stealthmongoose
Eponishta
Blairnensha
I hate to be the one to break it to you, but dolls don't have souls. I wouldn't be too sure of that. Dolls are quite ... interesting things in folk lore.
As for sacred/religious clothing... Dolls around the world are dressed in the sacred clothing of religions all the time. It would be a little out there to go through all the steps to gain LDS holy garments IMHO, but no one can really stop you from doing it if you really want to. I have several dolls in my collection that are attired in sacred dress for Native American, African, and Asian religions.
And I do believe that Dolls, like Puppets can host souls.
Given that symbolism is universal (the practice thereof, anyway) and souls are undefined, I suppose I have two questions to this point.
1. If the clothing is merely a symbol (which I believe it is) then why would one have to go through the motions rather than attire the doll as they wish, using home-made garments or otherwise. I.E. If I wanted my doll to be dressed as a bishop, I COULD go through the rites and entitlements, OR I could sew an outfit at home and put it on the doll in question. The latter, to me, seems more sensible.
2. What is a soul and what basis does anyone, yourself included, have for asserting that dolls can 'host' them?
1. It all depends on your purpose. Some traditional dolls must be dressed in specific dress or regalia. These may be blessed by religious leaders,who also bless the doll/puppet. Many are not, but become sacred as time goes on. Purpose defines will. If your purpose is to have a sacred doll, then you will have a sacred doll even if the doll has never gone through a temple ceremony or has never been ordained as a bishop or pope.
The kachina are examples of sacred dolls that are sacred because both the creator and the holder believe they are sacred. Icons in the orthodox and roman catholic churches become sacred over time, even if they were not originally created for the church in question. Many icons were personal or family owned, not church property.
2. Human beings are souls with bodies. The soul is the very essence of who and what a person is. It is the conciousness and it is what makes each and every person think and behave as we do. The spirit is the life-force.
My basis for believing in posession of dolls, statues, and puppets is by personal observation. While I believed before my observation, my beliefs were not cemented until I observed the phenomenon. As far as anyone else, I cannot answer for them.
By the by, here is a partial list of haunted or possessed/sacred dolls
The Kachina
Annabelle the doll (several movies have been made about this doll. Presently, she resides in a locked glass case, in a museum created by Ed and Lorraine Warren.)
Robert the Doll ( a hand stitched doll created for a painter named Robert Eugene Otto by gis nanny. The doll was his constant companion, even after his marriage. The doll frequently freaks people out, and is said to move about the museum, where he presently resides, at will)
Vudu (voodu, or voodoo) blessing/cursing dolls (these dolls are dressed to represent thectarget of the practitioner's healing magic or curse. Sometimes they contain hair or nail clippings.)
Mandy is a doll that cries in the night, even though she does not have a cry box.
Okiku is a Japanee doll that gets a yearly hair trim and manicure. The owner of the doll is saod to possess Okiku, and her family placed it in the care of temple priests. She resides in Mannenji Temple. Her story has been adopted into many Kabuki tales, and books, and even T.V. shows.
The wandering Christ statue or Santo Niño de Atocha
Charlie McCarthy, Edgar Bergan's famous ventriloquism puppet.
And, even though it is not a doll, I mention the dubbuk (or dibukk) box located near Kirksville, Missouri in an undisclosed location.
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