Those who dress in Goth garb are often confused with devil worshippers. Now admittedly checking out a few of the babes on Gothic Sluts does indeed lead to sinful thoughts of devilish deeds. I’m not sure if the temptation and lust I feel comes from Satan or just a healthy dose of male testosterone coursing through my veins. However, we all too often blame the man in red for what seems all too human. If one were to believe the theological theory of original sin, isn’t being bad natural and being good superhumanly, divine?

If my devoutly religious mother were here, she’d warn you not to listen to the demonic logic I use. However, I think it’s strange how despite many of society turning to secular ways, folks still tend to confuse anyone who is different with not just being crazy but being imbued if evil properties. When we can’t explain an event in life, many of us still describe its seeming randomness as God moving in mysterious ways. We rather not admit to a lack of control.

At times, in fact even a mere lack in understanding is unacceptable and so those who dare to defy our accepted laws of nature are deemed to be delving into the supernatural or even the black occult arts. Maybe, you thought the last people to fall prey to accusations of witchcraft were the citizens of Salem, Massachusetts but indeed, even during the last century in England a woman was accused of being a witch.

Medium Helen Duncan lived in Portsmouth, the home of the Royal Navy. She was imprisoned for nine months under the UK’s Witchcraft Act in 1944 according to the BBC (12/06/06). During a séance, the spirit of a sailor from HMS Barham has purportedly appeared to her. It wasn’t until several months later that the ship was officially declared lost.

She was the last person to be indicted under the code, which dated from 1735 and it was later repealed in 1951. Three years later the spiritualism, the movement of which Ms. Duncan was an active participant was recognized as an official religion in Great Britain. The woman who passed away 50 years ago has many family members and supporters from the paranormal field who would like to see her pardoned for her supposed crime.

To this day, there’s no explanation of how Duncan knew the fate of the ship before the government admitted that it was lost. It’s somewhat spooky. However, it should be noted from the photo accompanying the story that she looked like any sweet older lady of the time. Special powers do not require special attire. That said a good Goth outfit might raise something other than the dead.