A delusion of Satan by Frances Hill - Book Report/Review Example

A Delusion of Satan By Frances Hill Synopsis "Samuel Parris, the pastor, was a man obsessed with the sinfulness he saw everywhere and with his own importance and status...... His great terror was of Satan arming his foes to destroy both him and his church...... He looked for evil everywhere but in his own life and heart. Out of his denial came the devils that destroyed the very community he strove to keep safe. It was no accident that Satan strode forth from God's house" (Frances Hill, 1997, p.2). Most researchers and authors, including Frances Hill, believe that Samuel Parris was mainly responsible for the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. A deeply religious man, whose faith was totally rooted in Puritan doctrines and traditions, "he and his family settled in the parsonage and Parris began his ministerial duties in July 1689" (Law.umlc.edu, Online Article, 2007), where he began preaching a message that depicted his own deeply-seated fears and superstitions. Consequently, within just three years, Parris had effectively caused and enabled the mass hysteria that resulted in nineteen men and women being hanged, one being pressed to death, and more than a hundred more suffering imprisonment and poverty (Francis Hill, 1997). According to Hill, the presence of religious intolerance and fanaticism, the strictness and harshness of the Puritan population, and the cultural superstitions and fears of the local community, all helped to form the major contributing factors that initiated the witch-hunt at Salem Village in the summer of 1692. Through considering this element, and other important cultural and social factors, Frances Hill attempts to identity in her book the reasons for both how and why these terrible events were able to take place. Then, by paralleling the events at Salem with more recent incidents of apparent mass hysteria, she attempts to argue that this mania is still a very much present element within contemporary society. This paper will be reviewing Frances Hill's A Delusion of Satan: The Full Story of the Salem Witch Trials (1997), through addressing her claims concerning the apparent parallels between the Salem Witch Trials and the "witch-hunts" of more recent times. Firstly, an attempt will then be made to define the social, religious, and political conditions present within Salem Village, through which some consideration will be given to Purist beliefs and tradition, and the ways in which these elements enabled and promoted the Salem tragedy. Then the paper will discuss contemporary worldviews concerning religious beliefs and ideologies, and how these factors contributed to modern witch-hunts throughout both Europe and the United States. Finally, the paper will conclude by considering whether, as Frances Hill believes, the present cultural climate is conducive to modern witch-hunting. The Power of Religious Conviction Frances Hill, like most other academics, does not believe that the children depicting apparent signs of demon possession in Salem Village during 1692 were actually truly inflicted in this manner, and she also either partially or wholly disagrees on the various hypotheses that many other theorists have offered in explanation. Instead, Hill emphasizes that the strong presence of strict Purist worldviews - which "as their diaries, letters, and sermons leave [in] no doubt ..... [show that] they regarded all activities besides work and prayer as potentially sinful distractions and believed they should be wary of impulses that led to fun or amusement" (Hill, 1997, p.5) - along with their Pastor's obsession with the devil and sinfulness, created an ambiance that was conducive to public and mass hysteria (Hill, 1997). Like all Puritans, the inhabitants of Salem Village and the surrounding society believed in both witches and witchcraft. Being wholly convinced that this "evil practice" consisted of "entering into a compact with the devil in exchange for certain powers to do evil" (Boyer, Paul S. and Stephen Nissenbaum, 1976, p.197); its observance was considered as being both a sin and crime. This deeply embedded conviction, which was evidently present in the majority of the given population, was due not only to the fact that witchcraft was believed to rely on Satanic powers to inflict cruel acts on others, but also because the Devil was, and still is, considered to be the archenemy of God within Christianity. Samuel Parris was a religious man. Born the son of an Englishman, who owned land in Barbados, the future pastor was studying at Harvard in Massachusetts when his father died in 1673. After inheriting his father's lands, Parris worked as an unsuccessful merchant until 1686 when he "began substituting for absent ministers and speaking at informal church gatherings" (Law.umlc.edu, Online Article, 2007). This ultimately led to him accepting his first pastoral position at Salem Village in 1689. However, within two years the community had already begun to manifest its dissatisfaction with