Where did the Stereotypical Witch Come From?
Journal 1: I had always thought of witchcraft and the occult as a counterculture against religions like Islam and Christianity. They seemed to directly contradict and challenge each other with no logical way to exist side-by-side. It was intriguing how the reading shows examples of witchcraft and religion stably existing alongside one another. Village healers continued to practice in the West as Christianity rose and in the East, talismans were still used to protect from fallen angels even though it was condemned in the Quran. This speaks to the power authority has in the lives of others. As higher-ups in religions looked to gain more power and control, witchcraft and those who studied it became more and more marginalized. This is a theme still happening today in many political, social, and economic spheres. I found it helpful to discuss overarching themes of the reading like this one in the classroom because it helped me tie together the main themes across many different belief s...