The use of religion for conjuration of love ties for homosexuals, is a reality or fiction?

Firstly, I want to say that I write from my position as Babaláwo, without any discrimination and based on that, I firmly think that neither a Babaláwo, nor anyone else, has the right to impose a way of life on any human being, or interfere with someone’s private life. Each person has the right to decide the kind of life they prefer. 

I like to say that I make this article due to experiences I had with different homosexuals who came to ask me to do an Asopo (union work) to their partner and I had to tell them that I could NOT, because Ifa was not contemplated in Ifa that was an impossible for me! Many responded that other "Babalawos" or Òrìsà priests (what they know as santeros or santeras), told them that it was a piece of cake, a phrase from the popular slang of my country, Cuba. This unworthy me personally and I only have the purpose of helping all those who are in this situation, not to be scammed by those who perhaps because of ignorance and not intention tell them that Yes.

Nevertheless, homosexuality is not contemplated inside Ifá and this tendency does not exist in the Yoruba culture. I want to tell you that homosexuality and the religious works of union with them are utopian. If anyone wants to be initiated on Ifa as Ifa's priest, without judgment before doing so, the Babalawo must make sure of the person’s preference and let this person make a decision,without judging, more than other general aspects for everybody like capacity, etc. and this person make his own decision

In the following verse of Iwori Meji, Ifá says:

Iwori wodin

Iwori wodi o sebi nkan rere loun nse

Awo rere n Iwori ton wodi na.?

Adifafun panla apo

Ti ko rook fe

Ti yoo maa febinrin Egbe ere

Ebo ni won ni ko se

Igba aitu bo igba aiteru Obirin ti nfebinrin Egbe e re

Eyin o mo pe o nloo woku idi ni?

Literal translation:

Iwori admires the genitals and considers them correct,

Iwori considers that looking at the genitals is right for the priest,

They made divination for panla Apo,

She failed when she got married to a man,

But decided to fall in love with another woman,

She was told to make a sacrifice

But she refused to do so

A woman making love to another woman,

Don’t you think she will have a useless sexual life?

Although Ifá does not discriminate or exclude anyone, when the world was created by Olodumare (God) he ordered Obatala, together with other Irunmoles  (celestial beings), to mould masculine and feminine beings in order to populate the earth and spread his creation: the human being. In the principles stated in several verses of Ifá, the existence of homosexuality is mentioned but not as part of the plan. Ifá talks about the freedom of those who are homosexual or bisexual to choose one path or another which goes against what is natural and the reason why humans were created. Homosexuality is a taboo which breaks the laws of Olodumare and the person´s own destiny.  In this religion, an Itefá initiation (perform Ifá) can be accepted in a homosexual or bisexual person who wants to correct this decision, taking into account that this is a personal option as I said before. If the decision is not corrected, then Ifá cannot be performed this person. It is so difficult that they correct this option that the alternative any Awo has is not to perform it, and this has been an absolute decision in the diaspora, that is all Babalawos in general.

How does Ifá refer to this in Osa Meji:

Won lagbo osa Agbo Sa

Won Lagbo Obe Seyin

Agbo bi seyin Agbo rele lo ree tu ni wo o re seni

Adifa fun Orunmila

Ti o toju arare tun nkan arare se

Orunmila soju araa mi niki ose bami tun nkan araa mi see…..etc

Summary: In this case Ifá refers to the ways of rectifying, avoiding amoral conducts in general and teaches that persons of the same sex should not have intimate relationships between them. Homosexuality must be avoided because it is a taboo which goes against the laws of Olodumare.

This can bring about many debates and analyses of the human beings in the contemporary era, but the lack of understanding of the over-and-above knowledge limits its full comprehension and vulnerably accepts such events. One of the questions which could emerge is:

Are these persons like this since childhood or is it a tendency they bring with them?

As an answer, it can be argued that Olodumare does not create any Ori (destiny) that is distorted, adulterated or corrupted in any way. I have also read that one of the reasons is the influence of evil forces that can damage a soul in the transit to earth, thus, when the soul takes possession of the mould created by Obatala, Ajala Mopin and the other deities in the uterus of the mother, it may happen that the soul or spirit may not match the physical body and hence the contradiction and contrast of those who say to be frustrated and trapped in a body that does not belong to them. In short, the spirit is a woman in a man’s body or vice versa, a problem without “solution”. Many cases find a way out and it is in the personality (Iwá Pele), in not misusing the freedom granted by Olodumare and wanting to correct the situation. Firstly, it would be beneficial to get initiated in Orisa to break with the previous destiny if so they wish and secondly, to change the option (of being homosexual or bisexual) to live in peace with Olodumare.

Olodumare helps those who help themselves.

In the following verse Ifá states Òtúrá Ogbè:

Oluko Ifa gbodo nia mu mo ra Ati afori ole je omode tabi agba Yio gba tokan tokan Nigba to di babalawo lai si ella meya’Obinrin tabi Okunrin Ifa nipe ko rubo Ko tole wole Orunmila gegebi Awo Okunrin tabi Obirin Ifa gbe ni Otura orubo ebo re gba Won di Oju ati ara oje ‘ni to lokan Ona re si la o si di  Awo Orunmila Awo Tolokan Ifa ko bere Boya omode tabi agba Nitori pe Ogbon pri re ju ojo ori lo Orunmila jeri Si Nitori pe olorun gbagbo Pe Ogbon Ju agbara Adifafun Otura Ni igba ti Odi Awo Orunmila Lai so pe omode tabi agba OkunrinTabi Obinrin

Summary: In this verse, Ifá says that Òtúrá divination was performed when he wanted to become priest of Ifá. It can be an old person, a kid, a man or woman; with the prescribed sacrifice the aspiration or petition would be accepted but the person should enter Orunmila´s house as a man or woman. The blessings from heaven do not have preference for any sex. In the initiation, the face and body were covered because the initiation is for the soul, not the body or face.

In Òfún Irete:

Epo se e je su Isu se e je epo Akaso dun un gaka Obinrin se e ba sun jokunrin lo Okunrin se e sun ti jokunrin lo B’ okunrin ba nba okunrin sun Bii koko bii oowo Bi iku bi agbaarin Bobirin b’a nsun tokunrin Bi enfe ola yun pon Bi enfe ola yun ra Igi Ogun o rete iror gangan ole le Adifa fun apon ako Tinlo ree fi ole le o je o Koju ohun tifan se ooo Apon polo le o he o Ko ju ohun tebora nsebo o

Translation:

Palm oil is good when it is accompanied by yam,

Yam is goof when it is accompanied by palm oil.

The ladder is good to climb,

The woman is made to make love to a man, not a man to another man.

It is best that a man sleeps with a woman, not two women sleeping together,

If two men sleep together it will result in a beating.

As boiling water and teeth,

If a woman makes love to another woman,

It will result in pain and foul smell,

Dirt and irritation

If a woman sleeps with a man,

They will feel on the top of the world

And the feeling of joy will be indescribable.

The member of Ofún Irete is strong.

They made divination of Ifá for the unmarried man

When he was going to take Olele, the eldest daughter of Olofa, as his wife

The unmarried man called Olele and she said No.

Now the problem is bigger than what can be resolved.

Summary: Do it yourselves!

Ifá is for everyone who has the vocation and wants to live by it. And I insist, the conjurations of love ties for homosexuals are not true.

These very reasons are the ones which do not allow the performance of Iferan (love ties) in homosexual couples. Other areas could be worked on to achieve a rapprochement as in other aspects of a relationship, but not the love one, it would not be real.

by: Áwo Ifájàre Roberto Valdés.