Parris' ministerial capacities, through its refusal to consistently pay the Pastor's salary (Law.umlc.edu, Online Article, 2007). Like most communities where people work and live together, Salem Village was torn apart by various internal disagreements. Land disputes, the controversial appointment of Samuel Parris as Pastor, and the ever-present fear of Indian raids, were all genuine problems and fears that were debated and discussed throughout the community in the period leading up to the witch-hunts (Hill, 1997). Most of Salem's citizens were farmers who struggled to make a living. Changes in weather conditions or disease could easily destroy the season's harvest, and the growth of the population had outgrown land availability. This meant that the farms which had once supported previous generations were now too small to support the continuous growth as children grew up and founded their own families. This problem prompted men to attempt to find fresh land, thus encroaching on Indian territories, and increasing the community's fear of attack (Hill, 1997). The Puritans had not only left their homeland because of apparent religious persecution, but also due to the fact that they were dissatisfied with the Church of England, whom they considered to be extremely liberal. Their dream, therefore, was to create a theocracy that was based on their strict conservative and fundamental religious beliefs. Believing utterly in the infallibility and trustworthiness of the Holy Bible, which is startlingly similar to the beliefs of many contemporary Evangelical movements, Puritans followed the "Word of God" to the letter. "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work". (Holy Bible, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 1998). This emphasis on the Bible's authority and absoluteness placed it at the very heart of Puritan communities, where it was taught both in the church, the community, and the home, with an interpretation that was both literal and rigid. Founded on black and white readings of biblical passages, the citizen's of Salem gave credibility to passages such as; "Do not allow a sorceress to live" (Exodus 22:18); or "Let no one be found among you who ... practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, | or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead" (Deut. 18:10-11); while teaching that "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious; sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft..." (Galatians 19, 20); and that "those who practice magical arts" will be sent to Hell, where they will eternally be punished in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur (The Holy Bible, Rev. 1: 8, 1998). The Puritans also believed that all natural disasters, crop failures, infantile and accidental deaths, disease and so forth, were the cause of either personal or communal sin(s), which had invoked either the wrath of God and His subsequent punishment or it had given the devil and his demons a foothold. Both were considered as being equally serious. Present within all social, religious and cultural domains, these types of beliefs were taught through daily Bible studies and prayer meetings that were held within individual homes, and reinforced by the church and community leaders (Frances Hill, 1997). There were other religious and social factors that added further stresses to the Salem community, and which also contributed towards creating an environment conducive to witch-hunting. Women, for example, were considered as being weaker and inferior to men because of Eve's role in the Garden of Eden. Therefore Puritans believed that women were not only more prone to sin and evil, but also that she was capable of tempting man through her sexuality and wreaking destruction in the local community. This understanding meant that Puritan women were kept firmly in their place, with strict rules concerning their behavior and social freedom, as they fulfilled their social roles as wives and mothers (Christine Leigh Heyrman, Online Article, 2007). A small community, where strict religious convictions ruled, Salem Village would have been typical of all such rural towns and villages - a place where gossip is rife and dangerous rumors often believed. Born into an era which believed firmly in the notion of 'children should be seen and not heard', and where games and toys were seen as both idle and unproductive, the children of Salem Village were raised to accept and follow the beliefs and customs of their parents and the surrounding society. Present within church services, prayer meetings and Bible studies, these children would have learnt and understood from an early age the religious opinions of their parents, including their beliefs concerning the practice of witchcraft (Frances, 1997). This fact can clearly be seen through Hill's comment concerning the beliefs of nine year old Elizabeth Parris, who was "steeped in her father's Puritan theology that made terrifying absolutes of good and evil, sin and saintliness and heaven and hell" (Hill, 1997, p 2), which clearly