Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Christian religion Essay Example for Free

Christian religion Essay Many aspects of our Christian religion today have developed because of these early religious beliefs and culture of the Romans. At the beginning, the Roman Empire was able to develop more than any other country because of its acceptance of some areas of culture and religion of its conquered enemies and allowing them to keep their religion and culture, blending the old ways with the new. How little was known, that the paganism belief system of the Roman Empire would eventually lead the way to the new Christianity religion of the world. Paganism, with its gods and goddesses, answered humanity’s problems and provided answers at the whim of these supernatural beings. In the early stages of Greek and Roman culture, mythology answered all questions regarding the origin of the world and of man. (Case, 1929, p. 12) In the early days of Greece and Rome, everything under the sun was explained by the gods and goddesses humanity was at their whim along depending on their whims, just as today everything we do is explained through the Christian belief of God and Jesus, instead of the Roman gods and goddesses. In Rome, mythology answered all questions while today Christianity answers all of ours in regard to the world and mankind’s problems, all being subject to superhuman beings who have a lot to do with the affairs of mankind. Christianity became the official religion of the Roman empire under the Emperor Constantine in AD 324 (the Emperor Julian, known to Christians as the Apostate, failed to bring about a pagan revival a few years later), and pagan forms of worship were finally made illegal in 390 by Theodosius. The myths of the pagan gods were particularly vulnerable to Christian attack, as can be seen in Lactantius Divine Institutes I 9-22 and Augustines City of God. (Rivers, 1994, p. 22) According to Barry Banning’s article entitled, â€Å"The Irony of Faith†, which is part of the research done for his book The Unspoken Power of Rome, he refers to the fact most world religions expect people to believe in something that cannot be detected, seen, felt, heard, tasted, or smelled. Researching the fact that Rome had a serious influence on early Christian’s beginning and formation, he also says that people are expected to believe in something that doesn’t exist physically and can’t be proved in normal human experiences. In most of the world religions, people are asked to believe in something that can not be detected, seen, felt, heard, tasted, or smelled. They are asked to believe in something that doesn’t exist physically and can’t be proven in normal human experience. And when confronted with numerous, obvious discrepancies, the normal response is â€Å"faith†. Faith is the key to understanding. Faith is the key to believing in concepts that cannot be explained. (Banning, 2001, 1) Over the last several years, most Christians have accepted blindly this philosophy of faith, not realizing how much influence that Rome had on Christianity and how we perceive it today, in its early beginnings. Very little credit was ever historically given to Rome for having any influence on Christianity and how we look at it presently – many Christians refusing to believe that many aspects of Christianity had its origins in the pagan arena of Rome, and in the development of our present social orders. However, most of this credit was because of the way Christians hid inside the Roman Empire, to avoid persecution or death by the Romans. The hardest thing possible was to believe in one God instead of many gods and goddesses, remaining anonymous, while still living as Christians in brutal Rome. Early Christians, facing scorn at best and persecution at worst, depending on Emperor and the era, were forced to blend in with their Pagan counterparts. In order to celebrate the holidays of their religion, the Christians used pre-existing holidays and festivals to blend in. Christmas, for example, was originally part of the great festival of the Winter Solstice, or the Saturnalia. By adopting this grand event as the celebration of Christs birth, Christian revelry was allowed to take place, largely unnoticed. The Church too manipulated customs and traditions of the Pagan Empire to make their faith more adaptable. (Kousoulas, 2006,1) Christianity had been the official religion of Rome since 392, before Rome’s official fall in 476 when its last ruler, Romulus Augustus, fell under Alaric and the Visigoths in 410 and later destroyed by the Vandals in 455. According to Professor Richard Baldwin at the Gulf Coast Community College in Florida, this fall of Rome would later influence the Middle Ages and its civilizations in classical Greek and Roman cultures, Christianity, and the Germanic culture. With modern science and intellectual knowledge today slowly replacing the word of God and Christian beliefs, public and society religious dedication has become a thing of the past unwelcome in schools and sports, government buildings, and bringing down the morals of society. We need to look at Rome’s influence on the world accompanied with many other civilizations that were also influential on the world that led to Christianity. The development of human societies was not continuous. It was started several times anewin India, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, Rome, Scandinavia, and in Western Europe, beginning each time with the primitive tribe and then the village community. But if we consider each of these lines separately, we certainly find in each of them, and especially in the development of Europe since the fall of the Roman Empire, a continual widening of the