7963: Re: 7952: Re: 7889: Re: religious expertise (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: H P <kemsere@hotmail.com>

>Money mucks up spiritual matters.  There is no person, who is better
>able to summon the lwa than the supplicant.  No title impresses the lwa.  
>;)
>Service impresses the lwa.  Humans need money, the lwa do not.
>

I don't know much about vodou because it is not my religion, but I am 
Catholic.

I find interesting this argument about "financing" God. As far as I have 
been able to tell through conversations with friends of mine that are from 
different religions, financial contribution is common practice in all 
religions. Whether it is to a church, a temple, a mosq, or to a hougan's 
practice, people sacrifice their material posessions for spiritual/religious 
purposes.
It is not seen as "paying" God or Lwas, but as a sacrifice.
In Catholocism, we pay to baptise our children, for first communion and to 
get married. We pay priests to come bless our homes or perform other 
religious duties. It is their occupation, this is how their earn their 
living. Our sacrifices, may they be financial or other, are seen as a way of 
detaching ourselves from material things for a higher purpose, the service 
of God.

Paying a priest or pastor for services will not get you into Heaven, only 
your personal relationship with God will do that, and one way to serve God 
is through sacrifice.

Therefore I do not understand how, especially in comparison to Catholicism, 
paying a Hougan or Bokor in Vodou religion could be percieved as "paying" 
the lwas. The Lwas don't need money, but the hougan has to earn a living...
Pardon me if I am being ignorant, but I really don't understand the basis 
for the argument.

Emmanuelle A. Zennie



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