Voodoo is a religion Part 1

I find it irksome that people readily believe in the 'sky god' of Christianity & Judaism & Islam, yet are much too eager to dismiss Voodoo as 'black magic', 'negative', 'evil', and 'demonic', not a religion at all.  Is this a result of racism, bigotry, because Voodoo's adherents are largely African and Black American?

How come most American Blacks are repulsed by the very idea of Voodoo, a religion that was practiced by our ancestors hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years before the White man came along, helped to enslave us and then forced his own belief system upon us?  What is so despicable about Voodoo, why is it considered 'dark' or 'sinister'?

Stereotypes of Voodoo include the belief that followers use 'Voodoo dolls', are able to turn enemies into 'zombies', and that there must something 'wrong' with the followers of this belief system.  For instance, here is what Pat Robertson, a White supremacist/Christian Majority/Religious Right fanatic, stated about Haiti after the devastating earthquake of a few years ago, which underlines the feeling of many concerning this island nation:

Shortly after the earthquake, televangelist and religious-based bigot, Pat Robertson took the opportunity to do one of the things he does best and boasted his biased and uneducated prejudices concerning the spiritual reasons behind the earthquake. He rudely and ignorantly claimed that Haiti's suffering was due to a pact that was made between its founders and the devil more than 200 years ago, in order to liberate themselves from the French slave owners.
Robertson also called the quake in Haiti a "blessing in disguise."
This raving lunatic not only displays his own ignorance as to what Vodou actually is, but that any religion which is not his own is simply devil worship.
Was a pact between the Haitians and the devil made in order to gain their freedom? Absolutely not. The truth is that Haitian Vodou has nothing to do with the concept of the Christian devil or Satan.
The only pact that WAS made was between the leaders of the revolt and that pact was that they would fight till the death and wouldn't give up no matter what. They agreed that they would rather die than live another day without freedom.
Voudo Roots

What I would like to say to Pat Robertson is: what makes Christianity, with its rituals, magic, supposed miracles, spiritualism, and belief in the Devil, so damned special, what makes it right, what makes its zealot followers The Chosen Few?  Of course, let's forget all the thousands tortured & killed as the early leaders of this religion forced it upon the masses in the Europe of old.

The fact that most of the adherents of Voodoo are dark-skinned people is the main reason it is so despised and looked down at by those who follow the blue-eyed Christ.  Voodoo has ONE GOD just like Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.  Its 'saints', borrowed from Roman Catholicism that was forced upon the slaves of Haiti and other Caribbean islands, became the 'loas' of this religion.  It is merely ancestor worship, something all of us are 'guilty' of. 

Voodoo

The Dead Files

One paranormal show that I have watched lately via YouTube is The Dead Files.  OMG, what a gaggle of giggles!  Steve the retired police detective does his thing whilst Amy the so-called psychic does her thing; then they get together to compare notes, such as it is.  Steve appears to be the more professional of the two.  Any is definitely more childish.  Even while she is going through a property supposedly chatting with these dead people, she makes inappropriate faces, snickers, uses foul language, and goofy gestures.  

The entire show seems scripted, even the people who are allegedly experiencing the activity seem to be following some sort of script.  They have a stern-faced guy with a camera filming Amy at the same time a camera team does, which hardly makes any sense.  Sometimes, the guy will ask Amy questions,  But hey, why do they need him AND another camera crew?  She's a psychic, why does she need anyone leading her with questions?

Steve's annoying New York accent aside, The Dead Files is pretty entertaining.  Amy's theatrics alone - not only does she often smile during her readings, but she gasps and curses and even laughs - can be funnier than watching an old Richard Pryor comedy (The Toy comes to mind).  Not only does Amy lack professionalism, but she doesn't come across - to me anyway - as a convincing psychic any more than Chip Coffey does.