conception of mutual support and mutual protection, from the clan to the tribe, the nation, and finally to the international union of nations. (Kropotkin, 1934, p. 17) Christianity today is going through another revival such as in Rome, with many Christians now looking deeply inside – philosophizing and asking inner questions concerning what they have always been told – such as, is Christianity a pure religion in itself, or is it a combination of other religions. As Barry Banning said, previous Christian philosophies and hierarchical leaders told us to never question anything about our churches or what we have been taught. Christians are individuals who have unique mindsets, they are going to grow and change in their perception of the world around them, and this is a time when humanity is asking questions, seeking to find out truths. We are beginning to observe what Christianity is really about, not blindly accepting what we have been told by our superiors. The Roman imprints left from the early Christian development have simply extended an age-old religious philosophy that has long been past due for a change and maybe a needed updated version. Over the centuries, Christianity has not only changed in an intellectual theory but also with the philosophy regarding its impact by Rome. People change and learn in different ways, with continuously changing perceptions that cross many barriers – age, education, beliefs, or culture. Nevertheless, the bottom line is, without Rome we would never have had Christianity. Moreover, today Christianity as a single religion is ranked as the world’s largest religion, with sub-groups being included in this statistic. For the purpose of statistics, Christians refer to varying degrees of religious activity within Christianity – including Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, Pentecostals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Latter-day Saints, African Indigenous Churches, and others. All of this is very different from the early days of Rome, with terrified Christians being persecuted for speaking and attempting to practice their religion. Yet, no matter where we look regarding Christianity, we find ourself looking also at the Roman Empire and its early heritage and culture, still breathing today inside our churches and religious cultures. BIBLIOGRAPHY BOOKS: Banning, B. (2001). The Unspoken Power of Rome. 1st Edition. Albuquerque, New Mexico: Wellspring Books. Case, S. C. (1929). Experience with the Supernatural in Early Christian Times. New York: The Century Company. Laistner, M. L. (1951). Christianity and Pagan Culture in the Later Roman Empire. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. Kropotkin, P. P. A. (1934). The Present Need of Determining the Bases of Morality. New York: Dial Press. Potter, D. S. (2004). The Roman Empire at Bay: AD 180-395. New York: Routledge. Rivers, I. (1994). Classical and Christian Ideas in English Renaissance Poetry: A Student’s Guide. New York: Routledge.

Monday, January 20, 2020

Beowulf: Christian Vs Pagan Influence Essay -- Epic of Beowulf Essays

The European epic, Beowulf, was written sometime in the eighth century in England. This time period provides us with an idea for the mixture of Christian and pagan elements because of an English society that was in the process of converting from Paganism to Christianity. Examples of Pagan and Christian traditions are presented all throughout literature. Many of the influences deal with what it going on in the world, when the piece is written. When Beowulf was written, St. Augustine had just come over to try and convert the Anglo-Saxon people to Christianity; although the conversion succeeded it was a shallow conversion, and there were still people following the Pagan ways. The fact that Christianity and Paganism are so closely combined in the epic explains the reasons for Beowulf’s Christian and pagan influences. Blending in among Beowulf's triumphs against the three key creatures, we also see Christian virtues being instilled upon the listeners. The good qualities of loyalty, humility, sacrifice for the good of others, and sympathy for those less fortunate are seen woven into the text as well as the negative consequences from greed and pride. In a thorough analysis of Beowulf, the Christian and pagan elements, represented in the characters and their journeys through various countries, creates an epic adventure filled with superhuman qualities and Christian ideals that often parallel themselves to biblical characters and events. The pagan elements of the epic are evident in a couple of the characters’ superhuman qualities during the first two parts of the poem. Beowulf is seen as a superhero and takes it upon himself to use his strength to defeat Grendel and save the Danes from the turmoil that has haunted them for the past... ...and his mother, despite being non-human. The author of Beowulf was extremely effective in combining pagan and Christian ideas in the poem. The ability and technique of combining two different elements into his characters makes the epic interesting to read. In mixing Christian and pagan ideas, the eighth century author was able to dramatically enhance the characters with Christian values and pagan ideals. Although the pagan elements greatly influenced the story, the addition of Christian influences and parallels to the Bible make this European epic famous for the adventures, conflicts, and heroism that take place in a time of religious transition. Today, one can still see the Pagan influences in common life. Each time Beowulf succeeded he related it to either Paganism or Christianity. Whether it is one God, or many Gods, the people all had their common belief system.

