Witches vs Secret Societies: Threat or Real Threat?

In Judaism, during Bible times, the practice of witchcraft was forbidden. Not just witches, but sorcerers, soothsayers, fortune-tellers (psychics), etc. Those who engaged in such activities were counted as nothing more than deceivers with evil intent. The practitioners claimed that they had supernatural powers and some sort of direct connection to the gods or God, which they did not have. Because they dared to say that they could communicate as a medium or intercessor and could convey messages to and from the Divine, knowing full well that they had no such powers or capabilities, how could their intentions have been pure and honest? There was no doubt that their aim or purpose was to defraud another person or do even worse than that. For this reason, the punishment for practicing witchcraft was severe. (That's my understanding.) 

During the first century, converts to Christianity, openly and publicly renounced the practices of witchcraft, sorcery, etc. - referred to as "curious arts" - and professed that their faith was the only power needed to overcome evil and to commune with the Creator.

Persecution of witches (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

• Witchcraft: Past and Present

  
  Science? Philosophy? Religion? Exploring your religious options? Some say witchcraft is a religion. Let's explore.
  

That was then.  Today we need to focus our attention on real threats like ...

SECRET SOCEITIES. 

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• Hunting for witches in the UK(skeptical-science.com)

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You Think You Know All About Witches | earthpages.ca (Reblog)

A very informative post:  Witch. Two ideas (or facts, if you prefer) presented that were news to me!

(1) Witches are born witches. Sorcerers get to apply for the job later on in life.

(2) Witch doctors were called witch doctors because people called on them to cure an illness believed to have been caused by a witch.

Original content source link:  ForumCoin.com

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Additional Links of Interest:

• Witchcraft:  Past and Present
• Book Suggestion: Witch Hunt by SM Reine
  - If you're into urban fantasy.
• The 18th Century Vampire Controversy | wizzley.com- Think witches had it rough? 

 

Image credit: By Immanuel Giel - Own work, Public Domain, Link

 

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Witchcraft and Witch Hunting : Past and Present

There was a dark period in the history of mankind when witch-hunting was the order of the day. It began with official approval from Pope Innocent VII in 1484 and continued until around the 17th century when it reached its climax in England, Scotland, and America.  That was the past.

This is the present.  It’s the 21st century. We’re all much more civilized and intelligent than those people were back then. Aren’t we? (O.o)  Nobody is going to whip us up into frenzied mania and have us pointing a finger of accusation at someone, torturing a confession out of them, and still putting them to death for being a witch!

The past is in the past. Fortunately, my only exposure to witches and witchcraft was and is wearing a costume on Halloween or watching the Wizard of Oz. These days, most people like me limit themselves to adding collectibles like the reproductions pictured below of Glinda, the Good Witch of the North to their wish list; or sitting at home and watching The Wizard of Oz on DVD or Amazon Instant Video. Can you believe it has been 75 years? The movie was released in 1939. Listening to Judy Garland sing “Over the Rainbow” never gets old. Might be a good idea to plan an afternoon or evening watching the original movie classic; the Walt Disney prequel, Oz The Great and Powerful; and The Wiz, starring Diana Ross and the late Michael Jackson.

Saturday Afternoon at the Movies!
A Triple Feature! Starts at Noon. 

BYOP! (Bring Your Own Popcorn!)

The Wizard of Oz:75th Anniversary Edition

Oz The Great and Powerful(Mila Kunis; Rachel Weisz)

The Wiz:30th Anniversary

Amazon Best Sellers in Witch & Wizard Mysteries

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