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Show .DAILY HERALD r placing it in an wnpty tuna can, adding mercury, mint oil, cinnamon and other ingredients, setContinued from Bl a wick on the solution and ting ' for one hour.4 lighting just bought a contaminated ' home." Ernesto Pichardo, a prominent Santeria priest in Hialeah, Voodoo and Santeria are said he doesn't use mercury and rooted in the beliefs of West African people who came to the has only rarely seen it used in i Caribbean as slaves. Voodoo be- rituals. "IVe seen some people use it, came established in Haiti, Santeria in Cuba. Both religions have just a capsule," said Pichardo, a supreme being, as well as less- whose church successfully went to the US. Supreme Court for er deities on whom believers. call foe help with their Bve& 'vY the right to sacrifice animals. "Its use is not common. It's not Just inside the door of the St. significant. I donf see the hazAnge Botanica, for example, ard. I don't see the danger." stood a statue of Legba, the r Several state most important J , and local governVoodoo spirit,', ments in areas " surrounded by "I've seen some with large gifts a store Caribbean populapeople use it just bought cake, a tions have taken bowl of coins and Its use a capsule. dollar bills, cany-diesteps to research the impact of rituis not common. and chamalistic pagne bottles. It's not significant. use andmercury encourBoth religions use Catholic image people to find I don't see the less dangerous alagery, with Africa-derive- d hazard. I don't see ternatives. New York City, deities representthe danger." for example, is ed through portraits and statues working with the Ernesto Pichardo federal governpf Catholic ", prominent Santeria priest ment on a study saints. Both use in the Hialeah neighborhood of mercury levels magic and rituals in Miami of children in to achieve earth -communities that ly goals. - Persisting for have historically used mercury in rituals. New centuries in the face of oppresYork health off icials have met sion from the French, British with botanica owners to discuss and Spanish, these religions dethe use of mercury and have veloped traditions of secrecy distributed brochures warning that have made it difficult for health off icials to learn about against the practice. Most offithe use of mercury. Few people cials reject the idea of making it who use it or sell it will cooperillegal, saying that would simply drive it underground. ate with researchers, preventIt's unclear what Florida has ing any systematic study of its done. Several botanica owners impact on health, according to in Miami-Dad- e the EPA report. County said they had received a letter from the When government and academic researchers in New Jersey government last year warning and Connecticut visited the reliagainst selling mercury, but weren't sure who sent it. gious supply shops called botan-icaArnold Wendroff, of the Mer-- , many denied selling it and asserted Incorrectly that it was cury Poisoning Project, said Florida officials didn't want to illegal But when sent Haitian or Cuban deal with the issue because it carried political risks. colleagues to the same shops, "There should be a major they were able to buy it. "Not one really has a clue in problem down in Florida," he terms of numbers," said Arnold said, "The Florida state health authorities are well aware of Wendroff, founder of the New York-baseMercury Poisoning this issue, as are specif ically the Miami-Dad- e County health auProject, who originally brought the issue to the attention of the thorities. And they have re-frained from investigating these federal government. "One surexposures, apparently due to vey in the Bronx (New York) found that in 1995, between political considerations." 25,000 and 155,000 units of merVirgilio Minino, president of the Latin American Foundation ; cury were sold." for Environmental Protection, In the northern Miami neighborhood of Little Haiti, where which tries to discourage the dimly lit botanicas are crammed ritualistic use of mercury with jars of herbs, votive can; among Hispanics, said, "I think dles and portraits of Voodoo 'they're just worried about the spirits, many stores claimed not .votesi If they do anything about to have mercury. Others sold it. the mercury issue, that might At the Tousles Saints Botani- -' hurt them." ca in Miami, a man behind the Jack Price, environmental counter brought out a bottle manager for the Florida Departand poured a few drops of merment of Environmental Protection, said the responsibility restcury into a vial, spilling beads of it on the counter. The vial of ed with the Florida Department of Health. Dr. David Johnson, mercury cost $5. At the Isidor & Carmel Botanica, also in Miaexecutive medical director for the health department's Division mi, a woman first denied havof Environmental Health, said ing any for sale, saying "they don't want us to sell it no the state has distributed a genmore." Then she relented and al- eral brochure on mercury that lowed a clerk to sell a capsule mentions the danger of using it in religious rituals. He said prifor $2. Visits to botanicas in Miami's mary responsibility for public Hialeah and Little Havana outreach rested with county health departments, which