Trafficking in twentieth century? Physical abuse, and calling someone a witch?
I thought that we live in a little better times. It's shocking. Even more shocking is that the people who should do something about it... trying to cover it up. Pastors are trying to earn on this situation. I never knew why people blindly believe in pastors. Faith shouldn't be blind, especially when it's against human being. That's why I don't understand those parents who're trying to expel the evil spirit from their child by force.
The believe that child is possessed by the devil, demon or any other fairy basing on someone illness in house sound like mental disorder for me. Pastors encouraging acting violently sounds rather like fanaticism than religion. I don’t know if there is any service who could do something about it, but increasing number of such behavior should alarm local authorities who need to react to prevent from further expansion of witch-hunt, which may occur, especially if someone can make profit on it.
Really? “The Metropolitan Police said there had been 60 crimes linked to faith in London so far this year” Sorry, but these statistics means that this „problem” is extremely insignificant. Ok, it’s sick that these kind of problems exists, but this looks like looking for a cheap sensation.
I agree with Hubert, the percentage of occurrence of offenses related to the faith is ridiculously small. I suspect that the number, for example beat is several times higher per month than the number of crimes related to faith during the whole year.
I think that the problem is exaggerated. They may be just single cases of offenses. We live in twenty-first century and most of us don't believe in stupidity and try think rationally. Being a pastor is a great business, because they rely on human gullibility. These people need a psychological advice.
Greediness of pastors, priests has been known for centuries. Nothing new. Attitude to servants has been known for centuries. Nothing new. Existance and range of domestic violence has been known for centuries. Nothing new. New could be only the way we dress up those features. Is that true for sure? Here we have accusation of witchcraft or possession by spirits. In fact, it has also been known for centuries. Nothing new.
Instead of posting some links to that subject I recommend listening to bands that are familiar with witchraft: Swedish "Witchcraft", Canadian "Blood Ceremony".
For me this people accusing childer for witchcraft are just mentaly sick. The other thing are pastors encouraging parents for violence which only reassure them that they are right and their child is really a witch or some kind of devil. This is a great example how faith and religion can be blindly followed. On the other hand as others already said this problem is a little bit exaggerated.
Firstly now days there aren't a lot of people who belive in things that are in this article and I think that people who saying and belives in that their children or other people are possessed by evil spirits they should go to a psychiatrist .
What does it mean that 'there had been 60 crimes linked to faith in London', is witchcraft somehow connected to faith, I mean the time of spanish inquisition is over right ? Right ? But anyway, if author meant that there had been 60 crimes linked to witchcraft SO FAR this year, well, this is horrifying. I thought that Poland is known for it's very conservative opinions on some topics, like gay people, 'church (often priest) is always right' beliefs but this shows how blind and sick people can be. I mean thinking that there's a devil in a child, then throw child out of home it's just bad, cruel and those people should be considered as mentally sick. Is this a way of finding a scapegoat, and turning away from problems ?
Looklikes a big joke. Time to call ghostbusters. Church and other similar organisation are biggest mafia in the world, isnt it? Speculating on believer's feelings is very profitable business. Nowadays bieliving in possesion, its reality for movies, not for real life.
It is shocking which problems are created by people. Even more shocking is that these people from Article believe in these strange things. London's population is around 8.5 million people. 60 cases per year in the total population of London is really irrelevant. I am interesting how many of these people are mentally healthy. In my opinion, this article refers to irrelevant and imaginary problem. It is an attempt to find an interesting sensation.
The problem is not in UK. In African countries like Nigeria, Congo, Angola number of crimes linked to faith is much higher. The saddest thing is that most of victims linked with these crimes are children. Children branded as evil are being abused, abandoned and even murdered.
This is well-known documentary about this problem, which I watched a long time ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooXBMU_06vg Organization which is defending rights of children in Nigeria: http://www.safechildafrica.org/
It's hard to accept that people believe in this kind of things. What's more, I can't understand how cruel you need to be to treat innocent children like that.The problem reached London because of number of immigrants there but it's another topic for discussion.
Like it's been said, it's unbelievable that in the XXI century we can still observe "witch hunts".
