Witch hunts are often spoken of as a thing of the "superstitious" past; ignorant Europeans who were misled by their religion, who believed witches were evil and conjured Satan at their sabbats, were the persecutors. In general, the persecution and execution of people, usually women, for witchcraft and sorcery, dates back to ancient times. Ancient Rome outlawed sorcery, and it is reported that from 184-180 BCE, some five-thousand people were executed.
The European witch hunts throughout history have never been something I could fully grasp. I understand the excuses made for the murder of innocent "witches", who sometimes were herbalists, and sometimes wrongfully accused women who were either misunderstood or hated by their community. Many of these trials and executions were led by the Catholic church, although for sometime, the church had outlawed the very act of executing witches in 785, by the Council of Paderborn. It was sometime around 1484 when a papal bull was issued that allowed the punishment of witches, but mainly for ones who had supposedly "slain infants." In the 17th century, the "witch scare" spiked, with imprisonment, torture, hangings, and burnings in Denmark, Germany, and England, to name only a few countries. And let's not forget the famed Salem trials in the United States, although 46 years before, there were accusations of witchcraft in the "land of the free".
And now, I suppose you may expect me to write about when all this was banned around the world, when herbalists, necromancers, pagans, and other practitioners of magic were finally left in peace. I wish I could write that. Unfortunately, although the trials, tortures, and executions may have died down, they continued on a smaller scale--and still continue in some areas of the world.
In 1950s America, a man shot a woman who he believed placed "a hex" on his wife. In 2014, Amanda Mandee Lopez stabbed her ex-boyfriend to death, as she felt he had put a curse on her, and she "needed to be free from the demons."
In India, it is not uncommon to label a woman as a witch in a land dispute--or for something as petty as if she turns down a man's sexual advances. Although less than 2% of these women are convicted, many are cast out of their homes, and even driven to suicide.
In 2009, as many as one-thousand people in Gambia were captured on charges of witchcraft, taken to detention centers, and forced to drink poison.
Witchcraft and sorcery remains a punishable crime in Saudi Arabia. However, the exact crime is undefined. In 2006, Fawza Falih was convicted of performing an impotence spell. She was beaten and beheaded.
Those are only a few. And while those cases are very extreme, what about modern-day discrimination? What about people who are denied raises because their employer discovers they are pagans or witches? What about the emotional stress of being told you are "doing the devil's work" by performing spells--even healing spells?
And what about the latest incident with Etsy, the e-commerce website, which has recently reinforced its "rule" against metaphyical items that "promise or suggest a change", by suspending accounts, closing down shops, and giving two weeks notice to those who they feel violate their rules?
That last one really has me outraged, as it affect my shop on Etsy, The Gossamer Moon. I sell magical soaps, oils, and gemstone jewelry. By law, with all metaphysical goods, it's required to list with a disclaimer that they are being sold "as a curio only". With stones, it must be stated that they are not to replace the treatment and/or diagnosis from a licensed, professional physician. That is reasonable; however, Etsy's new policy does not allow even a SUGGESTION of healing powers. It is alleged that shop owners have been advised to take down listings that talk of the mere myth and lore behind stones. Apparently, the terms "chakra" and "reiki" are also becoming taboo.
I stumbled upon a very well-written blog also about this Etsy incident, with examples of emails sent to a shop owner, at Cinders Says' blog. I hope the author of the blog will not mind my posting the link here, as I find the post to be very informative, and it's important to spread the word. http://cinderssays.blogspot.com/2010/11/etsy-shop-closings.html
So far, my shop is still up and running. I figure it is only a matter of time before I, too, am kicked out. You may see more posts on here about my products, as I hope to be able to post links on my Etsy listings that will redirect here for the explanation of their benefits. I'm hoping that will be an acceptable solution until I can afford a domain of my own.
There is a petition out there, against the Etsy ban on metaphysical shops. Could you please consider adding your signature? I know that not everyone believes in magic, but when one group is persecuted, it is hard to know who may be next.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/119/273/851/stop-etsys-ban-on-metaphysical-items/
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