Are you a moral witch or an immoral witch? The concept of witches has long been shrouded in mystery, folklore, and the supernatural. Whether it's the wicked witches of fairy tales or the accused witches of history, these mystical figures have often been associated with darkness, evil, and immorality. However, not all witches fit this stereotype. In fact, there are those who consider themselves moral witches, practicing their craft with an emphasis on positivity, love, and spiritual growth. So, what defines a moral witch and how do they differ from their immoral counterparts? The first distinction to make is that the terms "moral witch" and "immoral witch" are not universally agreed upon or recognized. These are subjective labels which reflect individual beliefs and values.
These are subjective labels which reflect individual beliefs and values. What one person considers moral, another may consider immoral, making it difficult to establish a clear-cut definition. However, we can explore some general characteristics and practices often associated with moral and immoral witchcraft.
Blog Post 203 – What is New World Witchery?, Part II (Witchcraft is an Amoral (not Immoral) Act)
This post is part of my ongoing series trying to use folklore, history, and contemporary accounts of folk magic to paint a picture of what “New World Witchery” might look like. If you haven’t already done so, you may want to read the previous post, “What is New World Witchery?, Part I (Irrational Pragmatism).” Or don’t. I’m not the boss of you. I have already said there what I will reiterate here: that my attempt to lay out some sort of shape that defines New World Witchcraft practices is likely to satisfy no one (not even me). I undertake this effort largely because I think it gives me a point of reference when I’m developing other articles and trying to see how distinctly “New World” certain practices are. There will always be exceptions, of course. Rules and witchcraft have a murky, complicated relationship, a thought which brings me to the subject of today’s section:
Witchcraft is an Amoral (not Immoral) Act
Despite a common popular conception in parts of early America, most witches are not interested in worshiping a literal Christian Devil or sending random blights over their neighbors’ crops. That doesn’t mean witches do no harm—they seem to do a lot of it, at least in accounts historical and folkloric. For instance, many witches will tie up a rag to an axe handle or fence post in order to steal milk from their neighbors’ cows, thereby stealing directly from the people around them. Seldom are those targeted by witches run into ruin or completely deprived because of the witch’s interference, although it may cause them some anxiety and trouble. The magical theft seems to be an extension of the pragmatism mentioned previously, though, offering the witches involved a way to sustain themselves. There are stories of people being tormented to the point of death, of course, but as in the famous Bell Witch case, much of the lore surrounding such attacks implies that the target has wronged the witch in some way, and that the witch is simply bypassing conventional justice for her own brand (see Keith Thomas’ essay on English witchcraft for a good outline of that argument, which applies equally in a number of Colonial-era witchcraft cases).
Witchcraft is not an act of evil unless it is being labeled that way by those not practicing it, but its applications are often morally ambiguous, verging on unethical. Take for example, the case of Mont and Duck Moore in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Duck would hex livestock within the community, and then Mont would remove the curse…for a fee, of course. This was an act of commerce far more than it was an act of evil. Or at least, it was evil in proportion to its pragmatic approach to earning a living. The case of Betty Booker mentioned previously provides an example with a bit less racketeering. At the far end of the spectrum we have the case of “The Witch of Pungo,” Grace Sherwood, who provided a variety of cures for her community in Virginia, only to end up being “swum” for her troubles (fortunately, she survived the experience). Sherwood reportedly stirred up the ire of some of her neighbors through her witchy ways, but seldom held back in her condemnation of those same neighbors when they leveled accusations against her. Folk magic and witchcraft, as we have seen already, are about meeting needs, and those needs are frequently morally dubious, much more so than the people who perform conjurations to help meet those needs. Cheo Torres noted that he was once asked what people liked to ask curanderas to do for them by a reporter. He replied: “Well, I said, young men usually want something to help them get sex…[M]idle-aged women usually want something to make their husbands love them again, sine that spark has left their lives. Middle-aged men want something to help them deal with the old aches and pains of their arthritis or their old football injuries. Older women wanted something to help them win at bingo or the lottery. And older men usually wanted something to attract younger women.” Clearly, meeting the needs of those who come to them is what creates moral ambiguity, far more than a witch’s partnership with a particular imp or spirit (although we’ll be getting to that topic soon enough).
