preview

Elements Of Catholicism And Voodoo

Decent Essays
A religion can be defined as a system of belief that manifest, to some degree, the following eight elements: belief system, community, central myths, ritual, ethics, characteristic emotional experience, material expression, and sacredness. Depending on the religion, some of these elements may carry more weight than others. I will look at Catholicism and Voodoo and the role some of these elements play within these systems of belief.
Catholicism is a monotheistic religion believing that God is the Creator of all that is. We must love and serve God in our daily life, through prayer and good works, in order to achieve salvation. The element of central myths plays a large role within the Catholic faith, as the Bible is the core of Catholic
…show more content…
Eucharist is when we receive the body and blood of Christ through the symbols of bread and wine. It further extends the initiation that took place at baptism “to enter fully into the heart of Christian faith through participation in the Eucharist” (catholic.org,2017). Confirmation is the final step of initiation. It is receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit that unites us more firmly with Christ and strengthens our bond with the Church. The remaining four Sacraments guide us through the rest of our life. The Sacrament of Penance is received regularly to confess our sins and seek forgiveness so that we may remain in God’s grace. The Sacrament of Marriage takes place when two people commit to spend the rest of their life together, anointing of the sick is when a priest anoints a sick person with oil and offers prayers, and Holy Orders is the sacrament that takes place with the ordination of a bishop, priest, or deacon into ministry (Molloy, M., 2010).
Voodoo is also a monotheistic religion that combines Catholic and African beliefs and is often surrounded by many misconceptions. Voodoo has been portrayed by the media as a form of devil worship and curses, with Voodoo dolls being used to inflict pain on one’s enemies (ancient-origins.net). It is practiced primarily in Haiti, New Orleans, and the Caribbean. This religion is several hundred years old, dating back to when African slaves were brought to America from Haiti. They were not allowed to practice their African
Get Access