Dark Doctrines (Part Two) Philippines Voodoo

VOODOO CONNECTION
Last week we discussed the 10,000 year history of the Voodoo religion. The article covered Voodoos’ origins in Africa, its’ spread to Mesopotamia (Iran and Iraq), the Americas, Philippine Islands, and throughout the globe. I reminisced about my mother’s brief apprenticeship to a Voodoo priestess when she was a young girl and my family’s deep Voodoo connection that endures to this day.

My first wife ‘L’ was a distant relative. A native of the Creole island of Aruba part of the Netherlands Antilles island chain, a small country located a few miles off the coast of Venezuela. Shortly after her birth as I remember, her family left Aruba for Willemstad, Curacao. On a visit to my father my future bride-to-be and I met at my sister-in-laws beauty salon. It was during our courtship when I experienced firsthand the mystery and magic of Voodoo/Santeria ritual.

At a family gathering ‘L’ and I made public our intention to become husband and wife. We wanted our family’s blessing. Shortly after they gave verbal consent to our union, my sister-in-law led us to a small room at the rear of her shop. It was her prayer room. Tia ‘E’s’ chapel reminded me of a 1930’s ‘B’ movie about Black Magic, human sacrifices, and Zombies. My tia (aunt) was a shaman. My then wife-to-be and I stood side-by-side in front of her long cafeteria table that served as a Santeria altar. I was awestruck. I couldn’t get over her vast array of Catholic statues, angels, saints, feathered Indian warriors, African tribesmen, vials of pungent oils, and sticks of burning sweet smelling incense.

It’s been well over 30 years since my initial ‘face-to-face’ encounter with Voodoo/Santeria. I have mixed memories. After some prayers, Tia blessed us making the sign of the cross over us with a live dove. After placing the bird back in its cage she clapped her hands, lit a cigar, and started puffing smoke over us again in the sign of the cross. She used her mouth as a thurible (metal censer) over us in the manner as a Catholic deacon or server would incense congregations during solemn Masses. The experience reminded me that other worlds exist besides my limited neighborhood experiences on the south side of Chicago. The double blessing ceremonies were short, visual, and to the point.

A year into our marriage as I was completing my master’s degree, I encountered Voodoo again. I was taking the last of my graduate courses. I had one class that was kicking my butt big time. It was an advanced Mathematics class. I told my wife about it. She tried to fix the problem her way by using voodoo. On the day of my final exam she took a slip of paper, wrote the name of my professor on it, and slipped it in to my shoe. Later during the examination an odd thing happened; my mind went blank. I couldn’t think of anything to write. I panicked! Freaked-out! Thrown in complete confusion I removed the sliver of paper from my shoe careful as not to let the proctor see me for fear of being accused of cheating which I wasn’t. The tiny strip of paper fell to the floor unnoticed. I mentally apologized to GOD for my sin then continued the test; I passed!

COUSIN SNAKE
During the Great Depression we had a relative we nicknamed ‘Cousin Snake.’ This man actually sold himself to Satan. One evening this fellow went to Hope Cemetery and knelt near one of the tombs. In New Orleans they bury people above ground in similar fashion as they do in some cemeteries back home. Cousin Snake made a contractual agreement with the Evil One and signed the document with his blood! During the dark days of the Depression he was known to have a lot of money, a harem of beautiful women, and an excellent health. He lived in perfect health until he was 95! It was on his death bed that he ‘paid the piper’ (paid for his transgressions). I was informed that the man screamed, cried, and in his delirium kept repeating “He’s coming to get me!” until he breathed his last…

As in the Philippines Voodoo/Santeria is big time in many Latino and Black neighborhoods in Chicago. Though Santeria shares a similar structure and belief system as Voodoo, the former has a strong Caribbean flavor whereas ‘straight voodoo’ is purely African. There are dozens of Santeria/Voodoo supply stores in Chicago and outlining suburbs. Reader if you’re seriously interested in the religions of Voodoo and Santeria search: Santeria shops in Chicago for an extensive listing of where you can view Voodoo/Santeria related items.

IS VOODOO ‘FOR REAL?’
According to a number of informed sources, prominent among them W.B. Cannon’s study: ‘Voodoo Death.’ Psychosomatic Medicine’ Voodoo can murder and has murdered many people. As I recall, TIME Magazine once did a study on Voodoo related deaths in the United States. The results from their findings were astounding. There are over 4,000 Voodoo related deaths per year in this country! Voodoo related homicides greatly exceed this amount in the South Sea Islands and the Philippines.

CHRISTIANITY AND VOODOO
Question: What does the Bible say about Voodoo?
Answer: A lot!! The religion of Voodoo involves the worship of spirits and certain occultist practices of fortunetelling, ritual abortions, sorcery (witchcraft), necromancy (summoning the dead) all condemned by the Bible. Go to: Deuteronomy 18:913, Leviticus 19:26, 31, and 20:6; 2 Kings 17:17, Acts 19:18-19, and Revelation 21: plus 22:15 all have damned the practice of Voodoo.
Question: Can a person be a good Christian and practice Voodoo?
Answer: Can a Catholic-Christian run an abortion clinic? Can a Muslim or Jew eat pork chops? I think not. The god of Voodoo is not the biblical God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob but a remote god (Bondye) who is not involved with humanity or nature; a god who doesn’t give a damn about humanity nor creation.
The worship of Voodoo spirits is a worship of false gods. Idolatry is another biblical ‘no-no’ and rightly so. Not only is Voodoo incompatible with Christianity, most of its practices and beliefs are anti-Scriptural. Moreover the occult practices of Voodoo are dangerous because they open people up for the influence of demons. Voodoo is polytheistic and usurps the primacy of Jesus Christ and His atoning work of redemption. No Christian worthy of the name can practice Voodoo/Santeria-period!! (Source: www.gotquestions.org)
Question: How should Christians approach Voodoo/Santeria?
Answer: With great fear and trepidation; LEAVE IT ALONE!
Next week Philippine Adventures will enter the holy Season of Advent.
GOD bless you, drive carefully, and see you in a week.  (vamaxwell@yahoo.com)