a1075: Subj: a1032; RE: a1030: Re: a1006: Controlling the evangelicals (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Racine125@aol.com

Joel Dreyfuss <jdreyfuss@attglobal.net> echoes LeGrace Benson as he writes:

<<If Haiti had some basic governmental organization and some basic
priorities of government-- but of course, it doesn't or we wouldn't all
be here talking about it -- then the government could set some
regulations for Christianization.>>

But... I mean, do you want the government to make "Christianization" a stated goal?

<<1. I would create a law that no religious group could make conversion a
requirement for receiving any form of social service: food, housing,
health, education or vocational training.>>

LOL!  You think that would help?  The laws already on the books are enforced... well, irregularly, how do you think you could enforce that one?  Social pressure would prevent un-"converted" individuals from being comfortable in those social service programs, and the failure of evangelicals to separate church and state, or religion and professional activity, guarantee that.

2. Any conversion to another religion would require an affidavit of free
will witnessed by someone not associated with the cult.

What good is that?  The man who converts for food aid will sign anything, he's HUNGRY! That's why he's "converting".  He most likely can't read what he is signing, and the paper means less than the public profession of faith anyhow - if he will stand up and announce his "coversion" to the Baptist faith before his community, what is a piece of paper?

3. No artifacts of indigenous religious practice would be deliberately
destroyed; they would be turned over to the National Museum...

Ummm... how about if those "artifacts of indigenous religious practice" go right straight to Vodouisants' peristyles!  Those "artifacts of indigenous religious practice" are sacred objects, they are ours, no one has the right to give them to any museum or any other place.

If by some unexpected turn of fate, some long buried, centuries-old Catholic chapel was unearthed, I think the Catholic Church would feel, quite rightly, that they should be the ones to receive the recovered objects.  In any case, I am not aware that there are many unclaimed artifacts around - most of what the Protestants got their hands on, they destroyed.  Some are in the National Museum, like that big asoto drum.  Do you know of any sacred objects that are languishing in limbo somewhere in a professor's basement or a museum's storage room?  It would be great to bring them out!

<<4. Any harrassment or denigation of vaudun practioners would be a
violation of the freedom of religion guaranteed under then laws of
Haiti.>>

It already is!  Beyond that, Haiti is also signatory to the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which also guarantees freedom of religion.    The name of our religion is Vodou, V-o-d-o-u, and it is to be capitalized, just like "Islam" or "Christianity".

Much of the text of Protestant sermons consists of what would be defined in the USA as "hate speech".

Peace and love,

Bon Mambo Racine Sans Bout Sa Te La Daginen

"Se bon ki ra" - Good is rare
     Haitian proverb

The VODOU Page - http://members.aol.com/racine125/index.html

(Posting from Jacmel, Haiti)