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This is a sensitive subject with many Wiccans, neo-pagans, pagans, and witches, no matter what tradition. Anyone who uses magic is vulnerable to the "wicked witch" stereotype. "Oooh, are you gonna cast a curse on me?" Nobody wants that stigma.

And of course, just saying something in public along the lines of "I believe in magic," wrongly invites ridicule. I'm a firm believer that various energies (magic) can be channeled by people, and directed according to the user's will.

I feel like that is something I can share in this comm without fear of anyone laughing at me.

So my question is this: would you ever cast a curse on anyone? A binding spell? Any kind of negative energy directed at a person?

Is there a difference between magic that is only defensive or generally hostile and magic deliberately designed to curse a particular person? Is it all right to send negative energy back at any who have directed it at you?

Would you consider casting a harmful spell if it would save someone else, such as a binding spell against an abuser to protect the abused?

In runescript you can build protective spells that will lash out, for lack of a better term, at any negative energy directed at the protected person/object. A kind of "the best defense is a good offense" type of spell. Would these be considered "black magic" or a curse?

Its a touchy subject, but I feel it should be discussed. After all, there are records of curses and harmful spells in nearly every culture going back for millennia.

My favorite are records of Greek, Celtic, and Roman curses that (usually) women put on unfaithful lovers and/or female rivals. These curses consisted of various ill wishes on each part of the intended victims body from head to toe. Every part of the body was cursed (May so-ans-so's hair fall out, may his face become ugly and spotted, my his spine be twisted, may his stomach never be full) and downwards until they got to....well, the fun parts. These curses, written on tablets with nude depictions of the person to be cursed, payed special, graphic, and almost loving attention to the genitalia. The graphical nature and profanity they contain, as well as the visceral anger that shines through in the text that survives, is both shocking and fascinating.

So people have been using curses for time immemorial. And there are a lot of common sayings among modern witches like "If a witch cannot harm, she cannot heal."

Anyway...thoughts?

I say the case of negative versus positive magic is in how you look at the situation. Say you want to bind someone, which some see as negative, but you do it for a positive reason, like the bindee is trying to hurt himself or others. Then is that negative? or positive? I don't think I would cast negative magic for a purely negative reason, but I don't know how clear my mind would be in certain situations.

Bringing the martial arts into this is an interesting take on the whole subject. I defensive arts like judo you primarily use an attackers own strength against them. Grapples locks and throws using their own momentum to toss them. The same might be applied to magic so that their own aggressive (or dark) energy would be used to harm them, that way when they stop, the battle is done. Does that make any sense? Does magic even work that way?

On the spelling, Ju Ji Tsu, it is Japanese correct?

I tend to follow a lot of things, such as "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind" - Gandhi, the Law of Three and so on. When people have wronged me I just simply let it role off my shoulders, and let the universe take care of the situation. Of course, sometimes it takes me a while to get to that point depending on how I was wronged, but I usually get there. I have had thoughts of lashing out, hurting those who have hurt me, thinking they deserved it, but then I think about what kind of person would I be then? I have always preached about peace and forgiveness, would I not become a hypocrite if I struck out at someone? I think if you have a protection spell up that just deflects things that are negative, I kinda call that instant karma, you would be fine because you wouldn't experience the negativity but you also wouldn't know who it came from (usually) and so therefore wouldn't be wishing bad on anyone, therefore I think you would be in the clear.

True but the beauty of this kind of passive type of martial arts is that you are not actually doing any one and harm you are allowing them to in essence harm themselves, beyond what the law of three would naturally inflict upon them.

Well I personally have absolutely no problem with going on full attack mode. Anyone who threatens me or mine is just asking for it and I will do anything I have to to protect my kith and kin. I identify with Coyote and gargoyles. I believe in inflicting so much pain in my enemies that they will never dare to try it ever again. Like a bear I will puff up and try to back them down first but if the attack my response will be a very painful one. Though once they back down I will allow them to flee.

Also if I might add, scorpians. I've seen you posture and send that "just back off" message. But if anything ignores it you've got no problem grabbing and stinging w/o a second thought. You have sort of a "I gave then a choice. They chose poorly. Now they know better. problem solved" mentality.

Me on the other hand I have a looooooooong fuse. I give second chances, and the benefit of the doubt, and anyone dumb enough to push me all the way to the edge is going to get it everything I've been saving up. I only have so much mercy in me and by that point it's all been used up.

As a personal observation, your way is better. My way just keeps the conflict going, and there are times I've regretted that. It is however my nature.