Black and white magic

[Polarbear]

Is there such thing and what is the distinction?

 

[Iti oj]

eh not really but it can be useful when comparing just say angelic magic vs lhp magic. to me magic is like an oil slick techno colored in the sun

 

[Father Heathen]

I imagine if magic existed, magic would simply be magic. You can use electricity to power a defibrillator or to power a parrilla, but there isn't what you would call black electricity or white electricity.

Edit: I hope no one minds me posting in this DIR.

 

[Cassiopia]

I think the difference is rather subjective. It can depend on motives and methods. I use both. Some people regard black magic as evil, and I guess it can be but it doesn't have to be. I have always regarded magic as magic and was always prepared to use whatever was necessary long before I became a Satanist. I'd say that black magic is generally more self serving and sometimes employs methods or entities which some people consider taboo.

 

[Polarbear]

Thanks!

 

[Erebus]

I imagine if magic existed, magic would simply be magic. You can use electricity to power a defibrillator or to power a parrilla, but there isn't what you would call black electricity or white electricity.

Edit: I hope no one minds me posting in this DIR.

That's a pretty good analogy

If somebody wants to break down magic into colours/types they're more than welcome to do so, but their categories will always be subjective. Usually people categorize magic in accordance with intent and aesthetic (Red magic for sex, white magic for healing and so on).

For me personally magic is just magic. It's that hard to define grey area between the psychological and the supernatural.

 

[Quintessence]

I mostly agree with what Shyanekh said; such categories represent a map of the territory. People can draw their maps as they see fit, so there are varying opinions depending on who you ask about it. Generally speaking, I've noticed that actual practitioners of spellcraft don't tend to believe in categorizing it as "black" or "white" but that outsiders often do because that is what is portrayed in popular culture. There are exceptions to this on both ends.

 

[Gjallarhorn]

Is there such thing and what is the distinction?

White typically means intent to avoid harm was present. Black typically means intent to induce harm was present.

All in all, not a very clear distinction, as I could easily desire to harm you in order to avoid further harm to you (tough love).

 

[Quintessence]

The harm distinction is a terrible one for other reasons. Everything we do causes harm to something. It may not be harm to something we value, but destruction is destruction. Hell, who knows how many microbial life forms I'm slaughtering just by sitting here and breathing.

 

[Polarbear]

Note that he said intent to harm, not harm itself as the distinction.

 

[Quintessence]

Depending on your ethical systems, intent is irrelevant. Outcome is all that matters to some. Intentions can be lied about. Tangible outcomes cannot.

 

[Gjallarhorn]

Depending on your ethical systems, intent is irrelevant. Outcome is all that matters to some. Intentions can be lied about. Tangible outcomes cannot.

If it were not about intent, I would strongly hesitate to call it magic.

 

[Quintessence]

Oh, I wouldn't necessarily disagree with that. What I'm saying is that distinguishing black and white magic based on intent can be a dicey enterprise depending on where your ethical standards derive from. If intent is not part of your ethical equations, it makes little sense to use that as the basis for discriminating black from white magic. To someone else, it might make more sense to classify it based on the actual results, not the intent.

Binding spells are a great example of this. Regardless of what your intent is for them, in many causes the outcome is to cause harm to the other person. For this reason they are often regarded as a taboo form of spellcraft. Doesn't matter to some whether or not your intention was to protect someone (a "white magic" goal) from the bound person. The outcome still includes harm ("black magic"). Am I explaining this better?

 

[Sireal]

Michael Aquino makes the distinction rather succinctly.
Index

 

[jasonwill2]

It's still fun to say "black magick" to non-magicans though...

 

[InfidelRiot]

Magic is not defined by color. It is defined by who uses it, whether for good or bad.

 

[Sireal]

Magic is not defined by color. It is defined by who uses it, whether for good or bad.

Black and White are not colors....

 

[jasonwill2]

Black and White are not colors....

Yes it is.

White is the reflection of all colors, yet if you mix all the colors of paint together... you eventually get a very dark if not black color. Techically though, black is the absence of color. However white IS a color, a combination of all colors in the same way that green is a combination of yellow and blue.

 

[Adramelek]

Black and White are not colors....

Interesting, would you care to elaborate?

Xeper.
/Adramelek\

 

[Sireal]

Interesting, would you care to elaborate?

Xeper.
/Adramelek\

Absorption of light/reflection of light.-not color. Magic is neither Black nor White, it is simply magic, everyone uses it. Some use it ignorantly-White magic. Some use it from a highly informed perspective-Black magic.

Clear/Understood Intent, free of lust for results- Black magic (Left hand path)-acceptance of Self.

Unfocused, ill informed mysticism/desire-White magic(Right hand path)-rejection of Self.

Xeper