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Modern approach to teen substance abuse help and management methodologies Essay

Teen drug and alcohol abuse management is aimed at arresting adverse indulgence that lead to clinical cases. Serological evidence on sub-clinical cases of depression and alcoholism show preventive counseling is effective in managing depression and alcoholism. About 51% of teens within a random cluster of 20 males and 10 females are actively involved in alcoholism. Clinical cases are on the rise within Hispanic and Black teens. Arresting the cases within their early stages is feasible with the institution level M. Rosenbaum (2003). Teachers should identify effective means for recreational and rehabilitative timetables. Alcoholism often takes place between 3pm and 7pm are on the rise among teen students (www. samhsa. gov). Students indulge outside the school compound or homestead, or in the most neglected and limitedly visited areas. The commonly abused alcohol is beer and spirits (www. samhsa. gov). Factors leading to alcoholism need to be identified so as to limit any sub-clinical measures. This will facilitate to find a consistent approach to arrest alcoholism in its early stages. Factors such as stress, abuse, stereotyping lead to depression. Aping friends, parents or some public figures. Also, interest in alcohol, searching identity in age mates and friends and proving maturity and sexuality lead to indulgence M. Rosenbaum (2003). Socio-economic backgrounds contribute to alcoholism. Teens from poor families are less aggressive in alcoholism while those from rich families are indulgent. A sample of six middle income families and six high level income families responded to a questionnaire about if their teenage children were involved in alcoholism. Only two of the middle level parents admitted to alcoholism in their teens while out of the six respondents from the higher income family five admitted their teens were into mild and profound alcoholism (www. nida. nih. gov). Teen alcoholics admit they drink due to peer pressure, to be identified and to fit in their peer groups and avoid isolation. Others admit they are aping the movie stars, their idols and role models, having fun, self redemption, thwarting stress and problems and seeking a unique position in the society. Social integration in this age level and addressing this plight in a concerted effort is necessary in school level and beyond. On a cross cultural-community approach, more black and Hispanic teens are engaging in alcoholism. Increased exposure to wages in the low level income families has upped the level of substance abuse and alcoholism in teenagers. Teenage girl alcoholics are on the rise within the low level income families. A certain portion of this group is involved in irresponsible sexual behavior and prostitution while some are working as young prostitutes. This constant rise in alcoholism and depression is seen in the context of declining literacy in the teens. Hispanic teens collectively have made less progress in graduating from high school compared to their Black counterparts. Up to 28% Hispanic teens are dropping out in comparison to 15% Blacks. Teen alcoholics have problems in the society. The creation of a positive social interaction environment in a friendly and unrestrictive atmosphere offers the proper environment for therapy and manageable counseling. It’s aimed at improving collective social behavior so as to inspire and correct the students. The school counselor should counsel based on teaching pedagogical approaches. This instills discipline and encourages the students to share their problems. Within the recreational context the teacher should initiate recreational activities like playing chess, bridge, and other in-house games (Ken & David 2007). Through a cognitive-control system the teacher manifests self analysis, self recognition, and self help so as to regulate behavior. The student reads materials wherein the teen reads her problem and follows a set of procedures like, playing with her pet, watching an inspiring video, etc. The procedure is used in the environment created by the school teacher (above). The objective is to create competing system within the brain and make adolescents lessen brain capacity to want physical engagement with substances. The counselor has a role to comparatively review the potential of the students and assess their capacity. Authoritatively, he should embark to make impact on their socio-academic well being. The perspectives borne within this context are purported to limit clinical interventions incase of adverse depression and alcoholism. Involvement of capacity building and establishment of more positive youth groups so as to build on youths’ strengths, (through advising on developing positive mental attitude towards their abilities in education and entrepreneurship). The school counselor should as often as possible make groups which consist of most disciplined students to act as the role models. These role model groups actively integrate incorporate the students who have depression or alcoholism problems M. Rosenbaum (2003). This makes these students sociable and gradually makes them feel acceptable in these groups and most important, desists from substance abuse. The