My mom thinks if we go to salem to check out the salem witch trials that it might be considered worshiping the devil or something like that i would just like to know anyones opinion on it. Thanks
2007-07-18 15:16:13 · 28 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
No, in my eyes you are visiting a historical site and a rather sad period in our history. I actually want to go there as well.
2007-07-18 15:19:02 · answer #1 · answered by Purdey EP 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
I've been to Salem, it's not that far from where I live. There's really nothing there to check out that would have anything to do with worshiping the Devil. Especially, since the people that were accused of BEING witches at the time were falsely accused. They have all, since then, been fully exonerated. If it wasn't a town full of Devil worshipers to begin with, why would your mother consider it a place you would go to worship the Devil NOW?
It's basically a historical town. There are some historical houses you can visit, things like that.
http://www.salemweb.com/
2007-07-18 15:21:00 · answer #2 · answered by Jess H 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No, it just means you have an interest in history and what went on during the Salem Witch trials. The Salem Witch Trials have very little to do with witchcraft and more to due with the hysteria of the times. Whether it was a mold in the grain that caused a virus which lead to the hysteria or the games of young girls growing out of control and giving neighbors a weapon to use against one another ... it was not witchcraft. In fact it's greatest link to witchcraft is the word witch in name - Salem Witch Trials. I hope you get to go to Salem - is is a wonderful place to visit with a lot of history.
2007-07-18 16:33:04 · answer #3 · answered by Becca 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No, your not worshipping the devil. I've been to the salem witch trial sites. It's a guided tour of a time in American History when ignorance and fear were abundant. (Just as a side note real witches don't believe in the devil and therefore cannot worship him, witchcraft(wicca) and devil worship are 2 very very different religions).
2007-07-18 15:21:51 · answer #4 · answered by Nita 1 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I was born in Salem and there is nothing wrong with learning about your country's history. Besides, you can always go to the house of the Seven Gables and teh Salem Willows, plus the commons. The City is not just about the witch trials (Though I am a wiccan) It has beautiful architecture and other things to see.
2007-07-18 20:27:18 · answer #5 · answered by Trickster 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am a friend of the person who name appears on the response. First of all, I am a middle school social studies teacher as well as a major in the subject of history. The Salem Witch Trials were nothing more than a case of kids telling on other kids. One group of children from the community of Salem in 1692, over-exaggerated the happenings that falsely appeared to represent the characteristics of witches. In fact, witches do not practice the same concepts as described in the history of the event that took place in 1692. I assure you and your mother are safe to visit the historical place with no fear. I hope this relieves your mother's worries about the subject. In addition, there are many other pre-revolutionary and post-revolutionary historical sites to visit in and around the greater Boston/Salem area that deal with geography, early-colonial American literature, history, etc. Hope you are able to visit with an open mind to insure the proper perspective(s).
Thank you :)
2007-07-18 15:56:07 · answer #6 · answered by whillow95 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If your mother considers education worshipping the devil then yes. Because the Salem Witch trials are a primary example the violent potential of christianity, and indeed religious fundamentalism in full swing.
Alternatively you could convince your Mum that Salem is the site of an important victory by christianity over devil worshipping post-pubescant women who were given their just christian sentence, therefore it is important to go there and relish the victory christianity had over devil worship and evil by sentencing people to be burnt to death! Yay Good & Boo Evil!
2007-07-18 15:23:55 · answer #7 · answered by Way 5 · 4⤊ 0⤋
No, it is in NO way worshipping the devil or even practicing withcraft. It's about learning how hatred and prejudice against folks who were a bit "odd" were percieved. In fact out of ALL the folks that were treid and punished for withcraft, only ONE had anything even closely done anything to resemble witchcraft, Tibuba, the West Indian Slave did a few "readings" and told a few folks tales and that was about it. The rest had NOTHING to do with Witchcraft in ANY way.
The Salem Witch craze was a terrible period in America's History that resulted in a lot of injustice against folks who were totally innocent of what they were accused of. It is a MUST see for anyone who wishes to learn just HOW serious unrestrained Religious fervor can become in the hands of unscrupulous people who are only interested in wealth and power over others.
Your Mother has NOTHING to fear at all. In fact SHE may become educated about things that she had never even considered before about her OWN views of things from a Religious aspect.
Raji the Green Witch
2007-07-18 15:55:44 · answer #8 · answered by Raji the Green Witch 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Of course not. The Salem witch trials was a bunch of crazed fools that were killing everyone for their own selfish reasons. These people were NOT Christians. By any standard. They knew that the people they blamed were not witches. And even if they were, God tells us point blank "THOU SHALL NOT KILL".
We are commanded to love everyone. But reject false teachings of course, and teach people on the truths of God.
These people would tell the court that they saw such and such doing something witchy, and really.. the people just wanted the person to be killed so they could steal their land, or whatever underlying reason. The real demonic influence was in the people claiming to be Christians, when in fact.. they were not. And after awhile, a REAL pastor, and judge came to that town, and stopped all that nonsense, and put all those people on trial for what they had done.
So no, theres nothing wrong with that history, even though it was demoniacally selfishly, greedily driven by the people claiming to be godly. It just goes to show you, what happens when people throw God's laws out, and trust in themselves. They end up destroying themselves.
With love through Christ Jesus,
Dusty
2007-07-18 15:24:41 · answer #9 · answered by Dustin M 3 · 4⤊ 0⤋
If that were the case any attempt at studying history could be considered devil worship. The witch trials were a sad and serious time in American history and you should want to learn as much about our culture as possible. Anyone who thinks that it would be devil worship is grossly misinformed.
2007-07-18 15:22:17 · answer #10 · answered by tremonster 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Definitely not. It's historical research, a very interesting bit of historical research, in fact. Most people don't believe in witches, so if there was no actual witchcraft going on then the Devil was certainly not involved. And not all witchcraft involves the Devil anyway. So, no, just as going to a Holocaust museum does not make you a Nazi, investigating Salem does not make you a devil-worshipper.
2007-07-18 15:19:55 · answer #11 · answered by Gwen 1 · 4⤊ 0⤋