2006-10-03 05:24:39 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Mythology & Folklore
From a scientific perspective, voodoo makes a heavy use of a placebo effect. The placebo effect works like this:
It has been observed that if the PATIENT believes that he is recieving medicine, he will often experience many of the same medical benefits as if he actually had. This is one reason why placebos are used to compare tests of new drugs, and also the reason why the FDA requires better than a 33% success rate for a medicine.
And if you can heal yourself about a third of the time by just thinking that you can, it stands to reason that the reverse can be true too. In fact, there have been researchers who have studied the negative physiological effects of just a doctor telling someone that they have a fatal cancer - it would seem that a pronouncement of death from someone who knows is enough to make matters far worse at times.
To top things off, many voodoo priests are also VERY familiar with herbology and can certainly help (or harm) people in this manner. In fact, some pharmaceutical companies themselves have learned from how voodoo priests prepare their medicines to obtain valuable medicines (the book 'Serpent and the Rainbow' is one account of this).
So not only can voodoo produce just about any possible effect with psychology, in some cases it can actually produce drugs and poisons as well. But that's just from a scientific viewpoint. I'll leave the religious merits up to you. ( :
2006-10-03 05:40:27 · answer #1 · answered by Doctor Why 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Voodoo is a religion hun. A true bonafide religion. It has its own belief system and everything. Everyone is mystified at the magick part of it (sigh we wiccans get the same deal) but there is truly much more to it.
The magick of voodoo all comes down to the rules of all magick, what the intent of the caster was. What the spell was. How much belief was placed into the spell. And how experienced the person had that cast the spell. Hope it helped.
2006-10-03 12:31:22 · answer #2 · answered by LunaFaye 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Not sure what you mean by art but I can tell you that Vodou is a beautiful religion. Aifrica gave you a great website to check out the religion. That is information for a house in Jacmel, Haiti.
Through song, dance, and drumming we connect with the lwa during service (fets). We honor our ancestors, serve the lwa, and honor Bondye (God).
Effective to me would mean we are able to make that connection with the lwa. The lwa perform magic, healing, and bless all of us that are present. I was healing by the lwa. I have been blessed by the lwa. I serve the lwa and the lwa serve me. It is a beautiful and rewarding path. I can I will be on this path for the rest of my life.
2006-10-03 14:06:47 · answer #3 · answered by Nelly 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know just enough about voodoo to know that I don;t know anything about voodoo and the movies don't help with that understanding, either
2006-10-03 12:26:03 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
i wouldn't wory about voodoo a such, but keep an eye out 4 that hoodoo stuff!
2006-10-03 13:01:36 · answer #5 · answered by crazy_kitty 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Effective, yes.
For more information about Vodou, try www.members.aol.com/racine125. I recently asked someone about this religion; I was given this website. I find it very informative!
Blessings on you! :-)
2006-10-03 13:36:28 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Extremely effective. Scary even, and I'm a witch.
2006-10-06 00:52:07 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's as effective as your mind wants it to be!
2006-10-03 14:37:21 · answer #8 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It is as effective as its master.
2006-10-03 12:32:51 · answer #9 · answered by Osunwole Adeoyin 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is effective as most others false religions
2006-10-03 12:30:30 · answer #10 · answered by kilroymaster 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