Vodou has also been characterised as polytheistic. It teaches the existence of a pantheon of deities known as the "lwa", a term that can varyingly be translated into English as "gods", "spirits", or "geniuses". These lwa are also known as the "mystères", "anges", "saints", and "les invisibles", and are sometimes equated with the angels of Christian cosmology. The lwa can offer help, protection, and counsel to humans, in return for ritual service. The lwa are regarded as the intermediaries of Bondye, although they are not seen as moral exemplars which practitioners should imitate. Each lwa is viewed as having its own personality, and is associated with specific colors, days of the week, and objects. The lwa can be either loyal or capricious in their dealings with their devotees; Vodouists believe that the lwa are easily offended, for instance if they are offered food that they dislike. When angered, the lwa are believed to remove their protection from their devotees, or to inflict misfortune, illness, or madness on an individual.