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ETHICS
Witches do not believe in
the concept of sin as defined by orthodox Christianity. Sin is
viewed as an outdated concept that is "only a tool used to
shackle the minds and actions of people." The only "sin"
or evil is that of being unbalanced and out of harmony or estranged
from oneself, others, the varied life forms, and Mother Earth.
As there is no sin or divine retribution to be saved from, "salvation"
has only to do with attaining and maintaining harmony with the
above.[20]
To their credit, many witches
consistently appeal to their ethical code -- the Wiccan Rede:
"an it harm none, do what ye will."[21] They further
claim not to use their occultic abilities for malevolent purposes
since they believe (1) that any evil done to another will come
back upon the perpetrator threefold or more, and (2) in some form
of reincarnation (and the moral law of karma which governs it).
Some, such as Donald Frew, incorporate other guidelines to determine
the rightness of an action, such as the general consensus of the
witchcraft community, common sense, the laws of the state, science,
and pragmatic considerations.[22]
While the aforementioned is
true, the Wiccan Rede is not consistent with -- nor does it logically
or ontologically follow from -- the world views most commonly
held by witches: pantheism and panentheism.[23] It must derive,
then, from someone or something external to or independent of
the universe or Goddess/God or Life Force itself. But how can
this be? In both pantheism and panentheism, nothing is
outside or independent of the One, and even death and evil are
an intrical and necessary part of reality.[24] The witches' ethical
code is therefore inconsistent with their metaphysical world view.
This dilemma is reflected
in the teachings of Starhawk. For example, though she does not
think destruction is necessarily evil, she states: "The nature
of the Goddess is never single...She is light and the darkness,
the patroness of love and death, who makes all possibilities.
She brings both comfort and pain."[25] Elsewhere she says,
"As Crone, She is the dark face of life, which demands death
and sacrifice...In Witchcraft, the dark, waning aspect of the
God is not evil -- it is a vital part of the natural cycle."[26]
This aspect of the divine manifesting itself in polarities is
echoed by almost all (if not all) witches. Erica Jong tells us
that "Satanists...accept the Christian duality between good
and evil; pagans do not...Pagans see good and evil as intimately
allied, in fact, indivisible. They conceive of deities as having
several aspects -- creation, destruction, sustenance -- rather
than externalizing all destruction and destructiveness ('evil')
in the form of devils."[27]
The Problems of Life
Whether witches realize it
or not, these views raise some very problematic ethical issues:
(1) Where does the Wiccan Rede derive from? (2) If there is "no
one right religion, way, or truth for all," then why is this
rule (the Wiccan Rede) universal? How do we know that witches
are not just trying to impose their rule on us to "shackle
our minds and actions"? (3) How do witches account for the
origin and existence of evil and suffering?
Space forbids us from addressing
each of these questions, but the third should -- indeed must
-- be addressed.
Evil
In Dreaming the Dark,
Starhawk attempts to grapple with ethical issues and the problem
of evil: "Evil is a concept that cannot be separated from
the stories of duality. Power-over, violence, coercion...are not
evil in the sense of being part of a force in direct opposition
to good. Instead, we can see them as mistakes, processes born
of chance that spread because they have served their purposes....The
problem of evil is really a problem of randomness."[28] Other
witches appeal to reincarnation and the law of Karma to explain
the existence of some evil and suffering. Raymond Buckland asserts,
"For its own evolution, it is necessary that the soul experience
all things in life. It seems the most sensible, most logical,
[sic] explanation of much that is found in life...Why should
one be born crippled, another fit and strong?...if not because
we must eventually experience all things"[29] (elipses in
original). Sybil Leek offers similar reasons for the existence
and necessity of evil in the world.[30]
Naturalistic Fallacies
The above two explanations
create more problems than they solve. For instance, if one must
experience all in life (as Buckland suggests), does this include
being abused, tortured, and so forth?[31]
It logically follows from
such a view that whatever is, ought to be. This is known in ethics
as the naturalistic fallacy, as it confuses "the way
things are" with how they morally should be. Hence, what
about the child born with crippling birth defects who dies an
agonizing death within two years? Should we respond, "Oh
well, whatever is, ought to be" and thus just accept
it as the way things are? No, even a witch could not consistently
live by this approach. The witches world view logically and ontologically
justifies any condition or conduct.
