On Ethics

Smiling Panther's Den | home

On Ethics

Ethics and Paganism. Put these two words together in a conversation, and you can stir up debate in almost any group. This should be the first clue to a simple fact that many people seem to either completely overlook, or never consider at all; there is no Universal Pagan Ethic. Consider the myriad of Pagan systems and beliefs. Doesn't it make sense that each of these would have at least slightly different ethical views?

One common source of misunderstanding, I believe, is in the approach to Paganism. It seems everyone today has heard of Wicca. It is commonly the first, and sometimes only, system of Paganism which people have exposure to. It has become an extremely lucrative market, and some publishers have leapt to take advantage of this by publishing seemingly anything which the author claims to be Wicca, or which has a Wicca-like flavor. In the wake of this phenomenon, catch phrases such as "The Rule of Three" and "Harm None" have taken root in the minds of many readers as the ethical hue and cry of all pagans. This is simply not the case. For example, some paths place a good deal of emphasis on the way of the Warrior. How sensible would it be for such a path to proclaim "Harm None"?

Another contributor seems to be a reflexive reaction to associations made by the uninformed between Paganism and Satanism. In an effort to put as much distance as possible between perceptions of "evil" and their idea of Paganism or Magick, many people will balk at the idea of working with "dark" or "negative/destructive" energies. This is not only unnecessary, but is extremely limiting to one's practice as well. What these same people often fail to consider is that doing something in a destructive manner is not necessarily inherently "evil." For example, working with an illness. A perfectly legitimate and effective approach may be to work to destroy the source of the illness. As the saying goes, "A witch that cannot curse cannot heal." For some situations, using energy in a negative/destructive manner is not only effective, but perfectly ethical from many points of view. The Magickal equivalent of surgery, if you will.

This brings us to another piece of the puzzle; situational ethics. A good many pagans make ethical judgments on a case by case basis on a split second's notice. Their particular ethical code emphasizes personal responsibility for one's actions and the consequences thereof, rather than not causing harm regardless of the circumstances. They will not go about actively looking for opportunities to harm others, but will not hesitate to do so should they deem it necessary. A fairly common circumstance which could serve as an example would be in defense of either themselves or of others.

So there you have it. As so many Neo-Pagans are so fond of saying, there is no "One True Way." That applies not only to the system of practice, but also, if not especially, to personal ethics within Paganism as well. While I realize that I have been fairly brief, that is as it should be. It has not been my intention here to try to tell you how to think......merely to cause you to do so.

Background for this page provided by:

All contents of this site are © 2000-2005 except where otherwise noted, such as in the case of graphics or other content not created by Smiling Panther. Original author/creator retains all rights in those instances. All rights reserved.


	Smiling Panther's Den \| home On Ethics © by Smiling Panther, March 21st 2001 Ethics and Paganism. Put these two words together in a conversation, and you can stir up debate in almost any group. This should be the first clue to a simple fact that many people seem to either completely overlook, or never consider at all; there is no Universal Pagan Ethic. Consider the myriad of Pagan systems and beliefs. Doesn't it make sense that each of these would have at least slightly different ethical views? One common source of misunderstanding, I believe, is in the approach to Paganism. It seems everyone today has heard of Wicca. It is commonly the first, and sometimes only, system of Paganism which people have exposure to. It has become an extremely lucrative market, and some publishers have leapt to take advantage of this by publishing seemingly anything which the author claims to be Wicca, or which has a Wicca-like flavor. In the wake of this phenomenon, catch phrases such as "The Rule of Three" and "Harm None" have taken root in the minds of many readers as the ethical hue and cry of all pagans. This is simply not the case. For example, some paths place a good deal of emphasis on the way of the Warrior. How sensible would it be for such a path to proclaim "Harm None"? Another contributor seems to be a reflexive reaction to associations made by the uninformed between Paganism and Satanism. In an effort to put as much distance as possible between perceptions of "evil" and their idea of Paganism or Magick, many people will balk at the idea of working with "dark" or "negative/destructive" energies. This is not only unnecessary, but is extremely limiting to one's practice as well. What these same people often fail to consider is that doing something in a destructive manner is not necessarily inherently "evil." For example, working with an illness. A perfectly legitimate and effective approach may be to work to destroy the source of the illness. As the saying goes, "A witch that cannot curse cannot heal." For some situations, using energy in a negative/destructive manner is not only effective, but perfectly ethical from many points of view. The Magickal equivalent of surgery, if you will. This brings us to another piece of the puzzle; situational ethics. A good many pagans make ethical judgments on a case by case basis on a split second's notice. Their particular ethical code emphasizes personal responsibility for one's actions and the consequences thereof, rather than not causing harm regardless of the circumstances. They will not go about actively looking for opportunities to harm others, but will not hesitate to do so should they deem it necessary. A fairly common circumstance which could serve as an example would be in defense of either themselves or of others. So there you have it. As so many Neo-Pagans are so fond of saying, there is no "One True Way." That applies not only to the system of practice, but also, if not especially, to personal ethics within Paganism as well. While I realize that I have been fairly brief, that is as it should be. It has not been my intention here to try to tell you how to think......merely to cause you to do so. Background for this page provided by: All contents of this site are © 2000-2005 except where otherwise noted, such as in the case of graphics or other content not created by Smiling Panther. Original author/creator retains all rights in those instances. All rights reserved.