Magic Johnson

What is a witch? According to Webster’s Dictionary witchcraft is, “the use of sorcery or magic.” By this definition, the term “witch” has been misused and misunderstood throughout history. Often considered a taboo subject, nothing stirs the pot quite like witchcraft. An in-depth study of witchcraft can help one to understand the mystique that surrounds it. European Witch Hunts (1300-1600) Witch hunts occurred long before the Salem witch trials. As Jess Blumberg from Smithsonian Magazine…

In Bailey’s article, he describes superstition according to early Christian and medieval writers as “a serious error” (Bailey, pg. 633). Through a theological lens, superstition was seen as religion that was “observed beyond proper measure” (Bailey, pg. 633). In other words, there was a great fear of actions that worshiped or had an association with demons. In addition, there was a belief that charms and spells, despite being corrupted means, would have the efficacy to end in real results. In…

The earliest explanation that was offered about the causation of the Witch Trials was that there was a real presence of witchcraft at large in Salem. Many historians who were writing at this time must have had the belief in both witchcraft and the Devil, which would explain why they believed that this was a logical and acceptable explanation as to why the Witch Trials occurred. This theory is ultimately the result of the personal context of historians, which has affected how this event was…

According to the Oxford Dictionary, the term superstition can be defined as “a widely held but irrational belief in supernatural influences, leading to good or bad luck” (Oxford 2012). It is said to be a practice based on such belief resulting from fear of the unknown. The role of superstition in Lives of the Saints written by Nino Ricci controls the society of a small town called Valle del Sole, as the villager’s main beliefs revolve around the practice of superstition. Thus, Nino Ricci’s…

Harry Houdini: Death Defying Escape Artist The handcuff king, death defying showman, best magician of all time. Erich Weiss was known as many things, but one name is known by all: Harry Houdini. Erich was born in Europe, but soon moved to Appleton, Wisconsin where he visited the local circuses and found he was a natural acrobat. (5) When Erich was eight his father lost his job which later lead him to run away. houdini showed many examples of perseverance, like spending many hours escaping…

which many believe that some parts of the coven should stay hidden from outsiders. At a young age, Valiente was convinced that she had the power to use magic; claims that she experienced her first spiritual experience while gazing at the moon and, at the age of thirteen, began to experiment with simple magic. As she became more aware of her own magic abilities she began to read and study occult material, including the works of Charles Godfrey Leland, Aleister Crowley, and Margaret Murray; whom…

identity. This of course was a false belief, and was soon to be recognized as a mistake. One last method used, was the touch test. In this test, the accused would have to rest his or her hand upon the afflicted, and if the test was successful, the evil magic that had been sent over by the witch would return to his or her body, thus curing the…

political tensions, and puritan lifestyle all lead up to the tension and hysteria of the witch trials. The black slave, Tituba, whose role in Salem was to care for the family of Rev. Parris, was accused of a witch because of her knowledge of foreign magic tricks and social status. She then falsely confesses to being a witch and confesses to knowing of other witches in the village, among them, Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne. Overall, the main cause of the witch hysteria was the puritan lifestyle…

When one possess open, honest and thoughtful communication, you can reveal aspects of life that have been hidden within ones mind. It is a lot easier said than done, because even for myself I know that being superstitious is all about where your mind can take you and its not true reality. It just seems easier to defy logic and proceed in believing our own psychic powers. The validity of superstitions is almost always recognized but just set aside and done nothing with. As followed is a question…

‘The Witches Hammer’, also called Malleus Maleficarum, is a treatise written for the prosecution of witches.The disquisition was written by a German Catholic clergyman by the name of Heinrich Kramer in 1486 and published in 1487. The purpose of the book was to prove, to those with skepticism, that witchcraft did, in fact, exist, imply that women were involved in witchcraft more often than men because of the emotional weakness of the female gender, and persuade officials to use Kramer’s system of…