Mexican/Indian Witchcraft

    By: General James Green (2016)

LYCANTHROPY IS "A FORM OF INSANITY in

which the person imagines himself/herself to be a wolf, the belief in the transformation of human beings into wolves; belief in werewolves." A lycanthrope is "one affected with lycanthropy."

We hear confessions, fearful tales of skinwalkers or lycanthropes from Native Americans quite often at our prayer booth at the Gallup, New Mexico, Outdoor Market. We hear more frightening tales of curses, spells, and bewitchments being placed upon persons, which result in ill health, financial troubles, family problems, even death.

WITCHCRAFT

MOST TODAY SMIRK at the idea of real "Black Magic"/witchcraft, thinking that all this kinda stuff has passed away. We can at least all agree that such things did exist, and its presence was (and IS!) practically universal, especially among tribal peoples (and Anglos at one time were also "tribals"!)

What the Anglos found among the tribals of the New World bore striking resemblance to evil practices found in Africa and Europe especially.

Native witches sought for locks of hair, nail parings, clothing, urine/saliva, etc. from victims that they might teach the Black Arts (occultism) to others or produce disease, misfortune, or even death. We personally have seen these things in Africa (we've been in many African nations over the years, also been in all Central American countries and a few in South America, plus many other parts of the world; believe me, witchcraft exists TODAY BIG TIME!)

IMAGE MAKING

WE THINK OF voodoo when we think of little dolls being stuck with pins, but Native American tribes also use such bewitchments, making images (composed of various materials) of enemies or victims to be cursed, and then "torture" those images to affect those desired with pain, sickness, disease, etc. Some stick the images with cactus needles or sharp bones so as to produce death. Some draw figures in the sand or make effigies of clay to effectuate their witchcraft. Others use paper, rasping sticks and songs (chants) to cause injury or death.

Injections-Symbolic Propulsion A COMMON TECHNIQUE for bewitching among most Indian groups (North, Central and South) involved the injection of some object into a victim: e.g., a bone, spear-point, arrowhead, or even reptiles and small animals. Witches/witchdoctors/ etc. accomplish this by "symbolic propulsion" by exerting mental energy. What this all came down to was the war between "medicine men/women" and "witches" (there is a distinction here), even though at times medicine men/women resorted to evil rather than what they considered "good."

HEINOUS

FOR NATIVE PEOPLES, "no crime loomed more heinous nor brought more destruction and fear and provoked swifter retribution than that of witchcraft (in all its dark forms)." Often just mere suspicion resulted in execution-this, it was thought, would serve as a "therapeutic remedy" for the tribe as a whole, purging evil from its midst. But witchcraft has never been fully eradicated; now IT HAS BECOME PART OF TRIBAL RITUALS AND CEREMONIES, only with a "pleasant" exterior, yet EVIL WITHIN.

MEXICAN WITCHCRAFT

MY FIRST REAL encounter with a witch/witchcraft was in 1976. My wife and I were offered a "special" assignment to be missionaries and new managers of our Church's orphanage some 150 plus miles outside of Mexico City. This orphanage sat atop a mountain over looking a large body of water; the weather was rainy and gloomy most of the time-real depressing to me.

The Indians there were steeped in witchcraft; drinking and fighting was most common among the men. Some of the knife fights left ugly scars all over their bodies.

My first sight of a real witch was in the small village's square-where she laid out these items on an old dirty blanket: herbs, animal teeth, bird beaks and feathers, animal/bird claws, turtle shells, beads of various shapes/colors, different kinds of snake skins cut in various shapes and sizes, bits and pieces of animal fur, dried organs and some things that appeared to be human! My Mexican interpreter told me that this Indian (female) was the local witch, and DO NOT buy from her!

Needless to say, our stay in that location (for 6 months until I hurt by back lifting large rocks in a building project) was one of torment for me. I slept about 2 hours a night all that time, being assailed by demon sprits; vexations of body and soul were draining me of any Christian joy I had. Both of our two small children and my wife also suffered, but I suffered the most, for I had grown up collecting Indian artifacts and being terribly infatuated with the whole Native way of life. Having a "soul tie" kept the door open for demon harassments. It wasn't until 1981 that I learned about breaking "soul ties" and shutting the door to witchcraft.

