Monday, September 13, 2010

Voodoo priest in Benin hopes to gain respect and new practitioners to the religion to stop stereotypes

This is not about secretive mutterings in the dead of night or freakish eccentrics, explained Dah Aligbonon Akpochihala, an eminent voodoo priest who has taken to the airwaves to preach the old messages of faith, fidelity and obedience integral to his religion. It is about bringing a younger generation on board. A slight, mild-mannered aristocrat in a blue robe, Mr. Aligbonon maintains his modest cinder-block temple on a busy commercial street in this bustling commercial capital, one of the continent’s major ports. The temple sits between a beauty parlor and a hardware stall, and offers spiritual consultation and ceremonies to Mami Wata (a water divinity) — along with photocopying, binding services and CDs in the Fon language of Mr. Aligbonon’s broadcasts. Chickens peck in the courtyard — they have multiple uses, food and sacrifice — laundry hangs on the rack and a baby bawls from within.

Full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/14/world/africa/14benin.html?_r=1


Doctors in the UK and Scotland warn of the dangers of homopathic 'vaccines'

Three practitioners admitted giving patients a homeopathic medicine designed to replace the MMR vaccine.  Inverness-based Katie Jarvis said she only offered "Homeopathic Prophylaxis" to patients who expressed an interest.  But the discovery has prompted a shocked reaction from doctors.  When asked about the practice, Ms Jarvis said: "The alternative that I would offer would be a homeopathic remedy made from diseased tissue, that comes from someone with that disease, and then made into potentised form so that is given in a homeopathic remedy.
Full article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-11277990