LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Stop condemning Haiti

letter to the editorDear Editor,

Over and over we may hear someone condemning Haiti: “The people in Haiti are too evil! They believe in iniquity! So God punishing them for their sins…”

It is true that God does not like spiritistic practices like obeah/voodoo, for such practices are connected with the demons and Satan, God’s enemies.

So we rightly condemn those practices, which are harmful. However, is it fair to condemn Haitians in general? Is there no decent Haitian at all? Come on. I personally know that there are godly, decent living Haitians who do not get involved in demonic activities. Yet, some of these suffer from natural disasters. Is God punishing them?

Job was an outstandingly righteous man. Job 1:1. Yet Job suffered a lot at the hands of the Devil Job 1:12, 14 – 19; Job 2:7. Stephen was stoned to death. Acts 7:58 – 60. The apostle Paul faced many hardships too. 2 Corinthians 11:23 – 27.

Other servants of God faced difficulties too as shown at Hebrews 11:35 – 37. Are we to imagine that these godly persons were punished by God? What about godly ones in Haiti who suffer; are they punished by God? Job 34:10 and James 1:13 prove that God does not do what is wicked; he does not bring trials on people.

God allows people, including his servants, to go through trials but he does not cause them. Ecclesiastes 9:11 says that “time and chance happeneth to them all.” So people, being at a certain location at a certain time, may suffer due to some disaster striking in that location. So it is with Haiti. It’s location makes it prone to disasters.

If another country was located where Haiti is, and Haiti was located south of St.Vincent, for example, then that country in Haiti’s current location would have been having the hurricanes, earthquakes etc. and experiencing suffering. Then Haiti would have avoided those disasters.

Feel sorry for the poor of Haiti, the children eating mud cakes etc. They have been made to suffer for years due to exploitations of the past and present, bad governments and so on.

Condemn the practice of obeah/voodoo but NOT the Haitians. Sympathize with, and pray to the Most High for them to cope, while we ourselves try to live God’s way, avoiding a self-righteous, judgmental attitude toward Haitians. Psalm 65:2; Psalm 83:18; Ecclesiastes 7:20, 22; Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14.

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15 Comments

  1. October 25, 2016

    There are individuals in Haiti who are good people. And there are Christians who gather in their churches to worship the Lord.

    The practice of witchcraft and voodoo will attract evil spirits. It is said that at the beginning of its nationhood Haiti was dedicated to the devil. I have also been told that voodoo is the official religion of Haiti. If these things are true the nation may not have God’s protection when natural calamity comes.
    It is possible for a people to bring God’s curse upon themselves if they defy His laws. It is also possible to bring God’s blessing by honoring Him.

    God’s people often suffer with the wicked at a time of natural calamity or when when God’s judgment falls. But those who are righteous through faith in Christ will not face the final judgment of the last day.

    Jesus said “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” (John 10:28)

    Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill.

  2. Dante Jones
    October 25, 2016

    The very basis of this article is flawed. Go and read some history. The voodoo/obeah/deal with the devil story that you have bought wholesale is a lie.

    This nonsense was made up to explain why a country that was the prime example of progress in the Caribbean descended into the level of economic decadence that it is known for. The 2011 earthquake and hurricane Mathew are just unfortunate natural disasters that have added to an already grave problem.

    Go educate yourself on how the french (and the US and other western powers indirectly) conspired to destroy the country’s economy. How Haiti suffered at the hands of a vile dictator who is later allowed to live in France despite having committed what could have easily been judged as crimes against humanity.

    The fact that they have the reputation of being invested in ancient spiritual traditions is a throwback to our african ancestory which has been all but wiped out in favor of a white version of a Jewish superstition.

    The…

    • Dante Jones
      October 25, 2016

      … The irony of the whole situation is astounding. We are disgusted at the spiritual traditions of our ancestors solely because the white/jewish tradition of our slave masters tells us that our tradition is evil while theirs is good. Never mind that the old testament has detailed descriptions of how to perform literal black magic, condoning of slavery, genocide and racism.

      Anyway I’ll leave this link here : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Claude_Duvalier in case anyone is actually interested in finding out why our brothers and sisters suffer unlike those who only look for reasons to justify their superstition or their hatred of those who share the same skin as us.

