9/10/09.  Witches in the Old Testament & Cosmic Struggle

I.  Announcements:

Today’s Class:  Announcements + Film Clip: A&E Ancient Mysteries: “Witches” [Witches in Antiquity] + Lecture: Witches in the Bible + In-Class Writing Assignment + Lecture: Cosmic Struggle + Final Film Clip:  Final Battle Between Good & Evil, South Park

Images of Witches (cont’d)

Witches in the News: “Is College Preparing You for a Future in Hell?” + Newsweek, “Evil”  & Cosmic Struggle

II. Film Clip: A&E Ancient Mysteries: “Witches” [Witches in Antiquity] (2 mins.)

III.  Lecture:  Witches in the Bible (Old Testament)

Note on Translations: 

Old Testament: 

Exodus 22: 17-19 (2nd book of Moses):  “You shall not permit a female sorcerer to live.”

Leviticus 20: 6, 20:27 (3rd book of Moses):  “A man or a woman who is a medium or a wizard shall be put to death; they shall be stoned to death, their blood is upon them.”

Leviticus 20:6 = “If any turn to mediums & wizards, prostituting themselves to them, I will set my face against them.”

Jewish Demonology: 

Witchcraft as we know it today could not have existed then

IV.  In-Class Writing Assignment: On a separate piece of paper to be handed in, please write on the following:  Do you think that we are engaged in a cosmic struggle between the forces of good & evil? What do you consider to be “evil”? Do you think one side is predestined to win? Has your view been influenced by your religious beliefs?

V.  Lecture:  Cosmic Struggle

Cosmic Struggle Between Good & Evil:

New Testament:  Satan = the “intimate enemy” =

“Evil”: relative to our own positionality