More Voices Of The Victims

Augustine is the theological thinker who paved the way not just for the centuries but for the millennia that followed. It was Augustine who first introduced the idea that birth control was a sin.

The witch burnings were a way to take control of women's powers of reproduction which of course includes sexuality and women's powers over reproduction which could include midwifery, contraception, abortion, women's control of women's bodies and reproductive issues. An edict went out stating that no one did more harm to the Catholic faith than midwives. New laws proclaimed that anyone who dared cure without having studied was a witch and must die. Since most women were barred from university, the rise of the male medical profession was guaranteed. Women continued to practice but they did so in fear of their lives. It was the testimony of male doctors that sent many to their deaths. Contrary to popular belief, the women who were burned as witches were not all old. Some were even children. This false image of a witch as an old hag, certainly affected how we look at women today. Hag used to mean sacred knowledge, a woman who had sacred knowledge. At one time it meant "woman of prophetic and oracular powers". Old women used to be revered because they did have this ancient sacred knowledge and passed it on to others so that it was a wonderful thing to be an old woman.

In the Americas, the burnings continued in persecution of anyone who practiced Judaism, or followed the Laws of Moses. There is extant evidence in the form of inquisition trial records written by the inquisitors themselves. The evidence that was used against the accused in these trials was: use of clean linen on Friday evenings, the observation of the Sabbath, Following or teaching the Laws of Moses, not believing in the holy virgin. Thousands were tortured, garroted, and burned alive at the stake for following Gods Commands at the hands of these oppressors who called themselves men of God.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Inquisition
• malleus
• Women
• Carvajal
• Sabbath
• Witches
• Wise Women
• Midwives
• Torture
• Catholic
• Agustine
• witchunts
• genocide
• femme-phobe