Welcome back to Watery Wednesday, our weekly segment where we take at news affecting the Pagan community and other religious communities around the world. This week we explore a variety of subjects, from upcoming Pagan festivals to an old 1970s hippie commune to a modern-day witch hunt. All this and more for the Pagan News Beagle!
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In the days of Queen Salome Alexandra, the city of Ashkelon was plagued by a coven of 80 witches who lived in a cave outside the city. Rabbi Shimon ben Shetah decided to rid the city of these wicked women and their sorceries. He summoned 80 strong men and instructed each of them to acquire a jar and to place within it a change of clothing; he himself did the same.
On a night of pouring rain, he went with his men and stood outside the cave. “Sisters,” he called out to the witches, “I am a sorcerer, like yourselves; let me come in out of this rain.” Quickly he removed his wet clothing and donned the dry set from his jar.
“Enter and be welcome, fellow sorcerer,” cried the eighty.
R. Shimon entered the cave, and the witches marveled at his dry clothing. “How did you accomplish such a feat?” they asked.
“My power is so great that I can walk through rain and yet remain dry,” said he. “By the power of my magic, I can work another wonder for you: I can summon 80 men, each in clothing as dry as my own, to come and dance with you.”
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Thought that deadly witchhunts went out of style centuries ago? Think again: this NYTimes story details the modern -- and very deadly -- phenomenon of lynching accused witches. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/05/opinion/the-persecution-of-witches-21st-century-style.html?ref=international&_r=1
In today's fiery Tuesday, lots of contraception-related news, teaching sex magick, and modern witch hunts. Read on!
Thought that deadly witchhunts went out of style centuries ago? Think again: this NYTimes story details the modern -- and very deadly -- phenomenon of lynching accused witches. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/05/opinion/the-persecution-of-witches-21st-century-style.html?ref=international&_r=1
...Remember that movie Practical Magic? Like many Hollywood movies it features a scene that is key to any witch-themed movie- the inevitable persecution. In a flash back to their youth the two main characters of Practical Magic remember children throwing rocks at them screaming, ‘witch’. It looks almost innocent and most Pagans watching it will shake their heads with a light ‘tsk, tsk’; some may even express a passing sentiment of gratitude that the ‘Burning Times’ are in the past where they belong. To that I have to shake my head and exclaim ‘tsk, tsk- don’t you know they still go on?’
Are you moved to help? Join the South African Pagan Rights Alliance in their annual 30 days of Advocacy against Witch-Hunts Campaign- talk about witch-hunts, speak out against witch-hunts and sign the petition. Together we can help put an end to witch-hunts not just in South Africa, but globally.
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You are right, it is a phenomenon found in numerous countries; a fact I should have added but seeing as I live in SA my focus shif
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Unfortunately this is a phenomenon not limited to Africa. We see the same sort of thing in the Middle East, India, and Indonesia.