Post by latinoscorp on May 22, 2003 21:03:12 GMT -5
I couldn't find the reply line so decided to start anew thread. Maybe someone can put it where it belongs.
I believe that the terms "white" and black" are simply a way of saying: "I approve of this, I won't go there." The essay was, in essence, saying: "black is what I won't do."
The essay says "When many people refer to white magick they mean magick for unselfish purposes..."
I don't believe that magick--changing outcomes--is ever without some degree of selfishness.
Black magick is otherwise defined as that done with "self-interest and healing *without* specific permission. Using magick to forcefully control another's will is in a sense black magick too."
While I agree that healing without specific permission and to forcefully control another's will" may be considered "black", the truth of the matter is that many of us engage in black magick any time we try to "make the rapist stop" since we are controlling "another's will". While if we ask for healing, even with permission, are we not engaging in self interest?
Magick is magick, we use it as needed. And then we struggle with our "conscience".
"animal sacrifices," are said, in the essay part of black magick. Why? Every time we eat a steak, a pork chop, a chicken wing, etc. someone has sacrificed that animal on our behalf. Without offering the deity, earth, whatever any thanks. In truth, most animals sacrificed for religious purposes are eaten, the blood offered as thanks for the gift. It isn't black, it is a demonstration of love for deity.
"dangerous and unconventional mgaickal practices, and other bizarre stuff." If this were true all magick--except the most bland kind would be black, depending of each person's definition of dangerous, unconventional, or bizarre.
Dangerous may be loosely defined, but it is difficult to define a level of demarcation to find a white/black frontier--after all people jump out of airplanes, a sport I find terrifying, for others it's a joyful experience.
what's unconvetional? It means in essence what the definer of a "convention" finds outside their realm. Unconventionality is in the eye of the beholder.
And bizzarre is even more difficult to define, because culture defines the bizarre: ask a baptist, and he will find it extremely bizarre that a catholic drinks wine; a presbyterian and she will find the fact that the wine in catholicism is the blood of jesus; a generic pagan the fact that a Santeria priestess will kill a chicken, offer the blood and then eat it, even though they may have a delicious chicken dinner after ritual.
To someone, somewhere, somehow then someone is practicing "black magick" .
I believe that the terms "white" and black" are simply a way of saying: "I approve of this, I won't go there." The essay was, in essence, saying: "black is what I won't do."
The essay says "When many people refer to white magick they mean magick for unselfish purposes..."
I don't believe that magick--changing outcomes--is ever without some degree of selfishness.
Black magick is otherwise defined as that done with "self-interest and healing *without* specific permission. Using magick to forcefully control another's will is in a sense black magick too."
While I agree that healing without specific permission and to forcefully control another's will" may be considered "black", the truth of the matter is that many of us engage in black magick any time we try to "make the rapist stop" since we are controlling "another's will". While if we ask for healing, even with permission, are we not engaging in self interest?
Magick is magick, we use it as needed. And then we struggle with our "conscience".
"animal sacrifices," are said, in the essay part of black magick. Why? Every time we eat a steak, a pork chop, a chicken wing, etc. someone has sacrificed that animal on our behalf. Without offering the deity, earth, whatever any thanks. In truth, most animals sacrificed for religious purposes are eaten, the blood offered as thanks for the gift. It isn't black, it is a demonstration of love for deity.
"dangerous and unconventional mgaickal practices, and other bizarre stuff." If this were true all magick--except the most bland kind would be black, depending of each person's definition of dangerous, unconventional, or bizarre.
Dangerous may be loosely defined, but it is difficult to define a level of demarcation to find a white/black frontier--after all people jump out of airplanes, a sport I find terrifying, for others it's a joyful experience.
what's unconvetional? It means in essence what the definer of a "convention" finds outside their realm. Unconventionality is in the eye of the beholder.
And bizzarre is even more difficult to define, because culture defines the bizarre: ask a baptist, and he will find it extremely bizarre that a catholic drinks wine; a presbyterian and she will find the fact that the wine in catholicism is the blood of jesus; a generic pagan the fact that a Santeria priestess will kill a chicken, offer the blood and then eat it, even though they may have a delicious chicken dinner after ritual.
To someone, somewhere, somehow then someone is practicing "black magick" .
