Author Topic: Hexes and Curses (Read 2744 times)

FollowerofOdin · « **on:** July 05, 2013, 08:57:38 pm »

Now I know that Wiccans don't curse and hex because it's against the Rede, but what about witches that don't call themselves Wiccans. I know this might be a stupid question, but I would love to know. I would also like to know what your opinion is about those that do hex and curse, who are not Wiccan. And what if their Wiccan and they do hex and curse?

RandallS · « **Reply #1 on:** July 06, 2013, 08:21:39 am »

Quote from: FollowerofOdin;114732

Now I know that Wiccans don't curse and hex because it's against the Rede, but what about witches that don't call themselves Wiccans. I know this might be a stupid question, but I would love to know.

If you are asking if people who practice witchcraft but are not of the religion Wicca cast curses, then the answer is that many do.

Quote

I would also like to know what your opinion is about those that do hex and curse, who are not Wiccan.

My opinion is the same as it is for everything else about the morality of doing magic: if you would consider doing X to someone without magic moral, then doing it with magic is also moral. If it would not be moral to do it without magic, then it is not moral to do it with magic. Magical cursing is no different. For example I'd have no moral issues with shooting someone to stop them from purposely severely injuring an innocent, so I would hav no more issues with using a curse to stop them from doing so. If fact, if I could bind them to not cause such injury I'd consider that a more moral solution than shooting them to stop them in the act.

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And what if their Wiccan and they do hex and curse?

I think a literal interpretation of the Wiccan Rede as a command to "Never cause harm" is silly. The Wiccan Rede as interpreted by traditional Wiccans is moral advice (not moral law) that says that if what you want to do does not cause harm, it's obviously moral to do it. It says NOTHING about the morality of actions that do cause harm.

ALiteraryLady · « **Reply #2 on:** July 06, 2013, 09:59:37 am »

Quote from: RandallS;114757

I think a literal interpretation of the Wiccan Rede as a command to "Never cause harm" is silly. The Wiccan Rede as interpreted by traditional Wiccans is moral advice (not moral law) that says that if what you want to do does not cause harm, it's obviously moral to do it. It says NOTHING about the morality of actions that do cause harm.

I agree, I've also heard it explained more among the lines of, "you can do what you will, but you have to own up to everything and realize that there is a good chance that stuff will get out of hand, so keep that in mind before you do what you're going to do."

To me, the Wiccan Rede is really just asking you to think before you act, like seriously think before you go and bring magic into a situation. It isn't a fear of magic, but rather realizing that using magic is a bit different than using a more tangible object to get the job done as well.

Jabberwocky · « **Reply #3 on:** July 06, 2013, 10:49:46 am »

Quote from: FollowerofOdin;114732

As a rule of thumb, I'd suggest that you shouldn't curse anyone you wouldn't punch in the face.

That also answers your question about what I think of people that hex and curse. Those that do so for good reason are fine. I wouldn't associate with someone who does so as a first resort, in the same way I'd rather not go the pub with someone who ends up in fistfights all the time.

Sarah · « **Reply #4 on:** July 06, 2013, 10:57:10 am »

Quote from: Jabberwocky;114770

As a rule of thumb, I'd suggest that you shouldn't curse anyone you wouldn't punch in the face.

That also answers your question about what I think of people that hex and curse. Those that do so for good reason are fine. I wouldn't associate with someone who does so as a first resort, in the same way I'd rather not go the pub with someone who ends up in fistfights all the time.

For people who have more institutional/social power than me I am more likely to curse them than punch them in the face.

Jabberwocky · « **Reply #5 on:** July 06, 2013, 11:11:19 am »

Quote from: maybeimawitch;114771

For people who have more institutional/social power than me I am more likely to curse them than punch them in the face.

That's a fair point. Don't curse anyone you wouldn't feel justified in punching in the face might be a better way to put it.

Laveth · « **Reply #6 on:** July 06, 2013, 11:40:30 am »

Quote from: FollowerofOdin;114732

Now I know that Wiccans don't curse and hex because it's against the Rede, but what about witches that don't call themselves Wiccans. I know this might be a stupid question, but I would love to know. I would also like to know what your opinion is about those that do hex and curse, who are not Wiccan. And what if their Wiccan and they do hex and curse?

