STORM2K

Posted: **Mon Apr 14, 2003 10:12 am**

Haiti Accepts Voodoo As Recognized Religion
POSTED: 12:39 p.m. EDT April 11, 2003

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- Haiti has officially recognized voodoo as a religion, allowing voodoo practitioners to perform ceremonies from baptisms to marriages with legal authority.

Many who practice voodoo praise the move but say much remains to be done to make up for centuries of ridicule and persecution.

Voodoo practitioners believe in a supreme God and spirits who link the human with the divine. The spirits are summoned by offerings that include everything from rum to roosters.

The government recognition was announced by Haiti's President Jean-Bertrand Aristide -- a former Roman Catholic priest. Arisitide noted that a voodoo priestess bestowed a presidential sash on him at his first inauguration in 1991.

Posted: **Mon Apr 14, 2003 10:41 am**

That's a scary thing. There is actuallya sect of voodooism that is linked to Catholocism :o I think it was called Sangria, like the wine. I can amost understand voodoo in places like Haiti and stuff, where many people don't know any different. But its becoming popular in the US, just like witchcraft :o . Very Scary!!

Posted: **Mon Apr 14, 2003 10:43 am**

Yes Steve you are correct about sangria is a deviation of the Catholic religion in retrospect to Voodoo. I don't know that much about it either.

Patricia

Posted: **Mon Apr 14, 2003 10:49 am**

:o: Thats very very scary IMO. Coming from Africa, I have seen some "voodoo" first hand, It can be very very ugly to say the least. I hope this kind of thing encourages Christians to draw closer to Christ!