Statue of Grace Sherwood on Witchduck Rd., Virginia Beach, VA. By Lago Mar [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons A New World Witch is accountable to herself, and answers to her own sense of morality. Some stories demonstrate a witch paying a price exacted later by a Devil, but for the most part any suffering they find is at the hands of those who work countermagic against them—for example in tales where a hexed butterchurn is used to reverse harm upon the witch who cast the curse in the first place. One informant shared a just such a reversal with me regarding the Evil Eye:
“If your infant is thought to have been given the Evil Eye, it will display tantrums, inexplicable fits, crying, fever, coupled with nausea out of nowhere. If this is determined to be the case, the one suspected of giving the Evil Eye to the child must be confronted in front of said child, and be asked to submit (pass along with their mouth or spit in a glass of water) their saliva to the infant for it to ingest… Giving of themselves a part of them, to queue [quell] its curse.”
The person who gave the Evil Eye was expected to be a person that could be confronted, negotiated with, a part of a community that operated by informal, unofficial, but very potent magical “rules” that could flex and adjust to particular circumstances.
Justice is negotiated in individual encounters rather than through uniform rules. Witches like Sherwood may have had tempestuous personalities but still acted as forces for good in their communities. Milk-stealing witches met their needs through magic, often because they had fallen through any social networks of support that were supposed to exist in their communities, and frequently paid an eventual price for their deeds at the hands of those they’d wronged. Some witches played a system, as in the case of Mont and Duck, and were tolerated by the community at least for a time. No one, it seems, in history or folklore, expects the witch to act in a morally “mainstream” manner, but to operate under her own code of right and wrong (and any shades of gray between).
Next time: Witches Have a Lot of Friends (You Just Can’t See Many of Them).
Thanks for reading!
The person who gave the Evil Eye was expected to be a person that could be confronted, negotiated with, a part of a community that operated by informal, unofficial, but very potent magical “rules” that could flex and adjust to particular circumstances.
Moral witches tend to focus on using their powers for healing, protection, and personal growth. They believe in the power of intention, using spells and rituals to manifest positive outcomes for themselves and others. Compassion, empathy, and respect for others are central to their practice, as they strive to create harmony and balance in the world. Moral witches may also incorporate ethical guidelines into their craft, such as the Wiccan Rede, which promotes the belief in harm none. On the other hand, immoral witches, as the term suggests, may engage in practices that are considered unethical or harmful. They may use their powers for personal gain, manipulation, or even malevolence. These witches may be drawn to the darker aspects of magic, such as curses, hexes, and black magic. Immoral witches may also disregard moral principles and boundaries, leading to negative consequences for themselves and others. It is important to note that the concept of morality in witchcraft is not limited to the intentions and actions of the practitioner but can also be influenced by cultural and societal beliefs. Historically, witches were often condemned and persecuted due to their perceived immoral practices, which were often rooted in fear and misinformation. In modern times, some may still hold onto these stereotypes and stigmas, labeling all witches as immoral or evil. Ultimately, the distinction between moral and immoral witches is subjective and largely dependent on individual beliefs and values. It is up to each practitioner to define their own moral compass. However, it is essential to remember that magic, like any other tool, can be used for both good and ill. The true measure of a witch's morality lies in how they choose to wield their power and the impact they have on the world around them. So, are you a moral witch or an immoral witch? That is for you to decide..
Reviews for "Embracing Personal Ethics: Self-reflection for Witches"
1. Jennifer - 2/5 stars - I was really disappointed with "Are you a moral witch or immoral witch". The book promised to explore the ethical dilemmas of witchcraft, but I found it to be shallow and lacking any real depth. The author seemed more interested in providing a step-by-step guide to practicing witchcraft than engaging with the moral implications of it. I was hoping for a thought-provoking read, but instead, I got a book that felt more like a how-to manual.
2. Michael - 1/5 stars - I couldn't even finish reading "Are you a moral witch or immoral witch". It was poorly written and full of unsubstantiated claims. The author seemed more interested in pushing their personal agenda than providing any real insights into the moral aspects of witchcraft. The book felt like a jumbled mess of opinions, and I couldn't find any meaningful arguments or analysis. Save your money and find a better book on the topic.
3. Emma - 2/5 stars - "Are you a moral witch or immoral witch" was a major letdown for me. I expected a nuanced exploration of the moral gray areas in witchcraft, but instead, I got a book that was filled with oversimplified arguments and generalizations. The author seemed to have a clear agenda and failed to consider opposing viewpoints or delve into the complexities of ethical decision-making in witchcraft. It felt like a missed opportunity to have a meaningful discussion on an important topic.