indicates that children were, and still are, not immune from their parents cultural beliefs and customs. Demons in Contemporary Western Culture In contemporary society, religious and spiritual convictions still manage to divide nations, communities, and families, and fanaticism and/or fundamentalism continue to have their grip on men and women within all cultures. There has been extensive growth, for example, in many of the stricter branches of both Islam and Christianity over the past few decades, despite man's significant scientific and technological advances, which has resulted in many religious groups taking dogmatic positions, and making devastating and often unfounded judgments on various current issues. This development has also brought about a resurgent interest in the existence of evil and sin, especially within some fundamental Christian churches, who clearly believe in the possibility of demon possession (Gotquestions.com. Online Article, 2007). Frances Hill points out in An Illusion of Satan (1997), the strong parallels and similarities between events in Salem Village and more modern incidents concerning this type of phenomenon - despite the four-hundred year gap. Portraying the presence of cultural, social, and religious factors, within both the circumstances surrounding Salem Village and those of more modern witch-hunts, Hill enables the reader to fully understand and recognize the manner in which these conditions contributed to, strengthened, and enabled mass hysteria - especially in relation to the psychological effects of religious and/or spiritual dogma (Hill, 1997). The evidence of the clear acceptance and belief of the paranormal within modern society, and its constant, yet unfounded belief in the existence of evil, can been seen through the epidemic of Satanic Ritual Abuse(SRA) cases, along with other separate, but widespread claims of sexual abuse that swept across the Western world throughout the 1980s. Just prior to this period, sex crime against children had become a highly publicized and emotive topic, which had mainly been influenced and encouraged by the mass media. Public concern and opinion was increased further by a series of high-profile cases that took place within the USA during the first half of the decade. Children, the world was told, were being abused, even murdered, in pagan and/or satanic rituals. Then, within an incredibly short space of time, the same phenomenon had emerged throughout Europe (Discord.org. Online Document, The Jet Report, 1990). Contemporary accusations and reports of SRA began occurring during the early 1960s, which coincided with the release of a series of international movies based on the occult, such as the film Rosemary's Baby (1968). Shortly following the release of films such as this, a whole range of books, purportedly containing the stories of individual perpetrators or survivors of SRA, were published throughout the Western world, which ultimately heightened public awareness of the phenomenon, causing both disgust and fear. It was during this period that the first major report concerning claims of Satanic Ritual Abuse came to public attention (IPT-Forensics.com. Online Article, 2007). According to many experts the majority of what is currently believed in relation to Satanism, Witchcraft, and SRA, can be directly traced back to four books - Satan Seller (1972), Michelle Remembers (1980), Satan's Underground (1988), and He Came to Set the Captives Free (1992). The first of these, the Satan Seller (1972), was written by Evangelical comedian and Preacher, Mike Warnke, whose public ministry spanned more than twenty years before he was finally exposed as a fake. All of these books, however, were written by people who had very strong ties with the more conservative and fundamental branches of the Evangelical Christian church (Cornerstone.mag, Online Article, 1999). "The book[s] was pounced upon by fundamentalist Christian groups, interest spread like wildfire across the States, and the crusade crossed last year to England. An important conference at Reading University, attended by social workers from all over the country, heard "experts" describing Michelle's experiences" (Exper.org. Online Article, 1990). The power of human conviction, especially when marked by religious fundamentalism, has caused tremendous problems and difficulties for mankind throughout history. Responsible for wars and famines, used as an excuse to inflict human misery and suffering, this potentially powerful emotion is still firmly present within contemporary Western society, and is still continuing to wreak havoc and devastation. However, as Peter Lewis mentions in his review of A Delusion of Satan, there is another important contributing element that Frances Hill discusses while attempting to investigate the reasons and/or causes behind the Salem Witch Hunt; "Religious intolerance flourishes in fundamentalist sects (who are behind the abortion witch-hunt in America). But we are also running scared of the new secular priesthood of therapists and their pursuit of