Witches: Real or not Real?

Witches: Real or Not Real?

The belief in witchcraft is an extremely skeptical topic and has been all throughout history.  The belief in witchcraft has caused many debates on whether or not it is actually true.  Because there are so many different kinds of witchcrafts and so many different traditions, it has become such a debatable topic.  The different kinds of witchcraft all believe in diverse aspects of it.  And because of that, it confuses people on what to believe is the actual truth.  African witchcraft is one of the most popular traditions.  Although many people believe that witches and witchcraft in fact, do exist, there are some people who do not believe in it. 

 

Leo Igwe, the author of “A Skeptical Look at African Witchcraft and Religion”, is skeptical on the fact that witches exist.  Witches are known to cause harm to others and inflict pain on them.  He is skeptical on this thought and he believes that there are natural causes to explain “witchcraft”.  He thinks that the belief in witchcraft is just the humankind’s exaggeration of the truth!  Because of that he claims that there are four human sources that cause witchcraft.  They are fear, ignorance, poverty, and religion. 

 

Igwe believes that human fear is what causes people to assume that witchcraft is the cause for unnatural and unearthly problems.  Many people in Africa relate witchcraft to old age, especially in women.  So when a person is getting older they fear that they will be accused of being a witch, if there are any mysterious incidents that occur.  Ignorance is another source, and he believes that people are ignorant because of their lack of knowledge.   The cause for people to believe in witches is just their own lack of awareness about modern day science and medicine which cause them to claim witches are indeed real. 

(a survey taken in Africa)

Poverty is a very widespread problem in most of Africa, and Igwe believes that it is another human source for belief.  It is said to believe that because people in parts of Africa are very poor, they can’t afford doctors, so they go to witchdoctors instead.  This probably isn’t the smartest thing for people to do, because others may accuse them of being witches, if they are seen talking to witchdoctors.  Religion is the last source that Igwe states as being an assumption for witchcraft.  Because witchcraft is and has been a part of African tradition and culture he believes that most Africans mentally retain information that has been passed down to them from generation to generation, even though they may enfold in a new religion.  When religious groups promise people things like getting rid of witches in their families, they are desperate to make sure that happens.    

Now although Leo Igwe believes that witches and witchcraft do not exist, there are many people who disagree with him.  There are so many stories of why people agree and disagree with witchcraft, but it is very hard to figure out which side is the truth.  Because there is so much information for both sides of the debate, I am still torn with what my belief on witchcraft and witches is.  Today in age the traditional image of a witch is an old ugly woman who flies around on a broomstick with a big black pointy hat, a pointy nose, and a green face as well. 

 

 This image of a witch causes me to think that witchcraft is not believable.  Although witches don’t actually look like that, that also doesn’t mean that they aren’t real.  In Africa children and women are the main suspects to witchcraft.  The children are often abused and tormented when they are accused of being a witch.  Many people also believe African witches are not in human form, but in spiritual form instead.  It is said that while witches are sleeping, their sprit goes around and tortures people.  This image of the witch is what causes me to believe that witchcraft can be real.  Do you believe that witches are in fact real, or do you believe that they are just a myth?

 

Works Cited

Bartel, Pauline. Spellcasters. Dallas, Texas: Taylor Trade Publishing, 2000. Print

Gelfand, Michael. The African Witch.  Edinburgh and London: E. & S. Livingstone Ltd., 1967.    Print.

Igwe, Leo. A Skeptical Look at African Witchcraft and Religion. Skeptic. 11.1 (2004): 72-74. Skeptic. Web. 14 October 2012.