[SCA-Cooks] Catholic/Christian, was: The Fallwell/Robertson

[Laura C. Minnick]

Morgan Cain wrote:
>
> It's Exodus 22:18:  "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live."  This is the
> part of Exodus where laws are given, and it's odd that this one comes here
> because surrounding it are ones having to do with marriage, sexual
> behaviour, and so on.
>
> The original word is KASHAPH ("Kaw-shaf") which I am told means "sorceress"
> or "witch" depending upon the translation you have.  There is a site that
> gives the same passage in different Bible variations, I did not count how
> many they have.  For comparison, the Good News Bible says "Put to death any
> woman who practices magic," the Latin Vulgate says "maleficos non patieris
> vivere" (which I translate as "evil-doers shall not be allowed to live"
> although one translation I found said "Wizards thou shalt not suffer to
> live"), New American Standard and Revised Standard both say "You shall not
> allow a sorceress to live," and so on.

Sometimes I think we translate it as witch or sorcerer out of habit and
familiarity. After all, that's what is has always said, so of course
that it what it is supposed to say...

You mentioned the Latin though, which reminded me- 'maleficium' in the
law (c 14th-15th century) had to do specifically with charms or spells
or actions which called harm to others. Interesting, since so many
healers and midwives were accused of maleficium.

By my vision, everything hinges on the intent of the actions- if you
mean harm to your neighbor, that's wrong.

Now i gotta ask- remember a few years ago when there was a hurricane
headed for Virgnia Beach, and Robertson *on live tv* was praying to
divert the storm? Just where did he want it to go? The Carolinas?
Wouldn't that that God complicit in an act of maleficium? Wouldn't he be
inflicting harm on his neighbors? I see to remember that storm did veer
and caused havoc elsewhere. But I don't think the Blowhard in Virginia
Beach had anything to do with it.

Obl. food content- when U was a kid dad would not let us eat devils food
cake, because he said it would bring honor to satan. Makes me wonder
about my chocolate addiction! ;-D)

'Lainie
-can we please talk about something else now? whine...