Where Did They All Go Wrong?

My online day-in-history says this day, in 1647, was when Achsah Young was hanged. He lived in Massachusetts, was reportedly a witch and carries the dubious honor of being the first recorded execution of said species of man/womenkind. That presents problems: Could that be a variant spelling of my grandmother’s side of the family?

You can find grace through organized religion almost as fast as you can find death. A promise of eternal life or an equally definite torture in God’s name.

Joan of Arc, burned at the stake and the reason was merciful. She was going to hell for her sin of whatever and since men were certain of this, burning here would prepare her for the horrific flames that awaited here hereafter. Sort of like the frog in the increasingly heated water. You’ll thank us later, Joan.

Witches in the dunking-chair. Witches thrown into ponds with rocks attached to them; if they floated to the surface, that was proof they were evil and they were put to death. If they drowned, if was proof they were innocent. Either way, the village was rid of them. Troublemakers. You just can’t be too careful.

The Final Solution may have been religious or could have been nationalistic, but it sure was seen as an excellent way to get rid of an entire religion/race of people in a short period of time. Nero tried that, too, and maybe the bunch of them are asking each other, “Where did we all go wrong?”