Watch out for Witch Hunting

Seeing the news, made me think of the Salem Witch Hunts. As I studied the causes of the hunts, I was startled to learn that the people doing this "hunting" had many things in common with us today. In the late 1600's in the Salem Massachusetts area, they were having unusually cold weather and food shortages. They were experiencing a serious economic downturn and people were fighting over control of their village. The wealthy merchants wanted to see more development and the farmers wanted the area to remain agrarian. On top of all this stress many people were ill.  A fungus blight was causing strange hallucinations.

The people were near hysteria and seeking scapegoats. Political leaders in the church and leaders of family feuds used the people's fear to manipulate them into eliminating their opposition and sometimes acquiring property and power they did not have the right to possess.

One reason these unscrupulous leaders were able to murder 25 people (five died in prison) and two dogs, was the powerful charismatic personalities of the leaders of the "Hunt". Another reason was that these leaders could easily manipulate the people since they had little education. What the leaders said and did was believed, though there wasn't any real evidence presented. The sham courts were only excuses to take the power the leaders wanted. 

Could this happen today? If the people do not use their education to check sources, and verify supposed "data",  but instead choose to blindly follow charismatic leaders-- it could. If we are looking for a scapegoat instead of  unitedly working to cope with the difficult problems of today -- it could. If we turn from God and put our hope instead in a person -- it will. If the American people turn from what has always made them truly great -- their faith in God -- it will happen.