Voodoo Options

Voodoo
The voodoo is a religion that originally derives from the state Benin in Africa. But while the colonization was in progress, a lot of black humans were transported to the south of the USA, Haiti and the north of South-America as slaves. They also brought their belief with them, so the voodoo diffuse to these regions. The problems for the slaves have been that they weren’t allowed to practise their religion. So they had to christianize it. That’s why the Haitian or American Voodoo alternates from the African Voodoo.
The western voodoo is actually monotheistic. They believe in the Bondye (coming from the French: Bon Dieu, for god) as the ultimate and almighty god. All other gods stand below him. These god are called: loa or lwa. Of these loas there are round about 300 different gods. In fact, the voodoosi (someone who is practising the voodoo religion) actually do not call it gods, they say “principle” or “energy” for it.

The African voodoo doesn’t have this aspect of an almighty god. The history of the creation is the following:
First there has been nothing. Then the Gbêdoto came and created himself, and he still does it again and again. The Gbêdoto is the spiritual, transcendental and cosmic cause and causality. For this self-creation the Acê was necessary. This is somehow the divine energy that all gods exist of. Then the two creation gods Mawu and Lissa appeared. They are actually not regarded as individual deities; actually they personify the creation god in one with its gender aspects. These both gods begot 14 children. These children begot again children and by this, time by time, the pantheon was created.

Voodoo is not, as it is mostly seen, a religion that aims the damage of other people. It is rather a “normal” religion, that helps one to come clear with his life. The voodoosi have a lot of respect for the loas; and that’s why they are often sacrifice for them or praying. All causes in the life of a voodoosi originated from the loas.

For further information just ask.


(No guarentee for linguistic deficits (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) )

I think, you should not have such a straight view of the world. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)
You cannot draw such explicit differences beetween both spiritual worlds. They are more conjoint and in a complexer way. The difference is primarily that in our world material is ruling. We are determined of physical laws and the material being. Cats and Spider and all other living is first farmost placed here, cause of their type. But their minds could have special abilites that is able to take a short look into the other world.
Gods/spirits in a divine way are both worlds. They are not put in just one world, they ARE both worlds. Their will is manifested in our material world, aswell in the other world. I guess their is no hierarchy of gods and loas. Both are ruling the worlds, so they are divine.

This post has been edited by Zylbath: Apr 19 2009, 04:29 PM

I think, you should not have such a straight view of the world. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)
You cannot draw such explicit differences beetween both spiritual worlds. They are more conjoint and in a complexer way. The difference is primarily that in our world material is ruling. We are determined of physical laws and the material being. Cats and Spider and all other living is first farmost placed here, cause of their type. But their minds could have special abilites that is able to take a short look into the other world.
Gods/spirits in a divine way are both worlds. They are not put in just one world, they ARE both worlds. Their will is manifested in our material world, aswell in the other world. I guess their is no hierarchy of gods and loas. Both are ruling the worlds, so they are divine.

Yes, because documenting your findings is a very stupid thing to do. If you read any basic book on voodon you would find that there is a hierarchy of loas. First and foremost a creator: the loa are his/her messengers. Yemanja and Ogun parallel Mary and Jesus the rest are similar to the saints, that right there is a hierarchy! I do not think that graph is ridged, I made it to better illustrate my findings. I suggest reading a few books on the subject: Serpent and the Rainbow is a great introduction.

This post has been edited by Dancing Coyote: Apr 19 2009, 08:59 PM

Serpent and the Rainbow is a great introduction.

It really is a fantastic book on the subject! But I am going to have to back up Coyote here... he seems to understand who the Lwa (That is how I spell it. I pronounce it "Lo-Ah") are, for the most part. One thing that every serious practitioner of Vodou has always tried to impress upon me is this: always try to show Lwa the utmost respect. Different Lwa have different temperaments... some love cigars, others hate smoke... some love to drink, others don't... some love to be vulgar and funny, others like to turn spiritual lessons into practical jokes...*coughcough*Legba!*coughcough*