Ethics, Philosophy, & Political Issues

No matter what our religious preference is, it's important to consider what we believe and why.  While you may not have complete answers to those questions it is still critical to ponder them.  A charge often brought against Pagans is that we have no ethical or moral boundaries.  Pagans are often viewed a hedonists who are out only for their on pleasure and their own gain.  Even some of my atheist friends who realize that I'm not involved with any 'devil' have asserted that goal of magick is only to try to gain selfish control over a situation.

It's because of these stereotypes that it is most important that Pagans become familiar with our ethical principles, and to act accordingly. Anyone who is suspicious of your Pagan religion will be watching you closely -- and your behavior may be influential in either confirming their stereotyped attitude or changing it. 

Ethical Meta-Rules

A "meta-rule" is a broad, all-encompassing rule, like the Golden Rule (Treat others as you want to be treated).  The primary meta-rules found in Pagan writings are summarized in the piece below.  This and similar pieces of poetry are often associated with Gardnerian Witchcraft, and more specifically with Doreen Valienti.  

(This particular piece was taken from Gary Cantrell's work on Wicca, page 41).

Now, I have to say that I'm not one for King James English, nor am particularly fond of rhymes.  That being said, this short poem suggests several key principles.

• "In perfect love and perfect trust" -- This belief system should be taken seriously.  Do you take it seriously?

• "An ye harm none, do as ye will" -- Some interpret this as an encouragement to find your 'true will' or purpose, do a reality check to make sure it isn't harmful, and then fulfill your true destiny.  Others say we should analyze our actions to minimize harm to anything in Nature, including ourselves before we follow our desires.  This is similar to the morality of non-violence promoted by the scholar Carol Gilligan and others.

• "What ye send out comes back to thee" -- The Threefold Law of Return indicates that whatever energy you send out (i.e., love, healing, jealousy, destruction) comes back to you, often in a magnified way.

These rules, however, are not without their critics.  Phyllis Currot, in her book Witch Crafting, states "I believe the Threefold Law is an inadequate, inaccurate, and inappropriate basis for Wiccan ethics" (page 180).  She advocates a different kind of morality based on the experience of the Divine.  She believes "all of our behavior, our magic, and our ethics flow from this epiphany that the Divine exists within ourselves, in others, and in the world. ... You would simply never harm or manipulate someone else because you recognize that they are an embodiment of the Divine" (page 181).

If you are interested in pursuing this further I recommend an article I wrote for Sacred Cosmos: Journal of Liberal Religious Paganism titled "Pagan Ethics: The Law, The Ephipany, and The Web."  You can view the article here -- click on Sacred Cosmos II (pdf).

Ann Moura, who learned her Green Witchcraft from her mother, writes that these Rules of Conduct (page 9, Green Witchcraft II) to her over and over again.  They are worth paying attention to.

• To use the power you must feel it in your heart and know it in your mind (it is internal)

• Be careful what you do (watch your motivations)

• Be careful who you trust (not everyone has your best interest in mind)

• Do not use the power to hurt another person because what is sent comes back

• Never use the power against someone who has the power, for you draw from the same well

Pagans are often asked to explain their beliefs to a critical and suspicious audience.  It may be worth your time to explore Pagan ethics.  Robin Wood's book When, Why...If: An Ethics Workbook is a great place to start.

In addition to your own reading and study, you may want to see the articles and websites suggested in the Ethics section of Pagan/Wiccan Religion at About.com.  You can also find a good discussion of Druid and Wiccan ethics at the Pagan Pastoral Outreach.  Often Pagan organizations, such as those listed in the Pagan Organizations & Networking will have sections on ethics.  An internet search of "pagan ethics" will also yield many hits.

Philosophy

The field of philosophy covers many areas which might be of interest to Pagans, and I will mention only a few here.  I would suggest starting with a general resource, like the the Yahoo! Philosophy section or the Google Philosophy section.  

Logical Thought and Argumentation:  One of the best pieces on why we, as Pagans, need to know what we think and why, is found in the first chapters of Grey Cat's book, Deepening Witchcraft: Advancing Skills and Knowledge. She does a wonderful job of explaining why we need to be careful with vocabulary and how to watch out for thinking traps.  After reading her work you will be better equipped to find the subtle fallacies that bombard us daily.

Environmental Philosophy:  A great place to go acquaint yourself with the issues is the Green Fuse.

Religious Philosophy:  If you decide to do some study here you will quickly find that discussions are often divided by eastern and western philosophies.  It is interesting to study the ways in which we are shaped by the philosophies prevalent in our cultural heritage and our current environment.  

Medical Ethics:  If you are interested in the Healing Arts and Alternative Medicine you will benefit from spending some time with this topic. Note how our society and even our legal system tends to blend dominant religious beliefs in the practice of medicine.

Political Issues

It is so important that we stay informed on issues that are important to Pagans.  Although I'm tempted (!) I'm not going to get on my soapbox and give you my views, but I do hope you take your right to vote and to speak out seriously.  One easy and effective way to make your positions known is through public action like writing your elected officials, which is easy to do through websites like Vote.com.  Also, the Pagan Educational Network has a list of activist groups worth checking out.

Do you think that Pagan beliefs influence one's political attitudes?  Here are some political issues to think about and explore.  Looking at this list is overwhelming -- but consider how our world would change if each person picked one area off this list to work on.  How about you?  Can you pick one issue here that you will investigate and then take action on?