Voodoo on you

Bit of a tizzy over Massey offering a paper on witchcraft and stuff. This is just one paper being offered, entirely as an elective, for students who are interested to take. No-one is being forced, and it's presented as just a topic...

But read the comments to that article. Apparently this one paper will bring about the downfall of civilisation, and is a concerted attack on that minority of all religions: Christianity. Yeah. Like there are no Christian related papers. How dare people be exposed to this anti-religious indoctrination, when there is perfectly good religious indoctrination to be had!

Oh, and then there are the comments about how this isn't real witchcraft, and how one shouldn't do this or they will unleash dark forces... what? Seriously? Unfortunately, I can't say I'm surprised. Of course people are witches and warlocks. They really are out there, and do not approve of this analysis of their ideas. How dare people be exposed to this kind of power without proper indoctrination into the truth about witchcraft!

Just as well there is no actual curse power here. Yes, words have power, and making people believe they've been cursed can be just as if they really were. But, let's just try and for a moment face reality: MAGIC ISN'T REAL!!! Witchcraft and curses and spells and... it's all rubbish! It makes for popular series of books, but one important difference: fiction! Not fact!

I'm interested in that paper myself. Learn about a not well viewed piece of history, and pick up on some interesting psychology about how people view this supposed "power". But as for the worry about learning actual spells and access dark powers? As Tui has it: Yeah, right.

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