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Cake day: September 28th, 2023

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  • Because it was the official church doctrine they used to begin persecution of anyone charged with witchcraft in the European middle ages. It didn’t simply justify all the tortures the church is famous for; it set that ball rolling as the legal document behind it all, written by a bunch of deranged zealots. It was used to genocide the native European religions and cement the power of the church. The perfection of the art of torture, all the burnings and rigged trials, all those horrors began with that book. Anytime you hear people freaking out about witches even today, anywhere, Malleus Maleficarum is the root of it all. Throughout the centuries, it shaped the brutality of European colonialism around the globe as one of the most influential books most people never heard of. Due to the extent of colonialism, it destroyed more lives and culture, and caused more agony and torment than probably any other book ever written.

    It’s obscure, archaic, dogmatic, bloodthirsty, batshit legalese translated into Old English from Latin. These days it’s mostly of interest to particularly focused scholars, Wiccans, and edgy teens dipping their toes in. I wouldn’t expect it to be a good read.

    For maximum WTAF, throw in Demonology by King James. Yes, that King James.