Meltingpot Readers,
The other day I was in my car listening to the BBC world service when I heard a story about a new religion gaining popularity in Venezuela. The religion sounds like a version of Santeria, where adherents worship various saints and spirits, many of these spirits being dead Venezuelans of some popular appeal. Most notably, people are praying to and asking for protection from a group of dead gang members, known as the 'holy thugs.' Mothers are praying to the 'holy thugs' to keep an eye out for their young sons so they don't stray into gang life, and gang members are praying to the holy thugs for protection while they rob and assault people. Makes you go hmmm, right?
Here's a link to the BBC story, so you can hear it for yourself.
In some ways I get it, but in other ways, I'm left scratching my head. What do you think? Would you worship 'holy thugs' if violence was taking over your land?
I'm listening.
Peace.
4 comments:
I listened to the program and it was very interesting but should't the question be : "Should you worship and seek protection through someone who could not even protect himself/herself from being killed, or even prevent their own death? ". Only the true, perfect and everlasting God in control of our affairs has the right to be worshipped in truth.
Dorian,
You raise a good point. I too was wondering why you'd ask for protection from someone who was killed prematurely?
hehehe. Well, seriously who are catholics asking to intercede on their behalf with gawd, if not thugs who have been hoarding a good portion of the money formerly belonging to the poor peoples of the world? i understand the pope as a well dressed, very wealthy, beloved thug descended from a long line of well dressed, very wealthy, beloved thugs who really should have all been put behind bars for the crimes against humanity they've committed. :)
also, saints are traditionally people who have been killed or who died prematurely.
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