Paulinho, who grew up in Rio de Janeiro, claimed that, like his mother and grandmother before him, he experienced prejudice as a result of his religious beliefs.
At the Tokyo Olympics, Brazilian football star Paulinho celebrated by aiming an imaginary arrow at the cameras in a nod to a god of his oppressed Afro-Brazilian faith and a shot at religious persecution.
Soon after, he lost more than 10,000 social media followers as a result of his display of support for Oxóssi, a devout archer who uses his bow to hunt and provide for the hungry.
He claims, however, that he eventually won over new followers in his football-obsessed South American nation by standing up for his Afro-Brazilian faith, Candomblé, and by opposing religious persecution. His faith has experienced an uptick in discrimination, which has occasionally been connected to Brazil's rapid evangelization of Christianity.
At the Tokyo Olympics, Brazilian football star Paulinho celebrated by aiming an imaginary arrow at the cameras in a nod to a god of his oppressed Afro-Brazilian faith and a shot at religious persecution.
Soon after, he lost more than 10,000 social media followers as a result of his display of support for Oxóssi, a devout archer who uses his bow to hunt and provide for the hungry.
He claims, however, that he eventually won over new followers in his football-obsessed South American nation by standing up for his Afro-Brazilian faith, Candomblé, and by opposing religious persecution. His faith has experienced an uptick in discrimination, which has occasionally been connected to Brazil's rapid evangelization of Christianity.
I occasionally receive notes concerning the way I communicate my faith from others who hold the same beliefs as me but are less open about them. And it's pleasant to think that my work is appreciated.
In Brazil, only a tiny minority practises candomblé. However, there have been more instances in recent years of acts of religious intolerance committed against them, particularly by members of Pentecostal and neo-Pentecostal congregations, who place a strong emphasis on converting unbelievers to Christianity.
Although the majority of proselytising is done in a peaceful manner, some followers of African-influenced religions have experienced verbal abuse, discrimination, and even the destruction of their temples and forcible eviction from their areas.
Paulinho claimed that, like his mother, he experienced prejudice while growing up in Rio de Janeiro because of his faith.