S.W. PUEBLOS

WITCHCRAFT BELIEF AND practice is fairly well known since the Natives "have been studied meticulously by anthropologists for years" according to Marc Simmons who chronicled both

Spanish and Native American supernaturalism on the Rio Grande.

Spanish records of the colonial times (before America took possession of the Southwest), dating from the 17th century, contain many, many references to witches and witchcraft. Among the records are documents, including "trial" records, reports of the missionaries and statements by civil/religious officials...all revealing occult activity.

It is believed that magical systems extend well back to thousands of years ago. Rock art, fetishes and various other ceremonial objects from ancient times have been discovered and studied: witchcraft was a tangible and threatening reality-even to the Rio Grand valley inhabitants and so it is still today. We personally encounter fearful, sick and diseased Natives who believe they have been CURSED by witchcraft.

It is noted that Pueblo mythology and folk history are VERY RICH IN DESCRIPTIVE DETAIL concerning the DEEDS AND MISDEEDS OF NATIVE WITCHES.

PUEBLOS-ANCIENT AND CURRENT

THE SANTA FE New Mexican ran an article called "Be witched" (Sept. 24, 1972) in which the story of witchcraft was told to be almost as old and as wide as human history itself.

Antonito, Chama, Abiquiu, San Juan, Jemez, Zia, Cochiti, San Felipe, Laguna, Isleta, Tome, Belen, Socorro, Acoma, Seboyeta, San Mateo, Gallup, Zuni, Arroyo Honda, Taos, Grants, Nambé, Santa Fe, Las Vegas, Pecos, Bernalillo, Placitas, Albuquerque, Manzano, etc.. are towns/villages/Pueblos where witchcraft was (and IS!) known to exist.

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

ONLY AFTER THE mid-thirteenth century with the establishment of the Papal Inquisition did the struggle begin "in earnest" to "eradicate" witchcraft, necromancy, divination and "allied occult arts." This began in Europe by Pope Innocent VIII, who issued a Bull summoning the nations of Europe to rescue the "Christian Church," imperiled by the machinations of witches and satanists.

Upon their arrival to New America, the settlers found the same occult arts being practiced. Then in the sixteenth century, Spanish settlers poured into New America, bringing their traditions of witchcraft with them.

We've all heard of the Salem Witch Trials (1672) in which "white witches" were executed-these trials were the doings of the Protestants. All this is history, therefore I won't use too much space to reiterate all that could be written.

ABORIGINAL

BELIEF AND PRACTICE in witchcraft among the North, Central and South American Natives was aboriginal, although some craft was brought from Europe.

In Central Mexico, the Aztec's favorite deity was "Tezcatlipoca," the "lord of the night" and patron of the witches. "Tezcatlipoca" possessed supernatural power to change into an animal (human sacrifices were dedicated). I personally have been atop both the pyramids of the Sun and Moon in Central Mexico walked the mile-long distance between the two, the Avenue of the Dead where human sacrifices were all too common. Even today they still find many human skeletons buried under the large slabs of rock where victims were slain.

It is well known that emperor Montezumaconsulted soothsayers/prognosticators who, by the way, foretold of the conquest of the Aztecs by the Spaniards. But despite the witchcraft the Aztecs applied against their aggressors, the Aztecs were conquered (see George C. Vaillant, The Aztecs of Mexico, 1944).

God allowed it to be so.

The same can be said of the North American Indians. God has told us that He allowed the "non-Natives" to conquer the Natives of this country BECAUSE OF THE NATIVES' SEX-SINS, IDOLATRY, AND WITCHCRAFT. He has told us that some Native tribes have DISAPPEARED ENTIRELY because of their "SINS" against Him. I WRITE THIS AS A PLEA TO OUR NATIVE FRIENDS TO REPENT OF YOUR SINS, GET RIGHT WITH GOD-NOW!

