Haiti earthquake: voodoo high priest claims aid monopolised by Christians

[icymist]

Haiti's voodoo high priest has claimed believers have been discriminated against by evangelical Christians who are monopolising aid sent to the earthquake-stricken country
By Nick Allen in Port-au-Prince
Published: 7:00AM GMT 01 Feb 2010

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

"Everyone is suffering the same and has the same needs. We are not asking for anything more than anyone else. We're just asking for it to be fair."

Mr Beauvoir, 75, a Sorbonne-educated biochemist, spoke as a first convoy of aid arrived at his home in Mariani, a town just outside Port-au-Prince. It contained 400 sacks of rice from the World Food Programme and was mobbed by hundreds of hungry voodoo believers.

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[liberal_at_heart]

1. This is an outrage but not surprising

Evangelicals are always ready to pounce when a chance to either help their kind or convert others is at hand. My dad is an evangelical. He's never been out of the country in his life, but he wants to go over there to do mission work. The voodoo followers could always lie and say they are ready to convert so they can get help.

[icymist]

2. This isn't just about converting, this is withholding food and medical aid

to force people to convert. Doesn't that say a lot about the religion when some people have to be forced to convert? These so-called Christians let people die while blaming everything on "a pack with the Devil" and then go to their homes and trumpet to the world about how great they are and what a marvelous job they are doing by providing aid.

[htuttle]

4. A lot of rescue missions in the US have been the same way

(circa 1988)
You had to sit through the sermons before you got supper and a cot. You could sit there and ignore it, but you had to sit there listening to your stomach growl listening to them talk about God's Bountiful Love...

Don't know if there are many still like that. Probably are.

[Sans Culottes]

13. I have to object.

Why should the practitioners of Vodon be expected to deny their faith?

[Shell Beau]

3. If this is true, it is a total shame.

I know fundies can be crazy, but I just hope this is embellished. I know people who do this kind of Christian humanitarian work, and none would deny food to any hungry person. I am not saying this is a lie. I am sure there are people out there who would deny food in the name of Jesus (and that is so shameful to me for more than one reason), but for the most part, I would think that those who went over there are actually there to aid (and maybe evangelize in the process), but not to deny food because of religions.

[EFerrari]

5. Isn't the Telegraph a tabloid?

Which isn't to say that it's not impossible that the fundies who were funded so bountifully by BushCo aren't still around and don't still have muscle in these situations.

[icymist]

7. Humm. The Telegraph a tabloid.... let's see

Yeah, I see some strange story lines like 'Cat predicts 50 deaths in RI nursing home' and
'Is this the best office gadget? A lavatory paper machine' which I see no different as any other off-beat news. I also see other stories like 'Haitian children taken by US group 'have family'' and 'Iraq: suicide bomber kills 41' which I have also noticed in the recent main stream news. I don't see this site listed as a tabloid and besides, the National Enquirer, a real tabloid, has been reporting about John Edwards' love child for over a year, a story that has now gone to the main stream news. This story paints some Christians in a bad light but, the remedy is not to attack the messenger as a questionable source.

[EFerrari]

9. Oh, understood. I'm just trying to remember what I remember about The Telegraph.

lol

Actually, I've been afraid that precisely this kind of thing would happen -- that everyone but the Haitian grassroots would get a first crack at aid.

[dem629]

6. Oh, goody. Another religious whackjob spouting off about the earthquake.

Maybe he and Pat should have lunch.

[Sans Culottes]

14. Did you bother to read the OP?

Your comment makes no sense.

[Enrique]

15. ?

:wtf:

[The Straight Story]

8. Well, where are all the voodoo folks from other countries? Surely they can help them?

:shrug:

[icymist]

10. I know of Pagan groups that are helping

Pagan groups join forces to offer assistance in Haiti

User Submitted News
Friday, January 29, 2010
PORTSMOUTH — PaganFM!, a radio program and Pagan podcast, originating at WSCA-LP, 106.1 FM in Portsmouth, and Circle Sanctuary, located near Barneveld, Wis,m have embarked on a collaborative effort, with the support of musicians from around the world, to create a music album, the proceeds from which will be used to provide assistance to the recovery and rebuilding efforts in Haiti.

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As for actualy Voodoo groups, I don't have the time to search at the moment, but you are welcomed to give it a try and find out just who is helping who.

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[icymist]

12. Dude! I have no idea of what you have just said!

eom

[ChickMagic]

16. This happens all the time

The fundie idiots exploit tragedy and chaos whenever
possible. South Park had it right:

http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/103422

[Toasterlad]

17. It Certainly Shouldn't Make Any Difference WHICH Brand of Witchcraft You Practice