Blessed Samhain

Blessed Samhain.

Wiccan Ethics II - Grey Areas

This is the second part of the ethics lesson, some common questions and conundrums.

Veganism/Vegetarianism
I myself used to be a lacto-ovo vegetarian, but realized that I was simply because my ex-fiancé badgered me into it. Veganism/vegetarianism is a fine choice if someone wants to live that way, and done right it can be very healthy. However, I think citing the Rede as the reason is silly. Even if you don't believe in killing animals for food, the plants you eat are still dying, and I've heard of (not actually read though) studies that show that plants scream at supersonic levels when cut down. And, animals kill each other for food naturally, they didn't learn that from humans. And those that aren't predators are still killing plants, and in some cases will eat insects as well. In nature, life comes from death, and I personally don't see why humans should be any different. After all, we're animals and a part of nature ourselves, no matter how hard we may try to remove ourselves from it. This is not to say I agree with all the slaughterhouse and farming practices out there, but even for animals in the more extreme conditions, death seems all the more merciful. And there’s also the argument that, since harm constitutes senseless acts, killing one animal to feed another isn’t truly harm anyway. Overall, I think using the Rede as a justification for one's diet is not only unnecessary, but also somewhat missing the point.

Wiccan Ethics I - Explanation

This lesson will be in two parts. The first is simply explaining and defining Wiccan ethical tenents, while the second will explore some common scenarios and questions.

Wiccan Ethics

The basic ethical tenant of Wicca is the Wiccan Rede, which states, “An it harm none, do what you Will.” A simple, yet highly profound statement.

History, in Brief

A Brief History of Modern Wicca

Keep in mind there's plenty here that lots of people disagree with, some very vehemently. I encourage all who read this to do their own research, getting as scholarly as possible. With that in mind, I can tell you that what follows is the history as my parents have always explained it, their sources being their own training and independent research.

Other Categorical Definitions

The series continues, folks. As before, YMMV.

A. Pagan vs. Wiccan

All Wiccans are Pagan, but not all Pagans are Wiccan. Many use the Christian denomination model as a comparison (e.g.: all Methodists are Christian but not all Christians are Methodist), however this is a false analogy; Methodists and all other Christians conceive of and worship the Divine under the same name, and the other beliefs and the services of these various denominations share many additional similarities. The same cannot be said of the full spectrum of Paganism. Some follow a specific cultural pantheon, such as Celtic, Norse, Greek, etc.. Others do not ascribe to one pantheon, instead following whatever Gods call to them regardless of Their cultural origins.

Wicca - A Personal Definition

For those of you who are familiar with Wicca, YMMV and I don't expect total agreement here (and in the case that someone were learning from me, I'd just expect for them to be familiar with and use my definitions so long as they were under my guidance, so that they could understand my perspective and reasonings). Again, my main purpose in posting these lessons is to make sure that my thought processes translated well into words, that things are clear and coherent, etc.. Comments and questions GREATLY encouraged and appreciated!

Introduction, Statement of Purpose

I've written a series of lessons on Wicca. It's more Traditional-leaning, but since I'm not an initiate of anything, it of course isn't strictly Traditional (and even if I was, of course it wouldn't be in that case either, oaths and all that). Mostly, it's for the hypothetical students I hope to have someday, but also for my husband, should he ever get around to reading any of it. I've decided to post these lessons mostly to get feedback, since just about anyone can find this information elsewhere. Really, I just want to make sure that nothing's overly confusing. I'm not expecting complete agreement on all things, but I suspect there's very little that would be objectionable to most.

Once I get through those, however, I have more personal, and some would say more "advanced" essays and articles I've written that I plan to include here as well.

Lastly, this is an experiment on myself. I feel Called to teach, but heretofore have not encountered anyone wanting to learn anything more from me than the barest of basics before they take off in their own direction. And there's nothing wrong with that, but it's not my Calling. This blog will serve as a litmus tests of sorts, so that I can try my hand at teaching before I reach the hypothetical "real deal."

Thank you for joining me on this journey. I hope it is enlightening for all involved.