Written by By Dana Ford, Relate Contributing Writer

We’ve all heard about Haiti lately…because on Tuesday, this nation made breaking news. A major earthquake struck there. Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere and is also known for its traditional religion, Voodoo.

Although many find the practices and descriptions of Voodoo to fit more of a superstitious type category, it is important to note that Voodoo is the dominant religion of Haiti.

According to Bob Corbett, author of an article called “Introduction to Voodoo in Haiti,” the Voodoo religion encompasses basic concepts which to other religions and foreigners of Haiti, seem strange and unethical.

The most basic concepts of Voodoo:

1. There is one God, Bondye. This God is very similar to the God of Islam, Judaism and Christianity. There is only one God.
2. There are three important categories of other spiritual beings: Loa, the twins and the dead. Loa interacts with the people of Earth and causes good and bad things to happen to people. The twins are mysterious forces of contradictories: good and evil, happy and sad, etc. If honored in religious services, they will help you have the better side of life or vice versa. The dead consists of mainly the souls of one’s own family members who have died but not yet been reclaimed by the family. Ignored family dead are dangerous. Honored and cared for family dead are helpful. These are the various spirits of family members, the spirits of the major forces of the universe– good, evil, reproduction, health, all aspects of daily life.
3. The central and key aspect of Voodoo is healing people from illness. Such healing activities probably constitute 60% of all Voodoo activity. Healers heal with herbs, faith healing (with the help of Loa and other spirits) and, today, even with western medicine!
4. The priesthood of Voodoo contains both men and women. Their functions are: healing, performing religious ceremonies to call the spirits, holding initiations for new priests, telling the future and reading dreams, casting spells and creating protections and creating potions for various purposes (for love or death). For any of these, they may receive fees. But they may not, too. This differs from one houngan and mambo to another. This is similar to fees paid to rabbis, mullahs, priests and ministers.
5. There are two primary sorts of Voodoo. There is Rada, which is a family spirit Voodoo and the Voodoo of the relatively peaceful and happy Loa.
6. Petro is a black magic Voodoo and the Voodoo of angry, mean and nasty Loa. Dangerous things happen in Petro including death curses, the making of zombi and wild sexual orgies.

Also, in Voodoo it is believed humans have two spirits and a body.

Today, many missionaries visit Haiti in attempt to convert Voodoo to Christianity. It’s a dangerous mission.

In some instances, missionaries have been killed by mobs of Haitians who want them to stay clear of their nation and for their religion to remain untouched.

Voodoo is voted one of the most unethical religions among other religions. How do you feel?

Tags: Bob Corbett, Bondye, Haiti, Loa, Petro, priesthood of Voodoo, Rada, religion of Haiti, religions, voodoo