2007-09-25 07:29:53 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Mythology & Folklore
Just started this at college.
Take yourself back to this period - everyone goes to church as there's a fine/punishment if you don't. Also, there is little scientific knowledge etc so if anything untoward happens, such as someone unexpectadly falls ill, the natural thing was to blame something, or someone.
Women in this period were treated badly. They had little or no rights and their sole aim in life was to marry and have kids. Therefore if someone is going to get blamed, it's the women. Link this to the religion factor and they thought it was the work of the devil/woman worshipping the devil.
Add to the fact that the book, the hammer of witches, or the Malleus Malificarum was published, teaching the masses about witches and how to spot them etc. and it's easy to see why they came to this conclusion.
The M.M was highly influencial. Written by two Dominican friars who hated women and probably had bad experiences with them, the MM was a collection of superstitions, paraded as facts.
Hope this answers your question
2007-09-25 07:42:53 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Why do you limit it to 16th an 17th century?
There have always been people who get involved in the occult. There are people around today who practice witchcraft.
The occult is extremely dangerous and should be avoided at all costs.
2007-09-25 16:20:46 · answer #2 · answered by a Real Truthseeker 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
For the same reason that people in the 21st century believe in witches: because we are all around you.
The only difference is that in these "modern" times most people know that they don't need to fear witches. We won't harm you. It's part of our creed "Harm none - do as you will".
2007-09-25 15:03:00 · answer #3 · answered by PaganPaul 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it was politically acceptable and the church supported the witch hunts as it kept intelligent women from questioning the church authority or Men's authority.
People still do believe in witches, white and black witches. IT is only the action taken that is so different as we no longer burn them at the stake.
2007-09-25 14:49:19 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
people from that era,used to believe that every thing that happened, someone had put a spell on them ,even if someone was ill it was put down to be a spell, so they used to hire people, who they called witche finders, and pay them a certain amount of money, and just so they could get more money , they would arrest anyone, and say they where caught doing witchcraft, and they would be inocent
2007-09-25 19:08:06 · answer #5 · answered by bluebrancall 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because the Halliwell sisters kept doing a bit of time travel to try to keep the plot interesting.
2007-09-25 15:02:05 · answer #6 · answered by Zippo 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
People in those centuries lived through plagues, wars, food shortages,etc. Maybe they were so stressed that they were looking for scapegoats.
2007-09-25 21:56:40 · answer #7 · answered by Pascha 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
maybe because when a woman did something a bit out of charterer such as if she fort to herself my hair smells boring i wonder if i crush some flowers in a bowl and mix it with water it might smell good people well freak out and think what is she doing and think its for dark purposes or they all wonted to keep young woman and girls in there place if they got a bit confident.
2007-09-25 14:48:22 · answer #8 · answered by leyah 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Some people still believe in God
2007-09-25 14:56:58 · answer #9 · answered by oldpinky 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because believing in the Devil as personified by witches reinforced their belief in God, both mistaken.
2007-09-25 14:35:01 · answer #10 · answered by Eddie D 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