WITCH TREACHERY

THERE IS PLENTY of written evidence of witchery among the Native Americans, but I will stick to that which pertains to the Southwest.

It is a fact that some Pueblos become depopulated because of witchcraft. According to popular belief, told by the Jemez Pueblo, Jemez "in the beginning" consisted of many villages, BUT WITCHES DESTROYED THEM, therefore only one exists today, and it continues to be BEDEVILED by witches in its midst who seek to complete the destruction of their evil predecessors (see E.C. Parsons, The Pueblo of Je'mez, 1925, p. 139).

This evil act to depopulate Pueblos can be found in many written works if one seeks them out. More on this in later articles.

COYOTE

The Arch Trickster.

HERE IN NEW Mexico, we see and hear of coyotes all the time. Here at Fence Lake they "give song" just about every morning. We've had them to walk right thru our community. But to the Indians, this animal represents evil, and is even blamed for introducing witchcraft among them.

According to a Tewa (Pueblo) tale, coyote married yellow corn Girl and taught her how to change herself into an animal by leaping thru a ring. Following this, she and coyote slew her mother and brother by witchcraft, and from that point on, witches have plied their iniquitous trade along the Rio Grande.

We find similar tales among most Pueblos/tribes as well as Spanish witchcraft lore. I'll write more on this when I deal with Navajo witchcraft more specifically, for example, the "Witchery Way" (ánt'iži) and "were-animals" (yenalλoši).

Pueblo peoples "adhere to no belief in a single anthropomorphic, supreme being or great spirit. For them a universal spirit permeates the world, even inanimate objects. By the use of carefully ordered prayers, led by a cacique or head priest, this cosmic spirit may be influenced for man's benefit; but, conversely, evil forces may also be activated by persons familiar with prayer procedures and secret formulas. In thus assigning spiritual qualities to objects and forces in nature, the religion might best be described as 'formal animism" (see M. Simmon's, Witchcraft in the South West, 1980, p. 73).

ENEMIES

BOTH NATIVE PRIEST/medicine man and witch are powerful figures "cast in antithetical roles." Some say medicine men are "workers for the common good," but this is not true. They often use their power/knowledge for evil at will (for money and personal aggrandizement). We hear sad tales all the time from the Natives who've gone to medicine men for whatever reason, only to LOSE LOTS OF MONEY AND RECEIVE NOTHING. This is not to say that all medicine men/women are just after money, but it lets us know that MANY OF THEM STRING OUT THEIR VICTIMS TILL THE POOR PEOPLE HAVE LOST/SPENT EVERYTHING- WITH NOTHING OF BENEFIT GAINED.

Whether after money or not, ALL medicine men/women NEED TO BE SAVED AND WASHED IN THE BLOOD OF JESUS FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS

We have prayed for the poor victims of medicine men, and God answers!! Many over the years have been HEALED of INCURABLE DISEASES and been REDEEMED out of seemingly IMPOSSIBLE CIRCUMSTANCES thru just one small prayer (AND AGAIN-WE DO NOT CHARGE FOR THE PRAYERS AT ALL!! Many come to us after exhausting all their $$ on medicine men, after going to all the hospitals and after taking all kinds of chemical medicines-yet are NOT cured. But God can heal.

This, in turn, angers the medicine men, and some of them direct their anger towards us. But we warn them that their "curses" will return unto them-we have seen this happen to many of our enemies.

We fight not with Native medicine men or even witches, for our weapons are not carnal; but let it be said, our God is with us. We pray, by the LOVE OF GOD in Jesus Christ the Lord, for all these poor folks who are caught in satan's snare of traditionalism and witchcraft. Jesus Christ the Lord is the answer to man's needs. Trust Him.

STEALING/SHOOTING

WITCHES MAY CAUSE illness in two ways: (1) stealing the heart (soul), or (2) shooting objects into

the bodies of their victims; hence, medicine men of the "healing societies," to produce a cure, must suck the objects from the body or retrieve the heart by engaging the evil thieves in combat.

