“By his death, he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil.”
The debate over legalizing Obeah, a traditional Afro-Caribbean folk religion, is intensifying in Jamaica. According to Christian Daily International (CDI), Christian leaders are strongly opposing efforts to decriminalize the practice, warning that it would plunge Jamaican society into moral confusion and spiritual danger.
The controversy arose after the Unuchi Foundation, an organization promoting African spiritual traditions, held a candlelight vigil calling for the repeal of the Obeah ban ahead of a constitutional hearing. The group claims that Obeah — which includes elements of healing, protection, and divination — plays an important cultural and historical role in African-Caribbean heritage.
However, Jamaica’s church leaders argue that Obeah has long been a source of harm. Bishop Alvin Bailey, president of the Jamaica Evangelical Alliance, told local media that “Obeah has already caused great damage to society even though it remains illegal.” He warned that legalizing it would be “one of the worst decisions in Jamaica’s history” and called on pastors to take responsibility in opposing the move.
Other pastors have linked Obeah practices to the country’s growing violence and corruption. Pastor Dalbert Simmonds of the Spanish Town Ministers’ Fraternal noted that some criminal groups use Obeah rituals to protect gunmen or justify violence. Church leaders say they are combating such spiritual influences through prayer, believing they lie behind much of the nation’s moral decay.
Reports indicate that Obeah practitioners are easily found across Jamaica, with some rituals allegedly used for crime or exploitation. One tragic case involved a child who died of suffocation during an Obeah ceremony, with the practitioner claiming the child’s “spirit had been taken.”
Gang leaders and traffickers have also been accused of using Obeah to instill fear and control victims — convincing people that curses, not guns, are the greatest threat. Under the guise of “spiritual healing,” cases of sexual abuse against women and children have been repeatedly reported.
Enacted in 1898, Jamaica’s Obeah Act bans claiming supernatural powers or using Obeah-related objects, punishable by fines or imprisonment. The Christian community maintains that the current push for legalization is not an issue of religious freedom but one that endangers the nation’s social order and spiritual health. They have pledged to stand firmly against it. (Source: Christian Daily International, Edited Version)
Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. (Hebrews 2:14-15)
God, we pray that You would stop the move to legalize Obeah, which destroys lives in the name of tradition and religion. Lead Jamaica away from darkness and guide it on the path of righteousness and truth. Strengthen Your church to stand firm in prayer against Satan’s power that binds souls through fear and curses. Let the gospel witnesses in Jamaica boldly proclaim Jesus Christ, who conquered death through the cross. May this nation turn from false idols and become a people who long for the return of the LORD.
Prayer 24·365
prayer@prayer24365.org
