Witchcraft & Satanism: Linking Witches & Satan out of Ignorance, to Encourage Fear and Hatred
Christians in medieval and pre-modern Europe believed that Satan was a real being and that Satan was actively involved in the affairs of humans. Satan's goal was the corruption of humanity, the destruction of everything good, and the damnation of as many people as possible in hell. One means by which it was believed he accomplished this was through human agents to whom he gave supernatural powers.
Witches were easily categorized as servants of Satan. No longer merely adherents to a more ancient religious tradition, witches were targeted for prosecution as slaves of the cosmic enemy of God, Jesus, and Christianity. Instead of a healer or a teacher, the witch was made into an instrument of evil. The witch was portrayed -- and treated -- as worse than a heretic. This tactic was not limited to the medieval church's pursuit of witches.
Religious and political authorities of various eras and different cultures have always found it convenient to associate their enemies with the worst possible evil they could imagine. In the Christian west, this generally meant associating enemies with Satan. These sort of extreme demonization allows a person to stop seeing their enemy as entirely human and the conflict as something which does not require mercy, traditionally just procedures, or anything of the kind. The only just outcome is not merely the defeat the one's enemy, but their complete extermination. In a battle where one's very existence is at stake, survival becomes the only moral value worth upholding.
The above image depicts the "Witch's Kiss." It was believe that part of the rite of becoming a witch in Satan's service involved kissing Satan's rear. It should be remembered that insofar as there existed anyone who practiced the healing and divination techniques of older pagan traditions, they wouldn't have had anything to do with Satan. After all, Satan is a creation of Christianity and monotheistic traditions. Any "witches" who existed were pantheists or polytheists and wouldn't have believed in a Satan.
Books You Might Enjoy:
Wouter Hanegraaff - Dictionary Of Gnosis And Western Esotericism
Michael Majerus - Atalanta Fugiens
Vovim Baghie - The Grand Satanic Ritual
Gabor Klaniczay - Witchcraft Mythologies And Persecutions
Jaroslav Nemec - Witchcraft And Medicine
This neo-Pagan and Wiccan site is open to all members of the wiccan community. Wiccan community created by me. We have over 18 members and it grows everyday. If you have enjoyed visiting this website then feel free to visit and maybe even become a member of the lake community. However if you are under 18 please get parental permission.
Popular Posts
-
Titles are a little different than labels. Titles are labels that are earned. Not taken on to be impressive or to create a false sense ...
-
Bedtime Prayer I Written by: Druidh and Cricketmouse This is a little bed-time poem me and my husband wrote...actually I use to sing the ...
-
Caledonii (Hecatine) Tradition: A denomination of The Craft that comes from a Scottish origin which preserves the unique rituals of the S...
-
The Summer Solstice, or Midsummer, celebrates the longest day of the year. It falls around June 22. The Summer Solstice ritual focuses on th...
-
Infused with mystery, fear, unbelievable and grim facts and records, Witchcraft History can be traced back to centuries. The word ‘Witc...