Years ago, Bro. Norman Parish (Anglo; a friend of ours), who has lived in Central America for years, reported that he visited a witch's house in which he saw dozens of bottles on shelves with lids on them. To him this looked rather queer. Upon inquiring about these he was told that they (the bottles) contained "souls" of victims captured by the

witch.

Cannot the devil steal your soul? Yes! Demons can possess persons. Jesus QUITE OFTEN dealt with this kind of Satanism/witchcraft by CASTING OUT DEVILS.

Every minister, EVERY minister, ought to know how to bind and cast out devils, break evil soulties/spells/curses/etc. Jesus not only healed the sick and diseased, but engaged in "SPIRIT WARFARE" against the "prince of the power of the air (or spirit world)." We are commanded to do the same.

THE THIEF

JOHN 10:10 SAYS, "The thief (satan) comes only in order that he may steal and may kill and may destroy..." Satan uses his disciples, for example, WITCHES, WITCH DOCTORS, ETC. (i.e., DEMONS IN HUMAN BODIES!). The rest of John 10:10 says, "...I (Jesus) came that they may have and enjoy LIFE."

THE SOWER

IN MATTHEW 13:39 we read where the devil sows bad/evil seed (evil children), but Jesus (v. 37) sows good seed (children of the Kingdom)-so we have this WARFARE going on in the world: good vs. evil, light vs. darkness, children of God vs. children of satan, etc....read the Sacred Scriptures for details.

MEDICINE MEN RITUALS

ELABORATE RITUALS AS well as "mock battles" engaged in by the "healing societies" are said to "counteract bewitchments." But in reality, THEY JUST CAUSE MORE BEWITCHMENTS! Unfortunately, within Pueblo and many Native tribe cosmologies, there is no final defeat of witches, so that a person cursed by a ceremony really gains no immunity. We true Christians, on the other hand, have not only God's power, but we have the Blood of Jesus as a covering. We can apply this OMNIPRESENT BLOOD when engaged in warfare. Yet sadly, MOST so-called "Christians" haven't the foggiest idea of what I write about, let alone the knowhow or even the will to apply principles of SPIRIT WARFARE. I've seen many "Christians" defeated by the powers of devils, actually doing the deeds of demons themselves!...thinking they were doing God's will.

PARABLE OF SOWER

WE OUGHT TO give earnest heed to what Jesus taught concerning His Word, the thief, and the soil in Matthew 13:19-23. He plainly explains that His Word of the Kingdom can be snatched or stolen out of the hearts of some hearers. Satan (and demons) can steal from people if those people do not guard themselves.

The apostle Paul wrote: "...lest satan should get an advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices" (2 Cor 2:11). Again, sadly, MOST "Christians" ARE IGNORANT of satan's devices.

SOULS ENTRAPPED

BACK TO THE Norman Parish story (which is true!) that took place in Guatemala city. According to law there, witchcraft is prohibited; but, as in most cases in the world today, there is much tolerance and overlooking such laws. But a complaint was officially filed against a particular witch (a head witch who had many witches under its control). The police raided the witch's home (H.Q.), and that is where they found 100 jars, each labeled with the name of some individual.

The purpose of the jars, of course, was to entrap souls and seal them in the jars-making the victims mere puppets to do the will of the head witch. Norman told that some names were public personalities, gov. officials, etc.

Now, some people may make light of this, but I can assure you, THIS IS BEING DONE EVEN TODAY. There is no doubt that some people, although able to maintain a job, etc., are under the control of witchcraft. Many may not even be aware of this "cloud of darkness" over their lives, yet they do bizarre things (and may even wonder why, at times; and others may wonder why too). (Zoom to 2023 – note all the horrid things being committed!)

EZEKIEL AND BLACK MAGIC

READ EZEKIEL 13:17-23 where "Black Magic" is discussed: "Likewise, thou son of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy people, which prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou against them, And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature TO HUNT SOULS! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you? And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies? Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly. Your kerchiefs also will I tear, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. Because with lies YE HAVE MADE THE HEART OF THE RIGHTEOUS SAD, WHOM I HAVE NOT MADE SAD; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life: Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations: for I will deliver my people out of your hand: and ye shall know that I am the LORD."