teacher should invite the community to lead in playing a role of advisors while he is the active leader. These community members and the school counselors have the obligation to present appropriate role-models and opportunities for remediation for young people growing up in the school community. The message to young adults and their peers must be that they understand the dangers of substance abuse and make appropriate choices when confronted with opportunities of drug use. A school counselor should address the teen alcohol problem through an educative perspective; He gives complete clinical views on use and abuse of substances. He should comprehensively emphasize the importance of the context through giving cases study projections on serological outcomes and clinical intervention risks and impacts on human health. This perspective scope is on teenage cases who are supposed to actively attend and play roles in the education and during the classes. The concept is to keep these teens safe from alcohol and to stop substance abuse. The school counselor should give social and drug life education to enable teenagers to make responsible decisions by providing honest information. The novelty of the advice and counseling will discourage the teens from excessive or partial indulgence. The counselor is also supposed to advise the students to understand their place in the society and their future as citizens in the educative approach (Flannery, 2007). Students tend to have various social networks where they interact. The school counselor should integrate these networks as extracurricular activities by allocating time to be with the students. According to research, drug abuse takes place mostly after school and evening hours as stated above (Bachman, Johnston & O’Malley 1990). As a school counselor it is important to be involved in participating, and listening to what students express and how they relate with their peers. In a group setting, I would encourage the students to speak freely, express their views, thoughts, ideas, and perspectives. I will intervene only while asking them why they feel or think a certain way, then offer my support. Students can have a friend or family member participate in order to improve the advice being offered. The setting should be a homely, conducive, and well equipped with communication and research tools to help these students research their problem with guidance from the school counselor. This is a very effective method and creates a backbone for the gradual and even instant ceasing of alcohol habits. According to (Rosenbaum, 2003), the after school programs form the basis of a communal approach to the problem. The students are able to understand their problem through guidance. If a student’s drug use becomes a problem, the after-school drop-in program enables her to make informal contact with a professional, even if she is not ready for formal treatment. If problems escalate, a referral to the appropriate agency can be made (Rosenbaum 2003). Conclusion Safety and correction to reduce harm and to reconstitute behavior and perception in the teens is important. The school counselor can actively and consistently provide extra attention and consideration to the teens with the problem and follow up their recovery. Counselors should encourage discussion of trauma experience among the peers and the counseling group. Over weekends, they should refer these teens with the problems to active involvement in community recovery work, church and sporting activities. Counselors should urge participation in sports and athletics and encourage resumption of regular social-recreational activities like in-house games and sport. This way the traumatized and the recovering teens will become social figures who’ll be symbolic role models and successful and responsible people in the future. Sources (Ken & David 2007), Social-economic decline due to substance abuse by teens: An intelligence approach to teen physiology through counter brain measures. Goldman Intelligence, Nairobi p1-5 Barbra Flannery, (2007) International Research Institute, Baltimore Hser, Y-I. ; Grille, C. E. ; Hubbard, R. L. ; et al (2002). An evaluation of drug treatment for adolescents in four U. S. cities: Archives of General Psychiatry; Volume 17, pp 1 M. Rosenbaum, â€Å"‘Just Say No’ Wins Few Points with Ravers,† Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2001: A13. M. Rosenbaum (2003) Safety first: A reality based approach to teen’s drugs and drug education. Drug Policy Alliance www. safety1st. org (J. G. Bachman, L. D. Johnston and P. M. O’Malley 1990), â€Å"Explaining the Recent Decline in Cocaine use Among Young Adults: Further Evidence That Perceived Risks and Disapproval Lead to Reduced Drug use: Journal of Health and Human Social Behavior 31. 2 (1990): 173-184 Texas drug and rehabilitation center http://www. drugfree. org www. samhas. gov www. nida. nih. gov

Saturday, January 4, 2020

