FEARING VOODOO- concept in fact

Religions are inclusive of their leaders who dictate beliefs and theories and those who worship the leader on those beliefs and such crusade. These people exist as subordinates to the leader or Gd.  "Bondye" who is considered Gd in the practice of Voodoo is not an "attainable" as a human. A follower of this practice will make prayer to a spirit called "loa".  Although, this spirit is not as powerful as the "Bondye".

Other spirits in the Voodoo culture or belief are called "Papa Legba" who is guardian of the cross roads, "Erzule Freda" the spirit of love, "Simbi" the spirit of rain and magicians, "Kouzin Zaka" spirit of agriculture. The "Marasa" are twins who are the first children of Bondye. These twins serve as intermediaries for Bondye. There are also several nations of spirits in the loa.  The spirits who are considered most beneficial are the "Rada Loa" because these are older spirits that are associated with african gods as the "Ghede Loa" are spirits of the deceased.

Priests are called "bokors" or "houngans". The priestesses or clergy are called "mambos". Through the slave trade in America Voodoo was brought to the French colony of Louisiana. In doing so Haitain names of the voodoo culture were eventually replaced to blend with Catholic beliefs and the Catholic religion. The lords prayer of "Hail Mary" became combined and is actually used in the voodoo practice resulting from the Louisiana population.

"The Voodoo doll" is a symbol and is also a form of Louisiana voodoo. This object or symbol is used by those in the voodoo practice to ward off evil spirits or to bring good luck and prosperity.  When pins are stuck in to the doll it is meant to pin a picture of a person or name to the doll in association with the many voodoo spirits the person is trying to bring good or bad luck to.  This practice of sticking pins into a doll is created to conjure up those spirits.

People may equate the doll and the associated pins inside it to the son of Gd in Jesus and the nailing of him to the cross. Since the inception of voodoo began in Haiti and was converted somewhat to exist as part of the Catholic church (Catholicism); as "Christ" is the son of Gd he is also considered the intermediary to Gd in prayer as similar to the "loa" in Haitain Voodoo.

It can be concluded that by symbolic representation of the doll and pins Voodoo, has its primitive practice by object association to use this doll to either cleanse the sins of a person or to cause the suffering of a person as compared to the crucification of Jesus. The latter is considered the "gris-gris" in that context because it means to bring harm and suffering to the person. Instead of a doll, alternatively, a bag that is filled with items representing a person(s) is also used in the same effect.

Primitive practice and religion have combined itself only to use Christ, to create an astrological of fate among those it is used against.

Dated: April 18, 2010                       A. Sadiq                   
                                                     On Behalf of Pieces