Quite honestly, Chris, in my several trips to Salem, I've never met what I would have considered a "real" witch, at least what I think you mean by the definition. Lots of touristy displays, capitalism at its best. But nothing that gave me the sensation of looking evil in the eye, unless you count the way I felt hearing and reading about what the religious community did back in 1692. Is that what you mean by crawling with witches-? Because I think we come to a major parting of the ways definitionally if so.<p><br><br>
Speaking of definitions, there has been a lot of debate regarding that verse of Exodus you quote. So maybe you had better tell me what it means to you or what you think God meant by it-- if He said it. The word "witch" may have derived from any number of roots, and could have had several different meanings. The more modern concept- the one which I think you may be using- really developed during the days of the Inquisition. Unfortunately it was used more to blame people for having better crops, healthier children, and an amazing ability to kill your cow by having their cat walk by it, than any of the original Old Testament etymologies.<br><br>
But rather than have some logomachic debate, I think my question was only this:<p><br>
Did you feel that the Will of God was being done during the Salem Witch trials, that these actions were sanctioned by God and were thus legitimate-- do you really feel that these people-- and the thousands in Europe-- deserved to be tortured and to die? And if so, why?<
What IS a witch in God's eyes, please?
ANd are you willing to sit in judgment on these purveyors of witchy sweatshirts and little bags of herbs and sentence them to death by hanging? |
