SH+p4+2015+Witchcraft

WITCHCRAFT

Aim: Jensen Powell

The purpose of witchcraft is to get something from spells or chants. Religion Facts explains the purpose of witchcraft as, “Connecting with another entity (e.g. nature; spirits or the spiritual realm; people, living or dead) or as a form of petition (i.e. a request) for something needed in life, like health or healing” (Religion Facts “Witchcraft”). Witchcraft has something that people have always considered bad. Religions have historically considered it to be calling on the wicked spirits. They consider it a dangerous communication with the spirit realm. However, witchcraft can be considered a very useful method of healing for those who practice it. They don’t think it’s wrong, however, they believe that it is a very effective source of asking and, potentially receiving, the things they ask for. Therefore, the aim or purpose of witchcraft is to try to receive something “needed in life”.

Works Cited: “Witchcraft." //ReligionFacts. n.d. 26 Oct. 2015.//

Ben Rankin. Burned alive: Mum accused of SORCERY is stripped, tortured and set alight in front of crowd. Mirror: Website of the Year. 8. Feb. 2013. 26. Oct. 2015. = = = =

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Audience (Daniel):

The intended audience of the term Witchcraft was peasants and lower class citizens to have a practice to believe is responsible for unexplained phenomenon.The history of witchcraft describes the reasoning behind the idea of witchcraft, “Saint Augustine argued that supernatural arts were effective only because demons helped the sorcerer or astrologer. This concept was developed during the later Middle Ages into the notion that witches made a pact or covenant with the devil” (Sommerville). Witches were said to make a pact with the devil where they were granted special powers in exchange for using them for evil purposes. This created a practice or an idea that could be blamed for any harm peasants encountered. Peasants felt they were doing the right thing as it states in the bible, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live" (Exodus 22:18). Considering it not only noble to rid the world of the evil of the witch and having an idea to blame for their problems are the reasons the terms is intended for citizens and peasants.

Works Cited:

Ben Rankin. “Burned alive: Mum accused of SORCERY is stripped, tortured and set alight in front of crowd.” Mirror: Website of the Year. 8. Feb. 2013. Web. 26. Oct. 2015.

SOMMERVILLE, J.P. "Witchcraft." The History of Witchcraft. Web. 26 Oct. 2015

Thurston, Herbert. "Witchcraft." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. Web. 26 Oct. 2015

“witchcraft.” ReligionFacts.com. 10 Nov. 2015. Web. 26 Oct. 2015.

Cultural Influence (David): What is the modern cultural impact of the term? Witchcraft creates a confusing imagine by having different meanings for different people. Those who practice witchcraft have their own intentions, “ While the vast majority of those who practice witchcraft aren't motivated by devil-worship or Satanism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam hold that practitioners of witchcraft are interacting with sinister spirits” (religionfacts.com). The confusion in this lies in the reactions of the people. For example, in Papua New Guinea, a woman was accused of sorcery and was set ablaze in front of a crowd. The high powers of the country, including the prime minister, had condemned this woman, but, “Police Commissioner Tom Kulunga described the murder as ‘shocking and devilish’” (Rankin). Christianity, Judaism and Islam all say that witchcraft is connected with the Devil or some other sinister spirit. Yet some practitioners of these religions do not support that idea. When encountered with these different beliefs, people get cannot decipher the ethics of witchcraft or determine if it is good or bad.

Works Cited: = = “Witchcraft." //ReligionFacts. n.d. 26 Oct. 2015.// = = = =

Ben Rankin. Burned alive: Mum accused of SORCERY is stripped, tortured and set alight in front of crowd. Mirror: Website of the Year. 8. Feb. 2013. 26. Oct. 2015. = = = = = =

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Matthew Maher (history):

Witchcraft influenced the Christian Church before it and still does, through the rejection of Jesus Christ and making pacts with demons and evil spirits. This is happened when there was the belief in worshipping a supernatural entity to gain powers, “the witches or wizards addicted to such practices entered into a compact with Satan, abjured Christ and the Sacraments”(Thurston). Back in the time of the Church’s influence over the people that did not have an education that gave them a vast understanding of the world around them. This included what was actual possible and not, which led to the scaring of people back in the church of the “powers” the witches had. There was the belief that was held even in the church and is stated in the Bible that a person that claims to use nonhuman powers were thought to come from the rituals of demonic beings and idols. People back then received the punishment of burning alive at in front of crowds to show the example of going against Christ and rejecting the ideas. Not only was this in the Christianity, but was before that when people were thrown in water to see if a person had these powers. Also the Church went out and prosecuted people that were thought to be witches and wizards where they would be put to death.

Works Cited: Thurston, Herbert. "Witchcraft." __The Catholic Encyclopedia.__ Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 27 Oct. 2015

SOMMERVILLE, J.P.  "Witchcraft." The History of Witchcraft. 26 Oct. 2015