Note the words (spoken twice): "hunt the souls to make them fly." The "pillows" were amulets; and "kerchiefs" mentioned here were objects used in connection with magical practices.

Also note "hunt[ing] the souls of My people." We are told in I Peter 5:8 that we need to "Be sober, be vigilant; because your (MY!) adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, WALKETH ABOUT, SEEK ING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR." This is no joke, friends-satan and demons ARE REAL!

Too many mistakenly assume that witchcraft cannot affect believers. If believers are walking in the Spirit, yet are playing around with evil of any sort, satan/the devil/demons CAN and WILL attack. Curses, spells, vexes, hexes, etc. sent by people of witchcraft can do harm, even SLAY!

The Bible plainly tells us that "...the causeless curse shall not alight" (Prov 26:2; see also Num 23:8). This means, in light of the first part of verse 2 ("As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying..."-KJV), that as the bird flies about, and the swallow emigrates to strange countries, so "an unwanted/undeserved malediction may flutter about for a season, but in a short time it will disappear as the bird of passage and never take effect on the INNOCENT/CLEAN/IN-RIGHT- STANDING person of God against whom it was pronounced. Reverse that and we see that curses WILL come upon the GUILTY / UNCLEAN / THOSE NOT STANDING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS. I would dare say that 80-90 percent (at least!) of "Christians" are of the second class.

TARGETS

CHRISTIANS ARE SPECIAL targets of demons spirits. Demons work hard at HUNTING (catching or snaring) believers, especially leaders.

First Timothy 3:1-7 speaks of a potential Christian bishop's needed qualifications; verse 7 ends with the grave warning that he must not become "involved in slander and incur reproach and fall into THE DEVIL'S TRAP" (Bible). (AMP).

Also, in I Timothy 6:9 the rich are warned to not "fall into temptation AND A SNARE" of the devil. Likewise, II Timothy 2:26 speaks of those who have been ensnared: "...and that they may come to their senses (and) escape out of THE SNARE OF THE DEVIL, having been held captive by him..."

You see, we must be on guard at all times, for thru witchcraft we can become captives.

Ezekiel 13:19 states that witchcraft will "turn away My people from Me." Could this be the real cause of such backsliding and apostasy today? Could this be the real cause of sadness and depression? Could this be the real cause of all the sicknesses, diseases and death? I think witchcraft RULES both the "Church" and politics here in America today. I believe there is more evil than one can imagine. But, of course, demons operate (if possible) in clandestine ways, avoiding

detection; but we feel their evil influences-from YOUR current president to many "BIG NAME" ministers.

BEWITCHED!

AGAIN, WE FIND the "Christians" under attack in Galatians 3:1, where the apostle Paul asked the Galatians, "...who hath BEWITCHED you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?" That Greek word "bewitched" (Gk. baskaino) means "to malign, i.e., to fascinate (by false representations)." Has not the so-called "Church" become fascinated with the world, the flesh, and the things of the devil?

When we preach, people get really upset. Here, at the Gallup Indian Market, when my wife (1/2 Native also) preaches, she gets her share of mockers and scoffers, and some outright attack her for doing so.

Paul was writing, and at the same time preaching at the "foolish Galatians" who resorted to doing "works" of the law (v: 2) rather than walking by faith. He asked, "Are ye so foolish? Having begin in the Spirit (of God), are ye now made perfect by the flesh?"

Christians can become "bewitched", when they get their eyes off the Cross of Christ and Christ Himself. Let's face the truth: the "Christian" Church in this hour and in this generation is more humanistic than Christ-o-centric.

Churchfolks are as deceived and bewitched as any tribal persons. In fact, the "Church" is promoting Tribalism these days-the very thing that made God ANGRY with His Old Testament people and brought His judgments upon the tribes of His nation. Now the modern Church has become totally fascinated with all the things of witchcraft. She has fallen out of love with Christ, her Redeemer, and fallen in love with all the world's materialisms, the pretentious secularisms and the humanistic idealisms; and her hopes and dreams will end in HELL'S FIRE without God!