satanic abuses which so far have turned out to be mythical products of overheated imaginations...... Yes witch-hunting is still very much with us" (Peter Lewis, Magazine Article, 2007). While completely separate within their cultural worldviews, many of the theraputical techniques and methods that emerged during this period were founded on notions and ideas that were as unscientific and unrealistic as those being claimed by fundamental Christian groups. Within the majority of investigations, the main evidence was based on what has been termed as Recovered Memory Therapy, which involves an array of suggestive therapies, including hypnotism, guided imagery and age regression, through which the therapist enables the victim to remember the terrible truth of their childhood (Hill, 1997). There were dozens of court cases throughout the 1980s and 1990s involving young adults who accused their parents of committing SRA, which were alleged to have occurred during the accuser's childhood, and which had been. Each account contained details that were identical to various aspects of the above books, of which all have now been disproved as entirely false testimonies - although there are those who continue to cling to their original claims - which, consequently, points to their being based on "false memories". "...many [were] swept up in the '"recovered memory' craze of the 1980s. Zealous therapists encouraged clients to recall repressed memories of childhood abuse, leading to more than 800 lawsuits against alleged abusers between 1985 and 2000. Many of these resulted in incarcerations. A few led to suicides. In most cases there was no corroborating evidence, and many accusers later recanted." (ReligiousTolerance.org, Online Article, 2005). Influencing Social and Cultural Factors "Once child sexual abuse had been redefined not simply as a social ill, which it undoubtedly was and is, but as the supreme evil of our age, it was perhaps inevitable that ancient demonological fantasies would be mobilized once again" (Richard Webster, Online Article, 1998). The Salem Witch Trials were reflective of similar events that took place throughout the medieval world. As early as 1450, and possibly even before this date, evidence exists revealing the numerous witch-hunts that took place throughout Europe. The Puritan settlers, who were deeply influenced by Calvin's doctrines and theories, who were obsessed with evil and sin, and who were firmly convinced of its reality, strongly and firmly believed that the devil could, and did, intervene in and have power over the lives and behavior of individual human beings. Unfortunately, none of these beliefs were based on scientific fact. Children, who were bought up within this environment, naturally reflected their elders' convictions. Although "seen but not heard", they would have often overheard the conversation of their parents, along with their given religious, political and social views (Hill, 1997). The Jet Report (1990), an official statement which accounts the Broxtowe case that took place in the United Kingdom in the late 1980s, highlights the fact that; "the children all lived in typical semi-detached council houses" pointing out that "the walls of these houses are paper thin, the rooms are very small with the average living room being 14' by 12' and they have open gardens. In our experience it is virtually impossible in council estates to keep any thing secret.......... and anything of a spicy or bizarre nature passes around very quickly" (Section 2a, Online Document, 1990). Just as the experts and researchers point towards the fact that those involved within the Salem Witch Trials tended to be people from the lower end of the social scale, so too, were the families involved in the alleged abuse at Broxtowe considered to be living within social conditions that enabled such beliefs. Inadequate housing, unemployment, economic difficulties, and so forth, would all have attributed towards the mass hysteria, as would have the support and belief of the general public, the many different professional bodies concerned, and the attention they received from the mass media. When considering the social elements within both The Salem Witch Trials and the more recent cases concerning SRA and sex abuse, it is clear that each given society fundamentally believed, throughout the entire hysterical period, that these accounts were factually true. Enabled through the new techniques of the modern therapists, encouraged by the religious fanaticism that continues to hold firm within many modern societies, and reinforced through the existing social, cultural and economic factors, the majority of players within modern witch-hunts were so convinced of the story's validity that they refused to consider any other possible explanations or opinion. In 1990, for example, The Jet Report, which was written "in order that practice issues could be addressed," was suppressed. Finally published some seven years later, it clearly indicates the problems concerning "Recovered Memories" and the incredible way in which