I am not Wiccan, and I don't hex or curse. Over the years I've come to understand that any squabbles I have with others are usually pretty petty over what amounts to nothing. If a solution can be found by communication, that's the route I go. If not, I simply remove myself from their sphere of influence and get on with my life. Wrongs are for the Universe to sort and I've never gone wanting for it.

I'm generally not interested in doing any kind of energy work to bring about results that I wouldn't try to first achieve by everyday non-magical methods.

Emma Eldritch · « **Reply #7 on:** July 06, 2013, 11:45:50 am »

Quote from: FollowerofOdin;114732

Now I know that Wiccans don't curse and hex because it's against the Rede, but what about witches that don't call themselves Wiccans. I know this might be a stupid question, but I would love to know. I would also like to know what your opinion is about those that do hex and curse, who are not Wiccan. And what if their Wiccan and they do hex and curse?

Yup, plenty of non-Wiccan witches will throw a curse.

I don't mind it unless it starts getting into ridiculous territory; there are people who will have a magical hissy fit anytime someone upsets them, and that is just way too much drama for me. Those type of people tend to be drama queens in every aspect of life though, so it's easy for me to avoid them.

Wiccans who curse... There's really only a very specific subset that bother me, there: the type who will lecture you on 'harm none' for twenty minutes, but then turn around and do a 'karma spell' or something that is obviously a thinly disguised curse. Like, just own up to it! We must accept that there are consequences to our actions - tarting up "I hope my crappy neighbour has a bad time of it" as "the gods have decreed that I'm in the right so he was asking for it" is just childish.

Jabberwocky · « **Reply #8 on:** July 06, 2013, 11:53:06 am »

Quote from: Mama Fortuna;114778

Wiccans who curse... There's really only a very specific subset that bother me, there: the type who will lecture you on 'harm none' for twenty minutes, but then turn around and do a 'karma spell' or something that is obviously a thinly disguised curse.

"But she'd obviously be happier with me, so I'm doing her a favour by doing a spell to break up her relationship" is a closely related one to that.

catja6 · « **Reply #9 on:** July 06, 2013, 04:36:21 pm »

Quote from: maybeimawitch;114771

For people who have more institutional/social power than me I am more likely to curse them than punch them in the face.

Yup. Folk magic--where you're likely to find a lot of the really hardcore and effective curses--is traditionally a weapon of the marginalized and oppressed; it was often the only means available for people in those groups to express their anger or get justice. In some contexts, curses had a very public, social component: for example, in Hoodoo, the curse is often left in plain view, on the doorstep or something, as a way of publicly warning that person--this was often the only recourse African-Americans had against white masters, employers, and/or authority figures. In other contexts, it's done privately, in hopes of evening the odds--most coercive love spells are designed for women to do on men, because men had other means of forcing women's compliance and obedience.

Ivy · « **Reply #10 on:** August 12, 2013, 02:07:47 pm »

Quote from: RandallS;114757

My opinion is the same as it is for everything else about the morality of doing magic: if you would consider doing X to someone without magic moral, then doing it with magic is also moral. If it would not be moral to do it without magic, then it is not moral to do it with magic. Magical cursing is no different. For example I'd have no moral issues with shooting someone to stop them from purposely severely injuring an innocent, so I would hav no more issues with using a curse to stop them from doing so. If fact, if I could bind them to not cause such injury I'd consider that a more moral solution than shooting them to stop them in the act.

I think a literal interpretation of the Wiccan Rede as a command to "Never cause harm" is silly. The Wiccan Rede as interpreted by traditional Wiccans is moral advice (not moral law) that says that if what you want to do does not cause harm, it's obviously moral to do it. It says NOTHING about the morality of actions that do cause harm.

This!

Also, the OP makes me think that you feel that all Wiccans don't curse or hex. I have known several who do so and they didn't feel that the Rede prevented them from doing so. Granted, they weren't going around hexing someone because they sat in "their" seat on the bus, but if they felt wronged by someone & couldn't work it out any other way then they would resort to hexing & cursing.