Voodoo and monotheism?

[David19]

I've got the Idiots guide to Voodoo, and it seems like a good book and i've heard that it has a good reputation, but it said that Voodoo was a monotheistic religion, and that it believes in one god called 'Grand Met' (or something, i've probably spelt it wrong), who's a distant creator and that the Loa are the gods and spirits inbetween and are closer to the humans and this plane/realm, i was just wondering, is this true, as i've heard various things, some say it's monotheistic, and others say it's not.

It says that, while Voodoo is a seperate religion, a lot of Haitian Voodoo practicioners are also Catholic, and see no conflict between their religions.

Also, it mentions the Rada and Petro Loa, who are the 2 main groups or 'families' of Loa, and that the Rada are more benevolant and the Petro are more destructive and 'evil' (although it does say the Petro aren't completly 'evil' and the Rada aren't completly 'good' but Tell My Horse says the Petro are 'evil'), is this true, has anyone had any experiences with one or both groups - would you say this is true?.

And, finally, i've read that another group/'family' of Loa called the Kongo (i think) are more 'evil' and are usually worshipped by 'evil' sorcerers, and back up powerful 'black' magic, is this true and would their worshippers be the same as the bokor's (sp).

Thanks and hope you can help :).

[Sage Rainsong]

It is true that many Voodoo practioners do not see a conflict with Catholic beliefs. God is seen as far too vast and remote to help us directly. God or Gran Met is the creator but the Loa are existence itself(not Gods) It really depends on the practioner if they recognize the supreme creator or not. Much of what I read about the attitude toward Voodoo and the Catholic church is like this: If you want to feel spiritual then go to church if you want to get something done then call the Loa. That isn't to say that one can't be spiritual and work with the loa of course.

The Rada and the Petro Loa are not really good or evil. That is just a little too simplistic for good and evil The big difference is that the Rada loa are seen as more serene and calm spirits. The petro loa are simply more agressive and fiery. So the distinction has more to do with temperment rather than good and evil. As for the Kongo loa I have no idea. I'll have to get back to you. Semi would probably know. Hope this helps.

[semi]

It is true that many Voodoo practioners do not see a conflict with Catholic beliefs. God is seen as far too vast and remote to help us directly. God or Gran Met is the creator but the Loa are existence itself (not gods). It really depends on the practioner if they recognize the supreme creator or not since the. Much of what I read about the attitude toward Voodoo and the Catholic church is like this: If you want to feel spiritual then go to church if you want to get something done then call the Loa. That isn't to say that one can't be spiritual and work with the loa of course.

The Rada and the Petro Loa are not really good or evil. That is just a little too simplistic for good and evil The big difference is that the Rada loa are very seen as more serene and calm spirits. The petro loa are simply more agressive and fiery. So the distinction has more to do with temperment rather than good and evil. As for the Kongo loa I have no idea. I'll have to get back to you. Semi would probably know. Hope this helps.


Nailed it! Excellent post!

[Sage Rainsong]

Nailed it! Excellent post!

Aww thanks. But what about the Kongo loa? Are they perhaps more connected with things like death and disease and therefore more seen as evil? Or maybe they are just extremely primal? Im totally pulling this out of my magnificent ass.

[semi]

Aww thanks. But what about the Kongo loa? Are they perhaps more connected with things like death and disease and therefore more seen as evil? Or maybe they are just extremely primal? Im totally pulling this out of my magnificent ass.


That's the hype, yeah. Congo entities tend to be a tad dark. But a loa honored in Congo rites is the same loa honored in any other rite, just more aggressive and bad-ass. A different facet of the same entity. It's like, I'm a very sharing, kind, and generous person (Rada) most of the time, but piss me off by hurting someone I love or someone under my protection and I will strongly aggress (Congo) and attempt to destroy you. Petro is somewhere between, tending toward aggression, and Dahomey tends toward a lighter side.

I don't classify loa this way. I work with who I work with. That's all that matters to me and, apparently, Them. Though my energy tends toward Petro.

Bless your magnificent ass, Sage.

[Sage Rainsong]

Bless your magnificent ass, Sage.

:yayah: I'm glad someone is :yayah:

[Toby Stimpson]

Hello Hello,

Interesting thread. of what little I understand about Santeria and Orisha religions I've always thought the idea was very similar to Hinduism where the Great God is soemhow represented and manifested in the Loas, Orishas and what not...would that be right? Kind of...lol I recebntly found a little book by a woman teaching at the University of Miami on Carribean religions and the Affrican Diaspora, so far so good :).

Namaste

Tobias

[David19]

Thanks for all the answers, it's really helped, another thing i've read in the book, it mentions something a group of entities that are described as devils (that's not the name but i haven't got the book in front of me), has anyone heard of something like that, or would it only be common in Haitian Voodoo (since the book also says Voodoo changes from place to place, like New Orleans Voodoo is mainly about the magical parts).

It says that these entities are 'pure evil' and would mainly be worshipped by 'dark' sorcerors (i think this is basically what it says, i'll check it over again just to make sure, though).

[semi]

I know what you mean, but I can't think of the name either. I'll get back to you if I can come up with it.

Some practitioners work with entities who could probably be classified as "devils" or "demons" or "monsters," usually for some sort of work of destruction. This does not mean that the entities or the practitioners are evil. But it doesn't mean they're not evil. I don't think anything is that black and white, especially in Voodoo. I hope this helps.

