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To: Viennacon

In general, I would hesitate to rejoice in home-grown “Christian” sects in the third world. Unlike in America, which was already Christian as groups like Baptists and pentecostalists emerged (and let’s face it, Baptists are European), these groups tend to pop up among the uncatechized, nominal Christians or even pagans, often as a response to Rome trying to suppress syncretism or rank heresy as it became more capable of doing true proselytism (as opposed to Western rulers simply declaring their nations nominally Catholic.)

Many Latin-American anti-Catholic sects are extremely pagan, incorporating African deities into “saints.” Many are led by men who declare themselves prophets, angels (like this one), or even the 2nd coming of Christ. Some are even self-consciously, admittedly Satanic. The greatest of these sects was that of Hong Xiuquan, as self-professed second messiah, who led the Taiping rebellion in China, which left 20 million dead and inspired Mao Tse Tung.


16 posted on 10/14/2013 8:20:55 PM PDT by dangus
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To: dangus

I recently read a lengthy article about these weird cults evolving in places like Brazil.
You’re right we shouldn’t make American assumptions about other areas of the world. This group does sound like a Jim Jones outfit.


18 posted on 10/14/2013 8:25:00 PM PDT by Viennacon
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