...maleficia or harmful magic (Tavuzzi 153). The women involved in diabolic witchcraft were pursued by the Church’s legal arm, the Dominican Inquisitors. They were put on trial, accused of heresy, and either imprisoned or killed. Similarly, the Dominican Inquisitors investigated women who were involved in mysticism and upon the examinations performed by the inquisitors; these mystics were authenticated and praised by the Church. Sometimes theses mystics were even beatified or canonized by the Church. Ironically, these two types of spirituality co-existed and paralleled each other. Despite their similarities, however, these two groups of women were subjected to two completely different destinies. Christian mystics and diabolic witches...
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...fifteenth through the early-eighteenth centuries” (Para 15). The Malleus Maleficarum is an ideal point in the study of early witch hunts. The Malleus was written by Heinrich Kramer, a Dominican monk, in 1486. That same year, Pope Innocent VII, issued the Bull Summis Desiderantes Affectibus. The Bull Summis literally meant “desiring with supreme ardour.” It was issued to combat “ecclesiastical officials” from hampering Kramer and his colleague Jakob Sprenger in their efforts to combat heresy. According to "Evil-One.org" (2011), instigated severe measures against magicians and witches in Germany which had the immediate desired effect of making the population fearful they were overrun with witchcraft”, (para. 13). With the publication of Innocent’s Bull Summis on his side, Kramer arrested and charged around 50 women with witchcraft. Not only were these women denied any legal counsel, he had them tortures as well. Kramer’s acts were in complete violation of the inquisitorial rules, provoking many to oppose him in Brixen, eventually the trial of the women continued. When Kramer “questioned a defendant about her sexual practices and moral standing in her community, the judges found his query irrelevant and overruled him”, (Thurston). After accusations of the abuse of his authority, Kramer soon lost all credibility. After the trial, Kramer moved from city to city trying to regain his credibility by rewriting the Malleus and trying to pass is off as having been approved by Innocent VIII...
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...The concept of witchcraft and the belief in its existence has existed since the dawn of human history. It has been present or central at various times, and in many diverse forms, among cultures and religions worldwide, including both "primitive" and "highly advanced" cultures, and continues to have an important role in many cultures today. Historically, the predominant concept of witchcraft in the Western world derives from Old Testament laws against witchcraft, and entered the mainstream when belief in witchcraft gained Church approval in the Early Modern Period. It posits a theosophical conflict between good and evil, where witchcraft was generally evil and often associated with the Devil and Devil worship. This culminated in deaths, torture and scapegoating (casting blame for human misfortune),[ and many years of large scale witch-trials and witch hunts, especially in Protestant Europe, before largely ceasing during the European Age of Enlightenment. Many cultures worldwide continue to have widespread practices and cultural beliefs that are loosely translated into English as "witchcraft", although the English translation masks a very great diversity in their forms, magical beliefs, practices, and place in their societies. Characteristics Historically the witchcraft label has been applied to practices people believe influence the mind, body, or property of others against their will—or practices that the person doing the labeling believes undermine social or religious...
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...other negative thoughts like sorcery. The society came to reject the notion of safe and learned magic. There was even a purge to get rid of all magicians that were in England. If one were caught, practicing magic, spiritual and temporal punishments was accorded to them. The magician became to be treated and known as the latter day witches. The book looks into the complex that came from the transformation from the magician, to the witch and the various laws that came into effect during the Medieval times about the two. The book aids us in placing our understanding of medieval magic that was later known as witchcraft. Although heresy was part of the bad image that magic was furnished with hearsay, another was the long-standing Christian teachings that were about magic especially the learned magic that was rampant during the time. This led to later developments of magic turning into witchcraft. The earlier magic was tied to the culture and the way a people flourished. It was through the fear of persecution of magicians that led to a later day persecution of witches. The real stage that was the persecution of magicians set the stage for the purge of the witches especially in the fourteenth century. There was the involvement of various political influences also led to the persecution of magicians. The main question here can be why did a culture...
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...MAY 2014 STRESS KEYS TO MANAGING IT IN THIS ISSUE MORE O NL I NE www.jw.org TEENAGERS COVER SUBJECT r Find Bible-based answers to dozens of questions young people ask, including: ˙ “How Responsible Am I?” ˙ “Am I Ready to Date?” ˙ “What if My Parents Are Divorcing?” Also watch the video What Your Peers Say—Body Image. (Look under BIBLE TEACHINGS TEENAGERS) STRESS KEYS TO MANAGING IT PAGES 4-7 3 WATCHING THE WORLD 8 HELP FOR THE FAMILY How to Teach Teens Internet Safety 10 INTERVIEW A Consultant Surgeon Explains His Faith 12 The European Witch Hunts 14 THE BIBLE’S VIEWPOINT Meditation 16 ‘Wisdom Is Calling Out’—Can You Hear It? CHILDREN r Read illustrated Bible stories. Use the activity pages to help your children improve their knowledge of Bible characters and moral principles. (Look under BIBLE TEACHINGS CHILDREN) Vol. 95, No. 5 / Monthly / ENGLISH Printing Each Issue: 44,748,000 in 99 Languages This publication is not for sale. It is provided as part of a worldwide Bible educational work supported by voluntary donations. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the modern-language New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. Awake! (ISSN 0005-237X) is published monthly by Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.; L. Weaver, Jr., President; G. F. Simonis, Secretary-Treasurer; 25 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, NY 11201-2483, and by Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Canada, PO Box 4100, Georgetown, ON...
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