Euphoric
03-23-2006, 05:00 PM
The year is 1500. Thousands of your friends, relatives, and even enemies are
being tortured, hung, burned and worse. Your local church says that it's in the
name of God to protect others from the devil's ways, but you're not sure you
totally agree with what's going on. Now stop for a moment. Answer these
questions.
================
1.) Do you have a birthmark, mole, disfigurement, or do you even have a pimple?
2.) Are you a liberal type?
3.) Do you like to dance?
4.) Do you have a pet cat, mouse, snake, goat?
5.) Do you own a broom?
6.) Do you speak out against what you don't believe is right?
7.) Do you sometimes give your husband or mother grief or do you "obey his/her
every command like you should?"
8.) Have you ever had any enemies or just someone who didn't think highly of
you?
9.) Have you ever lived near someone that lost their job? Had a pet that died?
Had a bad crop? Had a family member that died? That got sick?
10.) Have you ever gone out for a walk by yourself after nightfall?
11.) Has there ever been a hail storm or even a wicked thunder storm in the same
area that you live?
=============
Answering yes to just one of these questions would have gotten you tried,
persecuted, tortured and either hung or burned at a stake between the dates of
1100-1700. Men, women, children, the elderly, the crippled and even pets, all
ended up as victims during the Witch Craze (aka The Burning Times and Witch
Hunts/Craze). More middle-aged women than any other were tortured and killed
though.
During the times when man was just discovering and concurring "new frontiers",
fears began to develop of the unknown that lie ahead in these "new worlds".
These fears lead to the largest global killing spree on any scale. Many refute
that the Burning times all started with the two girls who claimed they were
"bewitched".
But in fact, the start of the hatred towards Pagans, Wiccans, and Witches
started far, far earlier during the renaissance period. When the Christians
first arrived on the British shores, they encountered the Pagans and their
rituals.
At first they worshipped side by side, but in time the Christians realized that
the Pagans had a much larger following than them so they decided that something
needed to be done to get more followers of Christ in their churches. Pagan
Sabbats were starting to be broken up by groups of people
against their ways.
Pagan temples were being destroyed. And eventually all of the beautiful ways,
practices and the worshipping of the Old Gods was outlawed. The Pagan God was
perverted into the depiction of the Christian Devil to scare away others from
"the temptation of those heathen practices".
Celebrations that turned into Christian Holidays were conveniently dated close
and even on the same date to Pagan Sabbats to further deter others from going to
the gatherings. Pagan followers had to practice in secret and seclusion.
They were no longer sure of who they could trust with their true feelings.
Eventually, the old clans split up in fear of being caught and they moved far
away from the newcomers.
The Christians had the law on their side and they kept a very watchful eye on
their congregation. Anyone with thoughts, notions, or opinions different than
that of the teachings of Christ were shamed, teased, persecuted and forced to
leave or be jailed.
Fear and hatred started to breed...one thing lead to another and the Witch Craze
was starting to happen..
being tortured, hung, burned and worse. Your local church says that it's in the
name of God to protect others from the devil's ways, but you're not sure you
totally agree with what's going on. Now stop for a moment. Answer these
questions.
================
1.) Do you have a birthmark, mole, disfigurement, or do you even have a pimple?
2.) Are you a liberal type?
3.) Do you like to dance?
4.) Do you have a pet cat, mouse, snake, goat?
5.) Do you own a broom?
6.) Do you speak out against what you don't believe is right?
7.) Do you sometimes give your husband or mother grief or do you "obey his/her
every command like you should?"
8.) Have you ever had any enemies or just someone who didn't think highly of
you?
9.) Have you ever lived near someone that lost their job? Had a pet that died?
Had a bad crop? Had a family member that died? That got sick?
10.) Have you ever gone out for a walk by yourself after nightfall?
11.) Has there ever been a hail storm or even a wicked thunder storm in the same
area that you live?
=============
Answering yes to just one of these questions would have gotten you tried,
persecuted, tortured and either hung or burned at a stake between the dates of
1100-1700. Men, women, children, the elderly, the crippled and even pets, all
ended up as victims during the Witch Craze (aka The Burning Times and Witch
Hunts/Craze). More middle-aged women than any other were tortured and killed
though.
During the times when man was just discovering and concurring "new frontiers",
fears began to develop of the unknown that lie ahead in these "new worlds".
These fears lead to the largest global killing spree on any scale. Many refute
that the Burning times all started with the two girls who claimed they were
"bewitched".
But in fact, the start of the hatred towards Pagans, Wiccans, and Witches
started far, far earlier during the renaissance period. When the Christians
first arrived on the British shores, they encountered the Pagans and their
rituals.
At first they worshipped side by side, but in time the Christians realized that
the Pagans had a much larger following than them so they decided that something
needed to be done to get more followers of Christ in their churches. Pagan
Sabbats were starting to be broken up by groups of people
against their ways.
Pagan temples were being destroyed. And eventually all of the beautiful ways,
practices and the worshipping of the Old Gods was outlawed. The Pagan God was
perverted into the depiction of the Christian Devil to scare away others from
"the temptation of those heathen practices".
Celebrations that turned into Christian Holidays were conveniently dated close
and even on the same date to Pagan Sabbats to further deter others from going to
the gatherings. Pagan followers had to practice in secret and seclusion.
They were no longer sure of who they could trust with their true feelings.
Eventually, the old clans split up in fear of being caught and they moved far
away from the newcomers.
The Christians had the law on their side and they kept a very watchful eye on
their congregation. Anyone with thoughts, notions, or opinions different than
that of the teachings of Christ were shamed, teased, persecuted and forced to
leave or be jailed.
Fear and hatred started to breed...one thing lead to another and the Witch Craze
was starting to happen..