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I am very familiar with voodoo because my church goes to Africa and they do not have anything to do with Christianity. Christians and the voodoo doctors, (some are called witches) are waring with Christian to this day.
I feel that people should better educate themselve about other religion, so they will have a better understanding. I educate myself about other religions and faith, so I will have a better understanding if I come in contact with another person of another faith or religion.
Your understanding of VooDoo is the 'pure' version as it comes from Africa. However the Voodoo practiced here in the US and the islands is an adaptation. Just as the Christian religion absorbed pagan traditions, Voodoo has absorbed some Christian/Catholic traditions.
You may want to educate yourself on the history of Voodoo in America.
Your understanding of VooDoo is the 'pure' version as it comes from Africa. However the Voodoo practiced here in the US and the islands is an adaptation. Just as the Christian religion absorbed pagan traditions, Voodoo has absorbed some Christian/Catholic traditions.
You may want to educate yourself on the history of Voodoo in America.
I agree. I wonder how many pagan symbols are in today's modern christianity.
Voodoo, Christianity, Catholicism and African spirit worhip all combine for voodoo religious ritual. Voodoo ritual spirit possession is in fact the same thing as a Christian, "spirit filled" church service where the "Holy Ghost falls" upon believers, speak in tongues and become "slain in the spirit".
No, it isn't. When you combine Christian symbolism with voodoo and African spirit worship, it no longer has anything to do with Christianity. It is from a different spirit/s.
Spirits worshiped in Voodoo ritual ceremonies are Catholic (Christian) Saints. Therefore, Voodoo and Christianity are related.
Related in only the sense that one is a facade for the other. Vodu(Haiti), Santeria (Cuba), and Candonble (Brazil) are all variations on West African Yoruban polytheist religious tradition that was outlawed throughout the Americas. In order to maintain the practice of these African religions, the gods of the slaves iconic depictions of Catholic saints were chosen to represent them. As a result Catholicism and its use of iconical depictions of major religious figures served as the perfect foil of slaves.
A list of "Voodoo" gods and spirits and their Catholic equivalents.
Mary is Yemaya
Our Lady of Mercy is Obatala
Saint Barbara is Chango
St. Anthony is Eleggua
St. Joseph is Osain
Our Lady of la Caridad del Cobre is Oshun
Saint Peter is Oggun
The priest unsurprisingly didn't figure it out. As a result in the slave countries of the Americas, Africans could continue to practice the religion of their forefathers under the nose of their slave masters.
as someone who saw a form of voodoo being practiced in america---in general it is NOT christian nor does it follow catholicism but crosses and st. pictures /statues are used as a cover to persuade christians into following the practice-----what i saw involved animal sacrifices/curses and negativity placed towards people that "offended"the practitioner---btw--this person brought this practice to the south from pennsylania
Related in only the sense that one is a facade for the other. Vodu(Haiti), Santeria (Cuba), and Candonble (Brazil) are all variations on West African Yoruban polytheist religious tradition that was outlawed throughout the Americas. In order to maintain the practice of these African religions, the gods of the slaves iconic depictions of Catholic saints were chosen to represent them. As a result Catholicism and its use of iconical depictions of major religious figures served as the perfect foil of slaves.
A list of "Voodoo" gods and spirits and their Catholic equivalents.
Mary is Yemaya
Our Lady of Mercy is Obatala
Saint Barbara is Chango
St. Anthony is Eleggua
St. Joseph is Osain
Our Lady of la Caridad del Cobre is Oshun
Saint Peter is Oggun
The priest unsurprisingly didn't figure it out. As a result in the slave countries of the Americas, Africans could continue to practice the religion of their forefathers under the nose of their slave masters.
Interesting stuff, ovcatto. I knew that the practitioners used the saints to hide behind their own religions, but I never heard the names before.
On a related note, there was a good article a few years ago, I think in the New York Times, about how archeologists who have dug around areas on old plantations where slave cabins once stood sometimes find African religious items. The slaves would keep their forbidden sacred possessions underneath their floors (if they had floors) and/or bury them in the dirt to keep them hidden when not in use.
Interesting stuff, ovcatto. I knew that the practitioners used the saints to hide behind their own religions, but I never heard the names before.
On a related note, there was a good article a few years ago, I think in the New York Times, about how archeologists who have dug around areas on old plantations where slave cabins once stood sometimes find African religious items. The slaves would keep their forbidden sacred possessions underneath their floors (if they had floors) and/or bury them in the dirt to keep them hidden when not in use.
If the article was referring to archeological digs in the U.S. it shouldn't be surprising that artifacts related to West African religions would be hidden in the predominately protestant Americas, as opposed to the former Catholic, Spanish and Portugese colonies, where slaves had the ability to transform everyday icons into icons of their own religious beliefs.
If the article was referring to archeological digs in the U.S. it shouldn't be surprising that artifacts related to West African religions would be hidden in the predominately protestant Americas, as opposed to the former Catholic, Spanish and Portugese colonies, where slaves had the ability to transform everyday icons into icons of their own religious beliefs.
I believe the article had a specific story about Virginia (? it was a while ago), so yes, it would most likely have been in a Protestant area. Good call. "Images" of any type would set off alarm bells.
I believe the article had a specific story about Virginia (? it was a while ago), so yes, it would most likely have been in a Protestant area. Good call. "Images" of any type would set off alarm bells.
What is interesting is that the reason that Voodoo for the longest was associated to Haiti was because there was never a need for the religion to be practiced underground, the country having thrown off foreign direct rule of the country's cultural affairs (economics and governance is a whole other story). In Cuba it has only been in the last 20 or so years that Santeria has been allowed to come out in public the result being the further abandonment of the Catholic Church. Here in the U.S. the 1993 decision in Church of the Lukumi Babalu Aye, Inc. v. Hialeah, 508 U.S. 520. blew the doors open for the open practice and acceptance of Voodoo/Santeria as a recognized religion.
Voodoo, Christianity, Catholicism and African spirit worhip all combine for voodoo religious ritual. Voodoo ritual spirit possession is in fact the same thing as a Christian, "spirit filled" church service where the "Holy Ghost falls" upon believers, speak in tongues and become "slain in the spirit".
From what I've read some white supremacist meetings begin the Pledge of Allegiance, too.
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