What does Defense Against the Dark Arts (DADA) mean to you?

Question

J K Rowling coined the term, whether or not the abbreviation is in fact the same one that showed up in intellectual circles early in the last century. (Someone want to tell us?) But it seems to me it is an appropriate vocabulary to describe what modern real witches need to do. I'm more the pen than the sword type of fighter, but what does Defense Against the Dark Arts mean to you?

OH NO, I recognize the answers of two of my best friends here, and cannot/will not choose between them. So I will put this to a vote.

Answer 1

This is a very complicated topic, usually filtered through a person's personal belief system. Those who believe in Science and not Art will have nothing useful to say. Those who believe that magic is not real or cannot effect them are welcome to their personal beliefs.

Christians are warned about magic, but almost all references to magic in the New Testament are references to the Dark Arts. Hebrew beliefs are even older and include the concept of the "Evil Eye" (and the red yarn tied about the wrist as a defense). Personal selfishness by human adults is the most common form of Darkness.

Ignorance, Innocence and Arrogance may not be suitable defenses to beings who actively wish harm upon another. They are called Dark because the practitioner has turned away from the Light (Divinity). Lucifer might be considered an archetype.

Many have asked Why bad things happen to good people. Sometimes it is just an event that is required and nothing can be done about it. Other times it is the result of someone actively striving to do another harm.

Awareness and exposure are the best tools to use. Forewarned is forearmed. Apathy will only add strength to the blight. One needs to keep eyes and mind open, be careful of judgment and communicate honestly. These are the best Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Love conquers all. "Love One Another" is another expression of this Defense.

Answer 2

It is a term coined by Rowling, just like you said. Perhaps at some time a religion will come out of her fiction writing, just like Scientology from L. Ron Hubbard and the Jedi philosophy by George Lucas has followings. But for right now, it is just a term from fiction.

Blessed Be )O(

And just so you know, us Wiccans do protect ourselves from harmful magick.

Answer 3

To me it means defense against psychic attacks, psychic vampirism, and harmful magick. (note spelling. It is NOT a typo)
DADA is also the nickname for a movement in the fine arts, called dadaism, or theatre of the the absurd. What you need to do against such attacks is make sure your chakras are balanced and that you are grounded, centered, and shielded. This is elementary Craft. The best defense against such an attack is to laugh at it. Such attackers tend to take themselves very seriously and their main strength rests in scaring you into submission so if you laugh at them, they won't know what to do. You have defeated their only weapon.

Answer 4

Never heard of it, but I do know that no magic spell can really hurt one who truly believes in God (the universal balance, karma...or whichever). There is no light without dark. IT IS A CHOICE

Answer 5

i never heard of the dada!
what is it again?

from the title i think there are people who have made an alliance against evil. that there might be some people who actually take sorcery seriously and fight against the criminals and terrorists on our own soil.
hurray for them, if their cause is just, and if their means are infalible.

Answer 6

Yay! Let's make a religion based on Harry Potter books.

Let's make Rowling a saint. ;)

Like all wonderful writers, she knows how to use metaphors. Dark Arts is a wonderful metaphorical term.

Answer 7

its a phrase coined by a writer

Answer 8

Absolutely nothing. Hogwash. Sounds like the name of the magic school doesn't it? Hogwash.