With this topic ..Im picking up a little from the 'opening a business'one...which with all the bureaucracy involved leads to frustration rather than fear....
But when we lived in Lagoa the ordinary Portuguese folk seemed ruled by fears from many sources...not only the camara/local authority...GNR...but also the church and not least (where women were concerned) there own families.
My Camara story you know about..where left in charge I had 3 grown men standing behind me 'trembling ' at the sight of these men in leather jackets..something as a woman brought up in England I could not understand!
But this is little story of a close friend of mine in Lagoa,Portuguese lady inher mid 30s with husband and children.
She spoke to me privately of her dislike of the catholic church and of the priests that were always coming round to the house for money and how even the poorest of her friends/neighbours would give as they were afraid not to.
Anyway my friend,who always displayed courage and spoke truthfully of her feelings decided to go her own way.regarding religion. But she had to do this secretly
Unbeknown to husband & family..she joined the 7th day Adventists..and once or twice week she would go out in the evening under pretex of 'seeing a friend' to these meetings
Unfortunately her husband & his family found out and followed her. It was terrible.She had to undergo the humiliation of them marching into the hall and physically dragging her out of the place. They made her life a misery (her 'loving' husband/his mother& father)..she was never allowed to forget that shed brought 'shame ' on them...
It broke her spirit..and it affected me too..I was angry..but could do nothing...
Ive seen her in recent times and hardly recognise her..shes a changed woman..
So it wasnt only authorities/bureaucrats/church..but those much close to home that ruled this lovely lady by fear........
I like to think that after over a decade things have changed......but no....meeting a young woman in CVO last September..I heard a similar story.....of her life being made a misery buy husbands family after he had split with her.....she was having awful time.....
I thought things would have moved on..but apparently not

Religion has a lot to answer for...past and present day.

They only have as much power as we give them...look how ireland has changed over the last 15 or so years ....now keep your eye on portugal.

Yes you are right Kathy!
Funny..but I dont associate 'religion' with the true Christain message..which is esssentially one of love/forgiveness...and how 'religions'always manage to make people feel 'guilty'!
Suppose youre right in a way Gerry....but think women will tend to view it differently.....
they were and still are in some countries ..seen as first the posession of their family...then the property of their husband......
but regarding Portugal..
that young woman I met in Carvoeiro last September..there was a difference in her attitude to my friend of 10 years ago....there was a spark in her eye..and a pride in herself as she spoke .that she wouldnt let them(Husband/family) get her down..she had a good job, very intelligent and determined to make things better for herself & young son!
Though intimidated...bullied..she told me her situation...and she had no qualms about me telling her story on the 'Corner'!She was standing her ground!
Good for her! Fear was not going to rule her

Couldn't agree with Kathy more.......Religion in today's and past world is a warmaker and nothing else.
Also, having been bing bonged the other day by a Jehova's Witness which annoyed me immensely as he launched into his "Why I should be one......"
Did anyone ever see Panorama about 2 years ago about this subject ?
They are harbouring 20,000 paedophiles in their databases having not reported them to police. All fact. Religion................I stay away and live a peaceful life.
All in my opinion only.

you might be interested to know that Jehovahs witnesses were a banned religion under Salazar and were tortured and imprisoned byt he PIDE (secret police)..

well to say that portugal is a catholic country and the church still holds power is not what i have experienced...in fact i think on the fingers of one hand have i ever seen any nuns here..and in fact the priests go around in "civies"
..because after the 74 revolution the catholic chuch because it had been so aligned with the junta lost all its power base.

there may be some still afraid i agree..as for getting rid of "religion"..well if you replaced it with say communism as was in russia and where according to lenin any mention of God was the "most vilest stench" ..please dont tell me that people there were free to think and say what they thought ....my father in law was Ukranian and although he lived from the end of ww2 in the Uk (having taken from his family as forced labour by the Nazis) he wrote to his family from the uk after the war...an official reply was sent to him that if ever wrote again his relatives would be sent to Siberia.....he was even until his death terriifed of the russians...and that had nothing to do with God or any relgion but in fact the awfull godless government that ruled there

Guest ..I wasnt speaking so much of he churchs power in Portugal today..but of my Lagoan friends experience over a decade ago....
and I speak particularly of the way in which women were( and to some extent) still are treated.
It was most interesting to read of your father-in-laws life.....but I see religions as man made..made to suit man.....and were often as ruthless as the godless government of soviet Russia....
and im in sympathy with Guest E..I stay away from organised religion..opting more for the peaceful life....would rather say my creed/prayers in the middle of a field/or woods.........