Her statement that she 'talks to dead people' and 'they talk to her' sounds like something straight out of the Sixth Sense.  Hell, a lot of people talk to the dead - how many of you have spoken to deceased family members or friends when visiting their burial places?  Even those who speak to Jesus are speaking to a dead person!  I doubt very seriously that the dead are responding to Amy.  I don't believe in psychics and never will, and I can always spot their phoniness.  Trying to convince die-hard believers of this is an uphill battle, however, as I learned when I tried to convince my mother of Sylvia Browne's fakery on the Montel Williams Show. 

Steve seems more sincere but his facial expressions sometimes tell a different story.  Maybe he's the skeptic of this Dynamic Duo, I don't know.  But there are times when the people are telling their stories, that he gets a look on his face that shouts, I don't effing believe this!  Of course, he usually soothes the person as if he actually does fall for whatever tale they are telling...

In conclusion, I find The Dead Files to be as credible as any other paranormal show.  That is to state, that it is just as believable as an interview with Peter Cottontail, a mug shot of the Abominable Snowman, or a major slug-fest between King Kong and Big Foot caught on film. 

Haunted Encounters: Face to Face?

The Paranormal Syndicate has got to be one of the lamest paranormal research groups I have ever seen on television.  The quality of this show, or lack of, simply goes to prove the desperation TV producers exude in seeking the latest band of publicity-crazed ghost hunters.

How many shows I have seen where ghost hunters have investigated Eastern State Penitentiary, I can't even recall.  I do remember that the infamous Ghost Hunters was the first show I ever saw that investigated this supposedly haunted former prison.  Nothing happened during their visit there - if it did, they faked it (as usual).  I also know that Ghost Adventures went there, and I think either Paranormal State (the Paranormal Research Society) or Ghost Lab (Everyday Paranormal), but I know some other group with their own show visited that ex-prison.

At any rate, I don't believe that Eastern State is haunted.  I don't believe that any prison, mental institution, or hospital is haunted.  Cemeteries, either.

Watch this show.  It may be canceled by now - and if it's not, it should be - but this episode is worth a look.  Laugh aloud.  These ghost hunting shows are funnier than any sitcom or comedy film.  Grown people getting overly excited over EVPs that they claim are the voices of long-dead spirits...gasping at shadows...cringing at this noise...jumping at that noise.

Renowned psychic Chelsea.  Oh, really?  I have never heard of this woman - I never heard of Chip Coffey either, until I saw him on Paranormal State.  And they guy is simply a gay phony, a fake like all psychics.  If these people had any special powers that were real, one of them would have walked away with James Randi's million dollars by now.

A 'ripple in time'?  'Pandora's Box'?  Give me a freakin' break!  These people need to grow up and find real jobs...!!!

Paranormal Syndicate even has a dog they use for their investigations!  Can you imagine?!?  Come on, folks.  Let's give up on the ghost hunting and concentrate on something that is useful and can help mankind, such as defeating poverty, fighting to eradicate hunger, and bringing technology to the Third World.

But oh no, these ghost hunters are out seeking spirits...not to mention fame and fortune.  If not, they would stay off TV or better yet, go learn something rather than travel around the country visiting 'haunted' places that are just old buildings with maximum 'creep' appeal.

Haunted Encounters is lame.  Truly.  Watch this episode and giggle, but don't bother watching any others, if there are any.  Hell, Finding Big Foot is pretty lame too, but at least there's a chance such a creature could possibly exist.

Eastern State Penitentiary

In Defense of Cats

I am extremely pissed off - yes, I am going there - with the treatment cats have suffered over the years, which parallel the grotesque manner in which women have been treated by society.

Cats are considered 'evil', 'wicked', 'demonic', 'witchy', and so on.  Black cats are unlucky, except in Britain where they are considered lucky.  Gypsies think of cats and dogs as unclean, but will keep dogs because they are useful as guards.

Other unfair misconceptions about cats include the following:

Cats suck the breath from babies.
Cats will attack owners out of jealousy.
Cats are Witches' familiars.
Cats come from Hell.
Cats are not loyal creatures.

