Christianity in Haiti - Why do Haitian Preachers Preach and Encourage Poverty?

KREYOL: Haiti Religion - POUKISA anpil pastè Haitien ap preche la pauvreté, sa lakoz fidèl yo rete pòv tout tan, y ap di "Béni soit l'Éternel" epi y ap BAYE... Kisa ou panse de sa???

When I was a kid growing up in Hinche Haiti, my mother used to take me to this church in town. Sometimes they would sing this song:

Seyè, mwen pito malere...
Seyè, mwen pito malere...
Tan pou-m ta rish sou tè-a
pou-m pa eritye syèl la...
Seyè, mwen pito malere...
Malere... Malere...

This is the exact song... I didn't make it up!

Translation:

Lord I would rather be poor...
Lord I would rather be poor...
Instead of being rich on earth...
and not go to heaven...
Lord I would rather be poor...

Although I was just a kid, I would NEVER sing with the church when they were singing these types of songs. I always thought that these songs were being used to keep Haitians in a poverty state...

Why can't you you be rich on earth and go to heaven?

When you are poor, you cannot build hospitals for God's sick children!

When you are poor, you cannot build schools for God's uneducated children?

You're poor? You're broke all the time? You have nothing? Don't worry about the wonderful things that the rich enjoy here on earth because they're gonna BURN in hell and you will enjoy these things in heaven...

Sometimes I feel that this is the type of sermons that is being preached to poor Haitians in Haiti.

While the United States is singing "God bless America!" Haitians are singing "We'd rather be poor!!!"

I once read a story about Aladin and the lamp... Whatever you talk about you bring about...

Do you believe that?

You keep singing "God Bless me, God bless my country" blessings will come over and over again...

However, if you keep on singing "I'd rather be poor," just what do you think will happen?

I truly believe that some if not MOST of the Haitian preachers out there need to change the way they preach the Gospel...

What do you think?

Reply with your comments

Read more: Society, Churches in Haiti, Religion in Haiti, Just a thought, Religion

You might also like

Haiti Healthy Diet - Sweet Potato Skin (PO Patat), It's Good for you, Eat it...

Protests in Haiti vs Protests Elsewhere

Responses