Differences Between Witchcraft and Satanism
With the capture of the man police believe is the Night Stalker, I, like, everyone else in the city, can feel a little bit safer, a little more relieved to go to sleep at night.
There are several things, however, in your reporting of the incident (Sept. 2) about “Satanism” that has me and many others a bit outraged.
Your writers should have been more thorough in their research of the meaning of the symbol of the Pentagram (or five-pointed star) and the differences between Witchcraft and Satanism.
First of all, let’s start with the “Pentagram.” This is, unfortunately, the symbol the killer saw fit to use in his tirade of sickness. Your writers said, “ . . . Spray-painted Pentagrams--a distinctive Satanism symbol. . . . “ This is misleading information.
The Pentagram pre-dates Christianity (and Satan) and actually stands for the five points of “Man,” that is head, two arms, two legs. It is also a symbol of the Great Elements of Life--Earth, Air, Fire and Water plus the fifth element, Spirit.
To some of us the Pentagram is a symbol of unity, of the Life Force in all of mankind, the bonding of the elements of the Earth. It is definitely a positive symbol. To be so clear-cut in your description of the symbol as “Satanic” is unfair and judgmental.
The Pentagram has, however, received some bad press at the hands of so-called “Devil worshipers” who, in mockery of the good in man, have inverted the symbol, just as they have often done with the Christian Cross. No one mistakes the Cross as a Satanic symbol.
Secondly, there seems to be a connection made in the article between Satanism and Witchcraft. Any historical examination of the subject of Witchcraft would reveal it to be a peaceful, Goddess-worshiping, nature religion. During the Dark Ages, the church persecuted anyone who was not a Christian, as “heathens.” Historically, the Gods of the conquered become the Devils of the conquerors. This is where the connection between Witchcraft and Satanism came from, and amazingly persists even to this modern time.
MICHELLE S. WEITZ
Agoura