Path: typhoon.sonic.net!vnetnews.value.net!nntp.primenet.com!nntp.gblx.net!europa.netcrusader.net!207.103.147.20!news.voicenet.com!nntp.upenn.edu!11-143.002.popsite.net!user From: eballard@sas.upenn.edu (E. C. Ballard) Newsgroups: alt.religion.orisha,alt.magick.tyagi,alt.satanism Subject: Re: Human Sacrifice Date: Sun, 27 Aug 2000 20:20:42 -0500 Organization: University of Pennsylvania Lines: 23 Sender: eoghanballard@11-143.002.popsite.net Message-ID: References: <20000826232321.07502.00000592@ng-ca1.aol.com> <39A8A2F8.1D33@luckymojo.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: 11-143.002.popsite.net Xref: typhoon.sonic.net alt.religion.orisha:7376 alt.magick.tyagi:24999 alt.satanism:154712 I would take exception to your definitions of sorcery as negative. This is part of the absorbtion of Christian attitudes that Ifa in particular seems to have been subjected to in the 19th and early 20th century. In most African traditions sorcery is not looked upon in the negative light that you cast it in in your postings. Further, good and ill are much viewed more relatively than the revisionist position many in Ifa now proclaim. In all of Central and Southern Africa the sorcerer is viewed as somebody whose practice and ethics are distinct from that of witchcraft. Witchcraft, which should not be confused with the modern Wiccan revivalist view is considered as an evil practice. That specifically is a charge of spiritual and sometimes physical cannibalism that threatens social and familial order. The sourcerer is the primary individual who fights the practice of evil magic. It is so in Nigeria as well, the role of the sorcerer being primarily filled by the Babalawo. Eoghan -- +o+o+o+o+o+o+o+o+o+o+o+o+o+o+o+o+o+o+o+o E. C. Ballard Debajo del Laurel yo tengo mi confianza