Re: On Other Stories : Witchcraft

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Re: On Other Stories : Witchcraft

Group: alt.philosophy · Group Profile
Author: TruthSlave
Date: Aug 16, 2008 13:08

Sir Frederick wrote:

> After the "main" story collections called "religions",
> come several other story collections that are well practiced.
> This collection is of interest as I have found myself in unpleasant encounter.
> They practice different "rules", and have different meanings
> for those ancient qualia on brain state called "feelings".
> Those I have met were from a particular geographic area.
> The article mentions other areas.
>
> In the interest of confabulating present day stories to meet the
> voracious human need for stories, reviews of older story collections
> are appropriate. This can be overwhelming, perhaps the stories
> have some effects? Please consider here your own observations and
> ideas on this and other collections.
>
> On other stories : witchcraft (this time) :
> -------------------------------------------
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witchcraft
> "Witchcraft, in various historical, anthropological, religious and mythological
> contexts, is the use of certain kinds of supernatural or magical powers. A witch
> is a practitioner of witchcraft. While mythological witches are often
> supernatural creatures, historically many people have been accused of
> witchcraft, or have claimed to be witches.
>
> Witchcraft still exists in a number of belief systems, and indeed there are many
> today who identify with the term "witch" (see below, under Neopaganism). The
> majority of Europeans historically accused of witchcraft were women,[1][2] and
> in legends and popular culture the stereotype is female; however males were also
> often referred to as witches.[3]"
>
> More...
> (A very long article and several links.)
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witchcraft
> --------------------------------------------
>
> There is web site "devoted" to these issues :
> http://witchcraft.org/
> And a published hard copy magazine as well :
> http://www.witchcraft.org/shop/Magazines.html
>
> ----------------------------------------------
> A Google search will provide many links.
>
> --
> Frederick Martin McNeill
> Poway, California, United States of America
> mmcneill@fuzzysys.com
> ******************************************
> "I never cease being dumbfounded by the unbelievable things people believe."
> - Leo Rosten
> ******************************************

There are so many meanings and histories caught in this label
that it would be wise to separate out what is meant by The
Witch.

On one hand there was the witch as a label to engineer fear.
The person or idea, objectified to control the group. History
has this type persecuted by a force which surpasses an rational
explanation. Something about the convictions or beliefs which
exceeds understanding. Reactions for the sake of reaction. A
blind appeal to instinct. Even now the label holds a power which
defines reason. Was there ever any real power here?

The witch might be seen as the embodiment of a particular kind
of knowledge, and thus holding a kind of control. Control and
fear bound without explanation. The Witch as healer, or charlatan,
vying with the natural order of things. There is also the witch as
a native psychologist, the Behaviouralist of her day, claiming a
similar power, however primitive, holding a similar position to
the rulers of its day, extorting a similar control, since there
is nothing new about the human psyche.

I remember as a child, accepting the idle gossip of my peers who
would point and murmur as we passed the run down house of an old
woman. She had to be a witch. She matched all the descriptions passed
to us through fairy tales. In jest, without thought, we would point
and jeer, no consideration on how this might be received by the
old dear who lived there. We could not see ourselves, could not see
the person. We could not see the histories contained in the obsolete
function still engendered by the word. We had this label which
demanded its use.

The Witch might be better seen as the isolated, or those to be
isolated. The unwanted, individuals whose experience was in contrast
to the group or the latest think. Individuals, often elderly, to be
isolated from the 'blank slates' upon whom the latest controls are so
easily written. So many arcane reasons for its use.

The label, has as much to do with our control, our sought reactions,
our ignorances, as with anything that person might be, or claim to be.

--
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