Sunday, January 3, 2010

A long tradition



I'm a third or fourth generation atheist. I'm sure about being third genteration, because my grandparents were openly atheists. However, I'm almost sure that my great- grandparents also were atheists (on the right, my greatgrandmother). I was born in Finland where I lived until I was 13 years old.The origin of atheism there is mainly the French Illuminism. That has to be said because many people think, wrongly, that atheism derives from communism.



My grandfather took part in a freethinker organization in the beginning of the last century. This group fought for the right to not having to get married in the church or baptize their children, which were the only options in Finland until 1921. To this date, there is an official church there; amazing as it may seem, Finland is not a laic country. Nevertheless, religion there doesn't interfere in state affairs as it does in Brazil. That' s a bit of a paradox. I guess it is more a matter of mentality than of what the Constitution says.

Regarding my grandfather, there is an interesting story about a friend of his, member of this same group. But I will leave that for the next post.

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