Homosexuality is a very present phenomenon in Brazil but it is highly stigmatized. This is beginning to change in Porto Alegre and the catholic church as a whole, but overall there is still much stigma in many circumstances. In essence, being homosexual is viewed as an abnormality or a disease that needs curing. In a study conducted by the Institute of Psychology at the Universidade Federal, researchers uncovered unsurprisingly that homophobia was notably stronger in individuals who held strong moral convictions that it is wrong. The stigma against homosexuality is in large part due to the views on the topic held and preached by the Catholic Church. While Jesus definitely did not condone homosexuality, he did preach that we should love our neighbors as Christ loved us. This love is somewhat absent in the Brazilian culture’s view of …show more content…
However, as ethics is the space between an internal belief and an external action, by examining some external actions and the internal beliefs behind them, Brazilian ethics can be much more easily understood. Through the ethical dilemmas of Abortion and homosexuality, it can be determined that the basis of ethics in Brazil is predominantly the moral teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. By examining this and the worldview that is behind the beliefs of the Catholic Church more closely some important questions about how the average citizen of Porto Alegre views the world and answers many of life’s deepest questions. These answers to these questions are vital to understanding the culture of Brazil and the daily reality of life in Porto Alegre. Without answers to these, life would have very little meaning and there would be no need for questions about ethics. While Brazilian’s get much wrong about their understanding of what ethics are and exactly how the worldview of Christian Theism should be played out, they strongly adhere to these beliefs. This fervent belief is something that Western Christians could learn from. The answers to the questions of what is truly right and wrong bring up many more questions, what is the role of the government in this issue? To what degree should morality be