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BOB ABERNETHY, anchor: We have a rare look today at one of the world's more controversial religions -- voodoo -- as practiced by the people of Haiti. Just this year, the government of Haiti recognized voodoo as an official religion. That move was widely welcomed by voodoo practitioners, who say they have often been persecuted and accused of such rituals as human sacrifice and black magic.
Fred de Sam Lazaro got permission to attend some voodoo ceremonies and see some of what goes on.
FRED DE SAM LAZARO: Haitian voodoo has its roots in centuries-old West African religions. Over time in the New World, it absorbed Indian and Christian influences.
Voodoo practitioners believe in one god, but invoke an array of intermediate deities or "Lwa." They are believed to be able to grant favors or heal the sick. Priests can be female or male and are respected for their knowledge and power to summon the Lwa. Many rituals are secret and magical -- one reason, perhaps, why voodoo is so disparaged in the West, and believers are accused of devil worship, superstition, or worse.
Some of the harshest condemnation comes from Evangelical Protestant preachers.
Pastor WILSON LAGUERRE (through voice of translator): They sacrifice animals, there is a lot of violence. They eat people, and they kill people.
DE SAM LAZARO: Max Beauvoir is one of Haiti's best known voodoo priests, or "houngans." He says stories abound about voodoo, many made in Hollywood, not Haiti. For example, he says the much-fabled voodoo dolls are not used in Haiti. As for rituals to inflict harm on others, Beauvoir says abuses can be found in all religions. Like the others, voodoo strives for good over evil and nonviolence.
MAX BEAUVOIR (Voodoo Priest): Good and God, we feel they are the same words, and they are put together into one word. We call him "Bon Dieu." And that Bon Dieu only created what is good. However, we feel that evil do exists also, but it's the creation of the human being. I think the human being has natural flaws. We have greed, we have egos. Voodooists has never been against Catholics or any other religion. As of today there has never been a movement of voodoo against somebody else. In fact, voodoo has constantly been aggressed by other religions.
DE SAM LAZARO: Beauvoir says voodoo influences every aspect of Haitian life: where people seek counsel or healing, the way they worship. Many people go to both church and voodoo peristyle, or temple.
Mr. BEAUVOIR: The Protestants of Haiti are very different from the Protestants of elsewhere. They are Haitian Protestants, meaning they are voodoo Protestants. Just like the Catholics of Haiti are different, Catholics from the One of the Rome, they are voodoo Catholics. And Haiti actually, voodoo actually, coalesces all the many elements that are present here.
Fred de Sam Lazaro got permission to attend some voodoo ceremonies and see some of what goes on.
FRED DE SAM LAZARO: Haitian voodoo has its roots in centuries-old West African religions. Over time in the New World, it absorbed Indian and Christian influences.
Voodoo practitioners believe in one god, but invoke an array of intermediate deities or "Lwa." They are believed to be able to grant favors or heal the sick. Priests can be female or male and are respected for their knowledge and power to summon the Lwa. Many rituals are secret and magical -- one reason, perhaps, why voodoo is so disparaged in the West, and believers are accused of devil worship, superstition, or worse.
Some of the harshest condemnation comes from Evangelical Protestant preachers.
Pastor WILSON LAGUERRE (through voice of translator): They sacrifice animals, there is a lot of violence. They eat people, and they kill people.
DE SAM LAZARO: Max Beauvoir is one of Haiti's best known voodoo priests, or "houngans." He says stories abound about voodoo, many made in Hollywood, not Haiti. For example, he says the much-fabled voodoo dolls are not used in Haiti. As for rituals to inflict harm on others, Beauvoir says abuses can be found in all religions. Like the others, voodoo strives for good over evil and nonviolence.
MAX BEAUVOIR (Voodoo Priest): Good and God, we feel they are the same words, and they are put together into one word. We call him "Bon Dieu." And that Bon Dieu only created what is good. However, we feel that evil do exists also, but it's the creation of the human being. I think the human being has natural flaws. We have greed, we have egos. Voodooists has never been against Catholics or any other religion. As of today there has never been a movement of voodoo against somebody else. In fact, voodoo has constantly been aggressed by other religions.DE SAM LAZARO: Beauvoir says voodoo influences every aspect of Haitian life: where people seek counsel or healing, the way they worship. Many people go to both church and voodoo peristyle, or temple.
Mr. BEAUVOIR: The Protestants of Haiti are very different from the Protestants of elsewhere. They are Haitian Protestants, meaning they are voodoo Protestants. Just like the Catholics of Haiti are different, Catholics from the One of the Rome, they are voodoo Catholics. And Haiti actually, voodoo actually, coalesces all the many elements that are present here.
Mr. BEAUVOIR: I would say that my backyard here includes almost 250 different species of plants that are all medicinal plants.
DE SAM LAZARO: After that life force has been harnessed in some spiritual way, though, right? I mean, I can't simply pluck something off a tree?
