1.08.2008
Talking to Actual Experts
I don't get to say this too often, but bravo to the Sioux City Journal for their even-keeled and well-sourced follow up story to the horrendous "witchcraft" killing of two young girls.
"The sisters were found dead in a second floor room of their Nebraska Street home. Fire crews discovered the bodies while responding to a fire call at the home Sunday afternoon. It was initially ruled suspicious ... Their stepfather, Larry Harris, is now charged with two counts of first degree murder ... Police say the girls were found strangled and stabbed in their home. Larry Harris told investigators at the scene that the girls were dead in their room, the victims of witchcraft gone badly."
Faced with claims of "witchcraft" and the murder of two young girls, the Sioux City Journal, instead of going for sensationalism, went to actual academics who study modern Paganism and Religious Witchcraft for answers.
"Professor Helen A. Berger, author of three books on witches, said she doubted anyone claiming to have killed children while casting a spell is a true practitioner of witchcraft or Wicca, a nature-based religion often associated with witchcraft and spell-casting. It is unclear what belief system, if any, Harris was acting on when he allegedly killed the girls, Alysha and Kendra Suing ... Lisa Stenmark, a professor in San Jose State University's Comparative Religious Studies program, said most people proclaiming to be witches -- especially those who practice Wicca -- would not harm or sacrifice a human during a ritual. Stenmark said she believed further investigation would show Harris' actions likely had nothing to do with witchcraft or Wicca."
In addition, when the article looks for previous examples of ritualized killings, they don't dig for something Pagan-related, they instead focus on a far more common religious paradigm.
"Kendra and Alysha's killings may be out of line with what experts consider modern witchcraft and pagan practices, but they are not the first children to die during a failed ritual. In 2004 in Georgia, two people told authorities they had killed a 6-year-old girl during an exorcism gone wrong. Police said Christopher and Valerie Carey strangled, beat and stabbed the girl in an attempt to rid her of demons. Investigators found the girl, whose back had been broken, in a hotel room, covered with pages from a Bible."
This is solid and balanced journalism by Journal staff reporter Molly Montag. Kudos to her for avoiding the tired trend of "balancing" the article with anti-Pagan Christian "experts", or dipping into sensationalist exposition in order to sell more papers. If only all Pagan-related journalism was more like this.
Labels: Helen Berger, journalism, Lisa Stenmark, Molly Montag, Paganism, Sioux City Journal, Witchcraft
Comments:
Here here. Kudos to the writers of the articles in question. It is good to know there are people in the media who will report facts and be objective rather than fly on the offensive and use Christian superstition to bolster false fears. Thank you for sharing this. Blessings!
Post a Comment
Here here. Kudos to the writers of the articles in question. It is good to know there are people in the media who will report facts and be objective rather than fly on the offensive and use Christian superstition to bolster false fears. Thank you for sharing this. Blessings!
Links to this post:
