(From IOL News)
Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday urged African bishops to fight the influence of witchcraft, followed by some but incompatible with the teachings of Christ, a Vatican statement said.
“The heart of the baptised is sometimes shared between Christianity and traditional African religions,” the pope said in a meeting with visiting bishops from Angola.
“Afflicted by existential problems, we don’t hesitate to resort to practices that are incompatible with the path of Christ,” he added.
“The abominable effects are the marginalisation and even the murder of children and the elderly (who are) condemned by the false precepts of witchcraft,” he said.
Speaking in Portuguese, he urged the visiting bishops to “raise their voices in favour of the victims” of witchcraft.
Roughly 55 percent of Angolans are Catholics, while 25 percent adhere to traditional beliefs. Local media have reported numerous cases of human sacrifice, sometimes involving children, linked to witchdoctors.
The pope met the Angolan bishops ahead of his second trip to Africa, set for November 18 visit in Benin.
Catholicism Pure & Simple 
[removed as libel]
Editor: see reaction beneath
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Patrick, proof? Evidence? Statistics? Ranting is not thinking, nor arguing. You are behaving like a teen of 15.
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That’s not ranting, teresa — it’s just out and out slander.
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Indeed Jabba, the problem is that once someone invented a lie too many others are all too willing to swallow the rubbish, unthinkingly, and even call themselves a “critical and free thinking” spirit, though they are just like parrots who just repeat what they’ve learned. In reality they are just manipulated by the inventors of the lies who have a certain hate agenda against other groups of people.
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Libel, I think
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Well, while we are all getting steamed about libel and all, Toad has to admit that he needs new glasses. He read the headline as, “POPE URGES AFRICAN BISHOPS TO COMBAT WITCHCRAFT (with Voodoo)”
Gave him quite a turn. Patrick O’Malley (what a nice name!) will agree.
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