18 November 2012

Witchcraft: Real or Not?

           Witchcraft, what’s the first thing you think of when you hear that word? Most people’s first question is, is witchcraft real? Or can witchcraft even be explained? Leo Igwe, author of “A Skeptical Look at African Witchcraft and Religion”, is a non believer of witchcraft. In his article he states “of course, I am skeptical about the oft discussed powers of witches to cause death, infertility, disease, miscarriages, business failures, accidents, etc.” (Igwe 3).

Proven through much research with books and articles, Igwe has no reason to be a skeptic anymore. In the book “Witchcraft Mythologies and Persecutions, Volume 3: Demons, Spirits, Witches” by Gabor Klaniczay, Eva Pocs and Eszter Csonka-Takacs it’s been found that “numerous trials and new information about witchcraft dating as far back as 1428” (Csonka-Takacs, Klaniczay, Pocs, 16). This shows that the belief in witchcraft has been in around for centuries. Because witchcraft has so much history, it has more time and experience to show that it truly exists. Found in the documentary below, the truth about witchcraft is explored.  
 

            Igwe later goes on to say “these incidents have rational scientific naturalistic explanations that do not require the casual power of witchcraft and sorcery” (Igwe 3). Be that as it may, it doesn’t mean that witchcraft is not the cause of these incidents either. Just because Igwe says there is a logical reasoning behind these incidents, doesn’t mean that he is necessarily right. Occurrences happening from the unexplained are very common. A miracle is a prime example of this. Normally, a miracle is something extraordinary or amazing that happens unexpectedly and with no real explanation. This shows that something can happen with no logical explanation behind it.
The pentagram, shown below, is one of the most common symbols shows for witchcraft. If witchcraft wasn't real, why would this image exist? 
 

Gabor Klaniczay, Eva Pocs and Eszter Csonka-Takacs book shows that Lutheran churches had been fighting against witchcraft for decades (Csonka-Takacs, Klaniczay, Pocs 269). This shows that religions believe witchcraft is real. Also, many other religions were based around the practices of witchcraft (269), so why would religions base their beliefs based off of something that is not real?

             “Witchcraft, gender and Society in early modern Germany”, written by Jonathan Durrant, brings in a more detailed perspective on witchcraft. The book states “the witchcraft narratives produced during the investigations and trials were consequently relatively coherent and detailed” (Durrant 16). This shows that there were detailed and believable accounts of witchcraft that were recorded in the past. Because these experiences have support of their existence and detail from the account, this makes witchcraft all the more believable and real. Shown in the video below, more recent incidents of witchcraft have been captured as well.
  

According to Igwe, some of the underlying reasons people believe in witchcraft are fear, ignorance, poverty and religion. Fear was one of the most important reasons that was raised. Fear being an underlying reason might make sense, but it also supports the fact that witchcraft is real. In Durrant’s book, it spoke about witnesses of witchcraft who were too afraid to testify during trials (Durrant 18). Their fear stemmed from the fact that they believed something bad would happen to them if they spoke against a witch (18). Because people were afraid the witchcraft would work against them, they would keep their mouths shut. The belief of witchcraft, therefore, is supported by the fear from people. The fear is a major factor that keeps witchcraft alive. Shown Below is the moral system behind witchcraft. Within this statement it says that if you do harm to someone, you deserve harm back upon you. This shows that witchcraft was not ment to harm people in the first place. 
  

One of the more major countries that witchcraft is found in is Germany. In the book, “Witchcraft, Gender, and Society in Early Modern Germany” by Jonathan Durrant, shows all of the arrests made for the practice of witchcraft. It states “between 240 and 273 people were arrested from witchcraft” (Durrant 14).  This tells people that witchcraft was taken very seriously and believed in Germany. Because it is better known in some countries, it might not be as well known outside of these countries. Since witchcraft is not well known in certain places, it makes people more unaware of it and creates the disbelief in witchcraft. Shown below is an image of a 400 year old witch trial in Germany.
 

Witchcraft is always a topic of skepticism and does not always have clear explanation behind it. There will always be skeptics within the topic and questions that go unanswered. But, sometimes the public needs to realize there is not always a logically explanation behind everything. Majorly, a skeptic will use logic or an opinion which is not a solid way to support an idea. Logic does not always answer questions and some answers are not easily explained. Witchcraft is possible just like any other paranormal phenomenon in the world, you just need the right evidence and open mind to support it. 

  

 

 
Work Cited

Gabor Klaniczay, Eva Pocs and Eszter Csonka-Takacs. Witchcraft Mythologies and Persecutions.Central European University Press, 2008. Print.

Igwe, Leo. "A Skeptical Look At African Witchcraft And Religion." Skeptic 11.1 (2004): 72-74. Academic Search Complete. Web. 23 Oct. 2012.

Durrant, Jonathan B. Witchcraft, Gender and Society in Early Modern Germany. Leiden: Brill, 2007. Print.

