Atheists and agnostics protest against expenditures to receive Pope

Criado em 23/07/13 14h23 e atualizado em 23/07/13 15h18
Por Daniel Mello Edição:Nádia Franco/ Nira Foster Fonte:Agência Brasil

São Paulo – Members of the Brazilian Atheist and Agnostic Association (ATEA) staged a protest against public expenditure on Pope Francis's reception and the World Youth Day (WYD) in Brazil. Carrying hairdryers, they “unbaptized” themselves in front of the Metropolitan Cathedral at the city center. After blowing themselves symbolically to dry “traces of baptismal water”, each of them was given a participation certificate.

“We're okay with the pope's visit, but it doesn't mean that our country should spend $379,700 on a reception for him, or that the Air Force planes should go to the Vatican fetch his jeep,” said ATEA's president, Daniel Sottomaior. He also criticized the local government for decreeing four days of holiday (two of which are only half-holidays) because of the pontiff's visit.

According to Sottomaior, the government expenditures in preparation for the pope's visit are an example of how secularism (a doctrine or system which excludes churches from political power) is disrespected in Brazil. “It has been like that throughout our country's 120-year history as a republic – civil service buildings getting furnished with religious emblems and icons, the words 'God be praised' printed on bank notes, churches receiving money from the government. Tax exemption for churches makes us all Catholic and Protestant by force,” he argued.

A teacher who participated in the demonstrations, Marcelo Carvalho, said that he is not opposed to the pope's visit, but he does think the WYD celebrations should not involve public money. “This is more about public expenditures on the pope's visit, not necessarily the visit itself,” he explained.

Edition: Nádia Franco/ Nira Foster
Translation: Mayra Borges/Olga Bardawil