    • out of south city
      October 25, 2016

      When some of our people write, they are writing from a white man’s mind, which has been forced upon them in a perpetual way. Unless we rise again as a race of people by knowing our history, we will continue to perish because the white man’s history is not our ancestors’ story. Voodoo and Obeah are African spiritual practices but some have been using these practices in a negative way. When we understand our story we will refute all these religious beliefs that were forced on our ancestors, who passed them down to us. Because of voodoo , Jean Jacques Dessalines, a ruler of Haiti, was able to defeat the french to gain independence. Do we think that these people like us? They have created havoc on all indigenous people around the world killing 60 million Native American Indians, the millions of our ancestors during the middle passage, the Aborigines of Australia and the list goes on today. They are wolves in sheep’s clothing. and I do not trust them at all.

      UNAPOLOGETIC

  3. Augusttea
    October 25, 2016

    Thank you for this. We rejoice too often in the suffering of others. Our Haitian brothers and sisters need more of our support than the judgment we prefer to pass down on them.

  4. Anonymous
    October 25, 2016

    Amen!

  5. cathy
    October 25, 2016

    Consider our present situationfinancial and medical are we ready for an outreak of CHOLERA etc.? don’t you see how theese people act at each political campaign? against their own race;DOG EAT DOG. GOD IS GODwe cannot take his place he sees and knows the heart of man ,if he chooses to call them to order who are we to tell him what to do,like sheep we are all led astray,CHRISTdied to free us and give us eternal life,why should we have to suffer calvary too, are we equal to The Son of God? we pray at 6oclock at7oclock,we cussing jujing,wishing evil to our brethren,etc. etc. on Sunday we go to church so called (monotony) and our lives don’t change for the bbetter WHY? stop living a lie and be true to ourselves,the true worshipers worship inSPIRIT AND IN TRUTH,GODdoes not take pleasure in the things made by men’s hands, he wants our HEARTSREAD YOUR BIBLES?Jeremy,issiah,judeask GOD to speak to your hearts:

  6. mine
    October 25, 2016

    who are we to condemn haiti let God be their judge. I know for sure there are wonderful and very spiritual haitians they are my co workers. There is disaster every day all over the world see indiana with flooding. People must stop saying is voodoo when mother nature strike.

  7. sunday islander
    October 25, 2016

    Haiti people are all evil in my book!!! :mrgreen:

  8. October 24, 2016

    Well said in the editoriall. Is God punishing DA the the common practice of Obeah? Haiti seems to be in the path of hurricane. Why is Trinidad exempt or the ABC islands?

  9. Tell the Truth
    October 24, 2016

    It is foolhardy for them to make such a comment about Haiti. Disasters could strike any country at any time. It is not a respecter of people and their property. Some countries are prone to disasters.
    Dominica has had a history of hurricanes in the past. Look at what TS Erika did to D/ca. Would it be said the areas that were affected the most and those who died had bad people?
    It could be stated, Haiti has bad luck (to a certain extent) but by no means because they are bad people. Yes! There are some good people in Haiti and also religious ones.
    We must help them and also pray for them that they will recover from this hurricane.
    Those who make such comments should pray that D/ca does not experience a bad/worst one.

  10. October 24, 2016

    If godlessness caused natural disasters, would don’t hurricanes demolish Scandinavia rather than the Caribbean? As usual, the people who claim to judge others on God’s behalf can be safely disregarded.

  11. It'sMissALie
    October 24, 2016

    Exactly! I totally agree with the author of this article! Jesus taught us to help others and leave the judging to him.

    West Indians are notorious for reciting biblical verses on others instead of following in the ways of Jesus. They are like the conservatives in America who are quick to talk about laws, laws, laws; thing is Jesus came to end those laws so we could concentrate on faith. In faith, we don’t sit back and judge; we disperse in different areas of the world to help those in need.

    I have many Haitians’ friends and what’s happening in that country is disheartening. The Islands in the Caribbean need to petition France to give Haiti back all the money it stole from them for their independence.

  12. Tjebe fort
    October 24, 2016

    Nobody needs to condemn Haiti, I agree. That poor country has condemned itself, for over two hundred years now. I pray they will finally begin to see some light and find comfort in their own country.

  13. Cast the first stone
    October 24, 2016

    Very good article…..He without sin cast the first stone

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