I find that the witch hunts of the dark ages were immoral

[BlueLioness]

Somewhere back in history people used to accuse others of being witches and thus have them tried and killed.

I find this to be the height of ignorance: If our ancestors had realized that magic doesn't exist, then they would have realized that accusing others of being witches was ludicrous. If magic doens't exist, then neither do witches.

At least, that is what I believe. Outside of the movies, magic doesn't exist. There is no such thing as magic in real life. And it's foolish to believe it does exist. Its like saying the tooth fairy exists too (And I know she doesn't).

So I don't find any logical reason why our ancestors accused people of being witches and then having them tried in a court of law and had them killed for that reason. I don't think that being a witch should be a crime anyway.

So many innocent people were falsey accused of crimes they didn't commit. And all because of ignorance.

The whole thing is so evil.

 

[I Eat Pie]

yes

/thread

 

[KitKatMatt]

Somewhere back in history people used to accuse others of being witches and thus have them tried and killed.

I find this to be the height of ignorance: If our ancestors had realized that magic doesn't exist, then they would have realized that accusing others of being witches was ludicrous. If magic doens't exist, then neither do witches.

At least, that is what I believe. Outside of the movies, magic doesn't exist. There is no such thing as magic in real life. And it's foolish to believe it does exist. Its like saying the tooth fairy exists too (And I know she doesn't).

So I don't find any logical reason why our ancestors accused people of being witches and then having them tried in a court of law and had them killed for that reason. I don't think that being a witch should be a crime anyway.

So many innocent people were falsey accused of crimes they didn't commit. And all because of ignorance.

The whole thing is so evil.

There's an interesting book called "The Enemy Within" about the history of witch hunting. You might find it a good read.

 

[DaisyDay]

Somewhere back in history people used to accuse others of being witches and thus have them tried and killed.

You know, it's still going on even to this day.
Witchcraft Africa

I find this to be the height of ignorance: If our ancestors had realized that magic doesn't exist, then they would have realized that accusing others of being witches was ludicrous. If magic doens't exist, then neither do witches.

How would they have known back then that magic didn't exist? It was/is in the Bible.

At least, that is what I believe. Outside of the movies, magic doesn't exist. There is no such thing as magic in real life. And it's foolish to believe it does exist. Its like saying the tooth fairy exists too (And I know she doesn't).

Yet, people do believe.

So I don't find any logical reason why our ancestors accused people of being witches and then having them tried in a court of law and had them killed for that reason. I don't think that being a witch should be a crime anyway.

At the time, it seemed/seems reasonable to the people doing it.

So many innocent people were falsey accused of crimes they didn't commit. And all because of ignorance.

Ignorance, fear, spite and occasionally greed. Innocent people are still falsely accused and convicted - and sometimes executed. We are still not a perfect society; we almost certainly never will be.

The whole thing is so evil.

Such is life.

 

[GoldenBoy89]

Question,

What makes God any more likely/possible to exist than a witch or tooth fairy, if there is no such thing as magic?

 

[freezerman2000]

How many folks were killed because they didn't believe the way the Church wanted them to..or didn't believe at all?
Along with the witch hunts, it was all about the control of the ignorant masses. Both policies were evil.

 

[Forest Wolf]

"Witch", was a catch all phrase initiated by a theocratic system that sought to command the minds of the ignorant largely uneducated masses through the instillation of a fear paradigm that destroyed those who practiced the old ways prior to the arrival of the new faith.
The so called Witches who were slaughtered, either burned, guillotined, or hanged in varying parts of Europe, were not anything more than the Pagans, aka/ country dwellers. Or the Heathens, those who dwelt on the Heath. They were the cunningmen and women, those who were a direct threat to the newly evolving male dominated medical field. Those who used herbs, tinctures, potions, were considered a threat to the new evolving medical field that sought to give control to the physicians and revoke any idea that nature and natures god's and goddesses could save a life.

It was from these persecutions of the so called Witches that the first example of forced coercion to conversion derived. Watching one's neighbor hanged, burned to death, or beheaded, while all they owned went to the crown and was then likely to be auctioned off and could have gone to that neighbor who had wanted that land the whole while and that's why they whispered, "Witch", in the right place so that that now dead land owner would be arrested, is a mighty strong conversion vehicle.

Obey,renounce the old ways, or die like this.
*It must be noted that not a single person was burned at the stake in America during that version of the old Witch hunt in New England region. Every person accused and put to death were either hanged, or as in the case of one man, crushed to death between boards while rocks were piled atop him as he was repeatedly asked to repent and confess to his allegiance with the Christian's Devil. He never did. And he died slowly.
Smithsonian(dot)com has a brief explanation of this true history and archeology entitled:
A Brief History of the Salem Witch Trials


The so called Witch hunts of the ancient times was what can be called a campaign of pagan genocide.
The actual Witches that were sought out weren't often the victims of this evil. They knew enough to blend in to the new religion. Making the sainted Mary the new face of that Goddess of ten thousand names.

