海角社区

Liechtenstein is a small country located in Central Europe. Switzerland borders it to the west and south, while Austria borders it to the north and east. The capital city is Vaduz where the central government is located. Liechtenstein is one of the smallest landlocked countries in Europe, and the whole of its western border is the Rhine Alps. The majority of Liechtensteiners are Roman Catholic, while in 20 years both Muslims and Atheists have more than doubled. Other than these religions there are a small proportion of the populations who are undeclared, and they are not affiliated with any religion.

Roman Catholic Christianity

The Roman Catholic Church is the official national religion of Liechtenstein, and 75.9% of its total population adheres to the faith. The constitution of Lichtenstein declared the Roman Catholic Church as the official state church and is protected entirely by the government. The Archdiocese of Vaduz was built in 1997. The Roman Catholic Church doctrines teach that it is one true church established by Jesus Christ, and the church leaders are the continuation of His disciples. The church believes that there is only one God, and He exists in three states namely God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. They refer the existence of God鈥檚 three states as Holy Trinity. Mary, the mother of Jesus, is highly respected in the Roman Catholic Church and is considered the mother of God. She is believed to be an intercessor and mother of the church. The Roman Catholic Church initiates one into the religion once an individual dedicates themselves into the church.

Protestant Christianity

In Liechtenstein, 8.5% of the population are Protestant Christians, the continuation of a global movement that had its origins in nearby Germany around the year 1517. The Protestant Church is a Christian faith and the followers rely heavily on the Bible as the ultimate source of knowledge, and refer to it as the "Word of God". Protestants do not accept the Pope as the leader of the church, nor accept the Catholic Church's doctrine of "transubstantiation". Members are initiated into the belief system by baptism.

Islam

In Liechtenstein, 5.4% of the total population identifies as Muslim. The government of Liechtenstein accepts members of the Muslim religion into its community. In 2006, the state contributed US$20,000 to the Muslims inhabiting the country. Muslims believe that there is only one God and refer to the Quran as the word of God revealed to his faithful messenger Muhammad, and they follow his teachings, known as hadiths. The word Muslim is Arabic and has the meaning of 鈥渙ne who submits to God.鈥� One can be accepted as a Muslim once he/she declares out to the public that Allah is the only God and Muhammad is his last prophet. There is currently no official mosque in Liechtenstein though the state offers residence for one imam and an additional one during the Ramadan.

Religious Freedom and Diversity

Liechtenstein is also home to smaller numbers of atheists, Orthodox Christians, Buddhists, and Jews. These religions exist together in harmony together with those who subscribe to any religion. The state of Liechtenstein guarantees the freedom of religion to its citizens and collaborates with them in different programs in the country.