Voodoo

The cross is a significant symbol to the Haitian Voodoo religion. Voodoo originated in Africa. When slaves were brought to the land that is now called Haiti, they brought the religion with them. In order for them to continue to practice their religion they had to disguise it with the religion that the colonizers had. Catholicism was the religion that they had to blend in with. This was not incredibly difficult because Voodoo is also a monotheistic religion and their spirits act much like the saints. The main voodoo God does not deal with human affairs, so it is the job of the loa’s to interact with the human world. In the Voodoo religion, the chicken is seen as a pure animal. In some rituals, a chicken is rubbed on a person’s body in order to purify the body. These animals are also sacrificed.       

There are many spirits that are important and that are worshiped in everyday life; one of the major spirits in the voodoo religion is Baron Samedi. He is the loa, or spirit, of death, resurrection and sex. Each loa has a veve or a symbol that represents them. They also have colors that they are associated with; Samedi’s colors are black and purple. Samedi’s veve is represented with a cross and two coffins.  On each of his shrines his veve must be present with other things that his spirit likes. This particular loa likes smoking, so cigarettes are placed in his shrine along with rum that has hot peppers in it. When someone is possessed by this loa they drink this rum. There are many different loas with their own veves and own colors.

In this short youtube video, you see the voodoo priest get possessed by Baron Samedi. The loa aids the priest in finding the cause of the problem with the young man. He aids the priest in finding the cause, so that he may find a solution. Also you are able to see that they drink blood. This is another practice that is used in order to purify the body. Sometimes the blood that they drink is that of an animal that they have sacrificed, such as a chicken. These are just some of the many symbols used in voodoo.

Some of the symbols discussed so far can be used to define Voodoo as a religion. The veves that are present on the shrines are symbols of the loas. Each loa has its own purpose. The shrines act as a connection for the people to the loas. These spirits affect the emotions of their followers. For example, when the followers of Baron Samedi pray to him they do it with great respect. He is a loa that demands great respect, and when he posses someone like in the youtube video people listen because they fear him. Because there are different loas assigned to different aspects of life it creates order because you pray to the loa that has to do with whatever you’re going through. All of this is real to the followers of voodoo, ad according to Geertz definition of religion voodoo would qualify. 

Unity

The Baha’i temple in Chicago symbolizes the Baha’i religion. The temple was built with 9 entrances which symbolize the welcoming of all of humanity from every direction. Also in the Baha’i faith the number nine signifies completion. The unity of all of the earth’s religions and people is a goal of the religion. In the design of the temple there are symbols of many religions on the surface. This goes along with the idea that all of the earth’s religions praise God. The temple was created for all the people of the world all of the people of God to worship him under one roof.
The Garden is also an essential part to the design of the temple. Like the other Baha’i temples in the world the garden was created to represent the people of the earth and it is also a place of peace. Baha’u’llah said that the people of the world are like the many different types of flowers in a garden. He said that we should coexist together like the flowers do in a garden. In the Baha’i temple in Chicago their garden has many species of flowers that represent this idea. The temple is a place where people of any religion or any background can come to worship.

New Religions

It is really interesting to me that there can be so many new religions created. I feel like there is a lot that can be lost in translation when religions are changed or modified. It seems like the main religions, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. Have there own variations. There are also translations of there own bibles or holy books that are changed. 

It is hard for me to see where the line is drawn between man made creation and a true religion that was created by God. The line seems to be blurred. How many people are actually sent by God to spread a new word. 

Also I feel like religion is a strong and dangerous tool that people can use. There are many people that died in the name of religion because they had a charismatic leader that told them God sent them. It is scary to me that so many new people accept these religions. I feel like it shows that the human race can be easily changed or manipulated. 

Baha'u'llah

When founding a new religion there are a few main elements that must be present. The religion has to be fundamentally different from the others. Also it needs to solving a problem or filling in a gap that the other present religions can’t. It needs to be able to be a system of symbols that people can relate to and accept. People need to feel moved by it.
The process of creating a new religion is usually a long one. It can begin as a variation of a major religion and eventually it evolves different values or symbols so that it becomes fundamentally different. For example the Bahais took a while to come about. It was a long process. They began as a variation of Islam. The Bahais share some of the same beliefs as the Islamic faith, but, they are different. For example when Tihrani entered the tent without her veil on, it signaled a major change. This was a huge distinguishing factor between the Islamic faith and the new religion that was being created.
Having a founder for a religion is very important. It is actually fundamental. Without a founder the creation of a new religion is not the same. There needs to be at least one person in control or with the power. There needs to be that one divine person that gives direction and guidance from whatever entity that is being believed in. It was very important to the Bahais that Baha’u’llah be a founder, because he had a lot of power both financial and political. He assisted greatly in the creation and progression of the religion.

Babylon

After doing some reading on the Rastafari and their beliefs I came across something I found interesting. The Rastas believe that Jesus Christ was God himself and that he taught God’s teachings but that they were distorted by Babylon. I find it interesting that Jesus Christ teachings could be distorted by Babylon. I would say that Babylon is just human kind in general. I feel that all types of people have made many different interpretations of what they felt the meaning of the bible is or what some prominent figure in a religion was saying. I don’t feel that it is necessarily fair for the Rastafari to blame it all on Babylon since there are corrupt people everywhere and in every society. Western society is not the cause of all evil and corruption.
I also find it interesting that they agree with the majority of Christian teachings and the Christian bible, yet they believe that someone human is God. If they believe in the Christian bible and the accept Revelations, then how would it be possible for God to have come down to earth again without the apocalypse. Maybe there are logical questions to this but I haven’t read anything yet to answer the question and it’s just weird to me.

Rastafari

In the Rastafari video they had a series of symbols that they had. They had the turbans as well as the dreads that were prominent symbols. They also had various signs of good and evil and the R of righteousness over the X of wrong. I also noticed that the good is written in black and the evil in white. I don’t really know if this is a religious thing or if it’s maybe more of a political symbol. Also the color red seems to be present a lot in their surrounding, with their clothes and turbans.
Bob Marley’s presentation of Rastafarian life was one of a somewhat stress less care free lifestyle. But in his song “No Woman No cry”, he presents a life that seems to have some political stress in it, but there is still this idea that the person should not be stressed. One thing that I feel is not presented in Bob Marley’s music is how devote the Rastafari can be. In the video they spoke about the times that they get up to perform ceremonies. They also strictly observe the Sabbath day.

God ok with rape?

I was outraged when I read Kebra Negast. I couldn’t believe that a follower of the Lord, King Solomon, was allowed to commit a crime and a sin. He basically committed rape, but it was ok because God allowed it. In the origin story King Solomon believed that because Queen Sheba had come from afar and was so beautiful that this had to be God giving him the opportunity to impregnate her. He cheated his way into sleeping with her. If it was God’s will for him to get the Queen pregnant then why did he have to trick her? He deliberately fed her food that would make her thirsty, and he also placed the water in a location that she would see. She did not take the water by force, but he took her by force. Since when is rape ok with God? But, for some reason this story is ok with everyone. It definitely doesn’t make sense to me.