All this pantheism that is supposed to lead to a happy life/after-life (Nirvana-Happy Hunting Ground) will end in HELL'S FIRE eternally! All this fantasy-building and human enterprising will not end in ultimate peace, but HELL'S FIRE forever – Read the Bible!

STUPID AND FOOLISH!

PAUL SAID THE Galatians were "foolish": "foolish" carries overtones of "stupidity"; the Galatian's trouble was "failure to use their power of perception" given by God, or, as we might say, "to put 2 and 2 together." In the passive sense, "foolish" means "unthinkable." In modern Greek, the word is "unreasonable." In the papyri the verb "slander," "envy," "bewitch" speaks of manipulating charms against "the evil eye." Paul the apostle uses it figuratively, meaning "pervert," "confuse," "lead astray"-"as if man's perennial quest for cheap and easy salvation were not sufficient to victimize the Galatians without the aid of a Pied Piper."

PAGANISM IN CHURCH

BESIDES THE FOOLISHNESS of the Native American Church, the so-called Christian Church invites PAGANISM into her bed chamber.

In Bible days, the missionaries of the Cross of Christ had to compete with pagan priests (of every sort) "who paraded the images and symbols of their savior-gods in spectacular processions." There was the cult of Cybele, "the Great Mother," whose consort Attis "died by self-mutilation with the decline of each year's vegetation." The North American Indians speak of "mother earth" as if she was real, sacred, divine. However, the Bible says that the earth is CURSED and will be until it is re-created in the end by God

During Attis' "passion week," as it is called, a pine tree swathed as a corpse was carried thru the streets, and 3 days later his devotees joyfully celebrated his "resurrection" as the guarantee of their own immortality.

In Native American culture, both the pine and cedar tree are significant to certain ceremonies/rituals. The Navajo honor the piñon pine, for it yields gum (pitjeeh), nuts (nictc'ii pináa), fuel (teetshiin); native yellow ocher used for dyes is called leetshoh (earth, yellow). Most Pueblo along with other tribes use both the pine and cedar in their various ceremonies. [Note: Nothing wrong with PP if not used in demonic ways].

"NIGHT CHANT CEREMONY"

ONE SUCH CEREMONY is the "night chant ceremony," in which piñon is offered. On the 4th day of this ceremony, the "talking god" carried a small sapling of piñon. In reference to a patient, piñon was used if the patient was male; juniper if female. On the 9th day of the ceremony, the "slayer of alien gods" and the "child of the water" deposit their cigarettes, preferably in the shade of a piñon tree.

"WAR DANCE”

IN THE "WAR DANCE," the patient's body is painted with piñon and willow pitch. Dry piñon gum, together with parts of various birds, is burned as an incense. During the mystery of the "night chant ceremony," "initiates fumigated themselves with this incense." A corral is built for the public at the closing ceremonials-"built of juniper and piñon boughs."

Also piñon needles are one of the ingredients used in making "medicine" for the "war dance."

ZUNI

MEMBERS OF THE "Zuni order of sword swallowers" (of the "Great Fire Fraternity") (we live very close to the Zunis), at the close of their ceremonies, they eat piñon buds (pinus edulis), if they desire female children. The yellow pine (pinus brachyptera) buds are eaten if they desire male children.

JUNIPER VS. BAD MAGIC

IN MANY CULTURES, juniper is used as "sacred"; the aromatic properties of juniper are used to fight against "bad magic," plague, etc.

In Greek cosmology, "the spirit of the goddess- physician, Artemis, is said to inhabit the planet Juniper." In Pueblo cultures, the juniper is carried in pouches and on their clothes. We see Natives buying "sacred" juniper, carrying it like it was a small child, close to their body.

Juniper berries can also be used for internal medicine; but in ceremonies, juniper cedar "serves to dispel 'negative forces' from the environment." We see certain people at the Indian market burning juniper cedar, thinking the smoke "wards off evil spirits"; but God told us it invokes, DRAWS evil spirits!! HOW MUCH OF "HEALING" CEREMONIES/RITUALS, IN TRUTH, INVOKE EVIL SPIRITS, RATHER THAN DRIVE THEM AWAY? THIS CEDAR BURNING IS A FORM OF WITCHCRAFT ITSELF.

