Voodoo Religion Essay examples -- Religious Religion Voodoo Research P

Voodoo Religion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Voodoo religion is one of the most, if not the most misconceived religions of our time. Often when Voodoo is mentioned, it is related to evil, black magic, devious sorcery, cannibalism, and harm. Although the Voodoo religion appears to the outsider as an illusion or falsehood, it has been an instrumental political force because it has helped the Haitians resist domination and form an identity of their own. Since the end of the 17th century, Haitian Voodoo has overcome every challenge it has been faced with and has endured. The religion is based on a polytheistic belief system and represents a significant portion of Haiti’s 8.3 million people. The engaging religion plays an important role in both the family and the community. Voodoo ceremonies allow participants to seek spiritual guidance, or help with their problems, making the religion a source of comfort. The main activity in Voodoo is the boundary between visible and invisible realities. Practitione rs believe that there are no accidents, everything affects something else, and the universe is all one. In Voodoo, reality and illusion are fused to make things happen. Voodoo cannot be explained.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Voodoo is a very promising religion. It offers comfort and support to practitioners while Haiti remains unstable. There is a strong sense of tradition, but it is a very unique sense of tradition. Voodoo has no formal dogma, no specific organization, and no written text. There is no right or wrong way to practice Voodoo. Because there was no formal history of Voodoo practitioners believed it was easier to form a bond with the supernatural world. Each individual has his/her own relationship with his or her specified god, and each relationship is unique. The religion is in the hands of the practitioner. People can choose how deep they wish to get involved in this religion. A practitioner of Voodoo decides for him or herself how to establish their personal bond with the supernatural. In comparison religions like Catholicism, have guidelines to follow and consequences for all your actions. Voodoo allowed Haiti to form an identity of its own. Voodoo has been instrumental in the survival of Haiti because of its individualistic way of thinking. It is important to keep in mind that Haiti has been, and continues to be one of the most impoverished nations is the world. The fact that Ha... ...on of the slaves of Haiti from who most black Haitians descended from. Philippe Casiera a Voodoo priest said, â€Å" In spite of our contribution to Haitian culture, we are still misunderstood and despised† (Okara, Origins of Voodoo). Voodoo helps and guides people who suffer and it serves as a comfort for those in need. Historically in Haiti Voodoo has and continues to be a very successful religion. Sources Cited Anderson, Michelle. â€Å"Authentic Voodoo is Synthetic.† The Drama Review Summer, 1982: 89-110. â€Å"Common Misconceptions About Vodoun† 20 May. http://pub47.bravenet.com/faq/show.php?usernum=3951612168&catid=104 Guynup, Sharon. â€Å"Haiti: Possessed by Voodoo.† National Geographic July. 2004. 20 May. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/07/0707_040707_tvtaboovoodoo.html Hunte, Tracie. â€Å"UF professor: Haitian voodoo similar to western practices.† Alligator online 20 May. http://www.alligator.org/edit/issues/00-spring/000225/b08forum25.htm â€Å"Origins of Voodoo† 10 May. http://www.swagga.com/voodoo.htm Turlington, Shannon. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Voodoo. USA: Alpha, 2002. Webster’s Dictionary & thesaurus. â€Å"Voodoo.† New York: Shooting Star Press, 1995.