the Relativity of Evil

[Ceridwyn]

Let's open up a fun can of worms!

So what is evil? What should we not do? There are two things that come to mind, the Wiccan Rede and Black Magic.

Now the Wiccan Rede is fine. For anyone reading who does not know the rede is: "An it harm none, do what ye will." However Pagans are not neccessarily Wiccan and find this philosophy faulted. I don't want to debate this rede per se, but more the question of what is right and wrong?

I remember when I first picked up a book on witchcraft my mother told me not to do black magic because it was bad and she knew from experience. Now I don't like labeling a color as all bad, so what is "evil" magic then?

In short: where do we draw the line?

[Belladonnarose]

To me, anything "evil" is something that is meant to intentionally cause harm to another. A grey area would be that which influences the free will of another. For instance: A ritual is done to ensure justice is served, in placing a serial killer behind bars. Is this a good thing for the community? Yes. BUT technically it does infringe on the free will of the killer. Would I do that sort of working? In a heartbeat. I might even tread into a really grey area and invoke karma, ask the gods for a sort of retribution, especially for a heinous crime. Retribution magic is a very very dark shade of grey though, and not to be taken lightly. To use the adage "as ye bind, so are ye bound." Invoking someone's karma means you are invoking yours as well.

[Emi]

I think it's possible it COULD infringe on free will, but it depends on how it's worded and done. I asked Hecate to dole out justice and make sure the people responsible for the robbery got what was coming to them. Was it something that would potentially be harmful to them? Hell yes. But does that hurt their free will? No.

[Emi]

Evil is intentionally harming someone that does not deserve it.

[stevie]

i dont really know what evil is per se but i can sense it in a building or a house sometimes...
and also in a person sometimes...
i just get a feeling that this or that or he or she has an evil spirit.
like a bad energy or a bad vibration maybe.

[Belladonnarose]

To Emi: I am going to play Devil's advocate here (all pun intended)
Is harming someone who "deserves it" okay then? How do you determine if someone deserves the harm you have in mind?
To Stevie: those that do evil will attract evil things. If you sense it in a building, chances are, what you are sensing is residual energy from some sort of past trauma (murder, or even a really bad, emotional argument). There is the posibility that a negative spirit resides there as well.
The word "vibration" is probably the best word you could have used! Negative energy tends to vibrate at a lower frequency, whereas more positive, spiritual energy vibrates at a quicker rate. Negative vibrations can also feel "out of balance," which is probably why it seems very chaotic. And, as like attracts like, negative people/places tend to be a magnet for more negative energy!!!

[Emi]

I go by what my gut tells me. If they hurt others, if they threaten harm on someone, they deserve something sent to them, or at least having a binding done to them.

[Fionna]

The definition of evil is doing something with malice and spiteful intentions with no thought, no qualms no guilt what so ever. a terrible act towards someone via murder, revenge, jealousy,hatefulness or what ever the case may be. People must be responsible for themselves and what they do and realise consquence. Drawing a line must be up to ourselves. Each individual must think logiclly before any magical workings are used. I personally trust my Goddess in guiding me on the path when I need help. I do not see any wrong in asking for justice where justice is do.

[Emi]

Yeah, I don't see any wrong in that either. You make a good point about no guilt. They don't care about what they do or who they hurt.

[Luna]

Intent is everything for me. In some instances you must choose the lesser of two evils, and in that istance, it's about your intent for the greater good. Even protection is designed to harm the one attacking, so again, the purpose is to help someone by harming someone else. It's considered to be a nessicary evil, for the greater and noble good.

[arettya]

to me: true evil is the intent of harm to a multitude for no reason nor purpose.
the true good is the intent to aid to a multitude for no reason nor purpose.

the reason why i say no reason or purpose because people can choose to do harm or aid for an reason that is in their self-interest. so, true good evil and true good are waht is being asked.

good and evil in general is the act of harm or aid by intent. choice is by the individual that dictates that thought. and their impersonation of good and evil can be moreso different from the other.