Practicing Witchcraft In Massachusetts - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1830 Downloads: 4 Date added: 2019/05/28 Category History Essay Level High school Tags: Salem Witch Trials Essay Did you like this example? The Salem Witch Trials took place in Salem Massachusetts in the early 1690s. In these trials over 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft. According to the Smithsonian, 20 out of those 200 were executed and two dogs were executed as well. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Practicing Witchcraft In Massachusetts" essay for you Create order Salem was by no means the first site of witch trials. Thousands of women were burnt at the stake in the middle ages and numerous accusations occurred in the 17th century. At the time of the trials, Salem was split in two, Salem Town, and Salem Village. Salem Town was big on trade and commerce, while Salem Village was big on farming. Salem Village was full of Puritans who were not pleased with Salem Town and they wanted to separate. Salem Village was the only colonial town with more than two people accused and convicted of witchcraft. During the time of the witch trials, members of the community were already on edge due to severe weather and illness spreading. The weather was negatively affecting the harvest and smallpox was traveling through Salem Village like crazy. On top of everything, nearby Indian villages began attacking Salem. All of these factors led to the mass hysteria that caused many to be executed, however one cannot say with confidence that one of these factors was the sole cause of The Salem Witch Trials. The first women accused of witchcraft in Salem were accused in February of 1962. Two young girls, 9-year-old Elizabeth Parris the daughter of Salemrs minister, and her cousin 11-year-old Abigail Williams began acting in strange manners. As doctors could not explain their behavior it was deemed supernatural activity. The hysteria soon set in and the young girls were questioned about the witches who were causing these fits. These girls soon gave up three names, Sarah Good, Tituba, and Sarah Osburn. On March 1st, 1962 the three were arrested: It must be borne in mind, that it was then an established doctrine in theology, philosophy, and law, that the Devil could not operate upon mortals, or mortal affairs, except through the intermediate instrumentality of human beings in confederacy with him, that is, witches or wizards. The question, of course, in all minds and on all tongues, was: Who are the agents of the Devil in afflicting these girls?. There must be some among us thus acting, and who are they? For some time the girls held back from mentioning names; or, if they did, it was prevented from being divulged to the public. In the meantime, the excitement spread and deepened. At length, the people had become so thoroughly prepared for the work, that it was concluded to begin operations in earnest. The continued pressure upon the ?afflicted children, the earnest and importunate inquiry, on all sides. Who is it that bewitches you? opened their lips in response, and they began to select and bring forward their victims. One a fter another, they cried out Good, Osburn, Tituba. On the 29th of February, 1692, warrants were duly issued against those persons. It is observable, that the complainants who procured the warrants in these cases were Joseph Hutchinson, Edward Putnam, Thomas Putnam, and Thomas Preston. This fact shows how nearly unanimous, at this time, was the conviction that the sufferings of the girls were the result of witchcraft. Salem Witchcraft: Volume II by Charles W. Upham These arrests were the spark that lit the flame of the witch trials. They all denied use of witchcraft until one came forward, the ministers slave, and confessed. Only one of these women were executed, but they all suffered tremendously. Sarah Good was one of the first people to be gravely affected by these trials. Sarah Good was born in 1653 to a well-off man, however, her fathers estate got tied up leaving her with nothing. Good married an indentured servant who died in 1686 with loads of debt. Sarah then went on to marry a man and they ended up homeless with two young children because they had to pay off her first husbands debt. She didnt have a good reputation, because of this many considered her a town nuisance. This status made her an easy target for accusations. When Elizabeth and Abigailrs diagnoses were supernatural forces Good quickly got pointed out. Good remained in jail until June 28th when she was officially condemned for multiple charges of witchcraft. She was charged for using witchcraft against three people, Sarah Bibber, Elizabeth Hubbard, and Ann Putnam, Jr. While Good was in jail, her 4-year-old daughter was arrested for witchcraft. A deposition from Anne Putnam explains why: The deposition of Ann Putnam who testifieth and saith that on the 3th March 1691/92 I saw the apparition of Dorothy Good, Sarah Goodrs daughter, who did immediately almost choke me and tortured me most grievously; and so she hath several times since tortured me by biting and pinching and almost choking me tempting me also to write in her book and also on the day of her examination being the 24th of March 1691/92 the apparition of Dorothy Good tortured me during the time of her examination and several times since. Dorothy Good got out of jail after eight months, but the court was not done with her mom yet. Sarah was put on trial in June of 1692. Good never confessed to the crimes she was accused of, but she did state that Sarah Osburn tormented the young girls. On July 19th Good and four