Tours to South Africa. South Africa: religion plays a key role in advertising Excerpt characterizing Religion in the Republic of South Africa

There is no official religion. According to the 2001 census, about 80% of the population are Christians of various persuasions, with 11.1% of all residents being adherents of the Zion Church, 8.2% - Pentecostals, 7.1% - Catholics, 6.8% - Methodists, 6 .7% are parishioners of the Dutch Reformed Church, 3.8% are Anglicans. 15% of residents adhere to traditional beliefs or do not profess any religion. Muslims and Hindus account for 1.5 and 1.3% of the population respectively.

Calvinism became one of the components of the national identity of the Boers, predetermining such traits of politicians and ordinary people as perseverance, perseverance in the face of failures, fatalism, moderation and unpretentiousness. On the other hand, he contributed to the formation of the idea of ​​​​the exclusivity of the emerging people.

The ethnos, which arose on the basis of several generations of immigrants and refugees, was perceived by its representatives as a new “people of the covenant” (by analogy with the ancient Jews who entered into the Old Testament with God), chosen for great achievements. As a consequence, the mass migrations of the Boers in Africa itself (“The Great Trek”), caused mainly by economic reasons, received a strong ideological justification, which strengthened the resolve of the “Trekkers” who were leaving the power of the British in the same way as the ancient Jews once left from under the power of the Egyptian pharaoh to the Promised Land.

During the apartheid era, the state sponsored churches, seeing them as an important tool for maintaining the “traditional” Afrikaner ethnicity. At the same time, Christianity played a large role in the ideological argumentation of the separation of races, reinforcing spontaneous racism (almost inevitable during contacts of different racial groups) with quotations from the Holy Scriptures and near-biblical mythology.

According to many researchers, the myth about the descendants of Ham (“the curse of Canaan”) played a large role in the development of the racist worldview of Christian Europeans. In the Christian environment, it was believed that the peoples of the southern countries (including Africans) descended from Ham, one of the sons of Noah, who was punished by his father for his disrespectful attitude. The curse of Noah, pronounced against Canaan, the son of Ham, doomed him and his descendants to slavery among his brothers, which later became one of the justifications for the Europeans to trade in African slaves.

In addition, the images of the Devil and his servants, in the absence of a sufficient number of detailed descriptions in the Bible, were largely formed under the influence of Holy Tradition and Christian apocrypha, where the forces of Darkness were often identified with the geographical South (including the part of Africa known to the authors of these works ) and black skin color. This also further contributed to the formation of racist stereotypes and the justification of racial inequality.

On the other hand, a significant number of denominations opposed the practice of apartheid. In recent South African history, religious themes (often with sectarian interpretations) have become a source of inspiration for Afrikaner right-wing extremists.

The response of Africans to the racist position of the Dutch Reformed Church, which did not accept black parishioners into its ranks, and the vital turmoil of the colonial and apartheid eras was the creation of Afro-Christian churches, doctrinally different from other Christian denominations and more responsive to the spiritual aspirations of Africans.

Currently, in South Africa, as in many other developing countries, the popularity of Pentecostalism (one of the branches of Christianity) continues to grow, which a number of researchers explain by the presence in this teaching of premises that many Africans associate with progress and success. Pentecostalism involves a symbolic break with the past at baptism, considers wealth and prosperity more godly than poverty, and actively fights alcoholism and other social vices. Thus, in the difficult post-reform period, religion again allows a significant part of the country’s population to find the purpose of life and the strength to achieve it.

Although religious organizations remain important as participants in charitable activities, in general it should be recognized that the influence of religion on politics in modern South Africa is much less than during the period of statehood and apartheid. There are several Christian co-democratic parties in the country, but their role in the political process is very insignificant.

The former Supreme Hierarch of the Anglican Church in South Africa, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who headed the Truth and Reconciliation Commission from 1996 to 2001, continues to be considered an important figure in South African public policy, although assessments of his activities and the role of the Commission in overcoming the consequences of apartheid are very contradictory.

The junior partner of the Democratic Alliance is the African Muslim Party, which is not very popular in elections. On the problem of politicized Islam, see the section “External and internal threats to state security.”

The situation with traditional African beliefs varies from city to village. In the first, a significant part of the population (especially young people) has already been westernized to a large extent, and the influence of religion on the way of life is mainly manifested in the rudiments of the old worldview (superstitions, etc.), formal observance of religious norms, etc. The village continues to demonstrate a more consistent approach to traditional beliefs.

An element of traditional culture that still influences the behavior of South Africans is the belief in the destructive power of witchcraft. The most odious manifestation of this belief is the public reprisals against those suspected of witchcraft, which periodically occur in certain localities.

