Unknown is often feared because it lies beyond the understanding and knowledge of people. People tend to fear what they do not understand. This fear exists regardless of the level of education, age, and gender. In the case of the puritans who were the group of English reformed Protestants, the fear was so strong that it forced them to commit wrongful acts. They mainly saw themselves as separate people from anyone else, regardless of their skin color. If the group did not have the same beliefs they regarded them as outcasts. In the context of witchcraft and witch trials, the acquisitions and trials were more based on narrow-mindedness and racism of the prosecutors than the real witchcraft, the supernatural and the occult. The
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Maryse Conde wrote “I want to imply that in terms of narrow-mindedness, hypocrisy, and racism, little has changed since the days of the Puritans” (I, Tituba: 1992, page 203). Puritans strongly believed that there was a connection and a link between the natives and the devil and the occult, even though they never had any real proof of it. In most cases the acquisitions originated from a strong dislike or personal feud between people. Anyone had the power to accuse someone of witchcraft regardless if the other party was guilty or not. Puritans mainly felt this way because they had no understanding about anything that was outside of the Puritan way of life and the native culture was different from their own. Puritans also believed that the culture and beliefs of the natives and the Africans was how the demons and devil behaved. Therefore, they labeled it as wrong or even evil. Puritans treatment and relationship with the natives was in fact the opposite from their Christians doctrines. Puritans believed that everyone should be good towards everyone else but their treatment of the natives and the so-called witches was just the opposite. Puritans thought of anyone with a different belief system as an outcast. In reality the witch trials had nothing to do with witches or anything evil, it just had to do with the fact that
Maryse Conde wrote “I want to imply that in terms of narrow-mindedness, hypocrisy, and racism, little has changed since the days of the Puritans” (I, Tituba: 1992, page 203). Puritans strongly believed that there was a connection and a link between the natives and the devil and the occult, even though they never had any real proof of it. In most cases the acquisitions originated from a strong dislike or personal feud between people. Anyone had the power to accuse someone of witchcraft regardless if the other party was guilty or not. Puritans mainly felt this way because they had no understanding about anything that was outside of the Puritan way of life and the native culture was different from their own. Puritans also believed that the culture and beliefs of the natives and the Africans was how the demons and devil behaved. Therefore, they labeled it as wrong or even evil. Puritans treatment and relationship with the natives was in fact the opposite from their Christians doctrines. Puritans believed that everyone should be good towards everyone else but their treatment of the natives and the so-called witches was just the opposite. Puritans thought of anyone with a different belief system as an outcast. In reality the witch trials had nothing to do with witches or anything evil, it just had to do with the fact that