1716: Wonderful Mkhutche on Humanism, Witchcraft Beliefs, and Freethought in Malawi
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): Medium (Personal)
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2026/07/14
“Humanism in Malawi is about challenging societal mindsets largely shaped by dominant Christian and Muslim beliefs.”
“Humanism, for me, was a way to break free from these boundaries.”
“Humanism offers a path towards a more open-minded and progressive society in the larger Malawian context.”
“Humanism addresses these beliefs by challenging both religious and traditional foundations.”
“In Malawi, humanism is unique in its approach to combating witchcraft beliefs because it promotes rational thinking and empirical evidence, offering a perspective that few others in society address.”
“As humanists, we aim to eliminate the belief in witchcraft.”
“We say witchcraft doesn’t exist, in the hope that, as people stop believing in it, the ‘virus’ of superstition will also disappear from our society.”
“It’s the best way forward because we can’t allow people to believe in witchcraft and then expect them not to engage in violence because of that belief.”
“The best solution is to remove the belief, eliminating the associated harm.”
“Humanism provides a voice against religious dominance.”
“People who passionately argued with me five years ago now admit that we, as humanists, were right all along.”
“In Malawian society, openly denying witchcraft’s existence is risky.”
“There’s a risk of losing economic opportunities simply for holding views that go against societal norms.”
“This is why I’m motivated to climb as far as I can on the social ladder, to use whatever influence I may have to tell people that witchcraft isn’t real.”
“Wherever I go, I represent that message.”
“When people see me, they associate me with the message that witchcraft doesn’t exist. It works.”
“The second approach is media interviews. They are incredibly effective in spreading the message.”
“Some people already doubted the existence of witchcraft, so when they hear me say it doesn’t exist, they feel relieved, like they’ve finally found someone who thinks the same way.”
“We aim to use every possible opportunity to spread our message.”
“The risks of coming out as a humanist in Malawi are considerable.”
“The first major risk is the loss of economic opportunities.”
“There’s also the risk of social isolation.”
“It’s a form of punishment for thinking differently.”
“Here, however, in a country of 20 million people, imagine 19.5 million believing one thing and just a few of us holding a different perspective. It’s a significant challenge.”
“They speak about humanism privately, but publicly, they’re afraid.”
“Many people here expect women to be religious, so women fear social isolation if they openly embrace humanism.”
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