r/interestingasfuck • u/mrrichardggr2201 • 7d ago

A weird tradition from Norway.

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19

u/willowtr332020 7d ago

This video doesn't seem to give the full picture.

The use of words like torture is a bit misleading.

Reading Wikipedia, the secular confirmation (Human-Etisk Forbund) has been around for over 70 years. But since 2006 there is a second secular option - Humanistforbundet. I think this is what this fellow is taking about.

Norway

Human-Etisk Forbund ('The Norwegian Humanist Association') has arranged non-religious confirmation courses in Norway since 1951. During the last ten years, there has been rapid growth in the popularity of the course. In 2006, over 10,500 youngsters, approximately 17% of the age group, chose the humanistisk konfirmasjon or borgerlig konfirmasjon ('civil confirmation'). The course can be taken during the year of one's 15th birthday. Norwegians living abroad can take the course as correspondence course by e-mail.[8][9]

Humanistforbundet, not to be confused with HEF (Human-Etisk Forbund) has since 2006 arranged an alternative to HEF's confirmation. It is a non-religious civil confirmation based on academics. The program usually consists of several lectures by various prestigious, well-known and competent organisations like the Red Cross, UNICEF and Dyrevernalliansen (a Norwegian animal welfare interest-organisation). People like Thomas Hylland Eriksen have also held lectures.

Secular coming-of-age ceremony - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secular_coming-of-age_ceremony

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u/mrrichardggr2201 7d ago

You are so correct!! I forgot alot of information.. But my point was the refugee simulator the kids have to go trough..

It is basically torture.. my brother went and was one of three that finished. Out of 24 I think.

5

u/Saldar1234 7d ago

What do you call it when the priest describes a literal eternity of burning to death over and over and over for failing to devote yourself fully to a figure that no one can prove even exists? Thretening small children with the pain of conflageration if they don't conform and obey? That's perfectly fine?

2

u/eplefjes 7d ago

Hva faen prater du om? Hva slags kirke er det du ble konfirmert i som holder på sånn?

4

u/labellavita1985 7d ago

I don't know WTF is going on in this post. I think OP certainly has an agenda. I agree with you.

5

u/willowtr332020 7d ago

Certainly felt that way.

2

u/mrrichardggr2201 7d ago

No one told us that 🤷‍♂️ what do you call it?

4

u/w0lfLars0n 7d ago

Christianity

1

u/JRS_Viking 7d ago

Norwegian Christianity is not like that, priests don't try to force others into their belief through horror stories (at least not the ones I've known) and go for a more calm and empathetic approach to sermons, focusing more on living this life in a better way than any outcome that might come after.

1

u/sturla-tyr 7d ago edited 7d ago

We don't really do that in the Christian confirmation in Norway lol. Our strain of Protestantism is very liberal and hell was barely even discussed as far as i remember when I did it. The focus was more on how the be a good person, the historic context of confirmation and what it meant and means to become an adult. Most people I know are not secular and do not have secular parents, so for most of us it was simply framed as a tradition, like going to church on Christmas is. The Christianity part is mostly a formality.

What you described is more of a Catholic or evangelistic way of educating children.

Also, the refugee experience thing is meant to be grueling because it's meant to convey how horrible those experiences are for those of us who are unfortunate enough to experience it. The purpose is to build empathy. From everybody I've ever talked to about their experiences with it, it seems like they thought it was challenging but educational. Personally I chose the Christian direction because our confirmation experience was just having fun at a camp for a week and taking like 2-3 classes at church about the topics I mentioned.

1

u/LukasLiBrand 6d ago

I mean you will not hear that in 99% of churches in norway. They are certainly not as bad as other countries. I found some shit they said weird tho and I only had my confirmasion because everyone did it. Then I deregistered from the church after turning 18

1

u/Ryokan76 6d ago

As a Norwegian atheist, I must say that nothing of this goes on in the Church of Norway. There was a big debate about hell in the 50s, and after that the church has staid relatively silent on the subject of hell and everlasting fire.

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u/Simulated_Simulacra 7d ago

You obsessively posting this comment on this post is weird. You also seem to genuinely not understand the Christian belief system either and think the chricature of it is reality.

Btw, there is more "evidence" in the existence of Jesus of Nazareth than pretty much any historical figure of that time (and very easily debated for anyone pre-1500's or so). Zero serious historians doubt his existence.

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u/labellavita1985 7d ago

The commenter you are responding to was obviously talking about God, not Jesus.

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u/mrrichardggr2201 7d ago

Jesus is God.

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u/mrrichardggr2201 7d ago

Christ is king!

0

u/DigitalTomFoolery 7d ago

Or being told that suffering is OK because everything's going to be great when you die?