Battleangel

It’s an overall slow sunday so I decided to do a sweep of religious activity in Sweden and tie together a few loose ends that have been bothering me for some time. First some facts from the otherwise dubious US State Dept’s “Religious Freedom Report” for 2004.

SWEDEN: [...] its population is an estimated 9.0 million. Approximately 79.6 percent of the population belongs to the Church of Sweden. Since the Church and the State separated in 2000, a number of people have left the Church each year. In 2003, 58,746 people left the Church. According to studies carried out by the Church of Sweden, the main reason for people leaving appears to be economic; membership means a tax of 1.19 percent of members’ incomes. In 2003, the Church of Sweden baptized 67.6 percent of children, a figure that has declined steadily over the past 2 decades. Confirmations have declined even more sharply; 37.6 of Swedish children were confirmed in 2003, as opposed to 80 percent in 1970.

Personally, I was baptized of course, didn’t have much say in that, but I am no longer a member of the Church of Sweden and I of course did not participate in confirmation. Although I recall, at the time (1995?), besides myself, only a few others dared or were socially aware enough to break the chains of religious oppression. Sure, much of it is by tradition but that doesn’t really change the fact that you are legitimizing a socially transmittable mental illness. Just because you don’t know any better doesn’t absolve you from guilt.

So, lets look at (some) of the distinct faiths that have infected Sweden over the years, by numbers and severity. For starters we have the low intensity religions that in my opinion poses no direct threat, little or no active evangelism.

Christianity – Roman Catholicism: 140,000, of whom 82,000 are registered. Passive and mostly harmless. Ranks growing by immigration.

Christianity – Protestant Church of Sweden: Quite impossible to evaluate active membership. But passive membership could measure around 7,000,000. Lumbering organization that has more or less lost it’s fervor and appeal and most of all seems occupied with maintenance and gardening around churches and cemeteries.

Islam: 300,000 to 350,000 members, of whom around 100,000 are said to be active. Virtually no recruiting. Ranks growing by immigration. Passive and mostly harmless externally. Displaying some pressure towards internal conformism however as could be expected with a group in the process of assimilation.

Hinduism: 3,000 to 4,000. Largely irrelevant to this discourse.

Buddhism: 3,000 to 4,000. Largely irrelevant to this discourse.

More volatile religious strains that have complications and may compromise sovereignty in the worst case scenario.

Judaism: 18,500-20,000, of whom 10,000 are said to be active. Virtually no recruiting. While no direct threat in itself, its sort of natural political branch and evolution, Zionism, is problematic at best and is neatly tied to Christian Zionism that we often find among Protestants (others).

Christianity – Protestant (others): 400,000 members. Here is where the main problems are today. Within these ranks are the organizations mentioned below.

Perhaps more interesting are the smaller and more fervent, often evangelistic, Christian sects that have emerged over the last 150 years or so. Many of them are Christian Zionists, fundamentalists and share a complicated relationship with other Christian organizations.

Mormons / Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: 10.000. Considers itself not just a Christian denomination, but rather the only true expression of Christianity. Founded in the USA.

Pentecostal movement (Pingströrelsen): 90.000. Founded in the USA. Often extremely Zionistic. Often interprets the Book of Revelations in such a way that the Jewish people must be reunited in “Israel” before the second coming of Christ.

Jehovah’s Witnesses: 23.000. Considers itself not just a Christian denomination, but rather the only true expression of Christianity. Founded in the USA.

Word of Life (Livets Ord): 10.000+ Extremely Pro-Israeli / Zionistic, shares in the interpretation of the Book of Revelations. Has been raising money for Jewish extremists.

And then there are others still. Unrelated to Protestantism but still parasitical.

Church of Scientology: Less than 3,500. Founded in the USA.

Landmark Education: Manipulative cult based on self-fulfillment and promises of spiritual development. Since 1991, about 10 000 people in Sweden have been to their so called courses. Founded in the USA.

Hare Krishna: 200. Founded in the USA.

See also: Ahmed Rami’s Radio Islam and their rather comprehensive, but somewhat flimsy registry of pro-Jewish / Jewish / Zionist public figures in Sweden. Noteworthy since the database is once again the center of attention and a possible police investigation. Yawn. As for the usefulness of the database I’d say half of it is useless since it doesn’t point to any concrete Zionism or pro-Israeli activity. As for the rest, it sheds light on a very real and little talked about cultural / political phenomena that warrants further examination. I’d sure like to see a more worked on database which eliminates the “duds” and plots actual Jewish / Zionist influence to Sweden in a more comprehensible and lightweight format.

The same goes for any public figures and any religious organizations that are in a position to influence the course of daily events. Unless they have something to hide? At any rate, Jewish or Christian, religious fanatics play a large part even in so called democratic, western nations. I’d like to, just once, see the same outrage that we see when the topic of say Iran or radical Islamist political organizations are debated.