wreaths, dead bird left in pew- witchcraft?

[vluvski]

Not sure where to post this exactly.
A friend of mine has asked me to see if anyknow might have an explanation of this behavior. Her priest has had to lock up their church because someone is leaving strange “gifts” that are making people there very nervous.

One day they found a wreath with a dead bird in the center, and the next day there was a wreath. Does anyone know of witchcraft or other practices that might explain this behavior?

 

[Karin]

what was it a wreath of (pine, laurel, flowers…?)??

 

[KarenNC]

Does anyone know of witchcraft or other practices that might explain this behavior?

Mental illness? Practical joker? Disgruntled former church member? Someone with a sick sense of humor who gets a kick out of creating havoc?

 

[vluvski]

I do not know what the wreath is made out of; I’ll have to ask.

 

[Anima_Christi]

Not sure where to post this exactly.
A friend of mine has asked me to see if anyknow might have an explanation of this behavior. Her priest has had to lock up their church because someone is leaving strange “gifts” that are making people there very nervous.

One day they found a wreath with a dead bird in the center, and the next day there was a wreath. Does anyone know of witchcraft or other practices that might explain this behavior?

I have heard of people leaving decapitated rabbits at church and it has something to do with satanism.

 

[mommyof4]

My mother has found voodoo dolls in her church before. People are not above trying to use our church’s for evil purposes, sadly enough.

 

[Caesar]

One case in a former Diocese I lived in had life-size statues being fitted with replicas of genitalia in one church. And, not to be too descriptive, various bodily fluids were found with them.

 

[Jennifer_G]

Practical joker? Someone with a sick sense of humor who gets a kick out of creating havoc?

Being that it’s a church near Baltimore, and it has a bird (Is it a Raven?), it could be a practical joke by a sports fan since the playoff game is in a few days. But, I don’t know why it would be in a church - unless the churchgoers are ravenous fans. If it’s not a raven, then I don’t know what it could mean.

 

[KarenNC]

My mother has found voodoo dolls in her church before. People are not above trying to use our church’s for evil purposes, sadly enough

It is much more likely that someone fitting one of my above categories is responsible for any of these things than an organized non-Christian religious group. There are nuts and sickos who will claim anything, unfortunately. Such people do not have to have a rational (to anyone other than themselves) reason for their actions.

As I have been told “when you hear hoofbeats, expect to see horses, not zebras.” (unless of course you are on the Serengeti )

 

[Shoshana]

We have had blood written pentagram on our church’s front door and the rectory door. We do proliferate in satanic groups around here…

 

[mommyof4]

In my mother’s case, I don’t think it was a practical joke. Someone had constructed a voodoo doll that had a wedding ring attatched to it, and some semiprecious stones sewn into the arms and legs. The doll was tucked it into one of the plants on the altar. My mother only found it because she was at church one day watering the plants, and happened to bend down and saw it. Long story short, she took it to the priest and had it blessed (priest took this very seriously, by the way), and disposed of it. On other ocasions, she has found onions hidden up on the altar. Apparently, onions are somehow connected with voodoo spells, too.

 

[hasikelee]

In my mother’s case, I don’t think it was a practical joke. Someone had constructed a voodoo doll that had a wedding ring attatched to it, and some semiprecious stones sewn into the arms and legs. The doll was tucked it into one of the plants on the altar. My mother only found it because she was at church one day watering the plants, and happened to bend down and saw it. Long story short, she took it to the priest and had it blessed (priest took this very seriously, by the way), and disposed of it. On other ocasions, she has found onions hidden up on the altar. Apparently, onions are somehow connected with voodoo spells, too.

I guess someone needed to borrow an altar?

 

[jmcrae]

My guess is that someone is seeking attention/help.

Hopefully they’ll figure out a more appropriate way to do that, and stop scaring the parishioners.

 

[mommyof4]

I guess someone needed to borrow an altar?

I have no idea. I know next to nothing about voodooism, so I can only speculate.

 

[Shoshana]

My guess is that someone is seeking attention/help.

Hopefully they’ll figure out a more appropriate way to do that, and stop scaring the parishioners.

I wouldn’t scoff at the idea that this could be satanic in nature…it is a very good possibility it is!

 

[jmcrae]

I wouldn’t scoff at the idea that this could be satanic in nature…it is a very good possibility it is!

I’m not scoffing. Just suggesting a more likely possibility. There are more crazy/confused attention-seekers out there than there are actual Satanists - although I suppose there are a fair number of Satanists who fall into both camps.

 

[Shoshana]

I’m not scoffing. Just suggesting a more likely possibility. There are more crazy/confused attention-seekers out there than there are actual Satanists - although I suppose there are a fair number of Satanists who fall into both camps.

For sure. And they’re are a lot of so called satanists are in it just for the thrill-seeking! But there are those REAl ones out there…and any curse by one would be made void by the priest’s blessing for sure!

 

[shirleytowers]

Maybe it was just an item of personal meaning to someone, like their bird died and they left a memorial wreath and the corpse in church? Or some mentally ill person or whacko, but not satanist. I hope.

 

[KarenNC]

Or some mentally ill person or whacko, but not satanist. I hope.

More likely. Satanists (ie members of the Church of Satan/Temple of Set) do not encourage animal sacrifice, in fact they actively discourage it as, not to mince words, “stupid.”

faqs.org/faqs/religions/satanism/faqtos/

xeper.org/pub/lib/xp_lib_OnLifeAndItsSanctity.htm

Santeria is the only religion of which I am aware that actively engages in animal sacrifice as part of its approved rituals, at least in the US. There may be others, but I haven’t heard of them.

 

[KarenNC]

There are more crazy/confused attention-seekers out there than there are actual Satanists - although I suppose there are a fair number of Satanists who fall into both camps.

Yep. Unfortunately no one religion has a corner on “crazy/confused attention-seekers,” or can claim to be free of them, more’s the pity.