Question to pagans: Do you think must women hanged as witches...?

Question

were really smart women who just threaten patriacal society and some religion in particular???? I do not think all women tortured and killed were really witches.... I think they might have been killed by the inquisition and witch - hunters for other reasons... maybe power, Money????

Answer 1

"Apologists tell us that many of the millions burnt were not witches. They are almost certainly correct - in a system that required each suspect to name three more, it is impossible to believe that all those murdered were witches. Yet despite the claim that, since some of the murdered were not witches, therefore none of the murdered were witches, we now know that many of the women were witches. Not the black hat, pointy nose, warty type of witch that we see in Halloween decorations. And not the nouveau-witch of Hollywood with stunning red hair, creamy complexion, and bright blue eyes. These women weren't angels or demons - they were simple country women who knew the healing properties of herbs and understood the nature of the land on which they had lived all their lives. These women, we understand now, represented a threat to the church - particularly to the priests who desired a monopoly on healing - and they were eradicated in a manner no less gruesome than the Nazi ovens."

Definitely, money and power were motive to silence these women, but that doesn't mean that many of them weren't also witches. It went hand-in-hand, you see.

Answer 2

It was about power and control, not money. If you have the first two, you will gain the latter.

I am sure you are elluding to "The Witches Hammer".

Yes, most women who were killed under the guise of being a witch were free thinking women. Women, at that time, were to have two purposes, having children, and serving their husbands. They were not to be educated, or even allowed to learn how to read. For many, they were not even allowed to go to church. The husband went to church and go home and tell his family what to believe.

Those women who stepped ot of those traditional lines were seen as a threat to society. They weren't, they were a threat to the way of life that those in charge wanted.

Through power and control, man can aquire wealth, and maintain it. Even with different countries, nobles, and royalty, the catholic church had great control over western civilization. Through that power and control they have amassed more wealth that is probably comprehensible.

Any threat to that way of life was dealt with. It is attempt to keep the power in the hands of a few. The same has been seen in modern society as well. During the 19th century, Britain, Prussia, Russia, Austria, and France had an agreement. They knew that none of them could control everything. So, each had their piece of the pie, and didn't try to get the other's pieces. If an outside party tried to obtain a small piece, they would stick together and ensure they could not.

Modern politics in this country does the same thing. A republican wants you vote. If you do not vote for him, he wants you to vote Democrat, and vice versa. They want to keep the power in this country between the two parties.

After all that, yes, most women who were believed to be witches were not.

Answer 3

When the Christians moved into areas that were heavily into the Old Religion, they realized that it was not easy to acquire new followers. Because of this they created stories of how members of the Old Religion worshiped the devil and flew on brooms etc, making anyone who was not of the Old Religion fear them. This created much unrest in the villages and it was soon termed illegal to worship any other way. Punishment was burning at the stake. Many people were persecuted with absolutely no evidence that they were members of the Old Religion. Often times it was because somebody wanted that persons land and if they were dead they could claim it. So they would make up stories of how he/she had seen that person worshiping the devil. It was a rediculous time back then, no jury and lots of judges. I do believe there were more female hangings then men probably because they could not defend themselves as well. I think there were really smart women who did challenge the Christians and got burned for it, but on a whole I think the Old Religion was done in secret, much like it is today because people don't want to understand it, and the old lies and untruths still circulate to this day.

Answer 4

Most were just regular villagers. Healers and midwives were targeted - if one of their patients died then they would be accused of witchcraft againt them. But anyone could be suspect - all you had to be is an outsider, or just on the wrong side of the political fence. (like seems to have happend in Salem) In some cases whole villages were eradicated - reallly there would have only been a few healers there. Men too, though women were by far the most persecuted.

Answer 5

Most were midwives, and herbalists. Since most people couldn't afford doctors, regular women took over offering the same services for less and without a degree.

So yes, the women threatened the patriarchal society. Remember that women have generally be thought of as lesser creatures since the advent of Christianity.

Answer 6

These women did not deserved to be hanged, and I believe that they endured this punishment because most people fear what they do not understand. If a thing appears to be beyond what is believed to be possible, then it is thought to be a threat. I sometimes fear to say that I am a Pagan for the simple reason that people will fear (or at the very least dislike) what they do not understand.

Answer 7

Most women burned as witches were village healers. They knew how to use herbs to heal and how to interpret the signs of nature to make predicitons about the weather and such. They were burned because they were prominent figures in their societies and therefore a threat to the rise of power of the Christian church, with its all-male hierarchy.

Answer 8

I think that's exactly it. The women who were hanged tended to stand out in some way--beautiful, brilliant, eccentric, disabled. In Hungary, after the Crusades, there were lots of wealthy widows. Amazingly, there were a lot of accusations of Witchcraft, as Witches' property reverted to the state.

Answer 9

really... if you think that only one women who was tortured to death was somewhat of a bad person than you don´t know nothing about history. all burned "witches" were killed for only one reason: they were in the way of men who wanted to have absolute power.

Answer 10

It all goes back to Eve eating that damn apple - through out the centuries women get blamed for everything.