History and Circumstance

Many who know me, know that I spend a lot of time researching the history of witchcraft, how it is viewed, and how it has evolved amongst the masses worldwide. I am the type of person who wants to know where it came from, how it started, and the trials it along all those who have practiced it have suffered or triumphed through the decades.

So since we were all asked to post a new thread, I thought I would talk about the books I have been reading. The one I am currently on is entitled: A Collection of Rare and Curious Tracts on Witchcraft & the Second Sight: with an Original Essay on Witchcraft by D. Webster 1820.

As many can imagine what we can so clearly define as separate and numerous paths of magick practice at this day in time, was all summed up as one back in the 1800's. Wicca, Satanism, LHP (Left Hand Paths), RHP (Right Hand Paths), etc were all considered the same. Because of this anyone who was not "Christian or Catholic" was obviously on the wrong side of the law/society. Through reading the introductory essay one can clearly see where the current masses make the mistake of mixing the "negative" element of craft work with the devil or satan. Most of the texts that have survived over the years were written from a Christian point of view. As most Pagan type texts were either burned or lost when the world went mad in trying to rub out its heritage.

There was so much unknown in the late 1800's and early 1900's as the lines of communication & information sharing did not exist. And not until the mid 1900's when the United States started enforcing it's first amendment in its Constitution, even though it was written and passed in 1791. Witchcraft during the dark ages and into the early 1900's was passed on by word of mouth and through families that practiced. Though still not completely accepted its popularity and the thirst to know more has certainly grown 10 fold.

So the question I ask is how do you feel that witchcraft has grown in your neck of the woods?

It hasn't in all honesty. I live in the bible belt and it's really frowned on. Granted I do not care what most people think and i think free thinkers scare people. Although webster had a point about them all being on the LHP because well it's not on the "god's way' However you talk to a LHP in the Satanists sense and they think Wiccans and pagans follow the Right handed path. But in the end they're pretty much on the same path just different idealisms is all.

I don't really know about how witchcraft has grown and fell and then again has raise again... I've red many books and essays about the inquisition and the "rigteous" rulling of the Cghristians....but thats it... no more information... Anyway i am happy at least that i know the truth about my ancestors and their ways of participation in the craft...they were mostly herbalists, curse casters, ritual maniacs and problem solvers ;).... but the question is still there... what were there before them???

"Witchcraft" has been around as long as religion, but did not really take off as an every day venture until the Vedic age when disease, falmon, and money became issues in Eurasia. People would gather in forests to discuss their decided solutions to their problems, and practice mostly rites and rituals (early forms of Cults/Covens).

Witchcraft then took a dive due to death rates increasing, and people realising it just wasn't bringing them the relief they desired.

Around 30,000 - 20,000 BCE is once more picked up as the revolutionary paths such as Greco-Roman occultism (Greek and Roman mythology), Bhuddism, Hinduism, etc... came into play.

It wasn't until long after that what you've already mentioned, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam took down the numbers significantly. These Jewish and Jewish-knock-offs either converted everyone, or murdered them, which was around 0 - 300 CE.

And now, as the majority of the world remains Jewish or Jewish-knock-off, the general idea is witchcraft is an abomination, and a taboo that should be repressed, and so it has remained.

great post marked !!! thank you, you explained it very clearly, (perhaps i just take a tip from that:-) )

Well bro. D. webster had a point and coming at it from the middle section or a spiritualist the RHP and the LHP are just the flip of the coin really depending on which god you might worship. :P so in a sense they're pretty much the same thing although the LHP is more about self empowerment and in a sense of being your own god as in the sense of being control over yourself rather a god saying how to live your life.