apparent professionals accepted flimsy 'evidence' that was entirely built on falsehoods (The Jet Report, 1990). Urban Tales and Legends Contemporary society continues to believe in urban tales and legends that are founded on the given community's cultural worldview. Ranging from harmless, but annoying rumours, through to elaborate and complicated information that can sometimes result in causing serious damage, urban legends, although having always existed in one form or another, seem to have become almost epidemic within the past few years - and especially since the availability of modern technology. Including all the various forms and aspects of local superstition, folklore, current trends, and popular belief, which would also include those within religious values and customs, these stories were or are often harmless. However, when accompanied by certain social elements that are reflective of the accepted cultural worldview, these tales can ignite mass hysteria, which often results in shattered and destroyed lives (Hill, 1997). Just as the stories themselves have many variating factors, so also do the folklorists who study them have differing definitions concerning what elements need to be present in order for an urban legend to grow and to be sufficiently believed enough to make it worth transmitting. "Academics have always disagreed on whether urban legends are, by definition, too fantastic to be true or at least partly based on fact," (Snopes.com, Online Article, 2004), stated Koven. Culture is also considered to be an important element within the making of urban legends, and a good indicator of what is happening within current society. Koven, who is part of the International Society for Contemporary Legend Research (ISCLR) explains, "By looking at what's implied in a story, we get an insight into the fears of a group in society.......... [Urban legends] need to make cutural sense. It's a lack of information coupled with these fears that tend to give rise to new legends. When demand exceeds supply, people will fill in the gaps with their own information..... they'll just make it up" (Snopes.com, Online Article, 2007). The truth of this statement can be clearly seen not only through the examples of both historic and modern witch-hunts, but also through the abundance of legends and conspiracy theories that follow in the wake of human disasters and wars. Hurricane Katrina, the war in Iraq, and 9/11, have all been infused with differing stories that are mainly government related, which points to a general distrust in governance. The amount of stories relating to the supernatural also reveals how many people, despite the modern scientific age, still tend to believe in some sort of paranormal activity, and other legends point to society's distrust within a whole range of topics. Conclusion Frances Hill, in A Delusion of Satan: The Full Story of the Salem Witch Trials (1997), very cleverly describes the similarities between the Salem Witch Trials and modern witch-hunts within contemporary American society. Through incorporating the many and varying social, political, economic and religious factors that enable the birth of urban legends, Hill shows how these stories are often caused and encouraged through social institutions, the mass media, and cultural and religious worldviews. In the cases where such tales have been allowed to flourish within human history, the results have tended to be both tragic and permanent (Hill, 1997). A Delusion of Satan (1997) is an important contribution to modern society for varying reasons. Firstly, although many people look at historical events such as the Salem Witch Trials as being an isolated incident which could not possibly be repeated in modern times, as Hill points out, there are clearly many such incidents throughout the world. Within each cultural worldview, where different customs, values, and traditions are practiced and believed, tragic situations arise from urban legends that are based on malicious gossip and supported through current opinions and beliefs. In the Western world, the main perpetrator of this phenonemon within modern times has tended to be the Evangelical church, while in other cultures Islam has effected similiar, although somewhat different, outcomes. "Of course, the witch hysteria of 1692 and the terrorist attacks of 2001 were very different events, in that the witches were imaginary and powerless while the terrorists were all too real and inflicted terrible harm." However: "In both incidents, leaders of government . . . saw no way of responding but with violence. They saw no outcome but total victory or defeat. Both believed God was on their side against evil. . . . And, as a result of both incidents, some of those leaders had an unforeseen chance to pursue their own cultural and personal agendas. They could use the public's panic and gullibility to achieve their own ends. As a result of both incidents, the rights and liberties of citizens were sacrificed and countless innocent people suffered" (Upperaccess.com, Frances Hill, as quoted