Christians are still killing "witches"

[thaiboxerken]

The killing of suspected witches started after some members of the Christian Pentecostal churches accused their congregation's parents and relatives of allegedly practicing witchcraft and being responsible for poverty, diseases, business failure, infertility, and other calamities.

http://www.csicop.org/sb/2003-06/nigeria.html

[Lord Emsworth]

The killing of suspected witches started after some members of the Christian Pentecostal churches accused their congregation's parents and relatives of allegedly practicing witchcraft and being responsible for poverty, diseases, business failure, infertility, and other calamities.

If that be true it would mean that the witch-killers actually believe in witchcraft.

[Brown]

It should be noted that the killing of witches is expressly allowed, and even commanded, by Old Testament scripture.

[thaiboxerken]

Originally posted by Lord Emsworth


If that be true it would mean that the witch-killers actually believe in witchcraft.

Witchery, sorcery and other such nonsense is taught to be real in the christian bible, real but evil.

Though shall not suffer a witch to live.

[Lord Kenneth]

CHRISTIANS!!!

Here is a witch to kill:

http://www.satirewire.com/news/0112/images/robertson.jpg

[Tormac]

Does he weigh the same as a duck?

[Duncan]

Whew! Thank God they're only after witches. That means us wizards are safe. But if they change their mind and come after me, I'll just cast my fire spell on them, or turn invisible and fly away on my magic carpet.

I wonder though, what would constitute being a witch? If you could make blind men see, turn water in to wine, or rise from the dead, would you be a witch? And if that did make you a witch, and witches are so evil then... Hmmmm.

[Upchurch]

The interesting thing is that, if it's true, the witch hunts in Nigeria, unlike those done in the early US, may actually be accusing real witches rather than accusing people for social and political reasons.

(I'm not saying witchcraft produces real results, only that the accused might actually be practicing it.)

[hgc]

Originally posted by Upchurch
The interesting thing is that, if it's true, the witch hunts in Nigeria, unlike those done in the early US, may actually be accusing real witches rather than accusing people for social and political reasons.

(I'm not saying witchcraft produces real results, only that the accused might actually be practicing it.)
This has not historically been the case, based on what's known about the European (and American) tradition of witch-burning. Sagan explained it nicely in Demon Haunted World. Among many other causes, he even described it as a type of expense account scam, where the inquisitors would charge the witch's family and/or the parish for the cost of the prosecution.

btw, I'm waiting for billiefan to fly in here on his broom and declare these "Christians" as not really Christian. I mean, as if!

[Upchurch]

Originally posted by hgc

This has not historically been the case, I'm sorry, what are you disagreeing with me about? Or is it that you would add "monitary" to my list of reasons?

[thaiboxerken]

Originally posted by Duncan
I wonder though, what would constitute being a witch? If you could make blind men see, turn water in to wine, or rise from the dead, would you be a witch? And if that did make you a witch, and witches are so evil then... Hmmmm.

Mere accusal will get one deemed a witch in many of these cases.

Oh, witches can have the same powers as the "prophets" and other demi-gods of the bible, but for some reason only "godly" poeple are to have those powers. Anyone else is a witch. strange.

[jimlintott]

I wonder though, what would constitute being a witch? If you could make blind men see, turn water in to wine, or rise from the dead, would you be a witch? And if that did make you a witch, and witches are so evil then... Hmmmm.

Depends on your gender. Man = Saviour, woman = witch. ;)

[hgc]

Originally posted by Upchurch
I'm sorry, what are you disagreeing with me about? Or is it that you would add "monitary" to my list of reasons?
I was saying that the history of European witch hunts were not about getting people actually practicing or thinking they were practicing witchcraft (as they understood it).

I wasn't disagreeing with you so much, since you said they may have been actually practicing witchcraft.

I'm not the disagreeable sort. :D

[ceo_esq]

Originally posted by hgc
Sagan explained it nicely in Demon Haunted World. Among many other causes, he even described it as a type of expense account scam, where the inquisitors would charge the witch's family and/or the parish for the cost of the prosecution.[/B]
I don't have the book handy. Did Sagan suggest that was true of the Inquisition specifically (which was not involved in many witch-burnings) or about witch-burnings carried out by other interests?

[Upchurch]

Originally posted by hgc

I was saying that the history of European witch hunts were not about getting people actually practicing or thinking they were practicing witchcraft (as they understood it). Oh. you totally misunderstood me. I said that the accused witches in Nigera may actually be witches, as noted in the article. Unlike those in the early US, who were accused, not because they practiced witchcraft, but for social, political, and perhaps monitary reasons.

I didn't really refer to European witch hunts at all, which I know next to nothing about.

[hgc]

Originally posted by Upchurch
Oh. you totally misunderstood me. I said that the accused witches in Nigera may actually be witches, as noted in the article. Unlike those in the early US, who were accused, not because they practiced witchcraft, but for social, political, and perhaps monitary reasons.

I didn't really refer to European witch hunts at all, which I know next to nothing about.
No, I understood. The point I was trying to make was that I suspect that witch hunts are similar the world over, in that there's a hell of a lot more people accused than ever practiced the offense.

fyi, I was equating American and European witch hunting. What little of it occurred here was merely an extension of the European tradition.

Of course that applies to literal witch hunts. The best modern American representation are the Satanist ritual child abuser cults, about which there was much sturm und drang in the 80's, and nary a documented case.

[Dancing David]

Well, the strange thing is that there are african 'witches', it shows up on the BBC sports pages all the time.

There is currently no active witch hunt going on in the US, defamation but no hunts. (I am not currently in a coven, but have been in the past. Some of our events have helped add to the local rural legends!)