Witch Craft Trials

after reading the work by cotton Mathers it was quite interesting to see a ministers view about the witch craft trials. he truly believed that the devil was present upon the earth with the intension of tryin to destroy man kind. he also saw it as a test by God to human beings. he says that it is up to the individual to fight him off. the devil can make himself known but the individual is that one who needs to resist the evil.
i found it interesting also the symptoms of the afflicted. some of them included bite marks, bruises, scratches, and even teats. Most of the people the witch craft trials centered around are women. it appears to me that is was a mob mentally. all the of women would go against one women and no matter what they did everyone was like..Thats because she is a witch. the whole incident sounds reduclous now. it reminds me of highschool and when people in a certain group dont like an outsider so they all gang up on the person. not only that but all the people exussed were young women and even children. there was one case when they said a five year old was a witch because a girl found scratches on her and said it was the child. to me, the child is only five years old. she probably had a tantrum and they are saying he is possessed by the devil.
over all the cases and therology of the witch craft trials have been extremely interesting and mind bogling. These people truly believed that people were witches. in their religion and with the limited knowledge at the time the only explaination was spiritual.