"Voodoo is a type of magick, not a type of Witchcraft."

I have nothing against VooDoo but I do feel that Witchcraft & VooDoo are two completely different intities with many differences. First of all, I am not adept in the practice of Voo Doo. In my studies of it and the people that I have met that practice Voo Doo it appears that it is more like Christian Magick than Witchcraft. I may be inaccurate on these points but I have done a few studies on the practice and I believe the following are pretty accurate of some practitioners of VooDoo.

The following is not the belief of all VooDoo practitioners but some make claim to the below information:

1. Many practicioners of VooDoo worship God more in the Christian sense.

2. Studies have proven that the "zombies" of VooDoo priests & priestesses were nothing more than enducement into a near death state by the use of a poison (teterododoxin, extracted from a blowfish).

PLEASE NOT BEFORE YOU GET OFFENDED THE ABOVE IS NOT ACCURATE FOR ALL PRATITIONERS OF VOODOO. I DO BELIEVE THAT MANY PRACTITIONERS OF VOODOO ARE SPIRITUAL & POWERFUL AS ARE TRUE WITCHES. THERE ARE FRAUDS IN WITCHCRAFT AS WELL AS EVERY OTHER RELIGION KNOWN TO MAN AND I EXPLAIN THAT IN MY RANTS SECTION.

Vodun, like Christianity, is a religion of many traditions. Each group follows a different spiritual path and worships a slightly different pantheon of spirits, called Loa. The word means "mystery" in the Yoruba language. Yoruba traditional belief included a chief God Olorun, who is remote and unknowable. He authorized a lesser God Obatala to create the earth and all life forms. A battle between the two Gods led to Obatala's temporary banishment.

There are a number of points of similarity between Roman Catholicism and Vodun:

Both believe in a supreme being.

The Loa resemble Christian Saints, in that they were once people who led exceptional lives, and are usually given a single responsibility or special attribute.

Both believe in an afterlife.

Both have, as the centerpiece of some of their ceremonies, a ritual sacrifice and consumption of flesh and blood.

Both believe in the existence of invisible evil spirits or demons.

Followers of Vodun believe that each person has a met tet (master of the head) which corresponds to a Christian's patron saint. Followers of Vodun believe that each person has a soul which is composed of

two parts: a gros bon ange or "big guardian angel", and a ti bon ange or "little guardian angel". The latter leaves the body during sleep and when the person is possessed by a Loa during a ritual. There is a concern that the ti bon ange can be damaged or captured by evil sorcery while it is free of the body.

Vodun Rituals

   The purpose of rituals is to make contact with a spirit, to gain their favor by offering them animal sacrifices and gifts, to obtain help in the form of more abundant food, higher standard of living, and improved health. Human and Loa depend upon each other; humans provide food and other materials; the Loa provide health, protection from evil spirits and good fortune. Rituals are held to celebrate lucky events, to attempt to escape a run of bad fortune, to celebrate a seasonal day of celebration associated with a Loa, for healing, at birth, marriage and death.

   Vodun priests can be male (houngan or hungan), or female (mambo). A Vodun temple is called a hounfour (or humfort). At its center is a poteau-mitan a pole where the God and spirits communicate with the people. An altar will be elaborately decorated with candles, pictures of Christian saints, symbolic items related to the Loa, etc. Rituals consist of some of the following components:

a feast before the main ceremony

   Creation of a veve, a pattern of flour or cornmeal on the floor which is unique to the Loa for whom the ritual is to be conducted shaking a rattle and beating drums which have been cleansed and purified

chanting dancing by the houngan and/or mambo and the hounsis (students studying Vodun). The dancing will typically build in intensity until one of the dancers (usually a hounsis) becomes possessed by a Loa and falls. His or her ti bon ange has left their body and the spirit has taken control. The possessed dancer will behave as the Loa and is treated with respect and ceremony by the others present.

   Animal sacrifice; this may be a goat, sheep, chicken, or dog. They are usually humanely killed by slitting their throat; blood is collected in a vessel. The possessed dancer may drink some of the blood. The hunger of the Loa is then believed to be satisfied. The animal is usually cooked and eaten. Animal sacrifice is a method of consecrating food for consumption by followers of Vodun, their gods and ancestors.