Anthropologically speaking, unfortunately, it's neither new nor odd in any way - when something bad happens, the easiest solution to solving the problem is to find a scapegoat rather than to face it. It was a way any persecutions worked - was it pestilence, famine, drought and so on, the ones to blame were witches, heretics, gingers or Jews. Still, it's shocking that in many African countries albino body parts are considered lucky charms, and because of that many albino children have their arms and legs cut off.
To this day there are many people, especially in smaller towns or villages where folk beliefs are still strong, who are prone to suggestion by charismatic leaders and can be led to violent acts. I think there is no cure for that, we will never be able to root out these customs, but we have to react decisively every time such violent actions take place.
Funny to see there are so many people here that just sum up the problem in stuff like "XXI century, no faith or beliefs" and stuff, just trying to avoid the problem, not trying to udnerstand it.
The faith, the churches and all kinds of ghosts/witchery/other are still on and thinking that we really live in the years of global breakthrough when they'll be extinct is a real exagerration here. People thought so about 2000 year ago as well, together with a lot of other moments in the history and we're still taught from our earliest age that faith is important. We can be in some kind of downfall of faiths importance, but it will finally turn around into a rise - beucase people will always need to have such beliefs, just not to get into depression, to have the motivation to go on, to have some invisible motivation and support in the decisions they're making, especially those that are acts of sacrifice, helping the sick and stuff.
I think we should really consider this even small rise of witchcraft abuse as something interesting. There were many such articles in the past 10 years as I followed them as interesting kind of peoples' behaviours. Every year there a lot of cases of people going to priests because someone cursed their child or just made a "bad mark" in front of their home - and we can't say it's just non-important. People can believe whatever they want and we're in no place to tell us that they shouldn't, unless some super-smart someone will come up with a really convincing argument there.
Personally, I thought that the days of belief in witches and devils gone. Taking part in these english conversation course, I realized how the world is divided. Anyway, hearing such stories should close the people spreading such nonsense and not themselves. As for pastors who is trying to earn the money at this situation - tax it! If someone pays for that, it is his own case.
I believe that now the greater part of the people think more rationally about this. The fact is some people who continue to think about these things, believe in it. There are diferent sects, where people "think" they are possessed, but I think that in this case, you should go to a psychiatrist.
I think that the fact we live in XXi century doesn't mean that people ALWAYS think rationally. Maybe among people in our age rational thinking is first thing to do, but older people still believe in superstitions etc. It's easier to think that behind something evil stands devil or some evil creature, rather than admit that most of evil is caused by humans. Sometimes people believe so hard that they are below some great power that they bend facts just to ensure themselves about this. We shouldn't be surprised hering about such events in Africa, where society is still 100 years behind Europe and they are trying to find something that can raise them above their poor situation. You have to remember, that most of girls are circumcised because it's their belief. Those people think differently about life, we cannot look at everything from our perspective.
It' s hard for me to believe that somewhere in the world outside of Africa, there is still this type of problem. I also saw a program Martyna Wojciechowska on albinos and still am in shock. I am sure that the only way to reduce the amount of persecution outstanding people is education. It seems to me that it is the lack of education is the source of the problem. For many, many years, people invented stories to explain what they could not logically explain. As you know, the level of education in Africa is very low, which makes each day comes there for many violent acts. I think I do not have to anything more to write, because the best portrayal of the problem is the link posted below. http://player.pl/programy-online/kobieta-na-krancu-swiata-odcinki,87/odcinek-6,ludzie-duchy,S06E06,33166.html
I couldn't agree more with @Rafał above. I also think that education is key to success in this regard. Stupid people are easier to manipulate, and with minimum effort we can convince really many people into our ideology, especially when it comes to somebody with "the respect", such as a priest.
I totally agree with things @Michał Stankiewicz posted. There's no way that humans could live on without believing in something/someone, without faith. Also, I think @Rafał is right about people's education. When someone has little knowledge about the world, he could try to explain things by himself. Or worse could happen, someone else would explain him things, convincing about their supernatural origin, and easily manipulate him. Therefore, in my opinion, even faith requires wisdom. Without it, the faithful are just ignorance, one can persuade of anything.
Trafficking in twentieth century? Physical abuse, and calling someone a witch?
