 Never AgainWe often see catchy little slogans like, “Freedom of Religion Means ANY Religion” or “Never Again the Burning Times”, but we are all too often complacent in the “Freedom” we claim to have. The prejudice against the religion of Paganism is based, like most prejudice, on misunderstanding, fear and ignorance coupled with people’s simple inability to accept other people’s opinions and beliefs to be as valid as their own. In the days known as the “Burning Times” (1100-1700 AD), 9 Million European women and countless additional men and children were put to death for no other reason than an accusation of practicing a faith that threatened the existence of the Church of Rome. The Church cultivated fear which led to terror of an age-old religion from which it based almost all of it’s own doctrine. In order to show the power and justifiable “ Sole Supreme Correctness” of the New Church, they began a “hunt” for those who did not follow the “One True Way” in order to rid the world of their evil presence, and the Church of any dissention. Having received somewhat of a blessing from the Pope, called the Papal Bull, the German Inquisitors did not feel this was enough. Soon after their return from Rome they set about compiling a handbook - an exposition of witchcraft and a code of procedure for detection and punishment of witches. Completed in 1486, it was called the Hammer of Witches. They carried out this “Inquisition” under their own rules without the full knowledge of the Vatican and the results were unbelievable. Extracts from THE HAMMER OF WITCHESIn March 2000, Pope John Paul II Issued an apology for the atrocities committed in the past, He outlined a framework for seeking forgiveness for past errors without necessarily admitting responsibility for them." In the pope's homily, he referred to "attitudes of mistrust and hostility assumed towards followers of other religions." Some might think that the church's actions went well beyond simple "hostility," " wariness" and " mistrust" to include mass murder and perhaps even genocide. "We have mentioned a few errors, but we could have had a very long list, too long a list. I fear the list will never be finished." He continued: "The Christians of today are not responsible for the errors of the 19th or 16th century. We are not responsible for errors we did not commit...We have had to find a way to liberate and purify memory without talking about responsibility. The document quotes Pope John Paul's 1994 Apostolic Letter 'Tertio millennio adveniente': "Hence it is appropriate that as the second millennium of Christianity draws to a close the Church should become ever more fully conscious of the sinfulness of her children, recalling all those times in history when they departed from the spirit of Christ and His Gospel and, instead of offering to the world the witness of a life inspired by the values of her faith, indulged in ways of thinking and acting which were truly forms of counter-witness and scandal. Although she is holy because of her incorporation into Christ, the Church does not tire of doing penance. Before God and man, she always acknowledges as her own her sinful sons and daughters." While he did not say, specifically that he was apologizing for the atrocities of the “Burning Times”, in that outline which I did not include here, he is correct in saying that He nor the people presently serving the Church, are personally responsible for those actions hundreds of years ago. The important thing is that we learn from the past mistakes, and NEVER AGAIN repeat such horror on other people. In Salem MA February 1692, the same type of terror began in our own country. This is the same country that was started on the idea of religious freedom, at least that is why they had left England in the first place. It is said now, that it was the fermenting of the rye in the bread that caused an LSD effect in the girls that eat it, causing them to hallucinate. It has also been said that once it started it was for more sinister reasons like vendettas or land and property issue settlement. Some say it was mass hysteria that took hold of Salem and caused them to see the devil looming around every corner. Whatever the reason, 24 people lost their lives in the name of Witchcraft, or better stated… In FEAR of Witchcraft. CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS RELATING TO THE SALEM WITCHCRAFT TRIALSIn 1776 the Fathers of this great nation sat in a hot and sticky closed up hall in Philadelphia PA and wrote what was to them to be the guiding map to our new country. They labored long and hard to make sure that it was done “just so” and just how they wanted it to read. Sadly, they would roll over in their graves if they knew what had been done to their ideas and their document since they have been gone. In the First Amendment, our forefathers wrote: Constitution of United States of America, Amendment 1 It is that one amendment that we hold so dear and that we must defend to the death. However, sadly this amendment is still getting crossed and stepped on almost all the time, even in 2004. We must never forget those in the past who have died in the name of Witchcraft. We must never forget that there was a time in history when being a Pagan was just as accepted as being a Christian is today. Even in their own bible, from the beginning through the death of Jesus, there were basically two religions, Judaism, and Paganism. The Jewish faith being more organized and structured proved harder to conquer, although history shows that the Church defiantly tried to convert the Jews as well. The Pagans, having different Gods and the presence of the Goddess, gave just enough difference for the Church to use those differences to create fear. Fear led to terror, terror led to hatred and hatred led to the atrocities of the “Burning Times”, the “Salem Witch Trails”, the current deaths of innocent people in the name of Witchcraft in Africa in 2004, the prejudice against our religious symbols and more than I can name. We must never forget where we have come from and we must be ever vigilant to make sure that we NEVER go back. The following links are stories of people who are still fighting to have their rights upheld.You Have A Pagan Student In Your School .... ** Great Reference Student Suspended for Casting a Spell Lincoln Park High School's principal banned pentagrams Great Falls and the Separation between Church and State ACLU is accused of 'Gestapo tactics’ in Winning Case Can a Pentacle be mistaken as a gang symbol? Does Free Speech Include T-Shirts? Italian Witchcraft’s Long Hair not Welcome in Texas School Jesus Christ Disrupts Third Grade Muslim Student Suspended For Head Covering Pentacle Necklace Considered Indecent Rebecca Banned From Wearing Pentacle because of Christian Belief Student asked to Hide Pentacle Under Shirt or Be Suspended |
Sacred Celtic Order of Balance Church |