Causes and Effects of Witchcraft. - 1861 Words

INTRODUCTION Beliefs and practice of magic and witchcraft is a phenomenon that has captured the minds of millions since the beginning of history. These so called witches have caused fear, hatred, interest, widespread panic and variety of other emotions in other people from all over the world. Every society and civilization on this planet have all some form of witchcraft in their history, witchcraft itself ha e deep history of its own causing it to be recognized in literature and modern society. Beliefs in witchcraft is a common phenomenon in some developing nations, particularly, Tanzania as well as sub-Saharan Africa. This belief has a very pronounced effect on the day to day lives of the believers. It burdens the economies of the†¦show more content†¦v. Contract with the Devil (Satan) It is believed that the devil (Satan) makes contract with humans and such contract has to be fulfilled through life-destroying requirements from the devil to his/her clients. Human beings make contracts with the devils (Satan) for the purpose of earning riches, money and prosperity through performing evil deeds such as the offering of ones sons, daughters, wife, husband, relatives or other human blood. These are considered to be the terms and conditions of the devils contract and devil worship. In today’s situation, this is highly spread among Tanzanians particularly rich people and business class in Tanzania and Africa in General. vi. The trend of albino murders in recent years The trend of albino murders in recent years is a very clear example of the damage that can be done by witchcraft, in this case affecting the livelihoods and lives of an already-disadvantaged group. Less high profile, but probably more destructive overall, is the damage done to ordinary Tanzanian citizens through witchcraft-related threats. I have come across many examples where Tanzanians, usually those who have had some financial or social success, are held to ransom, threatened with curses. I have seen up close how this can hold people back from achieving their full potential - they can spend a lot of time (and money) fighting off these threats and they can have very damaging psychological effects. If success is punished in this way,Show MoreRelated salem witchcraft trials cause and effect Essay572 Words   |  3 Pageshad damaged land and crops, the effects of King Phillips War began to impact New England society, and colonists were being forced off of the frontiers by Native peoples. The Church and the government were in heavy conflict. And those residing in Salem began to grow suspicious of one another when some prospered and others hadn’t (Marcus, p13). Suddenly people seemed very paranoid and soon residents were placing blame on one another and accusing each other of witchcraft. In a fifteen month period betweenRead MoreWitchcraft Essay1081 Words   |  5 Pagespractices or beliefs that refer to the term witchcraft. There are many different definitions referring to the term witchcraft, but the most commonly accepted definition was provided by Evans-Pritchard 1937. (Oxford 2017) He distinguishes between witchcraft and sorcery by their technique, and defines witchcraft as an inherited ability to cause misfortune or death. The user of witchcraft is considered to be evil or dangerous. Prior to the Enlightenment witchcraft was used as a way for people to explainRead MoreWitchcraft Is The Existence Of Magic That Is Manipulated For Both Good And Wicked Essay1495 Words   |  6 PagesWitchcraft in Nepal â€Å"Witchcraft is the belief of magic that is manipulated for both good and wicked purposes† (McGarry, 2016). The practice of witchcraft is demonstrated in many societies around the world; however, witchcraft is looked down upon. In this case, two societies in Nepal are significant for the practices and beliefs of witchcraft: the Tibetan Nyinba, and the Kathmandu Village. These two societies believe in witchcraft because of the harmful and malicious practices [witches] hold withinRead MoreThe practice of using ritual powers, magic and the invocation of spirits-broadly termed as1200 Words   |  5 PagesThe practice of using ritual powers, magic and the invocation of spirits-broadly termed as witchcraft- is a fascinating topic shrouded in mystery. Although an ancient practise, witchcraft is still a very relevant topic in modern society. In Evans-Pritchard’s article entitled â€Å"The Notion of Witchcraft explains Unfortunate Events†, he focuses on how witchcraft helps the people of the Azande tribe make sense of the relation between their people and the unfortunate events that they encounter. It doesRead MoreEssay on Ergotism, Hysteria, and Disorders Detected in Salem889 Words   |  4 Pagesfinal thing that could have started the hysteria shenanigan is puberty, a time of inner turmoil, is thought to have contributed to the victims acting out through fits, convulsions, and erratic behavior. A reason most people do not think had an effect on the Salem Witch Trials but seemed to have had a role were disorders. According to documents and stories there were descendants of people in the town which means the possibility of disorders being passed down were there. In late winter and earlyRead MoreWitches, Sorcerers, And Shamans1650 Words   |  7 Pagesarticle reviewed, Witchcraft Prosecutions and the Decline of Magic, relays a bell curve theory for the rise and ultimate decline in the belief in magic and witches. The author, Edward Bever, attributes the rise in witch prosecutions to the rising populations and limited resources. Bever focuses on a shift of how witchcraft is studied. Many relate the Enlightenment with the decline in of witchcraft, he sees the Enlightenment as more of an effect of the decline of witch trials, not the cause. Bever believesRead MoreThe Church Of The Christian Church1544 Words   |  7 Pagesrepentance will not clear what you have done and tha t God will not give you certain blessings because you have sinned. This institution of my culture functions similarly to the Azande and their witchcraft because they are both used to control society. The Author also states on page five hundred-fifty-five that, â€Å"Witchcraft is thought to be an actual physical property residing inside some individuals, who may themselves be unaware of their power.† I relate this statement to some of the Christian pastors andRead MoreSuperstition and the Witch-hunts in Early Modern Britain Essay1249 Words   |  5 Pagespeople practised as witches in villages, the belief that they could cause harm by using their evil eye was certainly a superstitious belief. If it werent for this widely held belief that witches could cause harm, they would not have been seen as such a threat that needed to be eliminated. However, when compared with other European countries, Britain has a relatively low number of executions for witchcraft. Even in the most prolific region of England, Essex, only 26% wereRead MoreThe Fear Of Fear In Arthur Millers The Crucible932 Words   |  4 Pages1693. More than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft otherwise known as â€Å"the Devils magic.† To what degree can we attribute the events of the Salem Witch Trials as portrayed in The Crucible to fear? Fear is an emotional response caused by a threat, which causes a change in the brain and organ function, as well as behavior. It is an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that something or someone is dangerous and likely to cause pain or threat. Usually fear is caused by something traumatizingRead MoreThe Truth Of Witchcraft And Witchcraft1519 Words   |  7 PagesMany question as to why so many women would eventually admit to witchcraft. However, it is quite understandable why these women accepted the guilt when analyzing the process of proving witchcraft and what these women had to endure. Not only would these women continue to be rejected from their community, even more than before, they would be subject harsh sociological and psychological procedures. Those accused would often have to go through harsh psychosomatic dealings, such as a process know as â€Å"watching