Day 18 - Ethics

I feel I'm a rather ethical person. If it doesn't seem right, I won't do it (though that can depend on the situation). My ethics are fairly simple and don't necessarily stem from any one, singular religion or spirituality: "Be responsible; don't hurt others unnecessarily; think before you act; etc".

Ethics, though seem to be a bone of contention among religions, particularly Pagan religions. I see so many people threaten others with "what you send out comes back times three" and whatnot.

It's great to have ethics, and it's great to live by them, but when you start dictating to others YOUR ethics, then you've missed the point OF those ethics.

When I see people say "oh you can't do that because the Wiccan Rede says 'Harm None'", they've missed entirely the point OF the Rede. The Rede tells us we can do whatever harmLESS activities we want. If it's not hurting someone, do it. But it doesn't say you can never, ever, ever harm. That's just impossible. And when someone says they want to cast a curse on another (for whatever reason) and someone says to them they can't because it violates the Rede, 1) whose to say that person even FOLLOWS the Rede and 2) Just because you follow the Rede in a certain way, doesn't mean everyone follows it the same way.

Ethics are meant to keep YOU as an individual in line in regards to your actions and spirituality. What another does is none of your business because that person has to deal with the consequences on their own. Once you put yourself INTO the situation, then you can receive the backlash of the consequences yourself. It's best to stay out of someone elses situation until you know the full story.