are neighborhoods found none that branches of the state health deacknowledged selling mercury, known in Spanish as azogue. partment. But health officials said Santeria But of f icials with the health uses mercury in rituals similar departments in Miami-DadBroward and Palm Beach counto those of Voodoo. In the book Rituals and Spells ties said they were not doing of Santeria, sold by a botanica any specific public outreach on in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., five ritthis issue. uals call for the use of mercury. "We can talk about the health To attract men, the book recom- issues of mercury in general," said Rosa Oses, spokeswoman mends a weekly bath of parsfor the Miami-Dad- e ley, cinnamon, anis seed, honey County and a "bit of quicksilver." To Health Department. "But when win someone's love, the book it's something related to religion in rituals, it's not something we advises writing the person's deal with." name on a piece of parchment, Mercury : s s, there-searche- Churches emerge as electoral base for Bush of the 2000 presidential contest the faithful during Sunday ser- 'that eventually sealed the presivices, but their churches never endorse candidates. To do so dency for Bush, an energized JACKSOrVILLE, Fla. The would risk losing the churches' evangelical following could status. Some give him the edge in what smiling face of President Bush is on prominent display in Rev. churches have also begun voter many political analysts expect to be another unpredictable David Johnston's office at King registration drives to bring contest. Elsewhere, the Christof Kings Church, superimposed congregants of the religious ian right is also gearing up for letter for a who stayed home in on a thank-yo- u right $2,000 campaign contribution. large numbers in 2000 to the the campaign, eager to defend as one of their own a president polls. Voter guides outlining Johnston's who has pushed at least candidates' positions on Issues evangelical congregation, conof concern among conservative rhetorically their conservasidered part of the Christian , Christians will be distributed in tive social agenda and who said right, backs the president Christian. he is a born-agai- n wholeheartedly on social issues churches in the coming weeks. All this activism is inspiring a most important to his church. Experts estimate about 25 million white evangelicals votnational debate over whether There is even a s, the religious right is violating ed in 2000, and another 25 milchurch Web site, lion evangelicals who were the traditional separation of that King of church and state and whether Kings launched in part to cam-- . part of the voting age population did not vote, according to the Bush campaign is encouragpaign against gay marriage. camJohnston goes out of his way Scott Keeter, associate director ing it. The earlier this to note that King of Kings does of the Pew Research Center for paign sent an the Pf ople and the Press. About month to a Pennsylvania pastor, not overtly endorse individual of the total Americandidates for office a violasaying it intended to identify can electorate, estimated in tion of the traditional separa1,600 "Friendly Congregations in Pennsylvania" where the 2000 as slightly more than 209 tion of church and state. million, is believed to be comNonetheless, he is part of a forpresident might pick up votes. "I think churches are more midable, and growing, political prised of white evangelicals, involved in politics than in any machine. He said his wife gave excluding Catholics. time in recent history and Some experts believe that the contribution to the Bush more directly involved in partiwhile the Christian right might campaign. san campaigns," said the Rev. be energized in a state like "We are careful to be nonFlorida, there are early signs of Barry Lynn, executive director partisan," said Johnston, 59, a of Americans United for Sepagentle theologian who founded apathy nationwide in such votration of Church and State. The ers' passion for Bush. King of Kings a decade ago. s liberal group is working "We can say that "But we should vote in a way status of evangelicals say they will that reflects how we pray." from churches that are politivote for Bush. But the question Across the Bible Belt, and is how motivated will they be cally active. notably here in the electoral to turn out to vote?" said Dabbling in politics from the swing state of Florida, patrioKeeter. "There is a feeling of pulpit certainly is not new, nor tism, social conservatism and are debates about where to lack of fervor nationwide, for religious fervor have come toexample, for the amendment to draw the line between church gether to give Bush a solid piland state. Since its inception, lar for his campaign the Constitution banning gay the United States has taken rein 2004 a power base that marriage." But he added that was born in the days of Ronald the marriage issue has also gal- - ligion into account, even invanized other voters within the cluding "In God We Trust" on Reagan. dollar bills. From the days Christian right. In interviews with pastors when Rev. Martin Luther King In tightly contested Florida, across Florida, many said some Jr. fought for civil rights in scene of a disputed cliffhanger politicians