Why Did Christians Quit Burning Witches?

[Blentyn chan Celi]

Before we label either Protestants or Catholics (both Christians) as witch burners, I believe it is worthwhile to point out that there is no passage in any part of the cannon that instructs it’s adherents to execute “heretics” of any kind. Thus, I don’t believe it is to bold to propose that witch burning was another excellent example of human beings displaying greed, hate, and disparity as they do best. Unfortunately their justification was piety and Jesus’ name was dragged through the mud again.
Hint: a sure fire way to tell a real Christian from a fake is by the direction of the flow of persecution.

May I reiterate…

 

[McBell]

Before we label either Protestants or Catholics (both Christians) as witch burners, I believe it is worthwhile to point out that there is no passage in any part of the cannon that instructs it’s adherents to execute “heretics” of any kind. Thus, I don’t believe it is to bold to propose that witch burning was another excellent example of human beings displaying greed, hate, and disparity as they do best. Unfortunately their justification was piety and Jesus’ name was dragged through the mud again.
Hint: a sure fire way to tell a real Christian from a fake is by the direction of the flow of persecution.

define "heretics."

 

[Azakel]

You call it whatever you want Blentyn, but the fact remains that during the dark ages, up through Victorian times, European and American Christians burnt many young women and a few men at the stake claiming they were witches and used the Bible as justification for their actions. The passage "suffer not a witch to live" may indeed have said, or meant something different in Hebrew than it does in English, Dutch, German, French, and Spanish, but the fact, err, make that FACT remains that thousands of people were murdered by Church officials for being a witch.

Call it whatever you want, but that pile of dog poo you are calling a rose, still smells like ****e to me.

B.

People where only burned in Europe, no one was burned in the Salem Witch Trails.

 

[Blentyn chan Celi]

Heretic - as defined by Webster:
1 : a dissenter from established religious dogma; especiallya baptized member of the Roman Catholic Church who disavows a revealed truth.

In my words: someone who challenges the belief system of a religion.

 

[McBell]

Heretic - as defined by Webster:
1 : a dissenter from established religious dogma; especiallya baptized member of the Roman Catholic Church who disavows a revealed truth.

In my words: someone who challenges the belief system of a religion.

So a 'non-believer' would not be a heretic?

 

[Blentyn chan Celi]

Were I a well spoken inquisitor I would call a nonbeliever an “Infidel”. They didn’t get special treatment like the heretics did.

 

[McBell]

so the answer to my question would be...?

 

[Blentyn chan Celi]

By my interpretation… no, an infidel has yet to graduate to heretic status.

 

[McBell]

By my interpretation… no, an infidel has yet to graduate to heretic status.

thank you.

 

[FredNotBob]

The obvious answer is that there was a shift in the mindset of society although I wouldn't know whether this was to do with a change in the moral compass or in the way that people decided to evaluate the evidence. My friend has just completed her paper on the persecution of witches in Britain so I'll ask her when I get back to university.

I think a more interesting question, therefore, would be what sort of conditions could lead people to act in such a horrible way?

There are lots of possible reasons to start, but the primary reason was simple:

Land.

In most cases, the supposed 'witches' were widows, and the land that they owned was, typically, a widow's inheritance or a gift.

When the witch was inevitably found 'guilty', the land was returned to the original owner -- and since many were widows, there *was* no 'original owner', so it was given to the accuser.

As to why it stopped...

Eventually, the courts declared that any 'spectral evidence' (astral projections, ghost attacks, 'curses', and the like) were inadmissable as testimony in a 'witch trial'. After that point, convictions went from around 95% to about 3%, and the Trials died a quiet death due to lack of evidence.

 

[Kcnorwood]

Not only that, I'm sure most of the witches were Christians!

Excatly! :yes:

 

[Kcnorwood]

People where only burned in Europe, no one was burned in the Salem Witch Trails.

Well christians did burn other christians....

 

[lunamoth]

Why did Christians quit burning witches?

We quit burning witches? Man, I didn't get the memo. *reaches for bucket of water*

 

[Reverend Rick]

Why did Christians quit burning witches?

Because they got out of the midwife business?

 

[Azakel]

Well christians did burn other christians....

I know, it just when some one put in a sentence that people(Witches) where burn in America by American Christian I just feel the need to point out that in America the only Witch Hunt was in Salem and that no one there was burned.

 

[Mike182]

i think after 1600 years they finally read their Bible, specifically the pages that say "thou shalt not kill".

 

[Smoke]

I know, it just when some one put in a sentence that people(Witches) where burn in America by American Christian I just feel the need to point out that in America the only Witch Hunt was in Salem and that no one there was burned.

Salem was without parallel in America, but there were other witch trials in colonial America, too.

The Puritans preferred hanging, and they considered a "witch" a felon, rather than a heretic. The Quaker martyrs, too, were hanged as felons rather than heretics.

 

[Azakel]

Salem was without parallel in America, but there were other witch trials in colonial America, too.

The Puritans preferred hanging, and they considered a "witch" a felon, rather than a heretic. The Quaker martyrs, too, were hanged as felons rather than heretics.

I didn't know that, Salem is the only one I hear about, it's the only one that's every talked about on the Learning Channels( like History). I will have to look the other up. Thank you.

 

[Gentoo]

I didn't know that, Salem is the only one I hear about, it's the only one that's every talked about on the Learning Channels( like History). I will have to look the other up. Thank you.

Salem also had a play written about it: The Crucible, which is rather famous. But I may be biased too, I live an hour away from Salem.

 

[Don Penguinoini]

There were no "witches". There were only innocent men and women who were accused by a group of christians living in fear.

Who knows why they quit, but I am glad that they did.

Well i would have NEVER considered that now...