WerewolfWerewolf

Info Taken Fromhttp://www.pantheon.org/articles/w/werewolf.html

There are two categories of werewolf There are two categories of werewolf cases; cases;

'false' or Lycanthropic Disorder cases 'false' or Lycanthropic Disorder cases and genuine werewolf cases.and genuine werewolf cases.

LYCANTHROPIC LYCANTHROPIC DISORDERDISORDER

• (Greek) lykanthropos - lykos (Greek) lykanthropos - lykos wolfwolf; anthropos ; anthropos human beinghuman being; Wolfman.; Wolfman.

• Lycanthropic Disorder is a mental condition Lycanthropic Disorder is a mental condition in which the subject believes that he or she in which the subject believes that he or she is a werewolf. is a werewolf.

• The subject does not actually change shape, The subject does not actually change shape, but is nevertheless capable of being as but is nevertheless capable of being as dangerous as an actual werewolfdangerous as an actual werewolf

• Most cases of supposed werewolfry are Most cases of supposed werewolfry are really the works of Lycanthropic Disorder really the works of Lycanthropic Disorder victims.victims.

MAN TO BEASTMAN TO BEAST• In popular folklore, a man who is transformed, In popular folklore, a man who is transformed,

or who transforms himself, into a wolf in or who transforms himself, into a wolf in nature and appearance under the influence of nature and appearance under the influence of a full moon. a full moon.

• The werewolf is only active at night and during The werewolf is only active at night and during that period, he devours infants and corpses. that period, he devours infants and corpses.

• According to legend, werewolves can be killed According to legend, werewolves can be killed by silver objects such as silver arrows and by silver objects such as silver arrows and silver bullets. silver bullets.

• When a werewolf dies he When a werewolf dies he is returned to his human form. is returned to his human form.

WEREWOLVES & IMMORTALITYWEREWOLVES & IMMORTALITY

• Werewolves are immune from aging and from Werewolves are immune from aging and from most physical diseases due to the constant most physical diseases due to the constant regeneration of their physical tissue. regeneration of their physical tissue. • They can, therefore, be virtually immortal. They can, therefore, be virtually immortal.

• However, they can be killed by any wound that However, they can be killed by any wound that destroys the heart or the brain, destroys the heart or the brain, • or any form of death that causes brain or heart or any form of death that causes brain or heart

damage damage • (such as hanging or other oxygen-deprivation (such as hanging or other oxygen-deprivation

methods).methods).

BECOMING A BECOMING A WEREWOLF WEREWOLF• There are several ways to become a werewolf. There are several ways to become a werewolf.

• Being givin the power of shape shifting through Being givin the power of shape shifting through sorcery, sorcery,

• being cursed by someone who you have wronged in being cursed by someone who you have wronged in some way (called Lycaeonia curse), some way (called Lycaeonia curse),

• being bitten by a werewolf,being bitten by a werewolf,• and being born to a werewolf. and being born to a werewolf.

• In each case, the blood becomes tainted or In each case, the blood becomes tainted or cursed.cursed.

DAMNATIONDAMNATION• A person who becomes a werewolf against his A person who becomes a werewolf against his

will (birth, curse, or bite) is not completely will (birth, curse, or bite) is not completely damned until he tastes of human blood.damned until he tastes of human blood.

• Once he does, his soul is eternally damned Once he does, his soul is eternally damned and nothing may redeem him. and nothing may redeem him.

• Even without tasting of human blood, however, Even without tasting of human blood, however, • as long as the taint lays upon the immortal soul, as long as the taint lays upon the immortal soul, • it cannot enter Heaven, it cannot enter Heaven,

• and will remain chained to the mortal plane upon and will remain chained to the mortal plane upon death.death.

• SpiritSpirit or Ghost or Ghost

In the dark Middle Ages, the Church In the dark Middle Ages, the Church stigmatized the wolf as the personification stigmatized the wolf as the personification

of evil and a servant of of evil and a servant of SatanSatan himself. himself.

• The Church courts managed to put so The Church courts managed to put so much pressure on much pressure on • schizophrenics,schizophrenics,• epileptics epileptics • and the mentally disabled, and the mentally disabled, • that they testified to be werewolves and that they testified to be werewolves and

admitted to receive their orders directly admitted to receive their orders directly from Satan. from Satan.

• After 1270 it was even considered After 1270 it was even considered heretical not to believe in the existence heretical not to believe in the existence of werewolves. of werewolves.

The charge of being a werewolf The charge of being a werewolf disappeared from European courts disappeared from European courts

around the 17th centuryaround the 17th century

• But only for the lack of evidence. But only for the lack of evidence. • The belief in werewolves, however, did The belief in werewolves, however, did

not completely disappear. not completely disappear. • In Europe after 1600, it was generally In Europe after 1600, it was generally

believed that if there were no werewolves, believed that if there were no werewolves, • then at least the wolf was a creature of evil. then at least the wolf was a creature of evil.

• This resulted in an unjustified and negative image This resulted in an unjustified and negative image of the wolf; an image that most people still have of the wolf; an image that most people still have today. today.