ANST - previous threads ... keltoi / religion / holy-days

[cougar17 at swbell.net]

j'lynn yeates wrote:
> research into additional Inquisition documents may tell us more about
> ancient Celtic (and other Pagan/Witch) customs and religious
> practices well into the Middle Ages.

I saw a fascinating show last week on The History Channel, describing
the history of a certain pagan/witch custom. It told of how the
"witches" in the beginning were not considered witches at all, but
"healers" and "spiritual leaders" in the church. Though they were not
clear as to exactly how the witch hunts began, they were clear on how it
spread. It was used as a weapon against an enemy. If two houses were
feuding, one house just accused a party of the second house of
consorting with the devil, and bingo...they were arrested, tortured to
confession, then burned.
The fervor started in Europe, and then died off, only to re-surface in
America with a village in Salem, where little girls playing a game with
thier "nanny," started having convulsion fits. The nanny, who was black,
was tried and burned, kicking off the American Trials knows as the Salem
Witch hunts. The public grew tired of this within a few years, noticing
that all the women were dissapearing off the face of the earth, and quit
this practice. Hundreds of thousands of people died in the trials, even
men and children. 
During the trials, many over active imaginations went to work during
testamony. The "Witch" grew from a knowledgable "healer" endowed with
the arts of herbs and medicine and mid-wifery, to a vision of an old
hag, casting spells and worshiping, consorting with and having sex with
Satan. They were said to have even flown to these consortiums on brooms.
(this was the American addition)
At one point, it was a federal offense to beleive that withes flew on
brooms, then shortly later, it was an offense to beleive that they did
NOT. Fortunatly, mankind eventually dismissed the idea of revenge
against the "witches" and took blame for bad things happening in thier
lives, upon themselves.
The custom/practice of the original priestesses has re-surfaced in
todays society, commonly known as "Wiccan." The Wiccans celebrate the
healing powers of Earth, Wind and Fire.....NO, not the 70's rock band,
but the dirt, water, air and elements essential to human life.
hehehehe!! :) couldnt resist that one!
Anyhoo, I personally know some wiccans, and they don't talk about it
much, but I wonder if the people I know, are aware of the history of
thier belief. It is VERY old, has an extensive history, and shaped the
way we all are today. It is ironic that a nuclear submarine, the most
advanced technological piece of machinery in existance today, bears a
broom on it's deck when returning from it's maiden voyage, indicating a
"clean sweep" of the tests it was put through.

						Cougar!!

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