The Spirit World
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FROM THE FIELD May 7, 2013 The Spirit World When I first got to Nigeria one of the things I learned from Pastor Essien was that libations were not allowed. When a liquid was poured at the front of a house it was not some kind of dedication of the house to the Lord, but a ritual offering to the ancestor spirit. Previously, there had been little houses set up in front of the hut to house the ancestor spirit with the notion that it would watch out over the home of the people living there. The is age old and world wide. At one time there was a belt of animists who were between the Muslims in the north and Christians in the south. As those two religions struggled for the souls of the animists that belt has diminished greatly.
Recently I was in Thailand and took the picture of the spirit house you see above. It has in it little bits of food, incense and candles for the spirit to watch out over the big house or business. You see them everywhere. This is older than the dominant Buddhism that is there now.
Recently I was in Thailand and took the picture of the spirit house you see above. It has in it little bits of food, incense and candles for the spirit to watch out over the big house or business. You see them everywhere. This is older than the dominant Buddhism that is there now.
Among the rural Burmese there is still to be found the Nat worship. The Nats are the very temperamental spirits, which govern supposedly everyday lives of Myanmar people. If the Nats are happy, they shower good fortune; but if they are upset, oh oh, as they can cause untold misery. The result is that the Nats have to be appeased with constant offerings. However, being ‘exalted’ spirits natural man can communicate with them only through mediums — the Natgadows or Natwives. The Natkanar is an hour and a half long ritual honoring these spirits and it dates back to 400 AD. An altar is set up with statues of all Nats and numerous offerings are laid before them. The musicians play specific tunes for specific Nats and the Natgadows start the dance. It gradually builds tempo and escalates into a frenzy ending with the Natgadows going into a trance. At this time the people believe that the spirit that is being honored has possessed the Natgadow. The people then offer more offerings and put forth their requests to which the possessed Natgadow responds.
Isn’t it sad that so many people think they have to appease an ancestor spirit or an evil spirit. We know that Jesus Christ has appeased the wrath of God by becoming a curse for us on the cross so that now all things work together for good for those who love the Lord, who are called according to His purpose.
Isn’t it sad that so many people think they have to appease an ancestor spirit or an evil spirit. We know that Jesus Christ has appeased the wrath of God by becoming a curse for us on the cross so that now all things work together for good for those who love the Lord, who are called according to His purpose.