 

[yasic]

Exodus 22:18 says "Though shalt not suffer a witch to live"

At least one part of the reasons for witch hunts is because some people believed in the bible which very directly tells you that you must kill witches (amongst others)

 

[ebia]

Exodus 22:18 says "Though shalt not suffer a witch to live"

At least one part of the reasons for witch hunts is because some people believed in the bible which very directly tells you that you must kill witches (amongst others)

Is it? Or did people use that text as a pretext for exercising power over others?

 

[kellhus]

Is it? Or did people use that text as a pretext for exercising power over others?

Probably exercising power. Though I'm sure there were at least a few genuine fanatics.

 

[yasic]

Is it? Or did people use that text as a pretext for exercising power over others?

Well the fact is, if the bible is correct, God did instruct his followers to kill quite a few different sets of people, witches being one such set.

Now if the people who executed God's orders did it out of true belief or simply used it as an excuse is not something that we can answer, especially given our lack of ability to communicate with them.

My guess would be that for most people it was a combination of the two, and I am sure that out of the magnitudes of people who followed God's orders, that many did it out of pure faith and many others did it without even believing in God and just used it as an excuse.

 

[ebia]

Well the fact is, if the bible is correct,

And if your interpretation of what it is saying is correct.

 

[I Eat Pie]

Exodus 22:18 says "Though shalt not suffer a witch to live"

At least one part of the reasons for witch hunts is because some people believed in the bible which very directly tells you that you must kill witches (amongst others)

They weren't really witches.

 

[Lovely Jar]

Exodus 22:18 says "Though shalt not suffer a witch to live"

At least one part of the reasons for witch hunts is because some people believed in the bible which very directly tells you that you must kill witches (amongst others)

But that particular passage was altered by order of King James when his version was coming to print and ultimately did in 1611.
He did this because, being incredibly deviant, he was also paranoid. And he imagined a coven of Witches were conspiring to kill him. So he altered what was the original text that stated, thou shalt not let a poisoner to live, to that of, thou shalt not let a Witch to live.
Thereby making in his own words what was said to be a Godly proclamation to execute those who he thought were working magic to unseat him.

No one knows if anyone put to death as a Witch after just prior to 1611 was a member of that supposed coven bent on unseating King James. (Or, Queen James, as he was also known).

Witchcraft, it should be noted, was allowed to be freely practiced in England when Witchcraft laws were repealed in 1951. In 1954 the first official publication about Witchcraft was made public. Gerald Gardners, 'Witchcraft Today."

Something that would have made King James spin in his grave having to realize not only do Witches live but they publish in Great Britain too.

 

[yasic]

And if your interpretation of what it is saying is correct.

I will give you that the witch command from God is indeed not as clear as many of his other commands that demand you kill others. After all, 'Thought shalt not suffer a X to live' is a very odd way of putting it, especially given that God was a lot more direct, such as 'You will stone X to death' which is pretty unmistakable.

 

[manitouscott]

If our ancestors had realized that magic doesn't exist

The Bible believing ones did believe witchcraft exists. It is mentioned several times and there are stories about people with powers that do not come from God but were real nonetheless. Simon the Sorcerer.

This does not excuse the behavior of the people who killed suspected witches.

 

[ebia]

I will give you that the witch command from God is indeed not as clear as many of his other commands that demand you kill others. After all, 'Thought shalt not suffer a X to live' is a very odd way of putting it, especially given that God was a lot more direct, such as 'You will stone X to death' which is pretty unmistakable.

Well, to some extent you seem to be confusing Jacobean English with the original text.

But that aside:
A. None of those texts are directed directly to a Christian audience
B. there is every historical reason to think that the original Jewish audience never enforced them in generalised way and did not view them as literal commands but as graphic ways of saying "this is really really damaging to the community - dont do it".

 

[Strathos]

Exodus 22:18 says "Though shalt not suffer a witch to live"

At least one part of the reasons for witch hunts is because some people believed in the bible which very directly tells you that you must kill witches (amongst others)

The word used there in the original Hebrew is more properly translated as "a person who uses magic to harm others".

So contrary to what the Jesus Camp lady might have said, Harry Potter would not be put to death in Biblical times, but Voldemort would.

 

[lupusFati]

The word used there in the original Hebrew is more properly translated as "a person who uses magic to harm others".

So contrary to what the Jesus Camp lady might have said, Harry Potter would not be put to death in Biblical times, but Voldemort would.

Isn't there something in that book saying witchcraft shouldn't be messed with anyway?

 

[Strathos]

Mostly that is warnings against rituals for contacting spirits, as they could be demons.