Magic: Which is evil?

[GhostSpider]

Unmake? No, more like unravel.

[Kolya]

Destroy.

[Ron Caliburn]

My signature covers it.

[concrete_Angel]

CAn't, possibly, but try won't.

[Kolya]

Is that actual English?

[concrete_Angel]

If you are aware of the context, then yes.

[Kolya]

The context is English language?

[concrete_Angel]

Well, I'm not speaking Chinese, here!

[Kolya]

I recognise they are words of the ENglish language.

But you may as well said "I friend dogs can".

[KonThaak]

[qutoe="Ron Caliburn"]Ain't nuthin' that can't die.[/quote]

CAn't, possibly, but try won't.

She's suggesting an alternate wording for Ron's catch phrase and life philosophy.

[Kolya]

Things try not to die?

[concrete_Angel]

Things try not to die?

Yes, every day.

[Kolya]

Ok just trying to understand this strange English you speak.

[concrete_Angel]

Maybe if I just include the comment right before mine in my answer, you won't get so confused. You'd be able to understand a little better.

[Sasha]

I understand, of course.

[Natasha]

Liar

[Kolya]

I'm not following, but I don't really care anymore.

[Bearshaman]

I think magic can be evil in two ways. The first is simply using magic to further your own evil intentions (the dark side if you will). I.E. Using it in greed, anger, hatred.

The second is the magic that goes against what nature intended. Some things are not meant to be changed, and I believe a druid would understand this point. For example, no one knows what lies beyond the veil of death. We do not know what we are bringing back from it or what consequences we are unleashing in the process.

Trying to get us back on subject here, not trying to start a arguement here DarKnyht, but to say that any magic that goes against what nature intended is evil, is to say that most magic is evil, but then again, so is most technology. Most of your magic bends the rules of nature, to heal, we are accellerating the "natural" process to mend. Changing sticks into snakes, is against natures rules as well.

The thing with Necromancy that most people forget, is that the magic works with the dead, this means you can commune with the dead, IE Ghosts, and possibly lay them to rest. Not just zombies and skeletons to run around doing the Can Can.

[arkaine]

There has been alot of people telling our resident druid necromancy is evil. I would like to get a debate started on why each of you belives this. I am not saying that there is not evil usage of necromancy, I am curious as to what makes it evil in it's self.

Debate away please.


Michael T.

Michael let me address your question in my opinions.

Magic is what you make it. Yes your druid friend has been told correctly. Necromancy is inherently a dark art followed by evil men. Were a species devoted to life and very ceremonial to our loved ones who passed before us. Necromancy intercedes into our daily views of normalcy.

There is a natural law of order when it comes to life and death. Necromancy interrupts that law by harnessing the energy of the dead and manipulating it to there will.

There are certain aspects of Necromancy that many do practice however. Divination. The ability to commune with the dead is a form of necromantic practices that many men of magic and psychics find ourselves doing. Knowledge is such a powerful tool and those who have passed before us once again have a plethora of wealth when it comes to that.

Any magic can be deemed evil. I've seen Priests of the cloth, clergy men upturn prayers and mold them into curses. Healing prayers turning into spiteful words of power woven to destroy rather than cure. It's all about how you use your gifts.

A hunting rifle is just that. A rifle used to hunt. But what your using it to hunt for can make all the more diffrence as to your intentions..good or evil. Killing a deer for food is survival and normal. Killing your neighbor for letting his dog poo in your yard well thats a completely diffrent story.

*shrug* This is just my insight on the whole good and evil of magic.

Necromancy...yes it is inherently evil as those who practice this art are normally unscrupulous individuals looking to hurt rather than heal.

Arkaine
"The Black Priest"

[Cybermancer]

[Robyn]

The answer to this topic is subjective and dependend on individual respondants definitions.

Starting with one's definition of evil.

Some have put forward that necromancy is evil because it violates the natural order. As does any magic by it's very, well nature. Thus the applied terminology of supernatural and paranormal. To take it a step further, manipulating species of rice to produce superior yields is a deliberate rearrangement or change to the natural order. Such manipulation currently feeds millions.

Some have compared magic to firearms. Both are tools and therefore neither good or evil. Only their use is. Both are also weapons. While firearms are generally not viewed as inherently evil some weapons such as nuclear warheads, chemical agents and biological vectors are seen as abhorrent, to the point of their use being viewed as evil by many-though not by all.

Therefore necromancy and it's use is subjective and dependent on an individuals definition of good or evil.

I have observed that the definition of good and evil is variable between cultures, generations, decades and individuals. There is no unified or agreed upon measure of either concept. Therefore I do not beleive that either truly exists except as word icons whose meaning vary from individual to individual. One says that something is evil and it is understood that the individual involved percieved that thing to be very bad and morally opposed to the speaker.

Is necromancy evil? Only if its function is very bad to you and in opposition to your morals. This will of course vary from individual to individual.

[GhostSpider]

Has anyone heard of forensic necromancy?

[Grace]

Good...

Evil...

I'm the one with the gun.

[GhostSpider]

Hail to the king, baby.

[Michael T]

I have used necromancy for forensic uses many times, I am afraid I need to do so again.

[Eilonwy Solstice]

Why? You saw what happened to Josh when he fiddled with necromancy, didn’t you Michael?

[GhostSpider]

Actually forensic necromancy is a "gray" art, if used for the right puposes. I've seen it worked on several occasions, by mages I trust implicitly.

[Eilonwy Solstice]

Maybe I’m just suspicious because of the terminology involving “necromancy” within, Konrad. Would you care to describe to me just how it works, please? Because I do not understand how something can be, as you put it, a “gray” art, if used for the right purposes.’ I understand how it can be used for good or for ill, but it would indicate a disposition inclined toward evil harm if it is merely “gray” when used for the right reasons.

I’m sorry. Maybe it’s just the attempt at trying to describe it in colors to a blind woman.

[Technocrat]

I think necromancy in itself, is just a form of magic. And magic is just an energy source that can be manipulated through thought and will. Exactly how is a little beyond me but there you go.

So as such, it is not in itself good or evil. But how it is used that determines it's morality. So creating zombies and mummies is evil but asking dead spirits how they died doesn't seem harmful to me.

[Eilonwy Solstice]

I wish I believed you there, Techno. But after listening to Josh’s account, who did use it for a good cause, I have to wonder . . . he didn’t come out unhurt, if I miss my guess.

[Michael T]

KT was set up by Winder with a trap in the spells and formulas that were in the tomes KT got ahold of. If one is trained in the arcanist arts they would see the formula was not right, they may not of known what was wrong. KT was useing very sound means of study and reseach, he was just in a field he was not ready for. No offense KT, we all make mistake some times.

Necromancy can be used for good, to find out how some one was killed or died. To find some one who is missing, to understand aliments that are not natural. I don't dabble in it often, but I do understand every spell I do use as well as I do my other spells. Any one trying to use necromancy should first get help from some one they trust and who understands it.

Michael T.