Witchcraft: Is It Allowed In Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania has an active Wiccan and pagan community, protected by religious laws. However, fortune-telling and related arts are illegal in the state, punishable by 6-12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine. The English Witchcraft Act of 1604 governed all British colonies, including Pennsylvania, which declared “conjuration, witchcraft and dealing with evil and wicked spirits” as a capital offense. It is still illegal to read fortunes for money in some areas. Sections Lawrence, a practicing Pagan who uses they/them pronouns, opened Serpent’s Key Shop and Sanctuary in Hanover, Pa., in early 2023.

The state has a history of persecuting witches, dating back to the very founder William Penn who participated in hearings against two women accused of bewitching livestock. Selling fortune-telling services is not illegal in Pennsylvania, but selling fortune-telling services is. According to Pennsylvania law, fortune-telling is a crime. Neopagan witchcraft practices such as Wicca emerged in the mid-20th century. Nine years before the Salem witch trials, the first and only people to stand trial for witchcraft in Pennsylvania were two women from present-day Delaware. Witches of Pennsylvania provides the first complete historical overview of beliefs about witchcraft in the state of Pennsylvania.

Is it illegal to do tarot in PA?

In the state of Pennsylvania, the practice of fortune-telling, classified as a third-degree misdemeanor, is prohibited. This legislation encompasses the act of predicting someone’s future through the use of tarot cards.

What is the police witchcraft in PA?

Pennsylvania Title 18, Section 7104, makes it a third-degree misdemeanor to pretend for gain or lucre to tell fortunes or predict future events using cards, tokens, or other methods. Lawrence, a tarot reading business, clarified that their services are for entertainment purposes only and should not be considered as a prediction of the future for monetary gain. This disclaimer has been added to the original Main Street Hanover feature about the business. The business has also removed the sale of children and children from the business.

When was the last witch trial in us?

The Salem witchcraft trial of 1878, also known as the Ipswich witchcraft trial and the second Salem witch trial, was an American civil case in May 1878 in Salem, Massachusetts. It involved Lucretia L. S. Brown, an adherent of the Christian Science religion, accusing fellow Christian Scientist Daniel H. Spofford of attempting to harm her through his “mesmeric” mental powers. This case gained significant attention for its startling claims and the fact that it took place in Salem, the scene of the 1692 Salem witch trials. The judge dismissed the case.

Daniel Spofford, one of the earliest adherents of Mary Baker Eddy (then known as Mary Baker Glover), was born in New Hampshire and grew up as a menial laborer and watchmaker’s apprentice in eastern Massachusetts. He served in the American Civil War and worked in a shoemaker’s shop in Lynn, Massachusetts. Spofford returned to Lynn in 1870 and met Glover, who took one of her classes in metaphysical healing in 1875.

Spofford organized a group of Christian Science students to provide financial support and rent a meeting space for them. He set up several offices around the area to practice Christian Science healing and began calling himself “Dr. Daniel Spofford”.

When Glover had difficulty finding a publisher for her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Spofford acted as publisher, while fellow students George Barry and Elizabeth Newhall financed the publication. Spofford distributed handbills alongside Glover to promote the book and introduced her to her future husband, Asa Gilbert Eddy.

Is witchcraft a sin in the Bible?

The Bible contains numerous references to witchcraft, condemning practices such as casting spells, being a medium, spiritist, or consulting the dead. These practices are considered detestable to the Lord, and the Lord will drive out those nations before you. The word “witch” may be a mistranslation of “poisoner”, and some believe there is a primitive idealist belief in a relation between bewitching and coveting. Some adherents of near-east religions acted as mediums, channeling messages from the dead or familiar spirits.

The Bible is sometimes translated as referring to “necromancer” and “neromancy”, but some lexicographers, like James Strong and Spiros Zodhiates, disagree. They believe that the Hebrew word “kashaph” (כשפ) in Exodus 22:18 and other places in the Tanakh comes from a root meaning “to whisper”, meaning “to whisper a spell, i. e. to incant or practice magic”. The Contemporary English Version translates Deuteronomy 18:11 as referring to “any kind of magic”.