others, Rebecca Nurse, Susannah Martin, Elizabeth Howe, and Sarah Wildes, were brought to Proctorrs Ledge and hanged. Sarah Osburn was born in 1643 in Watertown Massachusetts. She later married a well-known man by the name of Robert Prince and she moved to Salem Village with him in 1662. Prince died in 1674 leaving Osburn a widow with three kids and a 150-acre farm. Sarah hired an indentured immigrant, Alexander Osburn, to help work the farms. Alexander paid off his indenture and the two married making Sarah, Sarah Osburn. The farm had been left with Sarah with the plan of her sons taking over when they came of age, but now Sarah was married and wanted to keep ownership for her and her husband. The battle for the land continued until Sarah was accused of witchcraft in 1692. Sarah was accused by many people, though she never confessed nor did she try to blame the other women that were arrested with her in March. Her case was never solved, as she died shackled in her jail cell in May of 1692. Tituba was born in an Barbados. Her mother was hanged after resisting sexual advances from her white owner. Tituba was run off the plantation and she ended up living with Mama Yaya, who taught her traditional healing methods. Tituba returned to slavery when she fell in love with and married a slave named John Indian, they were both sold to Samuel Parris. Parris brought her to Boston in 1680. He took her to Salem when he was appointed a minister in 1689. Tituba mainly took care of Parrisrs daughter and niece, Elizabeth Parris and Abigail Williams. When Elizabeth, Abigail, and some of their friends began acting weird finger were quickly pointed at Tituba, as she spent most of her time with the girls. Tituba was accused of voodoo for witch cake to reveal the Parris girls fatal fortunes in egg yolks. When Tituba appeared in court in March of 1692 she confessed that The devil came to me and bid me serve him. Martha Corey dared to speak up against these accusations against Good, Osburn, and Tituba. Soon after the girls learned Corey was questioning them, she was accused of practicing witchcraft. Ann Putnam claims that she saw Martha in an apparition, on March 12th Ann was asked what Martha was wearing in the apparition, to which she replied: I was so blinded I could not see. When Edward Putnam and Ezekiel Cheever went to confront Martha, she asked if Ann could even tell them what she was wearing. The men took her knowing this as a sign of witchcraft. She was arrested on March, 19th 1962. Days later another person, Abigail Hobbs, named Martha as a witch. However, Hobbs also named Marthars husband Giles as a wizard. The trial took place in September 1962, many people testified against both of them. On September 10th Martha was convicted of witchcraft. Just nine days later Giles was executed in a way that had never been seen before. Giles Corey was stripped naked, a board placed upon his chest, and then, while his neighbors watched, heavy stones and rocks were piled on top of the board. It was a punishment never before seen or ever again inflicted in the colony of Massachusetts. Corey pleaded to have more weight added so that his death might come quickly. He was eventually crushed to death at the age of eighty. Judge Jonathan Corwin ordered Corey buried in an unmarked grave on Gallows Hill. On the 22nd Martha was hanged along with five other women, and two men on Gallows Hill. It wasn t until 1954 that Martha was officially absolved of her crimes. Many factors played into the witch trials, including the weather and recent attacks. However, everyone can agree that the trials ended abruptly, although many believe that it was due to selfish reasons. On October 12, 1692, Governor Phips issued an order that protected the current prisoners from harm and suspended any more arrests of people accused of witchcraft. Robert Calef, a merchant outraged by the progress of the trials, stated that Governor Phips only issued these orders on the belief that his own wife had been accused of working for Satan. There were trials to hear the last of the cases, but nobody else was condemned. The last trial was held in January of 1693. The years following the witch trials were harsh as well, people were stuck in jail and unable to pay. Others lost their land when they got convicted and were left homeless and broke. Throughout the year of witch trials six main girls had been doing the accusing, however only one girl publicly apologized. That girl was Ann Putnam Jr. Ann accused over sixty people of witchcraft. In 1706 Ann claimed stated: I desire to be humbled before God for that sad and humbling providence that befell my fathers family in the year about ninety-two; that I, then being in my childhood, should, by such a providence of God, be made an instrument for the accusing of several people for grievous crimes, whereby their lives was taken away from them, whom, now I have just grounds and good reason to believe they were innocent persons; and that it was a great delusion of Satan that deceived me in that sad time. She also stated that: that the devil had taken her, and she had no choice but to do what she was told. None of the other girls apologized, they all went on to get married and live as though they had not played a key role in the deaths of many men and women.