Max Beauvoir, Haiti's "supreme master" of voodoo, alleged his faith's opponents had deliberately prevented much-needed help from reaching followers of the religion, which blends the traditional beliefs of West African slaves with Roman Catholicism.
"The evangelicals are in control and they take everything for themselves," he claimed. "They have the advantage that they control the airport where everything is stuck. They take everything they get to their own people and that's a shame.
One might wonder why the "supreme master" doesn't just invoke the spirits to thwart the efforts of Christians.
"It was developed by our ancestors, it is a way of life. To ask us to stop would be like asking an American to stop heating hamburgers."
Mr. Beauvoir's statement above is an excellent argument for why aid should be accompanied by a call to repentance.
Kompe Filo, one of the most popular TV and radio personalities in Haiti, and a vocal believer, said voodoo predicted the earthquake six months ago.
He said: “God is angry against humanity, not just Haiti but all humanity. This is a message that man must change, and reconnect with the natural world around him.
“We have a lot of beliefs modern people should believe in. For example we believe that trees have spirits which we should not harm otherwise we will all suffer.”
Just one question, Chief: If voodoo predicted the earthquake six months in advance, why wasn't anything done to prepare the country?
The belief that trees possess spirits is a big reason that Haiti is poor and backward. A society that believes that trees possess spirits is not going to cut down those trees and build houses out of them.
The only thing that can possibly overcome the ingrained superstition of voodoo in Haiti is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Fortunately, there seems to be some evidence that God is using this disaster to get people's attention and open them to the gospel:
Inspiration, an evangelical station, said 11,000 people had rung up to pledge themselves to God since the earthquake.
I don't know how many of these callers are coming to true saving faith in Jesus Christ, but let's pray that they all do.
Here's an item of good news about a son of a voodoo priest who is leading people to the Saviour:
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (BP)--On a hot afternoon in a crowded, makeshift camp in Port-au-Prince, Jean Junior Cineas sits under a tarp suspended by a broomstick. He shares his faith with five Haitians left homeless after the Jan. 12 earthquake rocked their island nation. Soon, all five pray to receive Christ as their Savior.
The irony: Cineas is the son of a voodoo priest.
"It gives me joy to [share Christ]," Cineas says as he moves through the rows of tents. "I love to do that. It is my life."
Cineas, 26, who prefers to go by Junior, has had plenty of opportunities to share his faith since disaster struck. He says voodoo's influence has diminished and many Haitians are now calling on God.
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Acts 2:21
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