Be Aware of The Hunt For Modern Day Witches Every October, images and stories of witches and black-magic re-enter, conversations because of the lightheartedly spooky nature of Halloween festivities. But unbeknownst to many people here in the United States , modern-day witch-hunts are still occurring in the developing world and are heavily linked to female oppression, exile, injustice, and even death. Spreading awareness about these injustices and eradicating them should be key goals for the international community. Over a month ago , I went to a book store to buy a couple craft books to began a study after the holidays . I , was joined by a middle aged man who thought it was appropriate not only to scrutinize my choice of reading material but to comment on them also. Since I was holding books on various religious traditions, it took me a minute to realize that in quoting Exodus 22:18, he was boldly referring to the Wiccan Encyclopedia I was holding. Without missing a beat, this stranger continued his one sided dialogue—shrieking that I needed to put that book down, repent my satanic ways, and open my heart to Jesus Christ. His continued ranting and bizarre body language left little doubt that a two way conversation would not benefit either of us. Escaping his venomous verbal barrage, I slipped into the mens room and waited for him to leave the book counter . Although the crazed stranger was familiar with Old Testament scripture, he most certainly knew a lot about modern Wicca or witchcraft. Yet for some insane reason, this crazed “believer” chose to embrace the superstitious worldview that would leave any reasonable person speechless in horror. I wondered if he could trace his ancestry to those responsible for prosecuting the guiltless women of Salem, Massachusetts. Unfortunately, this crazed creature is not a throw-back from the 17th century—no he is product of and contributor to the persistent negative religious stereotypes embraced by a large part by our uninformed society. He was right about one thing; Witches are alive and well and flourishing in the Americas and Europe. Contrary to popular belief, modern day Witches are no longer the “others”, but are in fact your neighbor, attorney, waitress, the policeman, and teacher. Witches have gone main stream and believe it or not, they don’t and never make sacrifices or worshiped Satan. In fact, Witches does not even recognize the existence of Christianity as a dark menace. For a Witch, blaming one another for one’s religious choice is unthinkable. Many magickal traditions believe in the rule of three or the law of return which teaches that all energy, positive or negative, will be returned threefold. Thus Witches are most assuredly aware of their actions towards others as well as nature. Although modern Wicca’s origins are still under debate academically, most Witches can claim a direct and unbroken line from the “Old Religions” which thrived in pre-Christian Europe. Like the religions of yore, Witchcraft is a nature based religious tradition which promotes the sacredness of the earth. Although Wiccans , Pagans and Witches are often used interchangeably—this is misleading. Many Witches are solitary and do not subscribe to practicing within a coven. In short, all Wiccans are Witches but not all Witches are Wiccan. Like all religious traditions, Wicca and Witchcraft are both complex and diverse and; there is much more to learn about their beliefs . Intolerance and religious fanaticism are real concerns for every century. Today ,Witchcraft accusations typically follow all natural disasters, illnesses, and mysterious deaths. The demographics and social positions of the accused witches vary by region; however, many accusations target elderly women, the mentally disabled, and spirited outspoken women. According to the news more than 70% of the residents in a particular country, were exiled from their homes after the deaths of their husbands. There is speculation that elderly women are often accused as a way for the family to confiscate their property. Furthermore, many of the women are accused of have mental disorders or dementia which are interpreted by their communities as eccentric behavior due to a lack of knowledge about mental disorders. Women who are unconventional or who resist social norms are also targets of witch-hunts; Women are expected to be submissive, so once you start to be outspoken in your views or even successful in your trade, people assume you are possessed. These accusations violate the basic rights of women and unfairly subject them to a life of shame based on prejudiced social hierarchies which devalue the elderly, disabled, and nonconformists. Women accused of witchcraft are condemned to a life of disgrace and potential danger. A News Article from this past February describes how a young 20-year-old mother in Papua New Guinea was stripped and burned alive by villagers after being held responsible for the unexplained death of a 6-year-old boy with witchcraft. The UN estimates that around 5,000 women are victims of honor killings worldwide each year. To escape torture, hanging, whipping, and other brutal punishments, many women accused of witchcraft flee to what is called, witch camps. According to the News , Ghana has six already established witch camps, which do not provide running water or electricity and constrain elderly women who walk long hours each day to find and carry water. Women are confined to these conditions and torn away from their loved ones in order to be protected from the danger to themselves. The Witchcraft and Human Rights Information Network (WHRIN) raises awareness and seeks solutions regarding the practice of witch-hunting, and governments and authorities have been enforcing murder investigations to bring the oppressors of the accused witches to justice. Although these are essential steps for abating this suppressive social phenomenon, the only sustaining mechanism which can eradicate the cultural norm and preserve the security of women for generations to come is a full fledged-moral attack on the traditional institution of witch-hunting itself — a fight that the international community must be willing to commit to. Cetan
Posted on: Tue, 28 Oct 2014 13:19:26 +0000
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