Wiccan Ethics and Morality

Lord Taliesin of Avalon

It is generally accepted that a follower of the Olde Religion should live by the Wiccan Rede, the central statement of which is the simple edict, “Do What Thou Wilt, An Thee Harm None.” If you have followed the path for any time at all, or if you have even just read some websites, periodicals, or books on the subject, you probably have read this phrase more than just a few times. You probably have your own personal ideas about what the Wiccan Rede means. I would like to share with you all some of my thoughts on the subject.

To examine this subject in any depth, we must first agree on the meanings of certain words. Too many essays make the mistake of assuming that the reader agrees with the writer on the definition of what are often complex and ambiguous concepts. To that end, I will attempt to clarify the relationship between the concepts of morals and ethics.

The terms, ‘moral’ and ‘ethical’ are both described in Webster’s Dictionary as “of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior.” The definition of ‘moral’ is further defined as ‘ethical’, and the word ‘ethical’ is defined as ‘moral’. This circularity of definitions is common in dictionaries, and most people go no further in attempting to understand the meanings of the words defined therein. However, as practitioners of an Art based in part of the true meaning of things, we should go deeper than these surface definitions.

I believe that the word ‘moral’ connotes conformity to sanctioned codes or accepted notions of right and wrong. ‘Ethical’ implies the involvement of more difficult or subtle questions of rightness, fairness, and equity. In other words, morals are constraints of behavior that are placed upon the individual by the culture, whereas ethics are personally defined boundaries of correct responses to decision points in the individual’s life experiences. Morals result from a centralized control over the individual’s decision-making process, as exemplified by the patriarchal model of Western civilization. Ethics are derived from a sense of personal responsibility and choice. Therefore, in my opinion, followers of the ‘Way of the Wise’ should strive for ethical behavior more than an adherence to commonly accepted morality.

This is not to say that morality has no purpose. In the same sense that we all agree upon certain meanings for sounds so that we may communicate with one another, we must all agree on a framework for acceptable communal behavior. However (continuing with the analogy) if words are not allowed to be used in new and unexpected configurations that change their meanings, then we lose a great deal of the flexibility of language. Likewise, when morals are structured without any capability for individual decision-making, then the culture will become rigid, brittle and incapable of handling new and unfamiliar circumstances.

The Wiccan Rede is both a moral directive, and an ethical creed. It defines a structure by which the individual can measure the correctness of behavior as it is defined by the culture. It is also worded in such a way that the interpretation of the constraints is placed firmly in the hands of the practitioner. Therefore, the Olde Religion has as one of its central tenets a requirement of personal responsibility for all its members. This can result in a truly virtuous culture, or one based upon the whims of personal satisfaction and greed, depending entirely upon the character of the culture’s individual components. In this lies the inherent paradox of our religion. It is hierarchal in regards to teaching and communal decision-making, but it depends on personal responsibility and ethics to guide the decisions of the individuals.