The Supernatural and Satan

Whenever I try and come up with a topic for these posts I always get stumped between magic and supernatural (don't worry I'm not going to talk about the TV show). So I figured I’d write a post about my thoughts on the differences so far.

Whenever I think of the supernatural I think of vampires and werewolves. From that assumption I had figured we weren’t going to encounter any people with shape-shifting abilities…and then I read Bernardino’s sermon (I seem to really like talking about this guy, I apologize for bringing him up yet again). In Bernardino’s speech he talks about how they found potions and pastes that smelt horrible and made the witches turn into cats (or thought that they had turned into cats, that part confused me just a tad). This would suggest that people thought other witches also had the ability to turn into different things. This is idea was solidified in my mind as at the end of this chapter there is a picture of people like animals riding on broomsticks and doing other “witchy” things. I think another thing that Bernardino was talking about was either a hallucinogenic or possibly a mental illness. Though it hasn't come up a lot in our readings I'm curious to know how many of these witches ended up having some type of mental illness that would explain the cities rejection of them.  

After realizing this I remembered that we had discussed how some thought that all magic was just an illusion created by magicians or Satan. This brought me to the conclusion that maybe all things in the realm of supernatural beings were just an illusion created by Satan. We discussed this in class and how it would probably not have been very well received by the public and by many of those that dealt out the punishments. If all the supernatural beings and all those that practiced magic were just creations and illusions from Satan then they had done some pretty horrific stuff to many innocent people. I wouldn’t want that on my conscience either. In a way I understand their dismissal of the idea because it would mean that they had killed innocent people and sinned and were therefore not going to heaven.

I think that if I had been living in this time where everyone was scared of witches I would probably have believed that this was all committed by the devil more easily. Just the belief that people are in the image of God would make me believe that this is all Satan's work. I think this because I think it might have been difficult to believe that the people that live around you and that you’ve known your entire life were actually buddies with Satan and like going around eating babies.

I now realize that this post jumped off topic from the original statement…Oh well I like where it ended anyway.

the illusion of a body with the ability to function like anyone else

                  The devil does not have a body, soul, or voice. Though Satan can present himself in human form and can preform some functions of life (Kors and Peters 194).

       

http://abbym.edublogs.org/files/2012/11/InvisibleMan-mage-t0qjq4.jpg

         The devil does not have an actual voice because he fails to have the organs to produce a voice (195). Since he does not have the organs to produce a voice, one can conclude that Satan does not have a body. It is merely an illusion. Seems you do not need a body to impregnate a women (Kors and Peters 199). The fact that Satan can impregnate a women without having sex nor a body is just weird. Something also weird is that Satan "knows how to ascertain the virtue in semen" (Kors and Peters 198). This step would be necessary to impregnate a witch or women but the fact that He pays special attention to certain men just to take the males semen is strange and weird. Though, at least he is careful of who's semen he uses (Kors and Peters 198).  Before I go onto my next topic, I do have to ask what is Incubus and why does Satan not want to become one (Kors and Peters 198).

http://www.islamicmedicine.org/medmiraclesofquran/rays.gif

         With his powers, Satan can divert visible rays to change the figures others see (Kors and Peters 279). Though with this said, Satan's followers can only be transported from their homes through windows and doors. The Windows and Doors must share the same volume as the witch because Satan cannot diminish volume (Kors and Peters 279). 

Nicholas Rémy talks about Satan

http://www.controverscial.com/Nichol2.jpg

            Sure seems suspicious how much Nicholas Rémy knew about Satan's tactics to gain follows. 

On page 323, Rémy identifies three methods the devil uses to convince people into following him. The three methods are: persuasion, allurements, and temptation. Satan could try to pursue you by offering hope (Kors and Peters 323). Though if hope does not work, his fall back plan is to scare you with threats (Kors and Peters 324). He could also allure someone with the promise of riches (323). The last method Rémy mentions is temptation. Satan could tempt individuals by showing the means to avenge themselves (Kors and Peters 323). 

            I found it very interesting that Rémy identifies Satan as a murderer then proceeds to say that all his followers are given powers and implements to follow in his footsteps and become murderers themselves (Kors and Peters 324). Why would Satan give witches powder to heal the sick then (Kors and Peters 325)? It does not make sense to me that Satan would allow witches to heal people if he is trying to turn his followers into murderers. 

http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/ethnobotany/mindandspirit/images/solanaceae/Witches_NicholasRemi_Daemonolatria_lg.jpg

            One thing is clear, Satan does not want to loose followers. On page 325, three witches attest that Satan did not lie about the powers of the powders. Rémy also included that Satan told witches that they do not have ultimate power over humans (Kors and Peters 326). Satan did not need to tell the witches this information, yet he did. Maybe underneath his cold heart he cared a little. He granted every wish and kept to his promises (Kors and Peters 168)