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"Darkness does not always equate to evil, just as light does not always equate to good"
---P.C and Kristin Cass
Do you think this quote true? In all of us? Animals, humans, maybe even deities?
Permalink Reply by Rachael Sue Rubin on yes.
I do not consider Hecate evil even though she is a Dark Goddess.
And as far as deities being light bearers, Everyone considers Lucifer evil (most christians in their pantheon, I don't) and he is a light bearer (that is what Lucifer means).
I think it would be very limited thinking to say that dark means evil and light means good.
Permalink Reply by Drakill Tannan on Err... it's tricky.
When talking about "evil" there's always a problem with semantics: "What is evil?" is the question whose answer everyone asumes but nobody can agree on. People end up discussing about two diferent things, hence why they never reach an agreement.
So let us leave evil aside and speak more of the faculties of light and the facutlies of darkness.
Light is symbolic of knowledge, because you only see what light iluminates. Knowledge, however, can be used for constructive or destructive purposes, so it might be considered a weapon. Many times knowledge is compared to fire rather than to light: it's a tool that lets you see what is going on, and can do wonders, but if left unchecked or used irresponsably will kill you and thouse arround you. There is, however, the fact that anyone that actually knows what he is really doing has no reason to be irresponsable with this fire, yet all the reasons to be responsable, hence he/she will use it with responsability. If we recive partial light we might end up destroying or causing harm, things mundanely known as "evil", but if we recive all the light and manage to asimilate all, we cannot do anything other than do actions most often labaled "good" for this world. This applies to knowledge concering the macrocosmos: light is the way we see outside ourselves and can help us understand some things inside us.
Light is, precicerly because of what i've said above, also asociated with reason. Reason obeys higher laws than the passions of our bodies, and allows us a far greater room for freedom, development and construction. Allows us to defeat us in order to become better, but also may end up taking controll of us and screw us in ways wich are hard to imagine. It's a tool, but sometimes it rebels against us and tries to become our master. Sometimes it even wins.
Darkness is symbolic of ignorance. While ignorance is rarely considered "evil", the actions that an ignorant person undertakes due to it's ignorance can be harmfull, can cause suffering to itself and others and be a destructive force. That is why the ignorant is almost always seen as "evil", and the darkness that symbolices him/her as the agent of this "evil". Not all ignorants will follow a destructive path, however, because ignorant or not humans are still kind, compasionate and rejective of suffering at heart. An ignorant person may do things considered "good", that is, constructive things, in an aspect he/she ignores. He is just in a slippery slope and may at any given time turn the tables and do the oposite.
Of cource, we're all ignorant in truth. There's so much to know in this planet and time alone we'll never know half of it. Compared to the knowledge avilable to us in the cosmos it is nothing: we ARE nothing and we KNOW nothing. We are all ignorant. The ignorant can be lead and manipulated, he/she is disarmed to ight against it, hence how can ignorance, symbolised by darkness be good?
Especially because the ignorant uses no reason, and it is then led by his passions. Passions are (IMO) a natural "correct" force instinctive to us, but in a corrupted world and corrupted society they become a destructive force. If we let them run amok we'll never be happy, we'll become adicted to the material world and deeply miserable in a comftable, hedonistic position. Clearly this wasn't meant to be, and passions if kept in check and left move with certian limits are the underlying force of everything great in humankind because they are the source of our energy and what moves us: Bach was moved by his passion for music, Newton was moved by his passion for teology, Ghandi for his passion to see a better world, etc. It takes much will to controll all the passions and lead them to a good cause. Most of the time light is needed for us to be able to do so, in my experience.
But ignorance is a void meant to be filled, and our passions- lower instincts are meant to be eventually replaced with reason: higher instincts. It is part of the naturall spiritual evolution, so one might consider "Darkness" as youth, and "light" as age; we don't see children as "evil" though, nor the eldery as universally "good".
Consider this, however- if you could fill the young with age fast enough, he'd never really learn nor undertand anything. All the life experience that marks the most important lessons of this life would be lost. This youth, this ignorance, this passions and this darkness are not just important, vital and irreplaceable for this development. They can't be left away. Both polar oposites are needed to make somethimg complete. We aren't meant to fight against our passions: we're ment to team with them to conquer ourselves and become better! doing so without them it's like playing basketball with one arm, or one leg, it can't be done (well).
So they are more like necesary aspects for our development. Much like everything needs a positive and a negative, male and female, active and passive, we all need also our light and our darkness. The problem is society seems to hold in higher regard the aspects found in the light than the ones found in darkness, hence it's seen as better. Now one becomes "good", the other "bad".
Permalink Reply by Phoenix Rising on Drakill, I agree with much of what you write, but not all. However, where I disagree with you is a matter of opinion and outlook, so I decline to comment further, as you are fully entitled to your opinion.
I see 'light' and 'dark' in different terms - 'hidden, or secret' - dark, and 'easily apparent to all' - light. A thing or idea is not 'evil' simply because it is hidden from easy general access, nor is a a thing or idea 'good' because of it's easy general access. The value judgements of 'evil' and 'good' are always situational. The 'Observer Effect' of Quantum Physics~~
Permalink Reply by Rachael Sue Rubin on agreed.
i believe there is no such thing as an so called "evil" entity that christians have made up through translating the bible, wrong. There are only "evil acts" committed by man. To say that dark means evil is a very limited view on things, does that mean the night is evil? Of course not. Does that mean that people who have a "darker" personality are evil, well of course not.
To group all people together and say this is what it means, you have to step outside of your own beliefs and your parents beliefs, and treat each person as an individual, not text book personalities.
in fact, there is alot i don't agree with what you wrote either, drakill, but as Phoenix said you have every right to your opinion.
Permalink Reply by Drakill Tannan on I'd love if you were to tell me what you don't agree in. As always i can be wrong, and if i am i'd love to be corrected, so your input is very valuable to me.
Permalink Reply by Drakill Tannan on I'm using concept and symbology from occult sources. Mostly this is what is agreed upon and passed down. Naturally one can understand it in other ways, but in most cases that come from stablished sources this is what they concepts alude to.
Do speak your mind thought! I do learn a lot from you guys.
Permalink Reply by Phoenix Rising on I'm aware of this, Drakill - that's why I decline to comment of what I disagree with, as it is simply a matter of my opinion and practices not being the same as yours, not a fundamental 'error' of any kind. Rather like the blind men who see the elephant, in some ways~~ we're all correct, within our own limitations, as long as we don't believe we hold the ONLY truth.
Permalink Reply by Drakill Tannan on I get what you mean. There's ALWAYS a problem with semantics :/
Language is such an imperfect way of comunication!
Permalink Reply by Phoenix Rising on Yes, bare words, without the non-verbal cues and tones of voice IS a hard way to communicate! Better than nothing, but one must be very precise about the words and their uses semantically!
Permalink Reply by Rachael Sue Rubin on because that is what makes sense to you, and in your mind. That is what resonates with you, the writings and rituals. That's all, we just use different words and concepts to basically express the same thought and ideas.
Permalink Reply by AngelSpirit on 
Permalink Reply by Kandii Feytalik Kannibul on I agree with this, the reason being, everything is not what it seems. "I call em as I see em" is a saying I choose not to follow, due to the fact your eyes can deceive. This quote however, inspires me to look inside a person or object, and not "judge a book by its cover".
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