The advertising industry of South Africa (South Africa) actively exploits the religiosity of buyers - this is the conclusion reached by the authors of a study by the marketing company McCann Erickson. According to marketers, religion has ceased to be a taboo for advertisers, who do not miss the opportunity to use it to spur sales, reports the Christian Megaportal invictory.org with reference to Blagovest-Info.

According to McCann Erickson, modern South Africans are increasingly open about their religious affiliation, and marketers are adapting their businesses to this trend.

With the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, more and more fans planning to attend the event are looking for a “Christian hotel” where they can have like-minded neighbors from different countries and do business in accordance with their faith. The search for "Christian hotel in South Africa" ​​is one of the most popular on religioustraveldirectory.com, says company spokesman Rob van Rooyen.

Mobile operator Cell C offers its subscribers a service for downloading spiritual music to their phones, which is very popular among South Americans. Another popular trend in the country is dating sites for Christians, Muslims and Jews.

The country's two football clubs have entered into a joint venture with the Zion Christian Church, a denomination whose majority of followers live in the poor Limpopo province. The company, called ZOK, sells household appliances and mobile phones to church members. Trade is carried out in rural areas from mobile vans.

According to van Rooyen, religious people are more difficult to deceive by false advertising. "If you want to tie your brand to a religion, advertising must be transparent and honest, otherwise you will not succeed," says the marketer.

Christians make up about 75% of South Africa's 45 million population. Muslims in the country are about 1.5%.

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Complete freedom of religion is enshrined in law.

More than 80% of the population are Christians (the majority are Protestants). The spread of Christianity began in the middle. 17th century and is associated with the activities of European missionaries.

The oldest Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa (active among Afrikaners, Coloureds, Indians and Bantus). There are affiliated national churches.

The Anglican Church unites Anglo-South Africans (immigrants from the British Isles). Among the descendants of people from Scotland there are Presbyterians.

There are a number of Christian African churches that arose in the 1880s on the basis of schismatic movements among the Bantu. About half of Africans adhere to traditional African beliefs (animalism, fetishism, cult of ancestors, guardians of the hearth, forces of nature, etc.).

There is a significant Hindu community.

Judaism is widespread, there are approx. 200 Jewish societies.

Just received another dose of religion. Well, there’s no way I can avoid this, or maybe I can’t miss something so close to my heart.
Every new day brings a new preacher to the "subway". I love them. I would travel and travel in second class just because of them. Preachers always color the everyday life of those traveling to work. But what I like even more is watching the reactions of others. What are they thinking as they nod their heads and listen, or sing along with a preacher with a guitar singing “Hallelujah!”? And all the beggars who walk around the carriages and sing, always sing only religious songs - “Thank you, Father!”
This time the chosen one was a coal-black, rather young man. He screamed so loudly that it seemed like the glass would not hold up. I must say that in all the time I have seen such preachers, no one has ever shut them up. Everyone treats them with great respect. Maybe someone doesn’t listen, but always without aggression. Which, by the way, cannot be said about them themselves. He ran between the seats, shaking his arms, and the whole time it seemed to me that he would attack someone. Including me
- Raise your hand who believes????
Not a single hand.
- Are there any believers in Jesus here? I'm asking you? Is Christ in your heart????
Silence. Everyone will sway wearily to the beat of the wheels. Shout, darling, shout, but we love and believe. About myself.
- Find Jesus in your heart!
In general, everyone here is very religious.
On Sundays life in South Africa dies. Not a single store is open, you can’t get or buy anything. The streets are deserted and there are no cars. And why all? That's right, they go to church. Families, in formal clothes, with festive ribbons, all flock to their “God’s houses.”
We settled in Fishhoek - a small town located on the coast of Falsbay, which is technically considered part of Cape Town. So, in this tiny place there are so many churches that it’s impossible to imagine! Directly opposite our window is the Catholic Church on the left (Alena, hello!) and the Anglican Church on the right.
Yes, this is the view from our window, by the way. Every Sunday morning we have the opportunity to hear what is happening.

Behind the palm tree in the top photo is a building with a gray roof - an Anglican church. Here it is in an approximate version below.

Below, in the left photo is the Afrikaans Calvinist Church (a local variation of the Dutch one). It is located a few houses away on the opposite side from the Anglican. In the right photo, the 7th Day Adventist Church is located a block from the left.

