Brutkey

Aster
@asterism@ni.hil.ist

apparently non-harmful magic (he uses magic for acquiring "health or friendship" as an example) is not witchcraft but what he calls "observance of vanities". and is still heresy but he says he ain't gonna talk abt it because he is concerned with witches.

I guess this non-harmful magic too can be done without the explicit use of demons. (but he says it uses them implicitly)

Aster
@asterism@ni.hil.ist

Hence, sorcerers through no natural power and merely with the assistance of demons on the one hand, and demons by themselves with the help of some object like thorns, bones, strands of hair, pieces of wood or the like on the other, bring about the effects of sorcery when they insert or deposit some device, as will be explained in the following discussion.

Aster
@asterism@ni.hil.ist

reading the book that was an influence in the witch hunts again, just so yall are ready for that lol

Aster
@asterism@ni.hil.ist

Let it also be noted that among other actions they [witches] must follow four practices that serve to increase that breach of the Faith: they renounce the Catholic Faith in whole or part with a sacrilegious speech, solemnly devote themselves in body and soul, offer babies not yet reborn [baptised] to the Evil One, and persistently engage in the Devil’s filthy deeds through carnal acts with incubus and succubus demons.

Aster
@asterism@ni.hil.ist

the whole "sex with demons" thing seems to be really important to this guy (he brings it up a lot). I'm thinking he is thinking of the Nephilim I'm guessing the author must also be very familiar with the apocryphal Book of Enoch.

Aster
@asterism@ni.hil.ist

He argues here that demons just go around collecting sperm

Also, Strabus’ gloss on Exodus 7[:11] (“Pharaoh summoned the wise men . . . ”) says that demons scatter throughout the world and gather various seeds and from the use of them different sorts of creatures are able to burst into existence

Aster
@asterism@ni.hil.ist

yep he brought up the Nephilim (fwiw I always thought that interpretation of Gen 6 was kinda iffy)

He also implies that people are beautiful because of demons so go thank a demon for that one when you get a chance

Aster
@asterism@ni.hil.ist

They [demons] change senses, pollute affections, disturb those who are awake, disquiet those who are asleep with dreams, inflict diseases, stir up storms, turn themselves into angels of light, always carry Hell around with them, and in their relations with sorcerers usurp God’s worship for themselves.

Aster
@asterism@ni.hil.ist

... unreasoning rage, insane lust and perverse fantasy are inherent to them (understand this in terms of their spiritual sins: arrogance, envy and anger). For this reason, they are enemies of the human race and are rational in mind (though intelligent without running around), subtle in wrong-doing, desirous of causing harm, and ever novel in deceit. They change senses, pollute affections, disturb those who are awake, disquiet those who are asleep with dreams, inflict diseases, stir up storms, turn themselves into angels of light, always carry Hell around with them, and in their relations with sorcerers usurp God’s worship for themselves. The magical arts are carried out through them. They desire to gain lordship over the good and harass them more to the best of their abilities, are given to the Elect for their training, and always lie in ambush to attack man’s goal. Though they have a thousand methods and arts for causing harm, in that since the start of their own fall they have been trying to tear down the unity of the Church, to wound love, to infect the sweetness of holy works with the bile of envy, and in every way to overturn the human race and throw it into confusion, his power abides in the loins and navel (next to last chapter of Job), since it is through the debauchery of the flesh that they gain great lordship over men.

Aster
@asterism@ni.hil.ist

he cites a passage in Isaiah talking about how wild animals will dwell in Israel after its sacked by the Babylonians. But he interprets the goats to be demons.

Which is only funny to me because reading this way means that Israel will be inhabited with Ostriches and demons

Aster
@asterism@ni.hil.ist

“It will be a bedchamber of snakes, and pastures for ostriches and demons will appear”) an interlinear gloss says, “That is, demonic monstrosities intermingled.”