I have had pets nearly all my life, dogs as well as cats, and I will admit that my preference is towards cats.  They are more quiet, less troublesome, cleaner - despite what Gypsies believe - and far more intelligent than any dog I have ever encountered.  Cat owners are also more intelligent than dog owners, who tend to kiss, cuddle, and act towards their canine companions as though the four-legged creatures are their lovers more than their pets.

Cats do not suck the breath from babies.  Babies are killed by their own selfish, crazy parents, not cats.
Cats do not attack owners out of jealousy.  This might be dog behavior, however.
Cats are not Witches' familiars.  It's just that Wiccans tend to prefer felines are canines.
Cats do not come from Hell.  If any creature comes from Hell, it is humans.
Cats are loyal creatures.  In fact, cats can be more loyal than any dog - as are my Tigger and Tigress!

You don't have to walk cats.  You don't have to clean them much because they are self-cleaning.  They use a litter box rather than your carpet.  They don't keep you up nights the way dogs do, barking their fool heads off.  They don't take up as much of your time.  They are just better animals than dogs in MY opinion.

I cannot comprehend why Black people are so damn scared of cats.  It is almost laughable really because they run to Church more than any other race of people, yet are so freaking superstitious and ignorant.  (And no, I am not a racist because I happen to be a Black American.  Therefore, I feel free to pass judgment as I see fit.)  My late cousin was so afraid of cats that even when the kittens of feral cats were congregated on her mother's front porch, she would not step foot outside until they were gone.  My late aunt despised them.  Her daughter, who is very child-like, loathes cats.  My other aunt once poked a dead pregnant cat and has been wary of cats ever since.  Why, I don't know.  She has a male friend who states that he can't come to my place because I have cats - like I'd ever invite him!

I am a cat person.  I'm a cat woman.  I love cats.  My goal in life, after getting my screenplays sold and produced, is to start a haven for homeless cats.  I just wish that cats were as pampered, treated as royally, and coddled as dogs are in this society.  Even children are sometimes treated worse than dogs, and I know for a fact that there are rednecks out there who wouldn't hesitate to kill a non-white (especially a Black) but will lay in bed hugging a dog.  Look what happened to Michael Vick after all.

Cats are loving, loyal, sweet, happy-go-lucky, fun, beautiful, companionable, and awesome creatures.  I am so glad that I have two spoiled kitties for my friends!

Satan's Soldier?

There is an episode of Paranormal State called 'Satan's Soldier'.  The client supposedly worshiped Satan for decades; in exchange for bringing people, souls, to Satan, this guy apparently received his heart's desire.

I find the client's admission laughable.  If the devil really gave him all he wanted  - money, women, drugs - in exchange for bringing others to the devil, then why is the guy living in that crappy old house?  He does not look prosperous at all.  Then again, he no longer worships Satan.  Perhaps that is why he looks rather poor.

You would think that, if Satan actually existed and rewarded his followers with their hearts' desires, all those that claim to worship him would be the richest, most attractive, powerful, and hedonistic people on earth.  In my mind, there is no Satan just as there is no God.  Rules have always been enforced by those who wish to be in control, and what better way to control people than through religion?  (The Roman Catholic Church is one of the most powerful - and wealthiest - organizations in the world.)

I firmly believe that more people would worship the devil if they truly believed that he could give them what they want so desperately.  I know of at least one person who would so it in a New York minute, and there are undoubtedly others who would - for fame, for fortune, for sex, for power...the list goes on and on.

At any rate, the former Soldier of Satan is now being terrorized by the devil  (or was at the time of the taping of this episode).  Of course, now that he's a Christian again, after having had his fill of sex, drugs, and money, he wants viewers of Paranormal State to believe that he is now just a regular joe, eager to live out the rest of his life as a devout Jesus Freak.  

And maybe he is.  As far as I am concerned...Satan = Santa!