A few more houses away is the Presbyterian, a little further the Lutheran and many, many other churches. Also, between Fishhoek and the neighboring town of Kalk Bay there is the Bible Institute of South Africa. Some Associations, Assemblies, Bible or Jesus communities are scattered throughout the Cape Peninsula. Numerous graffiti, crosses, inscriptions and religious images.
As for us personally, of course we ended up in a “puritanical” place. The funny thing is that in our Fishhook there is a law according to which it is prohibited to sell alcohol here. According to our neighbors, this is the only place in South Africa where the sale of alcohol is prohibited. Once upon a time, prohibition was introduced, and since then no one has repealed it. And he doesn't even think. There are different versions - someone claims that once something happened to some priest, and being very religious and devout people, they jointly decided to cancel the sale. Someone claims that a postal route passed here a long time ago, and when the “drivers” watered the horses, they themselves got dead drunk, which interfered with the process. That's how we live. True, recently it was allowed to drink alcohol in drinking establishments. And since alcohol in restaurants here is inexpensive, this has ceased to be a problem for the locals.

A sketch from local life. A black flag with a shark on the beach is a sign that you can swim. The probability is very small that these bastards will come. There are four flags in total - green (not at all), black (soo sou), red (there is danger, but they are not nearby), white (jump out of the water, it’s on the beach)!

THE NAME OF THE COUNTRY

Republic of South Africa

Pretoria

POLITICAL SYSTEM

Parliamentary republic

1.22 million sq. km.

POPULATION

43 million people

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE

Zulu. In addition, 11 more official languages ​​are recognized in the country: English, Afrikaans, Xhosa, Zulu, Sotho, Tswana, Venda, Tsonga, Tswana, Pedi, Ndbele and Shangaan.

Christianity predominates, in particular the Anglican, Protestant and Dutch Reformed churches. Judaism, Islam, and Hinduism are also widely represented.

DESCRIPTION

The Republic of South Africa is one of the richest countries in the world. Here two oceans meet, and the beaches are simply filled with golden sands. In the snow-capped mountains, tourists will be delighted by the ski slopes, and the vineyards spread out in the valleys will turn the head of anyone who wants to taste authentic African wine. The African plains are covered with carpets of flowers, and in the local shrouds you can endlessly admire sunrises and sunsets, watching elephants strolling nearby. This place is so kind to nature that it is rightly called “Noah’s Ark”, because 10% of all plants on Earth grow here, 6% of mammals and 8% of birds live.

In addition to amazing natural resources, the Earth's interior in this area also resembles a cornucopia - it contains the world's largest reserves of gold and diamonds, and manganese mining accounts for 80% of the planet's production. All this is complemented by excellent infrastructure and a fairly high standard of living - why not heaven on Earth?

GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION

The country occupies the southern part of the African continent, its shores are washed by the waters of the Atlantic and Indian oceans, which meet off the coast of the Cape of Good Hope. South Africa borders: Namibia in the northwest, Botswana and Zimbabwe in the north, Mozambique and Swaziland in the east. Also in the eastern part of the state, the kingdom of Lesotho settled as an enclave, that is, without leaving the country.

HIGHEST POINT

Mount Njesufi - 3,408 m.

It lags behind winter Kyiv by 1 hour, and by 2 hours from summer

HISTORICAL REFERENCE

The Republic of South Africa is the southernmost country on the planet. Representatives of nomadic tribes inhabited these places back in the 1st millennium BC. e. In the XVII – XVIII centuries. Dutch colonists, French Huguenots and settlers from Germany began to arrive here. In 1652, the Cape of Storms was settled and became known as the “Cape of Good Hope.” Created on the territory of South Africa, the Cape Colony became the property of Great Britain in 1795, and colonists and the local population fought for it for many years. On May 31, 1910, the Union of South Africa was created, comprising the Transvaal, Cape Colony, Natal and the Orange River Colony. South Africa became a dominion of the British Empire, and during the First World War it participated in the fighting as part of the British army.

Moderate. Almost all year round the temperature here is the same, comfortable for living - without stifling heat and severe frosts. The local climate is recognized as one of the most favorable for living. In summer (from October to March) the temperature is +15-+35 C, in winter (from April to September) 0 - +20 C.

Culinary traditions are very mixed - here the piquancy of the East, European rationalism and African originality in cooking are woven together. Where else can you try fried crocodile tail or stew with water lily sauce? A common dish is lamb pilaf with raisins and dried apricots “boboti”, assorted meat “karu lamb”, dried meat “bintong” and many other meat dishes.

Since South Africa is located on the shores of two oceans, seafood is served at every table. Shark fins and sea urchin caviar are the most favorite dishes among tourists, and lobsters, squid, oysters, mussels and all kinds of fish are prepared here according to thousands of recipes. South Africa tour prices will surprise you with their democratic nature.

Drinks traditionally include coffee with milk and various types of tea. South Africa has amazing wines, because the country has a well-developed wine industry. The wines from Parl, Constant, Franschhoek and Stellenbosch are especially good; every guest of the country should definitely try them!