ReplyDeleteI thought that we live in a little better times. It's shocking. Even more shocking is that the people who should do something about it... trying to cover it up. Pastors are trying to earn on this situation. I never knew why people blindly believe in pastors. Faith shouldn't be blind, especially when it's against human being. That's why I don't understand those parents who're trying to expel the evil spirit from their child by force.
The believe that child is possessed by the devil, demon or any other fairy basing on someone illness in house sound like mental disorder for me. Pastors encouraging acting violently sounds rather like fanaticism than religion. I don’t know if there is any service who could do something about it, but increasing number of such behavior should alarm local authorities who need to react to prevent from further expansion of witch-hunt, which may occur, especially if someone can make profit on it.
ReplyDeleteReally? “The Metropolitan Police said there had been 60 crimes linked to faith in London so far this year” Sorry, but these statistics means that this „problem” is extremely insignificant. Ok, it’s sick that these kind of problems exists, but this looks like looking for a cheap sensation.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Hubert, the percentage of occurrence of offenses related to the faith is ridiculously small. I suspect that the number, for example beat is several times higher per month than the number of crimes related to faith during the whole year.
ReplyDeleteI think that the problem is exaggerated. They may be just single cases of offenses. We live in twenty-first century and most of us don't believe in stupidity and try think rationally. Being a pastor is a great business, because they rely on human gullibility. These people need a psychological advice.
ReplyDeleteGreediness of pastors, priests has been known for centuries. Nothing new. Attitude to servants has been known for centuries. Nothing new. Existance and range of domestic violence has been known for centuries. Nothing new. New could be only the way we dress up those features. Is that true for sure? Here we have accusation of witchcraft or possession by spirits. In fact, it has also been known for centuries. Nothing new.
ReplyDeleteInstead of posting some links to that subject I recommend listening to bands that are familiar with witchraft: Swedish "Witchcraft", Canadian "Blood Ceremony".
For me this people accusing childer for witchcraft are just mentaly sick. The other thing are pastors encouraging parents for violence which only reassure them that they are right and their child is really a witch or some kind of devil. This is a great example how faith and religion can be blindly followed. On the other hand as others already said this problem is a little bit exaggerated.
ReplyDeleteFirstly now days there aren't a lot of people who belive in things that are in this article and I think that people who saying and belives in that their children or other people are possessed by evil spirits they should go to a psychiatrist .
ReplyDeleteWhat does it mean that 'there had been 60 crimes linked to faith in London', is witchcraft somehow connected to faith, I mean the time of spanish inquisition is over right ? Right ?
ReplyDeleteBut anyway, if author meant that there had been 60 crimes linked to witchcraft SO FAR this year, well, this is horrifying.
I thought that Poland is known for it's very conservative opinions on some topics, like gay people, 'church (often priest) is always right' beliefs but this shows how blind and sick people can be.
I mean thinking that there's a devil in a child, then throw child out of home it's just bad, cruel and those people should be considered as mentally sick. Is this a way of finding a scapegoat, and turning away from problems ?
Looklikes a big joke. Time to call ghostbusters. Church and other similar organisation are biggest mafia in the world, isnt it? Speculating on believer's feelings is very profitable business. Nowadays bieliving in possesion, its reality for movies, not for real life.
ReplyDeleteIt is shocking which problems are created by people. Even more shocking is that these people from Article believe in these strange things.
ReplyDeleteLondon's population is around 8.5 million people. 60 cases per year in the total population of London is really irrelevant. I am interesting how many of these people are mentally healthy.
In my opinion, this article refers to irrelevant and imaginary problem. It is an attempt to find an interesting sensation.
The problem is not in UK. In African countries like Nigeria, Congo, Angola number of crimes linked to faith is much higher. The saddest thing is that most of victims linked with these crimes are children. Children branded as evil are being abused, abandoned and even murdered.
ReplyDeleteThis is well-known documentary about this problem, which I watched a long time ago:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooXBMU_06vg
Organization which is defending rights of children in Nigeria:
http://www.safechildafrica.org/
It's hard to accept that people believe in this kind of things. What's more, I can't understand how cruel you need to be to treat innocent children like that.The problem reached London because of number of immigrants there but it's another topic for discussion.
ReplyDeleteLike it's been said, it's unbelievable that in the XXI century we can still observe "witch hunts".
