More of *On Witchcraft*

Ok, so between sleeping and trying not to yell with my voicelessness at the ringing phone, I kind of came to the conclusion that Mather makes the Devil sound a little like Satan in the Book of Job. I don't know why, but when Mather writes about the man trying to excise the imp from a woman, and the Devil replies, "What need I meddle with one whom I am sure to have, and hold at the Last-day as my own for ever?"(pg 17) , it reminds me on the challange that Satan gives to God about God's faithful servant Job. God goes through and puts Job through all of those trials and whatnot - killing his livestock and kids - and Job still remains faithful to God.

And in a way, the colonists sort of put those who were accused of witchcraft through tests as well. I can't help but think of the cartoon *The Fairly Odd Parents* where Timmy - along with Cosmo and Wanda (his Fairy God Parents) - go back in time to see who the founder of Dimmsdale really was. Timmy really believes that it's Dale Dimm (who admittedly lives up to his name), whereas Timmy's friend AJ believes that the founder is Alden Bitteroot (who reminds me quite a bit of Mather for some odd reason); the two are trying to design a float for Founder's Day, and Timmy wants proof so that his float will be featured.

Anywho, Bitteroot was a famed witchhunter and Dimm was just a story. Bitteroot accused everything of being a witch - going so far as to put pointed hats on things such as logs and ducks. I think that that's what reminds me the most about the Salem Witch Trials. People were being accused left and right on not much evidence. Bitteroot would just point to somthing, exclaim at the top of his lungs: "WITCH!!!!!!!!", and just like that the accused would be strapped to a chair and/or burned. In the case of the duck, Bitteroot simply put a little hat on it and a broom next to it, said that it was then a witch, and the people went crazy! They roasted the duck - mind you, I have nothing against roast duck, but when the duck is roasted because it was accused of witchcraft... It seems a little funny. Yet the whole time it was Bitteroot who was the witch, and Dimm was the one who found him out - which is why the town is named Dimmsdale instead of Bitterburg. (Note that through the enitre episode, the audience never sees Bitteroot's feet... because they're floating off the ground! Uh... wouldn't that be a major tip off to the townsfolk that he's a witch...?)

I just sort of wonder how many accusers actually practiced the Craft? I could understand why they would want to put the blame on someone else - after all, it's still a religion, and the Pilgrims left England for *religious freedom*, so it seems more than a little hypocritical that people would be tried for what they choose to believe in. I wouldn't want to be put on trial for what I believe in by any means. At the same time, I think that if I were to watch someone else be hanged or burned or drowned, it would eat away at me. (Well, at least I'm not a serial killer...) If, however, it came down to whether or not it was me, I want to be able to say that I would be a big enough person to admit if I did practice. But I think that I would be too scared. I think that I would probably bail and accuse someone else. (Like I said, not that I have anything against the practice!) It would sort of be like when the Romans captured and killed the Christians. If I was asked then if I followed Christianity, I don't know if I would be able to say that I did. Not to disrespect God or anything - or those who follow devoutly any religion - but I like to live. I've grown really attached to the fact that I'm breathing, and I kind of like it... a lot. Just saying.