What do you think about the Salem witch trials?

Question

or any witch trials for that matter.

You to Donna F

Answer 1

An unfortunate era in the history of human kind.

Answer 2

As for the Salem Witch Trials: I think it is a horrendous spot in american history how 19 innocent people were murdered (and 2 dogs) from the result of out of control paranoia, and putting to much power into the hands of the supposed "afflicted".
Any witch trials that occurred I get very incensed because of how ridiculous the accusations were against innocent people!
Those people did not deserve to die so brutally-or at all for that matter.

Answer 3

We have no idea - in the "crucible" which was based on it, but not actually factual, she ran away and became a prostitute. Here is the scenario referenced in "Echoes Down the Corridor" which is at the end of The Crucible, by Arthur Miller) it says that "The legend has it that Abigail turned up later as a prostitute in Boston." However, given the use of the word "legend," it is presumed the accusation is most likely false. The last claim states Abigail died from a common Sexually transmitted disease in colonial Massachusetts during that time period. Although there is no definite evidence of what happened to Williams after the trials ended, one reference stated she "apparently died before the end of 1697, if not sooner, no older than seventeen." I don't think you can make a 5 page paper out of that, you'd better find a different subject.

Answer 4

Uh...that they were bad. The witch hunt in Salem, Mass. was not the only case of witch persecution. It happened all over Europe for over 250 years. It shows what believing in Satan will do to zealots. It could very easily happen in these days with all the end-timers believing that the anti-Christ is on his way.

A witch-hunt is a search for witches or evidence of witchcraft, often involving moral panic, mass hysteria and mob lynching, but in historical instances also legally sanctioned and involving official witchcraft trials.

The classical period of witch-hunts in Europe falls into the Early Modern period or about 1450 to 1700, spanning the upheavals of the Reformation and the Thirty Years' War, resulting in tens of thousands of executions.

Many cultures throughout the world, both ancient and modern, have reacted to allegations of witchcraft either with superstitious fear and awe, and killed any alleged practitioners of witchcraft outright; or, shunned it as quackery, extortion or fraud. Witch-hunts still occur in the modern era in many communities where religious values condemn the practice of witchcraft and the occult.

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AD

Answer 5

Misguided souls. People can get a mob mentality if fear is part of the picture. These people were afraid. The sad things is,,,it could happen today....not to witches,,,although they do serve the God of this world and don't have a clue they are doing it...they can not put a curse on anyone. We have come a long way on that score but we have other demons among us..how will we react when something happens again...will we persecute others from fear. Or will be the ones persecuted....it could happen.

Answer 6

If there is a better case for separation of religion and government than the Salem Witch Trials, I'm willing to read it.

Answer 7

The Salem witch trials were complete paranoia and had nothing to do with Pagans, Druids, or Wiccans. It was a pure fear of things that were unexplainable to them. They were completely mislead.

I'm just happy that they are no longer existing and that a lot of people realize that witches have nothing to do with 'Satan' because as I've had to explain to people many times... Satan was created by the same people who created Jesus. If we don't believe in Jesus, why would we believe in Satan?
BB

Answer 8

I think (opinion statement) that it was a matter of ignorance and fear that had that mess going....it has made for some interesting literature movies and hmm questions now hasn't it? UNFORTUNATE that is what I think

now wait a minute Draconum....not everything bad happens due to a religious preference....I bet there are quite a few badly behaved atheists?

Answer 9

i think that they were caused by ergot poisoning. In other words tripping on LSA main component of LSD. The so called witches anyway. The fault of the towns people however was being puritans.

Answer 10

I think it's very unfortunate. Shows how some people can suspend all reason and mercy and become religious zealots. Even if they were witches, they still should not have been tried and executed.