At What Point Can You Interfere With Someones Religion?

Discussion in 'Pandora's Box' started by gsr, Aug 30, 2014.

  1. Theres a TLDR at the end for the lazy ones lol
     
    I firmly believe in the idea that everyone can live the way that they choose to live as long as it doesn't harm others. This means that im ok with you whether you're jewish, catholic, muslim, or even pastafarian if you feel like dedicating yourself to the troll ways: Just dont harm others. Most people will probably read this and instantly think im gonna start talking about radical muslims, but theres another religion that makes me question whether i can interfere or not...
     
    In miami, a religion known as Santeria is very popular amongst cubans. For those who don't know about it, its a mix of catholicism with african rituals from yoruba. They believe in Jesus and Mary, but they also believe in other saints or deities. It is a fear based religion because most rituals are done to ward off spirits, and the babalawo (Shaman) normally warns you what not to do when he reads your tarot cards, as opposed to what good lies ahead of you.
     
    My mother, aunt, uncle, and many of my friends partake in this, so it isnt rare. Thats what really trips me out about it though because the rituals are VERY extreme. They sacrifice animals, but they dont just kill them, E.G: One of my friends has bathed in goat blood as a way to cleanse his spirit, and from my understanding, ALL believers must bathe in an animals blood at some point in their lives. A common ritual that all have gone through involves using a living chicken as a rag to wipe yourself down. They believe evil energy is soaked into the chicken. Once the act is done, they crack its neck, and pour its blood out to feed their gods. They then put its bones in a bag, and leave it at an intersection so that someone else can get their bad luck (A douche move imo lmao)
     
    This trips me out because many children are born into this religion. Parents are preparing their kids for a world that is hostile, filled with spirits that can fuck them up if they dont kill animals, wear traditional bracelets and necklaces, and listen to their shaman. I doubt having a kid bathe in goat blood is too good for his mental either, but what do i know?

    ANYWAY, whats your take on this? Would you call Child Protective Services if your neighbor was pouring goat blood on his daughter next door? My own mother never taught me about santeria although she made me wear some jewelry for it because she was scared to bring me into it. That says a lot. How can you be scared to bring someone you love into a religion you truly believe in? This religion really fucks with people mentally, and i dont think i'd be ok with seeing someone practice it with children.
     
     
    TLDR FOR THE IGNANT ONES; Nigga my neighbor pours blood on himself to clean up when he's not cracking chicken necks and casting spells on others. TF KINDA SHIT IS THAT? I MEAN, check this crazy ass photo out. These niggas are trippy
     
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  2. Would you call the cops on your neighbors if their parents were letting them watch the news?
     
  3. ^To be part of something and to witness it being done are two different things. I'm pretty sure you've willingly seen scary movies before, but i doubt you'd be ok with having blood poured on top of you.
     
  4. Good question. I agree with your point that as long as you are not harming the innocent then you should be free to do what you want. But when kids are involved like your story it gets a little cloudy.  From what you said it sounds like they aren't harming the kids physically so I suppose they should be free to do what they want even if we think it's fucking weird.
     
    It's not really society's place to tell you how to raise your kids unless you are harming them. But is this considered mental abuse? I probably wouldn't call CPS unless something looked seriously wrong with the kids.
     
  5. #5 -Martyr, Aug 30, 2014
    Last edited: Aug 30, 2014
    Essentially synonymous.
     
  6. They look white to me.. Did the camera make them like that?
     
    What is this blasphemy camera??
     
  7. #7 Sammyy, Aug 30, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 30, 2014
    Seriously? news=\\=bathing children in goats blood. big difference there buddy
     
  8. I see nothing initially wrong with it, their beliefs and all that. Not harming anyone, and I've heard more modern religions doing the same or worse. I wouldn't call cps, doesn't seem like anythings going to change regardless of what you think of what they do.


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  9. Op this is hard because if you voice your concerns to them who's to say they wouldn't hurt you for being an enemy to them and their gods or something of that nature. Have you talked to other neighbors to see what they think of it all?
     
  10. I never said they were equal. Dude was talking about kids mental health. Having kids watch the news isnt any different than introducing them to religious ideals.
     
  11. #11 Sammyy, Aug 30, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 30, 2014
    I've never known anyone, and I mean anyone to be mentally affected from the news. The worst they will see on a news program is a possibly a dead body, but considering we which movies and play video games that depict those same images for enjoyment I doubt it will affect them.

    Lets see one kid grows up watching the news and one grows up going through these ceremonies. When they're both old enough to think rationally for themselves and start to come into their own beliefs, which of the two do you really think will be more affected by the past?

    The answer is obvious if were talking about mental health here.
     
  12. People are scared of them. They dont wanna mess with it so they just leave them alone. Its popular enough down here that every cuban has family or friends that partake in it. Ive gone to neighborhoods where every intersection for miles has chicken bones due to the ridiculous amount of people practicing this.
     
  13. Many people raise their kids to believe that the rest of the world is out to fuck them over because of their ethnic background.
    Is this mental abuse? Should I call cps?
     
  14. This country was founded on religious freedom, and your family seems to be in some heavy form of paganism, the right thing would be to show them the error of their ways, or call animal welfare haha
     
  15. So you would compare being black to being the kid that bathes in goat blood? You would compare something that someone is born with to something that is preventable?
     
  16. I don't practice Santeria
     
  17. Did I say black?
    I don't believe that anyone is born with the mindset that the rest of the world is trying to fuck them over.
    Brain washing is preventable.
    The point is, we all teach our kids what we believe, or we allow them to be taught other peoples beliefs. You might prevent one, but the void it leaves will be filled with something else. 
    How does bathing in goat blood hurt you any more than eating taco meat from an unknown origin? I personally don't see the harm, but I don't see the good either.
     
  18. Sacrificing animals and living in a manner that forces you to fear your environment is definitely harmful imo. its still an opinion though. I understand what youre trying to say.
     
  19. I was getting ready to post something like freedom is being free to do whatever you want as long as you dont stop someone from the very same, but that shit is insane lol. I was expecting some not too crazy, normal organized religion stuff, but damn, buy a handgun and pray (ha) that they never get into more psycho shit
     
  20.  
    You just contradicted yourself right here.
     

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