist Protestants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
More Liana Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 Do you any of you subscribe to the Pew Hispanic Center reports? They give an excellent perspective of how trends move in the Latino communities in the USA, and have relevance to life in Mexico. Here's the link: http://www.pewhispanic.org/ Mexico City newspapers recently reported that the number of Catholics in all of Mexico has declined from about 85% to about 80%. I would be surprised if the number in Ajijic were half that; seems to me it might be more productive to ask the señor cura (pastor at Templo San Andrés) than to trust three lay women. Travis, here's a commonly-heard saying for you to add to your repertoire: "No todos somos católicos, pero todos somos guadalupanos." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexy Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 Do you any of you subscribe to the Pew Hispanic Center reports? They give an excellent perspective of how trends move in the Latino communities in the USA, and have relevance to life in Mexico. Here's the link: http://www.pewhispanic.org/ Mexico City newspapers recently reported that the number of Catholics in all of Mexico has declined from about 85% to about 80%. I would be surprised if the number in Ajijic were half that; seems to me it might be more productive to ask the señor cura (pastor at Templo San Andrés) than to trust three lay women. Travis, here's a commonly-heard saying for you to add to your repertoire: "No todos somos católicos, pero todos somos guadalupanos." Liana--Thanks for the very interesting Pew Hispanic Center report, especially useful to this discussion because of its recent data, even though it refers to Mexicans (and Hispanics) in the US. Lexy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmh Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 In Spanish when someone says they are Christiano they usually mean Protestant /Evangelist although I heard a new one last month in Amatenango when a friend told me the town had 50% Traditional Catholics (Maya Catholics) and 50% Christianos. and 60 peoplewho were Christiano Catholico Tradicional and attended the Catholic church..they got me on that one. When I asked what that meant, I was told that they were Tradicional Catholicos that read the Bible, followed the Popol Vulh and did not drink..a new one on me. An interesting thing there is that half the family is Presbyterian but the Presbyterians in Chiapas are evangelist and do not drink a differnt twist from what I observed in Alabama. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmh Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 The ladies probably were making a difference between the secular Catholics and the practicing ones and probably meant that only 40% of the people they knew went to church which would sound about right. One of the priest n Ajijic did not earn any points with the parishoners. I attended a first communon mass and noticd that very few women were taking communion but many men were. I asked my friend what was going on and she told me that the priest during confession asked the women what type of birth control they were following , he refused to give absolution to the women who were taking birth control and gave absolition to the husbands... e husbands took communion and the wife did not. I told my friend that the women should get together and set that priest straight or boycot hs masses until he figured it out..I do not know what happened after that but I think some priests should get their head examined. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lobita Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 One of the priest n Ajijic did not earn any points with the parishoners. I attended a first communon mass and noticd that very few women were taking communion but many men were. I asked my friend what was going on and she told me that the priest during confession asked the women what type of birth control they were following , he refused to give absolution to the women who were taking birth control and gave absolition to the husbands... e husbands took communion and the wife did not. I told my friend that the women should get together and set that priest straight or boycot hs masses until he figured it out..I do not know what happened after that but I think some priests should get their head examined. Gah, how unfair! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmh Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 Well Eve was a temptress and caused Adam to fall from grace and I do not think this priest got over that one yet.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RVGRINGO Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 Perhaps the priest just held to the original, before the bible was conveniently translated through many languages too suit the powers of the time: Linguistically, Adam and eve simply mean man and woman collectively. So, the priest punished all the women. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xena Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 Discho: what I said is true from any view point. All I said was that Catholics view themselves as christian but some brands of christianity do not. That is true. I also said a google search would turn up much information about the restrictions on christian heaven. This also is true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHILLIN Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 I seem to remember reading somewhere that Mexico has the highest flock to priest ratio in the Catholic world. There are simply not enough Mexican priests. The Mexican church is recruiting for good priests all over the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogerm Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 Christian, Catholic, Presby, Protestant or Evangelical...when the train leaves headed for heaven who's going to have a ticket?? Will some of us be waiting at the station?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xena Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 Stations? Trains? Tickets? Heaven? Seriously? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monessen Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 bigd Stations? Trains? Tickets? Heaven? Well put Xena. Matthew 25: 34 to 46 Feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, visit the sick and imprisoned, bury the dead. As you did it to the least of my sisters and brothers you did it to Me. Now you know the test (you can "crib" for it). There is a lot to do here at Lakeside for our fellow human beings. Let's stop arguing or being sarcastic. Let's get going! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gringal Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 The Roman Catholic church has been losing traction here and elsewhere for some time. There is a serious lack of volunteers for the priesthood, so people are turning to other religions which can fill their need for a "padre", available on a regular basis. Who can blame them? Churches in general are about having an authority figure to turn to in times of trouble. Non-believers have to rely on whatever system of ethics they have developed and the cold comfort of their own person in times of trouble. No shoulders to lean on there. No promise of a perfect future after death. Not the easiest of paths to tread. Added to the lack of personnel to keep the congregations happy, there is the serious disconnect between the realities of life today and the inflexible laws of the church; i.e. the matter of birth control, divorce, homosexuality and a few other matters like the celibacy of the priesthood and the prohibition against female priests. The Church filled the needs of the population in another time. Today, who knows? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogerm Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 Monessen might suggest you read these along with what you recommended John 5:24 John 3:16 John 3:3 Just feeding the poor is not going to get you a ticket Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monessen Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 Catholics by the numbers (they are "losing ground") 1950 = 437 million 1970 = 654 million 2011 = 1.214 billion Hmmmm. bigd: I can play that "Bible game", too. Aside from Mtt. 25: 34 to 46, James 2:24, one of my favorites--Mtt. 7: 21 and almost every page of the NT. Thanks for standing in for God, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travis Posted May 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 Well, this isn't the conversation I was anticipating when I started the thread ... ... but whatever, ¡adelante! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbviajero Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 Non-believers have to rely on whatever system of ethics they have developed and the cold comfort of their own person in times of trouble. No shoulders to lean on there. No promise of a perfect future after death. Not the easiest of paths to tread. Well said Gringal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.