Evil spirits responsible for deadly quake: Londonderry minister

It is estimated between 45,000 and 50,000 Haitians were killed by a massive earthquake on Tuesday, January 12.

Thousands more were left in conditions of dire poverty and without aid and medical assistance as a result of the quake.

It is believed the final death toll could run to hundreds of thousands.

But Rev. Campbell of Newbuildings Independent Methodist Church said that because of the widespread practice of the traditional animist religion of Voodoo - a "dangerous and destructive religion" - on Hispaniola, evil spirits had caused the quake.

The local minister did however express sympathy for the stricken Haitians and said Satan was ultimately responsible for the "awful tragedy."

Rev. Campbell also refuted reports that he had said the people of Haiti deserved their fate. This he roundly denies.

Said Rev. Campbell: "As a church, our hearts go out to the hurting people of Haiti. Our thoughts and prayers are with them. Prayers were offered at our Sunday services for those affected by this terrible catastrophe.

"The congregation was encouraged to support the aid effort. A question that confronts us in the aftermath of such a terrible event is 'Who was to blame?' Speaking from a spiritual point of view, I believe the devil was.

"According to the Lord Jesus Christ the devil is 'a murderer' (John 8:44) and his aim is 'to steal, and to kill, and to destroy' (John 10:10)."

He went on to claim that Voodoo was a form of Satanism and its practice by a large proportion of the Haitian population was responsible for the quake.

"Voodoo is practiced by a large percentage of the population in Haiti. It is a dangerous and destructive religion, involving the worship of evil spirits. Voodoo is a form of Satanism," stated the minister.

"My personal conviction is that the evil spirits are responsible for the earthquake and the deaths of thousands that have resulted from it. The good news of the gospel is that 'the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them' (Luke 9:56). The blame for this awful tragedy lies squarely at the door of Satan."

Last Tuesday's earthquake is the latest in a litany of misfortunes to batter the beleaguered population of Haiti in recent years.

Thousands of people were also killed in a series of storms there in 2004 and 2008. Wracked by political instability Haiti is also one of the poorest nations in the world.