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Witchcraft Has Always Been Political

Witchcraft Has Always Been Political

Last updated on: January 31, 2019 at 7:29 am by Mat Auryn

Witchcraft Has Always Been Political 2019-01-31T07:29:40+00:00 Mat Auryn

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Witchcraft IS political. It’s been political since the first kings summoned sorcerers for a strategic edge in war, to bind opponents, to gain political power, to give prophecy, or poison other kings. Witchcraft has been political since the first witches had to go into hiding and shroud everything in secrecy in fear of persecution. Witchcraft has been political since the first person was tortured and killed under the accusation of witchcraft. Witchcraft has been political since the first witch performed abortions to desperate women leading to tales of killing or eating babies.

Witchcraft has been political since the first monotheists armies came to destroy and desecrate Pagan sites and temples. Witchcraft has been political as long as witches have deemed the female body as equally divine and sovereign as the male body. Witchcraft has been political for as long as Witches have made alliances, oaths, and pacts with Nature and Nature spirits, vowing to protect and honor. Witchcraft has been political ever since a witch decided to hold strong beliefs about what is right and what is wrong, regardless of what the institutions in power say. Witchcraft has been political as a group of marginalized folks outcast by society since the beginning.

The history of Witchcraft reminds us of what happens when people start singling out certain groups and classes of people and dehumanizing them. It reminds us of what happens when people start turning a blind eye, make excuses for, or even worse supporting the abuses of marginalized groups and classes of people. It reminds us what happens when religion and state become a singular force. It reminds us of how dangerous it is for those in political power to start whipping the public into a frenzy and to encourage violence against others. We don’t even have to look that far back to see what happens, we can simply look at World War II to see what happens. Knowing history isn’t the ability to recognize that a fascist nationalist is committing genocide and being able to draw a parallel with that happening in history before. Knowing history is the ability to recognize the parallels of every step along the way to a fascist nationalist committing genocide and being able to prevent it before it happens.

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