How effective was cursing?

In the human realm, the curse operated differently. As those who enjoyed the final word, the deities, particularly the principal gods and goddesses, were seen as judges who reviewed and supervised the solicitation behind every mortal malediction. Thus, a major component of their role as adjudicators would be to determine the worthiness of a curse. If the petition was justified, then they would utter a judgment and permit the actualization of the condemnation. It would have effect. If the curse was unjustified, then the deities would ignore the malediction. It would remain inactive and eventually fade from all living memory.— Cursed Are You!, page 134

<idle musing>
Interesting, isn't it? I had always thought of curses as having a life of their own once they left your mouth. But it appears that they don't. Of course, if I had stopped to thing about it, Proverbs says as much, "Like a darting sparrow, like a flying swallow, so an undeserved curse never arrives." (Prov 26:2 CEB) NIV has "an undeserved curse does not come to rest" and the NRSV has "an undeserved curse goes nowhere."

Perhaps a part of my theology should be reexamined—ok, not perhaps! It definitely should : )

And what does that do a good bit of "word of faith" theology? They have an almost magical view of words—be they curses or blessings....
</idle musing>