Well yes I can write pages, especially when I know what I'm talking about, hopefully this wont be one of those occasions.:lol:
Okay, the clips you listed are all different things. Real Zar is a belief system and a way of life. It is not a dance or necessarily an exorcism. I can't tell you about the first clip because its all in Arabic, so I have no way of knowing if the reporters are portraying it accurately or slandering it. Also, I don't know what the practitioners were saying and if they were telling the reporters what they felt they wanted to hear, or bending the truth to gain acceptance in the public eye.
Second clip was a Coptic exorcism. This has nothing to do with Zar or African spiritual beliefs in any way shape or form. The other clips with Koranic verses were not Zar or related to it in any way. The English clip I've seen before, sorry, they get it wrong. Its not an exorcism. Clip with the kid with the bug eyes was not listed as Zar but a comedy. Just another youtube kid acting silly to get a laugh out of his friends. Last clip was pure bullshit. Zar is NOT a dance and certainly isn't any form of Raks Sharki, much less really bad American style.
Simply believing in something is not enough. One has to use their common sense and be observant. I am a follower of a traditional Nigerian derived religion which is very similar to the system which Zar is a part of and that is how I know that there is more to it than a ritual. There is a whole philosophy and world view that is every bit as profound as anything in Christianity, Judaism or Islam, but we have been slandered because of the world wide belief that Africans have no religion beyond rattling chicken bones and freaking out to wild drum music. Anything taken out of context can seem ridiculous. Jews would have us believe the universe was made in six days and god made women from a man's rib. Christians would have us believe that a virgin gave birth to a kid who turned out to really be god in disguise, who was killed, came back to life and flew back to heaven. You, a Muslims believes that an illiterate camel caravan boy heard the voice of an angel in a cave telling him to write the word of god. You also believe that a virgin gave birth to the same kid the Christians follow, but that he spoke on the day of his birth, however, he's not god. He gets demoted to prophet.

So far, I think all these religions are on a par. They can all be put in a light that makes them seem like something only the simple minded would get involved in. As far as money is concerned. Yes, depending on the ritual, or initiation it can be a sum of money involved. The majority of it goes to pay the musicians, make the food that is served, buy the necessary objects for the ceremony and lastly, pay the kadia. And so what? Islam isn't a free religion. All Muslims must make a journey to Mecca where they walk around a big black box, then run up and down a hill. It is an enormous expense and many poor people strain themselves to do it, not to mention, many of the die once they get there from being trampled.
Don't know about you, but I think killing a few chickens is more cost effective. For your money you get dinner, (even if you have to kill it yourself, hey, at least you know its fresh), you get music, a floor show and some exercise. Best of all, you don't have to leave home!:clap:
Shit I wrote a book after all.... but at least I didn't bombard you with videos!

Look, this whole Zar thing has been taken out of context by people who do not understand it. It was first done by the fakelore groups trying to portray aspects of Egyptian folk culture on stage. This lead to the misperception that it is a different type of folk dance and that's why we now have westerners who want to do it. I personally find it silly. Its like saying I'm going to dance the Pentecostal, or dance the Catholic Mass, or Do the Muslim Jumma, or do the Zikr dance. Everyone would realize how silly this
is. But because this an African practice done by people on the lower economic ladder, we can make a "dance" about it because its just some mumbo jumbo. Why didn't Redda make a tablue about Friday prayers, or Zikr?
Whether its Zar practices, Christianity, Judaism or Islam, there are frauds in all of these belief system who seek to take advantage of people and exploit them for one reason or another. Hell, we have Muslims in Palestine telling young people that if they blow their nuts to kingdom come they go to Paradise and get 72 virgins to screw every night! I think I'll stick with killing chickens. Besides, we do wonderful thing to them with the curry sauce after wards!:dance: