A topic that arose in a telephone conversation of mine recently.
A most abhorrant thing.  All of the wiccans I have ever known have been fine to me.

Was it a "church" thing against pagans, a male thing against women or a mania that ebbed and flowed for 300 years. yes, 300 years. Seems unbelievable doesn't it ?

From the little research I have done there were male witches burned as well.
Some women would accuse other women of being witches.
I vaguely feel an accusation was effectively all that was required at that time.
Legal systems and spiritual beliefs should be (and generally are) seperated.
Apparently many courts were sectarian (of a sect) at that time. 
Apparently the churches were involved in stopping it. I do not know for sure.


For my 2c worth,  freedom of speech is synonymous with freedom of belief.

If someone elses freedom of speech is threatened, by the same measure so is mine.
If someone elses freedom of belief is threatened, by the same measure so is mine.
If I allow their freedom of belief to be quashed, it is probably a matter of time till mine is also.

And anyway, what a heartless cowardly sadistic cruel thing to do.
I don't want to have anything to do with anyone who does anything like that.
Apart from stopping them.