ReplyDeleteAnthropologically speaking, unfortunately, it's neither new nor odd in any way - when something bad happens, the easiest solution to solving the problem is to find a scapegoat rather than to face it. It was a way any persecutions worked - was it pestilence, famine, drought and so on, the ones to blame were witches, heretics, gingers or Jews. Still, it's shocking that in many African countries albino body parts are considered lucky charms, and because of that many albino children have their arms and legs cut off.
To this day there are many people, especially in smaller towns or villages where folk beliefs are still strong, who are prone to suggestion by charismatic leaders and can be led to violent acts. I think there is no cure for that, we will never be able to root out these customs, but we have to react decisively every time such violent actions take place.
Funny to see there are so many people here that just sum up the problem in stuff like "XXI century, no faith or beliefs" and stuff, just trying to avoid the problem, not trying to udnerstand it.
ReplyDeleteThe faith, the churches and all kinds of ghosts/witchery/other are still on and thinking that we really live in the years of global breakthrough when they'll be extinct is a real exagerration here. People thought so about 2000 year ago as well, together with a lot of other moments in the history and we're still taught from our earliest age that faith is important. We can be in some kind of downfall of faiths importance, but it will finally turn around into a rise - beucase people will always need to have such beliefs, just not to get into depression, to have the motivation to go on, to have some invisible motivation and support in the decisions they're making, especially those that are acts of sacrifice, helping the sick and stuff.
I think we should really consider this even small rise of witchcraft abuse as something interesting. There were many such articles in the past 10 years as I followed them as interesting kind of peoples' behaviours. Every year there a lot of cases of people going to priests because someone cursed their child or just made a "bad mark" in front of their home - and we can't say it's just non-important. People can believe whatever they want and we're in no place to tell us that they shouldn't, unless some super-smart someone will come up with a really convincing argument there.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I thought that the days of belief in witches and devils gone. Taking part in these english conversation course, I realized how the world is divided. Anyway, hearing such stories should close the people spreading such nonsense and not themselves. As for pastors who is trying to earn the money at this situation - tax it! If someone pays for that, it is his own case.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteI believe that now the greater part of the people think more rationally about this. The fact is some people who continue to think about these things, believe in it. There are diferent sects, where people "think" they are possessed, but I think that in this case, you should go to a psychiatrist.
I think that the fact we live in XXi century doesn't mean that people ALWAYS think rationally. Maybe among people in our age rational thinking is first thing to do, but older people still believe in superstitions etc. It's easier to think that behind something evil stands devil or some evil creature, rather than admit that most of evil is caused by humans. Sometimes people believe so hard that they are below some great power that they bend facts just to ensure themselves about this. We shouldn't be surprised hering about such events in Africa, where society is still 100 years behind Europe and they are trying to find something that can raise them above their poor situation.
ReplyDeleteYou have to remember, that most of girls are circumcised because it's their belief. Those people think differently about life, we cannot look at everything from our perspective.
It' s hard for me to believe that somewhere in the world outside of Africa, there is still this type of problem. I also saw a program Martyna Wojciechowska on albinos and still am in shock. I am sure that the only way to reduce the amount of persecution outstanding people is education. It seems to me that it is the lack of education is the source of the problem. For many, many years, people invented stories to explain what they could not logically explain. As you know, the level of education in Africa is very low, which makes each day comes there for many violent acts. I think I do not have to anything more to write, because the best portrayal of the problem is the link posted below. http://player.pl/programy-online/kobieta-na-krancu-swiata-odcinki,87/odcinek-6,ludzie-duchy,S06E06,33166.html
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more with @Rafał above. I also think that education is key to success in this regard. Stupid people are easier to manipulate, and with minimum effort we can convince really many people into our ideology, especially when it comes to somebody with "the respect", such as a priest.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with things @Michał Stankiewicz posted. There's no way that humans could live on without believing in something/someone, without faith.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I think @Rafał is right about people's education. When someone has little knowledge about the world, he could try to explain things by himself. Or worse could happen, someone else would explain him things, convincing about their supernatural origin, and easily manipulate him.
Therefore, in my opinion, even faith requires wisdom. Without it, the faithful are just ignorance, one can persuade of anything.
@Antoni Czaplicki
ReplyDeleteClarke's third law:
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."