User:Scolopendra17/Umbanda

Vargas Era to 1950s
Just like other Afro-Brazilian religions, Umbanda suffered political repression during the Vargas era until the beginning of 1950. A 1934 law placed these religions under the jurisdiction of the Departamento de Tóxicos e Mistificações (Department of Toxins and Mystifications) of the police so that they needed a special registration to function. During these years, many groups remained clandestine or, when they did register, they sought to omit their African inspirations or connections by registering themselves simply as “spiritists”. This omission or “deafricanization,” which rejected the influences of African religions, was more clearly established in the I Congresso Brasileiro de Espiritismo de Umbanda (First Brazilian Congress of Spiritism and Umbanda) which took place in 1941, and stated (among other things) that the roots of Umbanda came from ancient religions and philosophies from India. Sociologist Roger Bastide has argued that spiritism “whitewashes” and “Europeanizes” Umbanda, distorting its African roots.

Neopentecostal Protestantism
In Brazil, Umbanda and other religions with an African basis suffer due to religious intolerance, with born-again neopentecostal religions being the most intolerant with regards to Umbanda, Candomblé, and Kardecism.

In 1997, Bishop Edir Macedo, leader in the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, published his book Orixás, Caboclos e Guias – Deuses ou Demônios? (Orixás, Caboclos, and Guides – Gods or Demons?), which became obligatory reading for some pentecostal, neopentecostal, and even traditional evangelicals. The book compares the religion to Satanism based on the exorcism rituals practiced in his religion.

In 2005, the Brazilian Supreme Court mandated that all copies of the book be removed from circulation due to its discriminatory content against Afro-Brazilian religions. However, one year later, the Regional Federal Court of the First Region liberated its sale with the justification that its prohibition violated the principle of freedom of speech guaranteed by the Brazilian constitution.

Traditional Branches of Candomblé
Some radical practitioners of Candomblé criticize Umbanda because they consider it superficial and believe it does not acknowledge the most important rites of worship of Orixás. Some have also criticized Umbanda for not separating the worship of spirits from the worship of entities, since Candomblé considers Orixás and gods to be purer and of a more primordial energy, and that for that reason, they should not be confounded with the energy of spirits that have lived on Earth.

O Encanto dos Orixás
Liberation theologist Leonardo Boff, in his book O Encanto dos Orixás (The Charm of the Orixás), praises Umbanda, saying that it represents true Brazillianness by mixing together African, European, and indigenous roots and puts the highest importance on counsels from the humble and marginalized. Boff borrowed his book's title from Brazilian diplomat and politician Flávio Miragaia Perri, who became a practitioner of Umbanda after becoming familiar with the religion and its dynamic. Perri has written other books on the subject.

LGBTQIA+ Community
Umbanda has been recognized for its openness toward sexual diversity. Homosexual, bisexual, heterosexual, and transexual people are welcomed without distinction. In places where Candomblé's influence is greater, men and women may fulfill different roles, but they are of equal dignity and importance. Another important aspect is that people who are not heterosexual have the possibility of becoming priests or priestesses, mediums, and so forth without distinction. Many homosexual couples marry religiously at the hands of Umbanda priests.

Intangible Cultural Heritage
In 2016, following a study done by the Instituto Rio Patrimônio da Humanidade (Rio Heritage of Humanity Institute), Umbanda became one of Rio de Janeiro's Intangible Cultural Heritages. The study recognized the importance of syncretic Afro-indigenous Brazilian culture, with its religious syncretism being a driving force behind various social facets of great sociocultural impact.

In addition, the Inventário Nacional de Referências Culturais (National Inventory of Cultural References) is in the process of recognition of multiple Umbanda terreiros as cultural heritage sites throughout the state of Rio de Janeiro.