are invited to meet Genetve Abdo CHICAGO black churches to the first signs under Ronald Reagan that the Christian right could be a political powerhouse, many pastors have fused their moral and political missions. In the 1990s, groups such as the Christian Coalition became known for their voter guides handed out to churchgoers, explaining candidates' positions on social issues. "It is true that churches have in a broad sense been involved in political activity. But when Martin Lurther King went to the churches, he never followed it up with endorsements for candidates. He talked about issues as moral questions but didn't take the next step of telling the congregations for whom they should vote," Lynn said. , TRIBUNE saveam-ericanow.u- -- Bush-Chene- y struct their congregations how one-four- th to vote, but in many ways they two-third- . don't have to. Even in churches with no overt sign of political activity, the link between Bush's stand on social issues, particularly his opposition to gay marriage and abortion, and a general perception that he is a good Christian are gal- -' vanizing the f aithfuL The president's support of an amendment to the Constitution that would define marriage as a union between a man and a woman also sits well with the Christian right. Scott StanzeL a spokesman for the campaign, said the campaign's efforts arV directed at voters who share the president's values. "There is broad support in a state like Florida, which was decided last time by 536 votes," Stanzel said. In 2000, Bush defeated Al Gore in Florida by 537 votes. Bush-Chene- y rs d . Saturday, Juty 1,2004 e, Books ' Continued from Bl they know their customer base will be out after church services and lunch. Chuck Wallington, owner of Christian Supply in Spartanburg, S.C., said he's seen more customers looking for some of the older titles. He's also worked to grow his church supply business, selling communion plates, tithe envelopes, church bulletins and coloring books for Sunday school classes. "When you connect with the churches, you tend to connect with people in the churches," he said. Browsing a new product display at the convention, Gaud Efird said customers may buy t, a best seller from but if they want to know more about that author or to find similar books, they will visit a Christian store. But Efird, who attended his first booksellers gathering in 1973, said he's glad that Christian books are now showing up on other shelves. At his daughter's store and cafe in Wilmington, N.C, the biggest sell-ers are books, Bibles and upscale gifts, he said. "I reaUy feel that the popu-- . larity of those Christian books have created more interest," Wal-Mar- he said. Association president Bill Anderson said stores should look at themselves as Christian lifestyle department stores, offering a wealth of titles to choose from and knowledgeable staff. "They're specialty stores that offer the breadth and depth rather than just cherry picking," he said. "They have the full orchard rather than just a handful of cherries." When it comes to book genres, some think Christian fiction is due to grow in popularity, thanks to more realistic characters and edgier story lines. v". There's still no sex and cursing, but characters have a beer now and then, and there is more violence, attributable to "Left the muttimillion-sellin- g Behind," said Jana Riess, the religion book review editor at Publishers Weekly . Chick-ti- t and laeffct; novels for 20- - and young women and men, respectively, also are growing categories, Riess said "The only major fiction crossover has been 'Left Behind,' " Riess said "That's definitely going to change." .- On Hindu U. Continued from Bl he) us create an with their culture. awareness of the Braham Aggarwal, an Orlando builder who is chairman ; HincJu religion and of the university's board, cites another benefit. He hopes the philosophy and school win serve as a show- case to the wider community. teachings. It will help "It wiU give an exposure to us tell the world exactly the Hindu community," he we have what we stand for." says, "to show what to offer" such as resident Dr. Aravind filial scholars, cultural programs f and visiting speakers. Courses both credit and , of Central Florida noncredik1- - range-- f rom yoga ywwijiyi immyclasses to Sanskrit language study. They are taught on the campus and online; some yoga they did not have an online classes are taught at a nearby program," says Balu, one of i the two new graduates, who community coUege. stuworked as a geriatric social part-timThe futt-an-d dent body consists of 15 Orlan- worker until she became a f do students and more than 45 yoga instructor and lecturer. There are already signs that others throughout the United States and India. Hindu U. is using innovative ; The advent of distance approaches to present its anlearning is critical for many of cient philosophy. A recent '.' course offering is: "How to be the students, such as Uma an effective CEO: Leadership Balu, a native of India who lives in Chicago. Lessons from Hindu Tt&di-tioa- " 1 "I could not have done it if Wjtfdtf e ifEilTER STREE the Net: International: CBA www.cbainternational2004. com MUSICAL THEATRE presents ft. 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