Voodoo

Persuasive Essay # 103845

Religion and Theology

Voodoo

A brief discussion of Voodoo as a religion and whether it deserves its bad reputation.

700 words () | 4 sources | MLA | 2008 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper argues that Voodoo is unjustly maligned by those who perceive it to be some kind of primitive tribal rite calling for the death of enemies and for the raising of the dead to serve as slaves. It looks at how in truth, the religion is highly sophisticated and is very effective at tying African youth to their past and at encouraging communal living. The paper relates that, in the end, the religion stands out as an example of how the mainstream media can sensationalize a faith or practice without providing the proper context

From the Paper:

"Another popular perception that is false is the idea that voodoo is somehow associated with Hollywood-style things like "The Zombie." Some online articles suggest, maybe facetiously, that rumors still circulate in the mainstream about voodoo priests being able to bring individuals back from the dead, whereupon they become zombies ("Voodoo," n.d.). Whether or not this attitude is as pervasive as some suggest, there is no denying that voodoo religion takes a very keen interest in the intersection between life and death. However, voodoo does not kill anyone - although it comes closer than some of its defenders might be comfortable disclosing."

Sample of Sources Used:

Anitei, Christian. (2007, January 12). The mystery of voodoo. Softpedia. Retrieved April 19, 2007 from <http://news.softpedia.com/news/to-Turn-Zombie-44339.shtml>
Gallaher, Tim. (1997, October 8). Zora Neale Hurston. Zora Neale Hurston, American Author. Retrieved April 19, 2007 from <http://www-hsc.usc.edu/~gallaher/hurston/hurston.html>
Origins of Voodoo. (n.d.). The Afrocentric Experience. Retrieved April 19, 2007 from <http://www.swagga.com/voodoo.htm>
Voodoo. (n.d.). Evula's Lair. Retrieved April 19, 2007 from <http://www.evula.com/reports/voodoo.html>