Paganism - Yesturday, Today & Tomorrow

There you are. You have a Pagan Instruction group. The students are seated and waiting for you to begin. As a responsible Instructor, you have some sort of class outline that you will follow. Hopefully, you plan to touch on the subject of ethical standards in Paganism. Here are some thoughts on how- and why- to incorporate the topic into your teaching materials.

Well...where did YOU come from?

Every student has had some experience with ethical considerations before he/she decides to investigate the Pagan faith. Take a moment to reflect on your own upbringing. How did your childhood help to form what has become YOUR personal code of ethics?

"What the child sees is what the child does."-Old Irish Saying

Did Mom and Dad crow at the dinner table over some "deal" they put over on someone else? Did they welcome new neighbors with a plate of cookies? Did your folks tell someone that they just LOVED that gift...and then threw it away after the giver had left? Did they allow you to choose your own friends? Did your parents break promises that they had made with you? Did they choose to go without something so that you could have that new outfit? Did you see them struggle with an ethical decision? How did these or other incidents at home make you feel? Did you agree with the ethical choices that your parents made then? How do you feel about their decisions and actions now?

And remember High School? What about that unwritten law that everyone knew about? No matter what another student did, you just never "ratted on them". This is typical adolescent "click" thinking, but as most of us mature, ethical choices become more complex and less black and white. (Unfortunately, some people never grow out of the adolescent stage!)

Think about your personal ethical values. While you probably don't really want to "preach" to your students, you DO want them to reflect about the decisions that they may face as people of the Pagan faith.

So...There they sit. Students at many different stages of ethical thinking. You, the Instructor, are about to teach them Paganism

Finding The Meaning Behind The Words:

Well, don't I wish that I had the definitive word on this one! The truth is that each and every person must find the answers to ethical questions within themselves. Nevertheless, we all will come to a point somewhere in our lives- and most certainly in our magical practice-where we must make a decision on a course of action. We will face what is called an "ethical dilemma". How will we handle this? What should we, as Pagans, take into consideration?

As an Instructor, you will probably begin with a general discourse on the Wiccan Rede, Hermetic Laws or a similar Code of Ethics. This will be something that is either relevant to you personally or reflective of the code of behavior that is inherent in your group, Tradition or coven. Normally, when a student enters a session in Paganism, they are made aware of the tradition of the individual holding the session. That is the Code of Ethics that will be used primarily, though the others will be touched on as well.

"An it harm none, do as you will" - Wiccan Rede

There is nothing weak, in showing decency and respect to others. The reverse is actually true, the welfare of our society relies on it. The future of the Pagan community depends on it. What each individual decides to act upon at any given moment will extend far beyond him/herself. What IS our obligation to another?

In Christianity, the hard question is "Who IS my neighbor?" The question is "hard" because the injunction given is "To love your neighbor as yourself". How well Christians have answered this question, we will leave for them to address. We have our own problems...

In the Wiccan tradition of Paganism, the tough one is, "An it harm none, do as you will." Who are the "none" that we should not harm? Our covenmates? Our Pagan brothers and sisters from all Traditions and Paths? The whole world? Do WE have "neighbors" to think about? Are you sorry that I brought this whole thing up yet?

Perhaps the first place to look in determining what is right or wrong, is society. Almost every society makes some determination of morally correct or ethical behavior. In most countries, a determination of what is right or moral is tied to religious strictures. In societies that are more secular, the influence of religious beliefs may be less obvious, but still a key factor. "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" represent some American values.

Individual relationships and families or any other time you are involved with another person or people, all demand a foundation of trust and security. A similar code of ethical behavior toward one another helps to establish a bond of trust and a sense of security.

How Does One Make An Ethical Choice?

It is never easy, nor should it be. What we do ultimately is seen by others as who we are. We owe it to ourselves, and those around us, to think long and hard on the tough choices that face us each day. Remembering always that the person in the mirror is always YOU, are you proud of the YOU that looks back?

"The heights that great men reached and kept 
Were not attained by sudden flight,
But they, while their companions slept 
Were toiling upward in the night."
--Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Here are some points to help an individual make that "moral" decision as an instructor, and then following the numbered points, are exercises for the students:

1. Look at the situation--Gather as much information as possible and don't jump to conclusions. Never base your decision on what someone else has told you. Find out for yourself. But make sure the source of your information is a reliable one. Remember if your decision is requested in something of a hurry, it is probably because they do NOT want you to get all the information. They want you on their side...now!

INSTRUCTOR: Ask your student(s) if another person has ever "rushed" them into making a decision only to find out later that the situation was "Not as it appeared at first". How did they feel about the choices that they made? In school, did they ever know about an incident but 'didn't tell"? Would they now make a different decision?

2. Think about alternatives.--Run different scenarios through your mind. For example: What may happen if I do this? What outcome are you looking for? What are the ways to approach this decision that may best achieve this result? Who ELSE is involved? Will they support any decision I make? Will this help or not in finding a solution to the problem?

INSTRUCTOR: Give your students a magical "ethical" dilemma such as in spellwork or interpersonal conflicts, and see if they can come up with at least five alternatives. Discuss them during the session. Is there a "best or right" choice"?

3. What are the guidelines? What principles do you hold dear? What about self-respect? Would this decision affect another's free will? Would they have chosen the same as I have? Would they be harmed? What do I owe in terms of respect to another human being? Would I be preventing harm? Is this the best choice for all concerned? Is it fair? What if the situation was reversed? Would I be happy with the results of the decision if this was ME that was on the receiving end of things? What has happened in the past that may affect the decision making process?

INSTRUCTOR: Have students answer the above questions. Then ask them what they think a person such as Ghandi, Lincoln, Malcomb X, or King would have done in this situation? Now, I'm not saying any of these folks actually was a Pagan ...but then again, that Lincoln guy .... What about the God and/or Goddess? What do They say about similar events as this? Did this exercise change the students' original decision?

4. Test your limits. If the situation changed, would my decision still be valid? Am I setting a good example? Those great men mentioned above held to their ethics and paid the price for it. Am I sure enough of my own ethics and decisions I make because of those ethics that I would be willing to sacrifice the same? Will the decision I make change how I feel about myself? If everyone acted this way, would the world be a better place or worse off than before the decision was made? Does it just seem like the right thing to do? Don't discount that inner voice!

INSTRUCTOR: Ask your students: What if everyone acted this way? What kind of future would such actions bring? Is that future the one we really want?

5. Make your choice. You will have to live with it. You will certainly learn from it. This means accepting the responsibility for your choice. It also means accepting the possibility that you might be wrong or that you will make a less than ideal decision. The object is to make as good a choice as possible with the information available.

INSTRUCTOR: Do your students feel a little better equipped to handle ethical decisions now? Have they perhaps been able to see how the other half lives and to walk a mile in another persons shoes? Have they discovered that rational thought on issues tends to lesson conflicting desires to make some choices a little easier?

6. You can't make someone else's choices. No one can make yours for you. Instructors can guide students in techniques, but ultimately the ethical decisions, like those made within your faith, comes from within each individual. Who you are, and who you will become, is something that only you determine. It really is completely up to YOU

"The greatest thing a human mind does in this world is to 'see". Hundreds of people can talk for one that can think, but thousands can think for one who can see. To see clearly is poetry, prophecy and religion-all in one."-Ruskin.

© 1997 silverphoenix@cybergal.com