6 comments:

  1. I personally would love to believe in witchcraft, but I’d also like to believe in Santa Clause, and I definitely don’t believe in him. So I’m a bit skeptical when it comes to believing in supernatural beings like witches. Belief in witchcraft has been around for centuries, but it doesn’t mean it’s true. Just because Greek gods were around so long ago and for a while, it doesn’t mean that people ended up believing in it today. Because there is a logical explanation, it means that it is probably and mot likely the reason. You bring up the subject of miracles, but some people apply that label and add meaning to things that just are, and aren’t necessarily miracles. Saying something is a miracle is implying that there is no possible way that this event could have happened without the help of some supernatural being. People give myths more truth than they should because they couldn’t explain what had happened, but now we can explain more things. But people aren’t ready to let go of the interesting and mysterious idea that bad things could be a person’s fault and not just probability. The pentagram exists just like other symbols exist even if what they represent might not. Other examples of symbols that symbolize things that might not be true are crosses and horoscope signs. Just because symbols were created, it doesn’t mean the thing it represents automatically exists. Sometimes symbols are even created in order to symbolize something that doesn’t exist on purpose like in math or science. There are detailed records of a lot of things, but it doesn’t mean that all of those things exist. Again, records like the stories from Greek mythology exist, but it doesn’t mean that all the Greek gods and goddesses exist too. The more recent accounts make the idea of witchcraft a lot more believable, but still, why should we believe it if there are more logical reasons behind events? Fear, ignorance, poverty and religion are good points for why people would believe in supernatural things. Those are strong factors that could lead people to believe things that aren’t true.

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  2. Personally I believe witchcraft is more of a superstition and should not be believed in. We live in a world where we do not have a lot of control over things and witchcraft, like many supernatural beliefs, is just another unexplainable myth that we blame magic or extraordinary beings on. You prove good points in proving that some religions are based off witchcraft or at least acknowledge the existence of it. However, religions are based off of faith and stories which are based down for generations. No one is to actually account for the truth behind what most religions believe and are based upon. Some catholics translate the stories of the bible literally and fully believe in them, does that mean that Jonah was actually swallowed by a whale and survived? I’m not so sure. Fear also is another good point that supports the belief in witchcraft. Fear has contributed to the belief in so many paranormal activities. However, I do not think fear of the paranormal proves that it exists. I think the fear of these supernatural things is more stemmed from fear of the unknown. Because of so many myths and stories regarding these unnatural accounts and so little valid answers to the mysteries behind them, people continue to fear them because they do not actually know what it is. I think witchcraft may appear believable but like most paranormal things it is just a common myth that has been passed on for many years and will continue to be passed on until it can truly be proven to exist or to not exist.

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  4. The major problem with your argument is the historical evidence, which seems to mostly rely on beliefs. Using your arguments—that people feared witchcraft, that elements of witchcraft existed, that historical documents discuss them—I could prove right any religion I wished. I mean, people fear God, that makes him real, right? The Bible exists. Well, there you go then.
    Or, better yet—children fear the monsters under their bed. It’s a stupid, irrational fear, but we let it slide because hey, kids, right? They’re stupid. They don’t know better. The same could be said for older societies. As mankind has grown, we’ve abandoned such superstitions.
    You also cite such governments enforcing anti-witchcraft laws. But the practices of government, too, change. The United States government used to enforce keeping black people in slavery. Does that make it right? Is that something we should believe in?
    Overall, your arguments all rely on very flimsy evidence and even goes out of their way to discredit themselves. I know we’re supposed to bring up opposing arguments, but mentioning totally rational explanations for mystical phenomenon is just asking to be discredited.
    But perhaps the worst part is that this essay brings up so much evidence, but does very little to back it up with opinions tying them all together, so we’re left with an Amazing World of Ghosts-esque mishmash of just pointing out that things existed and using them as evidence.

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  5. I believe that the theory of witches and ghosts are easier to believe then the actual witchcraft. I've always seen books of spells and stores that are specialized in witch craft. I never thought anything of it nor did I have much background information on the topic. I think that you did a good job to try and get the reader to believe in witchcraft; you used examples that were accurate such as books. You state that witchcraft has been around for many years and that it has a lot of history on it. There are many movies, and articles that state a lot of information on witchcraft. Personally, I don't think that you can cast spells or perform witchcraft, yet I do think you did a good job to try and make someone believe in this theory. I don't think that fear is a strong example as to why people believe in witchcraft. Fear may lead people to believe that there are monsters underneath their bed while they are sleeping, but there is no such thing. There has to be a stronger reason as to what leads people to believe in witchcraft. You state also " If witchcraft wasn't real, why would this image exist? " and then you posted a picture of the witchcraft star. There are many pictures that exist today, yet the theory behind them don't. The pictures that are supposedly Big Foot and Lochness Monster, exist yet people don't believe in their theories. That statement is completely false; things may be used to exemplify something not true. At the end of the day, everything is based on someones opinion, regardless if there are facts out there on a specific theory or not. Most people choose to believe something, because they just like the idea. You did do a good job making this blog seem realistic, yet I still don't believe in witchcraft.

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  6. Personally, when I think of witchcraft I think of Harry Potter type stuff. This is the main reason behind my disbelief in it. I feel like the media image of witchcraft kind of ruined any chances of believing in real witchcraft. The media portrays it in such an impossible way that there’s no way to believe it. For example, if you look at what is in a Harry Potter movie you start to doubt the existence of witchcraft. Creatures that don’t exist, walking through walls, invisibility cloaks, flying brooms, it’s all just too bizarre for me.
    The majority of your evidence in this post is based on people’s beliefs rather than actual fact. You refer to the fact that the stories and beliefs in witchcraft date back centuries, however, just because a story or belief has been told for countless generations, the story isn’t necessarily true. There is a saying, “never let the truth get in the way of a good story”. I think that this story is very useful in this particular situation because it just goes to show that sometimes the truth puts a damper on a good story and therefore it can be left out completely at times. When it comes to stories of witchcraft, I think the truth is very hard to find.
    Overall I think that witchcraft is just a little too far-fetched to actually exist. It’s a lot of superstition and a lot of story-telling but not a lot of actual fact.

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