Due to blind superstition, abuse of power and lack of education, sinister atrocities have occurred and continue to occur. This article gives a simple overview of the Wiccan religion. It then discusses witch hunts, the Church Inquisition, exorcism and missionary work.
Wicca (witches) is a new religious movement that began in the first half of the 20th century. Witches believe in a nature-based spirituality that emphasises inner transformation and knowledge of one’s own life.
In the USA, Wicca, founded by Gerald Brousseau Gardner, has been a state-registered religion since 1994. Spiritual models for the Wicca faith come from various esoteric movements.
The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn has also been of great importance in the development of Wicca. It uses only the published (and thus disgraced) tools of this order, without grasping the true scope of this initiatory path.
In the Middle Ages, witch hunts were a campaign of extermination against various groups and individuals (mainly herbalists or witches) who claimed to have knowledge of sorcery and herbalism.
In most cases, this knowledge was attributed to superstition rather than genuine esotericism. Witches were accused of practicing black magic and sorcery and were blamed for plagues and famine during bad harvests.
People attributed this sorcery to witches and were subsequently hunted down and imprisoned in towers (called “Witch Towers).
At the beginning of a witch trial, these women were stripped naked, shaved all over, examined for witch marks and often raped by the executioners. They were imprisoned and tortured into giving false testimony.
Around 30 million people were tried in Europe and between 40,000 and 60,000 were burned at the stake.
Witch hunts continue today in South-East Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Without enlightenment, people were and still are dominated by superstition. Endless atrocities continue to take place. Even people of differing faiths are often victims of murder, incitement and defamation.
Even today, the official churches still continue these persecutions.
It does not matter how distorted the teachings of the Wiccan cult are and to what extent they are based on errors. No one should play God under the guise of ecclesiastical authority and gain the right to persecute or harm other people because of their beliefs.
In the Hermetic Academy, students are encouraged to apply theory and practice in everyday life. This is the only way to test what they have learned.
The Inquisition of the Church began in the 13th century and spread mainly in Southern and Central Europe. The main focus of the Inquisition, apart from witches, were heretics.
Heresy is considered to be any teaching that contradicts the religious beliefs of the Church. Heretics were imprisoned, denounced, mutilated, and sometimes burned.
The Church and secular institutions cooperated in the Inquisition. In 14th century France, for example, Knights of the Order of the Temple were arrested by the French king until the order was abolished.
The Church thus exercised its sole power and undermined other faiths. But there were always isolated initiates who protected and passed on the light of the Mystery Tradition in secret.
To them we are indebted, for this torch of enlightenment is preserved in the Hermetic Academy.
The Inquisition distinguished different characteristics. The “possessed” were attributed certain physical symptoms or psychological disorders. The ecclesiastical exorcist was supposed to drive out the devil and demons from the possessed by means of exorcism.
In missionary work, priests are supposed to convert people of other faiths and non-believers to their religion. The main missionary religions are Christianity and Islam, but also Hinduism and Buddhism.
In contrast to such movements, the Hermetic Academy is open to all those who yearn for fulfilment in their hearts and follow the call to wisdom.
A particularly important issue for the Hermetic Academy is the fundamental right of ‘religious freedom’ for all people.
Many global conflicts arise because of religious beliefs. Distorted religion is one of the most dangerous tools in the history of mankind.
In the Hermetic Academy, the spiritual student can access an oral mystery tradition that is thousands of years old.
It holds the key that opens access to the Holy Scriptures. The Holy Scriptures teach us the way to self-knowledge, and self-knowledge is God-knowledge. That is why the Hermetic does not persecute those of other faiths.
If you wish to follow a lifelong path of self-development that will lead you to freedom, wisdom and mastery over yourself and your life through the knowledge and application of spiritual laws, we recommend that you study at the Hermetic Academy.
The Hermetic Academy is a contemporary Mystery School which preserves this millennia-old tradition in an intact chain and shows people a safe way to realise desirable virtues and goals and to achieve spiritual self-knowledge.