Did Pennsylvania have witch trials?

In 1684, two Delaware County women, Margaret Matson and Mrs. Gethro Hendrickson, were put on trial for witchcraft in Pennsylvania. The Salem Witch Trials in Massachusetts resulted in the execution of 20 people and the arrests of over 100. In Pennsylvania, the outcome was different. Margaret Matson and her husband, Neels, were Swedish-Finnish settlers who lived on a farm near Ridley Creek in Eddystone, Pennsylvania. The land they settled, called “New Sweden”, eventually came to be occupied by British settlers.

Some of the new settlers claimed that Margaret, a traditional Finnish healer, bewitched their cattle and other animals. William Penn oversaw the trial himself in Philadelphia, and there is no account of Hendrickson attending the trial.

The governor knew what he was doing when he questioned Margaret, who denied being a witch. She was found guilty of having the reputation of a witch but not guilty of bewitching animals. A large fine was charged to her, but the sum was to be returned if she acted in good behavior. The verdict reflects Penn’s Quaker values and overall tolerance.

There were no official laws against witchcraft in Pennsylvania until 1718, after Penn’s death, when the province adopted English laws. The statue against “conjuration, witchcraft and dealing with evil and wicked spirits” ended in the 1750s. There is no record of any other trials. Margaret Matson lives on in Pennsylvania folklore as the “Witch of Ridley Creek”.

Is astrology illegal in PA?

Fortune-telling is a third-degree misdemeanor in Pennsylvania, but it can be investigated and prosecuted. A Lebanon County woman was charged with the misdemeanor after a customer claimed they paid $500 for services not provided at Psychic World. The practice can lead to a police investigation if complaints are made, as the average citizen is typically unaware of the illegality of charging money for services like astrology and palm reading.

What is a male witch called?

The term “witch” is primarily used in colloquial English, with women being the male equivalent. Modern dictionaries distinguish four meanings of the term: a person with supernatural powers, a practitioner of neo-pagan religion, a mean or ugly old woman, or a charming or alluring girl or woman. The term “witch” was first used to refer to a bewitching young girl in the 18th century, and “witch” as a contemptuous term for an old woman is attested since the 15th century.

Is it illegal to practice the dark arts?

The Dark Arts, also known as Dark Magic or the Dark Side, were a form of magic used to cause harm, control, or even kill people and creatures. Common examples include dark spells, brewing dark potions, and breeding dark creatures. These acts were often illegal or discouraged in the wizarding world. Practitioners of the Dark Arts were referred to as Dark wizards or witches. Most practitioners were evil, but Lord Voldemort was considered the most powerful. His followers, known as Death Eaters, also heavily practiced the Dark Arts.

The Dark Arts were generally regarded as corrupting to those who used them, which is why they are called “dark”. Quirinus Quirrell, initially interested in dark magic, turned his curiosity into avarice and eventually became corrupted.

Who was the PA woman accused of witchcraft?

Prior to the Salem Witch Trials, a woman from Delaware County named Margaret Mattson was subjected to a witch trial in Philadelphia. She was accused of using her abilities to influence the behavior of farm animals and engage in the practice of incantations while boiling meat in a cauldron. She resided with her husband, Neels, on a farmstead. A second Swedish woman, Yeshro Hendrickson, was also accused.

When was witchcraft illegal?

The Witchcraft Act of 1604, also known as “An Act against Conjuration, Witchcraft and Dealing with Evil and Wicked Spirits,” expanded the 1562 Act, imposing the death penalty without clergy benefit for those who invoked evil spirits or communed with familiar spirits.

What are the rules of witchcraft?

The Wiccan Rede, which states “An it harm none, do what ye will,” serves as the primary ethical guideline for Wiccans. The Threefold Law, which places emphasis on the importance of adhering to the ethical principles of “mind the Threefold Law you should, three times bad and three times good,” serves as a guiding principle for those seeking to live a positive ethical lifestyle.