We can appreciate the aromatic smells of certain trees, but be careful not to attribute divine/godly powers to them-THIS IS IDOLATRY.

Even other witches/witchdoctors/etc. use these things in their ceremonies. Copal is the pitch from trees that were "sacred" to the Maya (and other) Indians. Copal, burned as incense, is always burned during divination ceremonies, and is said to "give nourishment to the gods at the household altars and throughout initiation ceremonies."

It is reported that the "daykeeper diviner" will cast lots of coral, seeds and crystals along the days of the 260-day calendar...this is to supposedly forecast a sequence of events for the future. As copal burns, the daykeeper chants certain messages "to the gods."

Historically, the Aztec and Mayan dentists filled the teeth of royalty with copal, to supposedly invest their speech with "divine" clarity.

In Hispanic culture of North America, copal is burned on the Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead). We witnessed this when we resided at our mission in Berino, NM, several miles from El Paso, Texas.

TREES

THE WORD OF God has plenty to say about trees, their use and so forth. It mentions the pine, fir, cedar, oak, etc. Ancient Israel did idolatry under trees. Jeremiah 3:6 shows a good example of this: "Moreover the LORD said to me (Jeremiah): 'Have you seen what that faithless and backsliding Israel has done, how she went up ON EVERY HIGH HILL AND UNDER EVER GREEN TREE, AND THERE PLAYED THE HARLOT?" Ezekiel 20:28 says, "For when I (God) had brought them (Israel) into the land...then they saw every high hill and every dark and leafy tree (as a place for idol worship), and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented their offerings that provoked My anger and sadness..."

You see, idolatry and witchcraft ANGER God and also SADDEN Him.

Isaiah 44:19 says, (read up to v. 19 for background), "I have burned part of this log in the fire, and also I have baked bread on its coals and roasted meat and eaten it; and shall I make the remainder of it (the log) into an abomination-the very essence of what is DISGUSTING, DETESTABLE and SHAMEFULLY VILE? Shall I fall down and worship the stock of a tree-A BLOCK OF WOOD (WITHOUT CONSCIOUS- NESS OR LIFE)?" Here we have "idol" making (read all of chapter 44), which many peoples STILL DO today-making large and small idols to worship. Take heed, Natives: DO YOU DO THIS or DO YOU HAVE METAL, WOOD or CLAY IDOLS IN YOUR POSSESSION? These can bring CURSES upon you!

CEDAR

IN NORTH AMERICA (among various tribes/Pueblos), cedar is burned while praying (to what god?). It is also used, along with sage, in sweat lodges-this is supposed to bring "purification" and, at the same time, drive out "negative energy." Stop and think how foolish this is a tree branch driving away demons! We are supposed to REBUKE DEMON SPIRITS in JESUS' NAME-smoke will NOT do the job; only in one's imagination.

[Note: Sweat baths are beneficial to the body – without ceremony!]

PURVEYORS

THERE ARE ALWAYS purveyors to accommodate pagan sensuous (and too often obscene) observances. From ancient Biblical times to our modern times, there have always been large audiences for the purveyors of myth, magic, and the miraculous, who could and would "tailor a (false) gospel-a story to fit their customers' spiritual size."

Take a good look at the stuff and things (from idols to witchcraft in Romanism, paranathalia)-all observed for the glory of God? Which god or gods?

It is a well-known fact that, here in the Americas, Native conversions (BY FORCE; some by persuasion) into the Roman Catholic Church were COMPROMISED, allowing the Natives to retain some of their ceremonies/rituals/mystical rites. Today we can find so much PAGANISM within the Roman Catholic Church that true/ pure Christianity is hardly recognizable therein at all. I wouldn't even want to know what really goes on within their Popery Paganism. I'm sure WITCHCRAFT plays a major role; but because the masses are so ignorant of satan's devices, who perceives this?

I have before me lots of early New Mexico Chronicle accounts between the many Native tribes/Pueblos, accounts and documents that have survived several centuries. Looking over what is available (in books), one can see that witchcraft among the Natives was a SERIOUS PROBLEM, and that, "at one time, the Roman Catholic Church went about to eradicate it, even by way of killing witches, sorcerers, etc."

(Note: I Believe Popes Work Witch-Craft!)

NEW MEXICAN HISTORY

WHEN CATHOLIC FATHER Félix Ordoñezy Muchado, Minister of the Abiquiu Mission, suddenly died from unexplained causes, a certain Pueblo girl pointed to a husband and wife (Pueblos) who were working witchcraft. Don Carlos Fernández, Chief Magistrate, arrested the accused, along with several others, and took all of them to Santa Cruz for trial. It is reported by Ralph E. Twitchell, in The Leading Facts of New Mexican History (two volumes), that over 100 pages are recorded at that trial the defendants were found guilty of contributing to the killing of the priest by "supernatural devices," and therefore were condemned to servitude in the households of good Roman Catholics.

It was also reported that royal troops were dispatched to Abiquiu to destroy all witchcraft relics, including a stone with diabolical inscriptions [see the above-mentioned history books-two volumes (Abq., 1963), I, pp. 445-46; see also Eleanor B. Adams and Fray Angélico Chávez, eds., The Mission of New Mexico, 1776 (Abq., 1956), p. 336. Note: A copy of the trial record was located by Gilberto Benito Cordova at the Bancroft Library of the University of California, Berkeley].

DEMON-PLAGUED!

IN 1628, LUIS de Rivera was working as a mule drover, going north to New Mexico from Mexico. The wagon train experienced a mule/cattle stampede, resulting in great loss. He believed it was caused by the devil. Frightened, he confessed to a friar that he himself had been involved in witchcraft. After his arriving in Santa Fe, the priest denounced Rivera before the feared Inquisition's representative; Rivera was arrested "and sent under guard, back to Mexico (City)."

The trial tribunal, after a lengthy review, concluded that he was guilty; but since it was done in his youth, they let the youth off with a mild penance. But in most instances, as is well known, the punishments were grave (SEVERAL MILLION have died under the ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH'S "INQUISITION"!!) [Ronald Seth, Witches and Their Craft (NY, 1968), p. 96]. I bring this up because the Roman Catholic Church hardly ever let anyone get off that was (supposedly or truly) involved in witchcraft.

TARGET: “VIRGIN MARY”

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC Church believes that the

"Virgin Mary" is "the special enemy of satan," and so it was and is no coincidence that the Dominican Order, being the staunchest defender of the "Virgin Cult, took the leading role in hunting down, persecuting and putting to death witches (who were said to be the principal enemies of the "Virgin Mary").

Both in the old world and in the new, witchcraft was an enemy to the Roman Catholic Church. Actually, "IT IS AN ENEMY TO ALL PEOPLE" [see George A. Dorsey, Man's Own Show: Civilization (NY, 1931), p. 594].

NEW MEXICAN WITCHERY

THE ROOTS THAT witchery sunk in the Mexican soil in the 16th century took firm hold and flourished in New Mexico.

Witchcraft (brujeria), sorcery (hechiceria), the evil eye (mal ojo), and many other forms of occultism have become integral parts of the folk culture of Mexico. Working in Mexico off-and-on over the years, one can discern all this-both among the Mexicans and the dozens of Indian tribes. In those places, people can even buy "love potions" and a variety of witchcraft articles on display ALL OVER THAT LAND. There are potions for curing AND

KILLING!

"Red," "white" and "black" forms of witchcraft are found there: "red" for bewitching; "white" for (supposed) "curing"; "black" for DEATH. We've seen these things ourselves [for confirmation, see Frances Toon's, A Treasury of Mexican Folkways (NY, 1947), p. 155].

Even today, certain villages in Mexico are well- known for their witchcraft. The same holds true for several Indian and Mexican-American towns/Pueblos/etc. north of the Rio Grande. Some think witchcraft is a relic of the "dark-age" past, but trust me, it is still ALIVE and GROWING today.