The Malleus Maleficarum is probably one of the most notorious books of Catholic Church history. Originally put out when the Inquisition was in full force, this book, and the text it contains condemned thousands of innocent people to needless deaths. Most of what today's society and culture thinks of the witches and the occult comes from these pages. Although this text is largely misguided and inaccurate from even a scriptural standpoint, the fact remains that it has molded our views on those who practice occult arts in many ways.