Orrin, only misogynist theocrats like you could fail to see the exquisite beauty in the skilled craftmanship of freedom-loving proto-feminists.

The question is, was that a capital offense?

Harry:

Tampering with the Royal Mail, stealing anything worth more than twenty shillings, poaching on royal lands and making a pass at the Queen were all capital offences at that time. By whose standards do you want that question judged?

Harry, how gauche of you to impose our modern notions of right/wrong on an earlier culture. Don't you know that rignt/wrong have no fixed meaning, but can only be judged within the context of a particular cultural milieu?

Robert:

You're right--it's not immoral to kill a witch.

OJ, at least you are consistent.

Not I, morality.

"Containing bent pins, human hair and perhaps urine, the bottles were supposed to protect a household against evil spells." Sounds like a piece of "art" subsidised by an NEA grant....

Orrin is a consistent Leninist. Out with the deviationists.

Also, if belief in witchcraft is the capital offense, you'd have to execute all the Dominicans. Yet I bet Orrin isn't for that.

There's nothing wrong with believing in magic, everyone does. You just can't elevate that faith above God.

And on what grounds did you conclude that the bottle, representing I suppose rustic superstition, elevates something above God?

Harry:

The capital crime is in not making appropriate obeisance to OJ's God.

As for the actual God, who knows? Does He say, in his own words, what should be done with witches?

Monty Python's Holy Grail puts witch burning in the perspective it deserves.

"Suffer not a witch to live."

But, in addition, they worship something other than God, so are idolators.

OJ:

"Suffer not a witch to live."

Whose words are those--God's, or man's?

As for the latter, what do they worship, and how do you know?

Jeff:

http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=EXOD+22&language=english&version=KJV&showfn=on&showxref=on

OJ:

Thank you for the reference, but it doesn't make clear (to me anyway) whether the words are from God, or man. And if from God through man, how are we to know it wasn't man looking for an imprimatur?

And I still don't know what Supreme Being witches worship. Do you?

not God.

I'm still confused.

Whose words are they, God's or man's?

If not God, then what? (Having, during college, known a witch--she was a friend of mine's mom--I have a pretty good idea of the answer. I'm wondering if you do.)

They're part of the commandments from God.

So they are from God. Did God speak to a bunch of people directly, or are we taking the word of one person who says God spoke through them?

If the former, and especially if we got a reminder from Himself every, say, 100 years or so, then there would be no question.

But if the latter, then we still don't really know, do we? The list reads very much like a bunch of guys getting together and listing their pet peeves. If God really said it, one would think an update for the 20th Century would be in order.

BTW, if not God, what do witches worship?

Jeff:

It doesn't matter what they worship--they are commanded to worship only God.

Morality doesn't need updates--it's not relative.

OJ:

They do worship God. It just so happens their concept of God is different from yours. But being a mere human, you are in no position to determine who is right or wrong on this score.

The situations morality applies to change over time. For instance, people simply couldn't exist in permanent vegetative states until the advent of modern medicine.

It would be nice if God would come down and clearly state whether we must keep these people alive at all costs, or stop messing with his plans.

Otherwise, we are stuck with self-appointed moralists who want to decide for us. But being themselves human, their moral judgments can't possibly be absolute, correct, and objective.

Oh, and one other thing: I'm still not clear on that Biblical text you cited--was it God speaking, or men speaking for God?

Jeff:

Check the 1st Commandment.

I did. Lemmee see, if memory serves, it goes something like:

"Thou shalt worship no other Gods but me."

How do you know they aren't worshipping the correct "me?"

Certainly can't be on account your, or any other human's, say so, can it? That would seem awfully, well, subjective.

Why?

Which group of humans should I believe, and why?

In fact, how is it that any human knows God well enough to decide which "me" is the right one?

Anyway, if I, or you, have to choose from all on offer, and God isn't telling, than that choice is going to be, well, subjective.

Seems rather thin gruel to be burning people at the stake.

Jeff:

You choose one and you accept the consequences, but there's no point whining if you choose evil and get put to the stake.