Pagan Ethics and Etiquette
© Christy Huelsenbeck
Let us first look at ethics. Ethics are defined as - a set of principles, moral philosophy, rules or standards governing the conduct of a person or the members of a profession, human duty, a particular system of principles and rules concerning duty - whether true or false, rules of practice in respect to a single class of human actions, motivation based on ideas of right and wrong, the philosophical study of moral values and rules.
When we begin to speak of ethics, we need to realize that this can be a very touchy subject. We are human after all, and we want to think our ethics are the correct ones. While there are generally accepted community ethics, it is personal ethics that make up who we are, and these are not the same for each person.
Before we begin to discuss in depth community and personal ethics, let us first look at the Rede, the most common code of conduct among Wiccans.
Bide the Wiccan law ye must, in perfect love and perfect trust; Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill; "An ye harm none, do as ye will"; Lest in self-defense it be, ever mind the rule of three; Follow this with mind and heart; And merry ye meet and merry ye part.
Every Wiccan knows the Rede. Our passwords into the sacred circle are in here. Our major rule of ethic is here, along with the reason for breaking this ethic, as well as the consequences of breaking it foolishly. When we extract the line most popular - "An ye harm none, do as ye will" and begin to dissect it, we have to wonder "Is this an ethic we can ever achieve?"
I believe the Rede is a standard of living, like all ethics, and one that is an impossibility to achieve. The goal is to live as closely to the Rede as possible. In the attempt to do this, we begin to analyze our actions. We follow the path of LEAST harm. Thus, we begin to live conscious of our actions, and how they effect the world around us. Here comes the REAL lesson of the Rede: It forces us to have personal responsibility. Once you have acknowledged that the Rede is a goal to work for and not a given situation and have taken of the blinders that let you go around smug and happy that your religion is so sweet it makes your teeth itch, you can get down to the work of making your life an ethical one. What this involves is considering each decision in the light of the Rede before you decide upon a course of action. You do this by looking at all the possible consequences of that action and whether that will cause harm to any, choosing the path that causes the least harm and, (THIS IS THE KEY) accepting the responsibility for the consequences of your actions whether intentional or unintentional. -Lark, HPS of Tangled Moon Coven.
