{"word_count": 157, "character_count": 994}
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="595"] © Luciano Osorio[/caption]In the afro-Brazilian context, the ideas of believe and belong are particularly connected. Like the houses of Candomblé historically tends to be places of production and reproduction of social value, i.e., places where the notion of community is deeply present, to be a believer means to be a member. Durkheim’s classic idea of religion as a social product and producer is still valid in the present context.Such idea is well expressed through sentences like “I belong to Candomblé”. In other words, the act of believes is a post-product of the act of belongs. While somebody is part of a Candomblé community, i.e., a house (called “Terreiro”), it means that person is a believer in Candomblé.Nevertheless, in the African and afro-Brazilian framework the act of belong is more important than the act of believe, like the idea of believe is different than knowing, a more correct concept in the present cultural background.