Question for Pagans, Wiccans, Occultists -- is Magick always either "Black" or "White"?

Yes and No. Any colors we give magick are mind-sets, framing, or maps we use to understand magick. They have truth to them, but do not encompass the idea itself; magick. So, one spell may be black, another white, another black and white. Another Red, another Ocatrine. Dualistic Morality has no place in Neopaganism. If people want strict Dualistic Morality they can find it in most, more popular, religions available to him. (As well as most politics, philosophies and psychologies out today)

It has always been my opinion that Magick is neither "black" nor "white". Magic is but a tool, it is how it is used that determines if it is baneful or beneficial.

Too answer your second part, Neopaganism doesn't have a place for absolute polarity of morality. We leave that for the Abramic faiths. Neopaganism, for the most part, is concerned with the partnership between dualities. You cannot have one side of a coin without another and even then both sides most likely have a shade of the other. There are no absolutes in my opinion.

Blessed Be )O(

Magic is magic. Is electricity good or bad? No. Then why is magic?

There is no such thing as "black" magic in a real sense. Sure a death spell might be considered evil. But to use it on a serial killer or rapist would actually be considered a good thing.

Morality in and of itself is subjective, it all comes down to the individual. There are those who are unafraid to use magic in all forms to ANY purpose be it positive or negative. Philosophies regarding magic and spirituality both are sometimes divided into a sort of dualism. Those like described above are considered LHP or left hand path. RHP or Right hand path are those who try to only use magic, and do just about everything in their lives, by utilizing only the "positive". The Wiccan rede is the most common example of an RHP philosophy. But as good and evil are unique to the individual RHP types are bound to disagree. This can blatantly be seen in the various religions of the world.

I'm getting a little off track but that's pretty much how it works. There really is no difference. The problem only truly arises when you actually make the division. Energy is energy. Everything else is a personal, cultural, or religious definition.

I don't think there's room for any kind of Absolute Morality in any faith. To apply an absolute morality indicates that whoever came up with the standards for that morality--whatever it may be--has all the answers. Common sense and observation will soon prove -that- idea false.

As for "black or "white" magic--I think there are certain spells that never have positive consequences. I think there are other spells which have universally positive consequences. But there's an awful lot of stuff "in the middle"--where intent and practice and result all have to come together to determine whether a spell is "good" or "bad."

I don't think it's black or white, nor is it always good or evil. Magick is just energy, our intent is what makes others class it as black or white. The problem with that is that good and evil are really hard to define because people have different beliefs of what is good or evil.

Magick is magick, period. The good or evil comes in with the purpose and intent of the user. If the user intends to cause harm then it is bad, if good is the intention then it is good. Magick is merely a tool (a process, in this case), through which the user is able to focus one's energies in a directed manner to accomplish a goal that is accomplished by non-natural means. As a tool, it is neither good nor evil, in and of itself. Just as guns are not evil, just as drugs are not evil, just as anything else is not evil, in and of itself. What makes anything evil is the intentions of the user. Therefore it is the USER who is good or evil, NOT the tools that are used to accomplish the ends.

Brightest Blessings,

Raji the Green Witch

Power is neutral - it is the uses to which power is put that are "good" or "evil" so your intentions in utilising power of any kind are of the utmost importance.

I don't believe in White or Black magick, only magick as a whole and consequently very rarely use spells of any kind and only when I have thought through the possible consequence of my actions - good and bad. Even then you cannot always be sure of the consequences so it's best to avoid ritual magick as much as possible and only use it as a very last resort IMHO

Its the intent.

Just like any other black/white reference there is usually gray. Such as with hackers there are black hat (break laws), and white hat (security people), and grey hat (break laws but feel its for a good reason, like in the movies).

Magic is magic. A spell is not black or white. Its the use of it which defines it. In Wicca the phrase is "An' ye harm none, do what ye will". That means you cannot play with wording and do "white magic" with a twist putting it to a dark purpose.

Magic aside, the absolute black vs white sort of thinking is why Pagans are lumped in with "worshiping Satan" by Christians. THAT'S a black/white concept that we can readily recognize as extreme and not logical. Do we as Pagans really want to emulate this type of behavior?

there are no absolutes. 'black' and 'white' magic are relative terms. 'white' is drawn from emotions that are generally considered constructive: love, compassion, etc; black magic is drawn from destructive emotions like anger or fear.

even 'white' magic can have negative effects, and in the hands of the ethical practitioner, 'black' magic is used for the greater good.

if dualism were absolute, there would be no common ground and no equilibrium in which life could thrive, and no magic would work because if everything were black and white, there would be nothing to manipulate.