in Fearless Reviews, 2007). The comparison of the Salem Witch Trials with that of the Satanic Ritual Abuse within An Illusion of Satan (1997), although disturbing and unsettling, has enabled many people to understand how mass hysteria forms and grows. Through looking at the prevailing cultural worldview of each group, which included different social and religious factors, and through understanding how these shape and form human belief and understanding, Hill demonstrates how urban legends can so easily transform into urban nightmares that ultimately wreck and destroy the lives of innocent men, women and children. Unfortunately, as Hill points out, modern society continues its various forms of witch-hunting (Hill, 1997). Modern religious trends, especially those within the Evangelical movement which has its roots in Puritan and Calvinistic doctrine, still portray dangerous fundamental and fanatical beliefs that they attempt to impose on society. Believed by many to be one of the fastest growing religious groups in the world, Evangelicals still believe in the infallibility of the Holy Bible, in the inferiority of women, and in the existence of sin and evil. Demon possession is fully recognized within Evangelical beliefs, which is still believed to be caused through sin and wickedness, and healing services or exorcisms are regularly held to combat these evil forces and spirits (Spiritual Warfare & Deliverance Ministry, Online Article, 2007). Throughout the contemporary world, as Peter Lewis points out, "more that a million American families have been disrupted by such accusations, nearly all of which have been fantasy" (Magazine Article, 1996). These witch-hunts, however, extend beyond accusations of sexual abuse and satanic rituals. They are also present within many other domains - although they all tend to be based on religious zeal and idealisms. Fundamentalists, it would appear, are present within the Pro-life movement; they are present within educational establishments where they continue, and often succeed, at imposing their creational beliefs; and they are present within the Whitehouse itself. However, as an indication of the importance and relevance of Frances Hill's work, here is a quote that refers to her most recent book Such Men are Dangerous: The Fanatics of 2004 (2005). "Most Americans, of course, would like to think that our modern-day leaders are more enlightened than the witch-hunting Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. But are they Is it possible that people like Paul Wolfowitz, Dick Cheney, and even George W. Bush are just the modern-day equivalents of Cotton Mather, John Hathorne, and William Phips Frances Hill finds a frightening resemblance, and hopes that by remembering the past we can avoid repeating it" (Upperaccess.com, Online Article, 2007). References Boyer, Paul S. and Stephen Nissenbaum, 1976. Salem Possessed: The Social Origins of Witchcraft. Cambridge, MA. Harvard University Press. Christine Leigh Heyrman, Department of History, University of Delaware. Online Article, Religion, Women, and the Family in Early America, 2007. Information retrieved 06/19/2007. < http://www.nhc.rtp.nc.us/tserve/eighteen/ekeyinfo/erelwom.htm> Cornerstone.mag, Online Article, The Cornerstone Series on Mike Warnke; an investigation into his temtimony, with feedback and rebuttal, 1992. Information retrieved 06/19/2007. Discord. org. Online Document, The Jet Report, 1990. Information retrieved 06/20/2007. IPT-Forensics.com. Online Article, Lawyers and Memories: The Impact of Repressed Memory Allegations of Abuse on the American Courtroom, 1994. Information retrieved 06/19/2007. < http://www.ipt-forensics.com/journal/volume6/j6_3_6.htm> Law.umlc.edu, Online Article, Samuel Paris, 2007. Information retrieved 06/22/2007. < http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/ASA_PAR.HTM> Peter Lewis, Magazine Article, POSSESSED: THE DEMONS WE DREAD; A DELUSION OF SATAN by Frances Hill. Newspaper Title: The Daily Mail. Publication Date: July 27, 1996. Page Number: 37. COPYRIGHT 1996 Solo Syndication Limited; COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group Richard Webster, Online Article, Satanic ritual abuse and McMartin: a global village rumour, 1998. Information retrieved 06/19/2007. Religioustolerance.org. Online Article, Religious identification in the U.S.: How American adults view themselves, 2001. Information retrieved 06/20/2007. < http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_prac2.htm> Snopes.com, Online Article, Hunt the Boeing, 2004. Information retrieved 06/19/2007. Spiritual Warfare & Deliverence Ministy, Consensus Statement: From Pentecostal, Charismatic and Historic Evangelicals. Online Article, 2007. Information retrieved 06/19/2007. < http://www.spiritualwarfaredeliverance.com/articles-spiritual-warfare-deliverance-healing/html/deliverance-ministry-consensus.html> Upperaccess.com, Online Article, Francis Hill: Historian, Political Analyst, 2007. Information retrieved 06/22/2007. < http://www.upperaccess.com/experts/hill.html> Read More