Ethics

[Protagonist]

Hey guys. Protagonist here. I bet no one every suspected that I'd ever post in this forum, but here I am.

I'm interested in the ethics of spellcasting. Particularly, binding spells.

On one hand, people have free will, and interfering with that might be wrong, I guess. On the other hand, though, don't I have free will and with it a duty to do everything in my power to protect the children in my life?

[RedRaven]

Hi,
the way I look at things is that saying people have freewill only goes so far. Of course you have a right and a responsibility to protect yourself and your family. If you were being mugged you would just lay there and take it and say, "oh well, its his freewill to mug me". If you were being raped you wouldn`t just take it and say "its their freewill to do this to me". I see it the same way with magic. If there is some kind of actual threat to you or your family you have to do something about it, not just lay there and take it. Now, if you`re talking about some sort of magical threat against you then it gets tricky because you have to be 100% certain you`re actually being attacked. Just my 2 cents.

[Shanti]

For me ethics is measured by taking responsibility for any reaction to an action.
If something needs to be done and I am ready, willing and able to deal with the consequences, yes I will do it.

As for protecting a loved one, I had need. I used a mirror spell then sat back and watched the person causing the probs dig themselves into their own disasters. All neg action toward my love one hit the mirror and was turned onto the bad person. Their life fell apart with in a few months. My loved one was no longer a target and we where all fine. I ave no remorse because if that person wouldn't of been trying to cause my loved one probs they wouldn't have had their own intentions turn on them. So they did n fact create their own demise.

[Lady Fang]

You said specifically binding spells. The purpose we all no is prevent one from causing harm. Well, the binding spell can only take that so far, because of free will. It can dampen quite a bit, but the person will still do whatever they want. it just may not have the same out come they wished for.
My experience with binding spell was when one was put on me. six years later I still have no idea who did it, but their intention was good because I was slightly suicidal at the time. I could still be mean to other people, they just didn't let it bother them. I still hurt myself, but it caused no pain and only left scars. Who ever put the binding on me did not do it very well. So my advice to you would be to word your spell very carefully. Be very explicit to your desire, or need. because if you are not, you could have another me running around banging their head against a wall just to prove to their friends they don't feel it.

[Caelestis ♥ Raven]

I don't see why magick should be considered so separate from anything other actions we make.

If someone were trying to cause harm to another would you not do everything in your power to stop them? Yes we take away someone's free will a bit when we toss them into prison but it is for the greater good.

I think with all things though before we go all wild with it we need to stop and access the situation and make sure our intent is honest and for the best. Sometimes we may be emotional over it or scared and not thinking clearly.

Also with regard to karma spells and such I think we always need to search ourselves and ask if in the end are we taking any kind of satisfaction out of their suffering? And if so then are we any better?

[Phoenix_Falls]

I don't see why magick should be considered so separate from anything other actions we make.

If someone were trying to cause harm to another would you not do everything in your power to stop them? Yes we take away someone's free will a bit when we toss them into prison but it is for the greater good.
And in the same vein, the person being thrown into prison had the free will to decide whether or not to commit the action that got them there in the first place. So yeah, of course you have the free will to do whatever you want, but you have to be willing and prepared to accept the consequences of your actions, good or bad.


I think with all things though before we go all wild with it we need to stop and access the situation and make sure our intent is honest and for the best. Sometimes we may be emotional over it or scared and not thinking clearly.

But you know what they say about the road to hell, right? ;)

Well intentioned though someone may be, a spell can still have a negative effect. I think a good way to look at it, is to be prepared for the worst and best outcome, no matter the situation.