History Main / ChurchgoingVillain

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Finally, this might be done simply for the sake of [[TruthInTelevision realism]] as a large chunk of the human race belongs to some religion. That said, Administrivia/NoRealLifeExamplesPlease

This trope does not include [[TheFundamentalist religious extremists]]. Religious extremists do evil ''because'' of their views on religion. Churchgoing Villains identify with a religion but their evil acts are not connected to said religion in any way. It also does not include people who are members of a ReligionOfEvil. Compare and contrast HidingBehindReligion, when a villain affects religious behavior as a cover. The NoTrueScotsman fallacy may be discussed if someone says "He's not a ''real'' member of that religion!"

See also: StraightEdgeEvil, FamilyValuesVillain, PunchClockVillain, NunTooHoly, SinisterMinister, ReligiousBruiser, RealMenLoveJesus, and HolyHitman. Compare and contrast with a PiousMonster. Very likely to be AffablyEvil. [[HidingBehindReligion (Unless they're not.)]]

We do ''[[Administrivia/NoRealLifeExamples not]]'' want any Real Life examples of this. '''At all.''' Calling real-world people "evil" can be controversial enough, but when you call someone evil and attach their religion to it, it's [[FlameWar a whole other can of worms]].

See also: StraightEdgeEvil, FamilyValuesVillain, PunchClockVillain, NunTooHoly, SinisterMinister, ReligiousBruiser, RealMenLoveJesus, and HolyHitman. Compare and contrast with a PiousMonster. Very likely to be AffablyEvil.

* In ''VideoGame/MasterDetectiveArchivesRainCode'', [[spoiler:[[SinisterMinister the priest]] and worshipper at Kanai Ward's church]] turn out to be [[spoiler:the Nail Man, the SerialKiller mystery that Yuma and Halara investigate upon first entering the city and the second case that Yuma investigates overall. The former killed three people, while the latter killed another just before the priest's third, giving the impression the same Nail Man killed for people.]]

* The Irish gangsters on ''Series/{{Castle}}'' are portrayed this way.

* In ''Anime/TheCastleOfCagliostro'', one of the Count's henchmen is moved to cross himself when he sees the Bishop arriving.
* ''Manga/CesareIlCreatoreCheHaDistrutto'' shows that in 1490's Italy, ''[[CrapsackWorld everyone]]'' was some form of this, especially the actual bishops, cardinals, and popes. [[UsefulNotes/PopeAlexanderVI Cesare's father]] is not the only priest with children (despite the vow of celibacy), he's just the most open about it. [[UsefulNotes/PopeJuliusII The man who's constantly sending hired thugs after 16-year-old Cesare]] is also a cardinal. And a large part of the plot goes back to the time 13 years earlier when Pope Sixtus IV sent his nephews ([[{{Nepotism}} cardinals and bishops, of course]]) to assassinate Lorenzo de'Medici and his brother, in church.

* Father Enrico Pucci from ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureStoneOcean'' is an ObliviouslyEvil, GreaterScopeVillain who follows previous BigBad DIO's plan to attain his idea of Heaven. As Green Dolphin Street Prison's chaplain he's always seen wearing the vestments, spends most of his time praying in the chapel, and sees his own actions as righteous and coinciding with God's will. Said actions involve manipulation, brainwashing, sacrificing his own pawns, killing whoever crosses his path (or ''[[FateWorseThanDeath worse]]'') and [[spoiler:bringing the literal end of the Universe as a whole, with the objective to cause the birth of another Universe where [[YouCantFightFate everyone is aware of their fate and can live happily with that knowledge]]]].

* In the ''Literature/CountToTheEschaton'' series, the BigBad Ximen "Blackie" del Azarchel is a traditional Catholic and, among other things, holds a dim view of taking God's name in vain. Not that it stops him from committing a number of murders and genocides, seeding the Earth with several civilizations which deliberately oppose Christian morality in a variety of ways, or harboring an ambition to take over a good chunk of the galaxy.

This trope does not include [[TheFundamentalist religious extremists]]. Religious extremists do evil ''because'' of their views on religion. Churchgoing Villains identify with a religion but their evil acts are not connected to their identity in any way. It also does not include people who are members of a ReligionOfEvil. Compare and contrast HidingBehindReligion, when a villain affects religious behavior as a cover. The NoTrueScotsman fallacy may be discussed if someone says "He's not a ''real'' member of that religion!"

** The mother in ''Literature/{{Carrie}}'' is also a very good example. While Big Jim [[FauxAffablyEvil acts civil and uses his charisma to win over followers]], Mrs. White is batshit and everyone knows it.

* The Bishop in ''Film/{{Ladyhawke}}'' is frequently seen conducting his ecclesiastical duties. The climactic encounter between him and the lovers he's wronged takes place at the region's most important service, resulting in BloodstainedGlassWindows.

* ''Manga/CesareIlCreatoreCheHaDistrutto'' shows that in 1490's Italy, ''[[CrapsackWorld everyone]]'' was some form of this, especially the actual bishops, cardinals, and popes. [[UsefulNotes/PopeAlexanderVI Cesare's father]] is not the only priest with children (despite the vow of celibacy), he's just the most open about it. [[UsefulNotes/PopeJuliusII The man who's constantly sending hired thugs after 16-year-old Cesare]] is also a cardinal.

* ''Series/{{Leverage}}'': "The Boys' Night Out Job" features a group of [[TheIrishMob Irish thugs]] who refuse to kill someone inside a church. They finally decide to drag them out and kill them in the parking lot.

* Father Pucci from ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureStoneOcean''. He wears the vestments. He spends most of his time in the chapel. He also [[spoiler: brings the end of the world]].

* And a target of some Old Testament prophets (or God speaking through said prophets), for example Isaiah 1:11-17.

* In ''VisualNovel/PiofioreNoBansho'', Lili, having lived a sheltered life at the church, is shocked to find out that despite both Dante and Gilbert being devout and regularly attending church, they are both capable of torturing people, dabble in shady businesses and can and will sacrifice citizens if it would further their goals.

-->-- '''Judge Claude Frollo''', ''WesternAnimation/{{The Hunchback of Notre Dame|Disney}}''

* ''WesternAnimation/{{The Hunchback of Notre Dame|Disney}}'': Frollo. A judge of deep religious devotion, he is still governed by his lusts, hatred, prejudice, and revenge and driven to attempted kidnapping and murder. In the original story, he is also a clergyman, alchemist, and sorcerer.