Of Witch-Hunts, Trinities Of Sin, And Triple Goddesses

The "Trinity Of Sin" from DC Comics...

...and members from activist/punk band Pussy Riot on trial

Today exiled and "housebound" Julian Assange* gave an impassioned speech from the balcony of the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, urging President Obama and the United States to "stop the witch hunt against WikiLeaks."

I found his use of words quite interesting, considering that only a couple of days ago three members of the the punk rock band/social activism group Pussy Riot were convicted of "hooliganism" in a public circus of a court case that uncannily resembled the witch trials of old:

Part of the "evidence" against the three consisted of testimony on how their blend of "blasphemy" and feminism "infected" impressionable souls -- testimony that repeatedly referred to the young women as "demonic." Here is how one witness to Pussy Riot's brief performance inside a church described the event:

"I can’t describe it. In essence, it was some sort of demonic seizing."

To add some extra atmosphere, some anti-Pussy Riot protesters were actually heard to chant "burn the witches" outside the courthouse.

Apparently also missing the "good old days," members of Russian Orthodox groups have also taken to setting images of Pussy Riot on fire.** The New York Times quotes the leader of one religious sect as saying the following:

"We’re going to rip them up and burn them. Like in the Middle Ages."

You can't make this stuff up folks. We're in the middle of a goddamned Witch Craze. In 2012.

In the "triple goddess" aspect of the three women on trial -- their decision to evoke the Virgin Mary's more "pagan" (read: feminist, woman-positive) roots in an Orthodox church -- the "witch" connection couldn't be more explicit. This is why the focus of the world is so laser-like focused on this trinity of females -- because symbolically they are the embodiment of the global Divine Feminine energy taking on traditional "patriarchal" religions everywhere (reference also the Catholic nuns currently challenging the Vatican):

They've tapped into the zeitgeist.

Writing this, and being somewhat nerdy, I cannot help but think of another trinity -- the one in DC's New 52 comic book line. While the "offenders" on trial in that recent storyline -- leading up to the big "Trinity" event next year -- are not all female, the echoes are there:

Like Pandora in this story, Assange and the members of Pussy Riot have been accused of "opening a box," forcing uncomfortable dialogues on topics like politics and religion into the public spotlight.

In the DC Universe, the character of Pandora is supposed to "rearrange" and alter the world -- of the "nothing will ever be the same" variety. Will the international attention -- and protests -- sparked by the verdict in the Pussy Riot trial do the same to our world?

*Oh, I am well aware of the crimes Assange is accused of in Sweden -- and if he really let ego and personal frailty put into jeopardy all he did with WikiLeaks, he is a fucking idiot of the highest order and deserves to go to jail. But I highly doubt the U.S. seeks to throw him into the oubliette along with Bradley Manning just because they feel oh-so-strongly about rape charges, not when there's an epidemic of sexual assault going on (and swept under the rug) within their very own military. 

**Not like the civilized, post-religious, non-superstitious and sophisticated people in the West who restrain themselves and only send death and rape threats to outspoken females through the Internet. Oh, and make Flash games simulating beating women in the face. And that damned Bradley Manning thing again. Let's not sprain our hands giving ourselves too big a pat on the back.