[Baye]

As a practitioner of Voodoo I will shed some light on the topic :-)
Th Bondye is the supreme God and the Loas are spirits.
The reason Why Haitians used Catholisism is because for one to hide from French soldiers and two they say similarities in the Saits to their Loas.

Petros are not evil per se they are seen as darker loas. They are war like. Ogou was called upon To aid the Hatians in their revolt against the French settlers.
But what they are called on to do can be seen as evil.
Kongo spirits' magic are often called on to protect one from evil spells.

Idiots Guide to Voodoo is a book I often suggest to people who what to know the basics of Voodoo.

Baye

[semi]

As a practitioner of Voodoo I will shed some light on the topic :-)
Th Bondye is the supreme God and the Loas are spirits.
The reason Why Haitians used Catholisism is because for one to hide from French soldiers and two they say similarities in the Saits to their Loas.

Petros are not evil per se they are seen as darker loas. They are war like. Ogou was called upon To aid the Hatians in their revolt against the French settlers.
But what they are called on to do can be seen as evil.
Kongo spirits' magic are often called on to protect one from evil spells.

Idiots Guide to Voodoo is a book I often suggest to people who what to know the basics of Voodoo.

Baye

I agree except for the supreme god part. Not every tradition acknowledges this.

[semi]

And welcome to MW, Baye!

[Sage Rainsong]

Thanks for all the answers, it's really helped, another thing i've read in the book, it mentions something a group of entities that are described as devils

Please don't tell me that it was a book called Mark of Voodoo by Sharon Caulder. That had to be one tof the worst books that I have ever read. I was so disgusted and angry after reading that.

[Baye]

This may help

Gran met, or "grand master," also known as Bondye, from the French 'bon dieu, good god' -the true deity, an entity which presides over the spirit world but is not directly worshipped.
The Loas, or Lwas, the "Mysteries," the lesser divinities which are central to worship. The Loas are not gods, per se, but the most powerful ancestral spirits- great men and women, Kings, and divine messengers.
The Dead- the collective ancestral spirits and the spirits of saints. These are ever present with the practitioner, even prior to initiation. It is their actions that usually propel the practioner to initiation.

Baye

[Teresa]

The Dead- the collective ancestral spirits and the spirits of saints. These are ever present with the practitioner, even prior to initiation. It is their actions that usually propel the practioner to initiation. [/LIST]

Baye
This is something that I have found to be extremely true in my case! The spirits prompted me to continue searching thru the years. Having a partial NA heritage I was raised to recognize the ever present ancestral spirits and learned to communicate with them.

[David19]

I've just check the book, and the entities were called 'diab' and the author says it means 'devils' and that they were 'pure evil', the book is the Idiots Guide to Voodoo and i'm really learning a lot from it.

Has anyone heard of the 'diab' before, i agree with Semicivilizedman that nothing black and white, but i was just wondering what people thought of the 'diab' or even, has anyone ever had any experiences with them (or worked with them or been attacked by them, etc).

Anyway, again thanks for all the information you're providing :).

[semi]

I have not heard of that word before. Baye, have you?

Also, about the Idiots Guide to Voodoo, I have heard good things about it and I have heard that it's aptly named. I haven't read it myself.

[David19]

I'd thought i'd bump up this thread. I really like this book as i'm learning a lot (although i hope the information is correct), i've almost finished the section on Bokor's(sp), and it says that they work with the 'Diab' i mentioned earlier (has anyone else heard or worked with these as i'm a bit curious about what they are, is there another name for them, the book calls them 'evil', and are extremly dangerous to work with, the only ones who do are Bokor's).

Also, the book seems to give the impression Bokor's aren't 'true' Vodou practicioners, and are more 'evil' (i think, i haven't got it right in front of me now). I know that they're sorcerers, but are they really only out for themselves or do they just focus on the magic (i think i saw a book that was supposed to be just on the magic called Urban Voodo).

Also, and this is going to seem really streotypical, but does anyone here know about the 'zombies' that are in Vodou belief (or would it be more Hoodoo than Vodou?), from what i've read (in the book and elsewhere), there are different types of zombies, one of which is a spirit zombie (where i think a Bokow enslaves a spirit of some sort, although i'm not sure if i've got that right).

Anyway, hope you can answer some questions, and also feel free to correct things i've got wrong :).

[Sage Rainsong]

Well I have heard that there are certain powders that produce zombies. This is a huge debate though so be careful of what you believe. These powders are given to the victim which causes a death like state and brain damage. Many times the brain damaged person is supposedly exploited like a slave once the death state wears off. Try going here for more info: http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a990521.html

As far as spirit zombies go I am not so sure. I have heard or rituals where a spirit is ritually trapped and then forced to do their bidding but I don't know the specific details.

As far as what a bokor is I have always thought of them as being hired guns. I think that a bokor means someone who works with both hands. Meaning that they are sorcerers who will do any ritual for money even if it means killing someone or a prosperity working. I can't imagine that thoes sort of ethics would lead to a good reputation.

[alabaster]

I have a book called 'Mama Lola' which is the true story of a female voudoun practitioner living in America - it covers how she became a mambo, her life, visits back to her family on Haiti etc. Really interesting, and contains alot of information of voudou.

Maybe a bit old now to be relevant, but a good read!