I haven't really had any encounters with witches, witchcraft, or the supernatural other than one time when I visited my cousin in Washington and we played with an Ouija board. We weren't really sure what we were doing but a friend had told me about it and my cousin had one so we decided to try it out. It seemed to move a little but I'm not completely sure it wasn't my cousin just playing a trick on me. I guess I have heard stories from friends about them seeing ghosts or spirits and that scares me so I have never really tried to. I also dressed as a witch for Halloween one year after watching the movie "Hocus Pocus". Other than that I guess I've only watched movies, TV shows, or read books like Harry Potter. I think our society is very interested and fascinated with witches so making movies or TV shows that deal with witchcraft or the supernatural are very common. Some movies I like watching are The Craft, Practical Magic, Sleepy Hollow, and Harry Potter.
The only "witch-hunts" I have heard of or observed have been in movies or TV shows. However, when I think of a "witch-hunt" one thing that comes to mind is Senator Joseph McCarthy and the Red Scare.
I think understanding the existence of evil in our contemporary world can be very confusing. I mean it's hard to call someone "evil" or to label what an evil act is. Obviously I consider murder and rape evil and I think most everyone would. However, I don't think many people associate evil with the devil as much as just making bad decisions. I guess you could say that people label someone with "insanity" when an evil act is committed and consider the person sick so that's why they commit evil acts. I don't think people are born evil but I think what happens in a person's life can cause them to make bad choices. I find it hard to consider anyone just purely evil so maybe that's why it's hard for me to explain it. I think people do bad things but I don't necessarily think they are pure evil.
2 comments:
I agree with your post for the most part. I too have watched tv shows and movies with witches for the sheer entertainment purposes, but have never experimented with witchcraft or ever took the idea of witches seriously. I also have dressed up like a witch for Halloween, but that was also just having fun with the holiday... I think that while there is definitely a lot of evil in the world, it is, like you said, choices that people make that label them as evil rather than there being simply evil people in the world.
Hi Michelle,
Thanks for the good post. The concept of evil is slippery, but I agree that it comes out of us, rather than existing on its own.
I meant to write earlier. I enjoyed your remarks about cats. I have always had a a couple of cats around. As well as a dog or two. Be hard to imagine life without a cat.
Best,
Dan W.
Post a Comment