This Day in History August 19, 1692

http://www.flickr.com/photos/danahuff/4832703916/

Today's feature centers around the name on this gravestone--John Proctor.  If you know U.S. history, you have probably heard about the Salem Witch trials.  So many innocents were killed on suspicion of being a witch, and it is a horrible blot on our history.

John Proctor is known because of Arthur Miller's The Crucible, but he was one of many who suffered the horrible fate of being hanged for being a witch.  John Proctor was a farmer who did not support all this testimony that the young girls were giving against supposed witches.  And his wife, Elizabeth, was one that was finally placed on trial for such.  Because he continued to defend his wife against witchcraft charges, he became the first man to be accused of witchcraft--the girls pointed to him as a wizard.

On this date in 1692, John Proctor along with  George Burroughs, John Willard, George Jacobs, Sr., Rebecca Nurse and Martha Corey were hanged for witchcraft.  His wife, Elizabeth, was given a reprieve until after she gave birth.

I am always saddened and angered when I read about such things.  For me, this is no different that the Inquisition nor the Crusades.  When people are killed unjustly in the name of the church or God, I am always horrified.  God never intended this kind of thing to happen.  

For more information, please check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Proctor
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schooladventures/salemwitchtrials/people/proctor.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salem_witch_trials
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_Salem_witch_trials

This Day in History August 18, 1634

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Urbain_Grandier.jpg

I have to admit that I have never heard of this person who is featured today, and it is one horrific story if you get into all of the details.  I will just give you the bare essentials.

Urbain Grandier (featured above) was a French Catholic priest born in 1590.  He had some unusual views, it would seem.  He did not adhere to priest celibacy, and he was know for his sexual encounters.  He did gain some clout amongst his group, but it just so happened that a group of nuns from Loudon claimed that he bewitched them with black magic.  It was also claimed that he made a pact with the devil and other demons. There were even documents that supported this claim.

As you can imagine, he was arrested and put on trial.  They tortured him using a technique called "extraordinary question" (a form of torture which involved forcing the accused to drink water nearly until he died), but he refused to admit to the claims of sorcery and others.  He was found guilty, and on this date in 1634, he was burned at the stake.

Whenever I read stories like this, I am always horrified.  When I read of miscarriages of justice and torture/killings done in the name of the Church, I am absolutely incensed.  Urbain Grandier was probably guilty of some things--everyone has done something wrong in their lives.  But I cannot think that God looks down on situations like this and gives His blessing.

For more information, please check out:

http://www.fact-index.com/u/ur/urbain_grandier.html

http://www.tutorgig.info/ed/Urbain_Grandier

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urbain_Grandier