Greetings and welcome to the Monday, September 16th edition of the Daily Article podcast.

I am Chris Elkins narrating today's daily article written by Denison Forum co-founder and CEO, Dr. Jim Denison.

In his debate with Kamala Harris last week, former President Donald Trump stated that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio,

were abducting and eating pets.

The comment provoked a furor that continues unabated this morning.

It's easy to find opinions citing with Mr. Trump or against him and focusing on immigration

as a threat or benefit to America.

Here's what's harder to do. Find objective reporting about the religious context behind the controversy.

After some effort, here's what I was able to discover online.

A 2004 National Geographic article states that

voodoo is the quote-unquote dominant religion in Haiti. A 2011 article

explaining voodoo reports that, quote, food is one of the many offerings ceremoniously given

to Lois spirits and is usually shared afterwards as a communal meal. In quote, an article opposing animal abuse notes that

animal sacrifice in voodoo is a central part of this faith, while a 2013 report claims that the

animal sacrifice isn't embraced by all practitioners. To be clear, reports that some voodoo

adherents employ animal sacrifices does not mean

Haitian immigrants in Ohio are doing so. My purpose is not to take sides in the partisan

conflict over Mr. Trump's comments. Rather, it is to ask why the religious worldview that should be

vital to the debate is largely absent from the discussion.

In other news, Pope Francis made headlines by his statement that both Donald Trump and

Kamala Harris are against life. He stated that American Catholics must choose the lesser

of two evils because of Mr. Trump's position on immigrants and Mrs. Harris' support of abortion.

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