Russian deputies turn up heat on witches: report wrote:MOSCOW (AFP) - Russian deputies are to consider a law that would turn up the heat on advertising by witches and healers enjoying a meteoric growth in demand, the Gazeta daily reported on Friday.
The law, which is to have its first reading in parliament's lower chamber shortly, would allow only officially registered healers to advertise in newspapers, Gazeta reported.
The paper quoted one of the bill's authors, parliamentarian Vladimir Medinsky, as casting scorn on the colourful small advertisements that brim from the pages of Russia's popular press.
The bill's introduction argues that "citizens who believe in the adverts of magicians and witches often become the victims of commonplace fraud," the paper said.
Russian papers are full of advertisements by fortune tellers and purveyors of potions, lotions, curses and charms, often aimed at helping someone catch a mate or take revenge when a relationship has gone wrong.
Typically, the Tvoi Den newspaper ran an advert on Friday by self-styled magician Tatyana Fyodorova offering "powerful charms" to help clients earn money, get a husband back and cure alcoholism.
Gazeta estimated the market was worth 30-40 million dollars (19-25 million euros) a year, with the advertising market worth five million dollars in the first half of 2007.
Quoting health ministry statistics, the paper said about 100,000 people worked as healers in Russia, almost all of them unregistered.
Russian Witchcraft Legislation
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Ron Caliburn
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Russian Witchcraft Legislation
Sadly, people like that are the greatest threat to us. When a charlatan claims to have some miracle cure/charm/whatever to make a person rich or cure their worst ailments, and these "miracles" are proven to be shams, it enforces the idea in most peoples' minds that all magic is a sham.
That the Russian government registers healers and would allow them to continue operating as normal speaks wonders for them. That'll make things easier to deal with in Russia...hopefully.
Now we just need to reach people here, let them know, yes, there are shams out there, but just because it's "magic" or "supernatural" doesn't mean it's fake.
That the Russian government registers healers and would allow them to continue operating as normal speaks wonders for them. That'll make things easier to deal with in Russia...hopefully.
Now we just need to reach people here, let them know, yes, there are shams out there, but just because it's "magic" or "supernatural" doesn't mean it's fake.
I am not A bitch...I am THE bitch. And to you, I'm MS Bitch.