This results in an inability
to morally distinguish between good and evil, right and wrong.
With such a naturalistic approach one can only describe the way
things are (e.g., the drink is hot or cold). One cannot
make a moral evaluation. If life and death, comfort and pain,
joy and sorrow, are inherent to the very nature of the world,
then how can one call any action morally wrong, including burning
witches? It can't be done. But witches do say some actions
are wrong. Or are they simply saying that they do not prefer
certain actions? Hardly! Intuitively, they/we know certain things
are wrong -- such as torturing witches, confiscating their property,
abusing children, and so forth. They do not say these things are
merely unpleasant or inconvenient; they insist that they are wrong.
Christians, then, have every
reason to ask how witches answer the problem of the existence
of evil. This is a perplexing problem, and merely dismissing it
will not solve it.
The Problem of Evil
There are conspicuously few
in-depth discussions of the problem of evil in neopagan literature.
Many witches seem ignorant of this issue, or -- for a number of
reasons -- do not believe it applies to their particular world
view. For these, the existence of evil is not a problem, because
they do not conceive of the Goddess/God or Life Force as being
omniscient, omnipotent, and omnibenevolent. These witches explain
the problem of evil in one of three ways: (1) they deny that evil
exists; (2) they appeal to finite godism (or goddessism); or (3)
they appeal to humankind's free will. Let us briefly consider
each of these.
Does evil exist? Is evil only
an illusion? Or is evil not really evil but just unfortunate
circumstances? These views are delusions.[32] To say evil does
not exist is to be blind to reality, for evil not only exists
-- it is all around us. From cruelty, corruption, calamity,
flood and famine, disease and drought, hatred, war, suffering,
misery, pain, injustices, rape, murder, and on and on -- evil
exists. Evil is a fact of life. And it is not just a case
of "unfortunate" circumstances or the "breaks of
life." It is unfortunate when one gets a flat tire
at night on a country road in a rain storm. It is rank evil
to kill six million Jews as Hitler did. The death of human beings
is the epitome of evil and is not "natural" but is the
greatest nemesis we face. The existence of evil delivers a debilitating
blow to the witches' world view.
But, some witches counter,
the Goddess/God and/or Life Force is/are finite -- that is, not
omnibenevolent, omniscient, or omnipotent. Thus, they/it cannot
be held responsible for evil.
The defense of finite godism,
however, is wishful thinking.[33] Even finite godism/goddessism
must grapple with the existence of evil. If the Goddess and/or
God are finite, this does not excuse the evil it/they have
birthed. Do we hold a finite inflictor of suffering upon humanity
-- like a Hitler, Stalin, or Mao -- any less culpable simply because
they were not infinite in their abilities? Clearly, the finite
godism appeal will not exonerate the Goddess and God.
At this point, some will answer
that evil derives from humanity's failure to live in harmony with
nature and/or from exercising free will. But this cannot be the
answer either. Since the Goddess/God or Life Force itself contains
or causes both life and death, good and evil, how
can it be said that one is not in harmony with them/it if one
commits or causes suffering or death?
We acknowledge that free will
might account for some of the evil in the world. At best,
it might explain evil that derives from one human being forcing
his or her will upon another. But it certainly cannot account
for physical or natural evil.
Where, then, does evil come
from? What is its origin? According to the witch's world view,
it can derive logically and ontologically only from the Goddess/God
or primal Life Force. Are not they (or it) the ultimate source
of all? If they (or it) created everything, and everything is
a part or manifestation of them, then they are the source and
origin of evil. If one says that the Goddess/God are not
ultimate, then where did they come from? Who created them or gave
them their free will or nature?
Depending on whether a witch
is a pantheist, panentheist, and/or polytheist, there are only
so many possible explanations for the origin and existence of
evil. The problems inherent in a polytheistic, pantheistic, or
panentheistic perspective on the problem of evil are too numerous
to list.[34] However, we will address some of the more significant
ones.
In a pantheistic or panentheistic
universe, witches must realize that, ontologically, evil emanates
or flows naturally and necessarily from the very nature of the
ultimate Life Force. Creation and the existence of evil are synonymous
and simultaneous.[35] This entails that suffering, death, evil,
and so forth are part of the Goddess/God's very essence or nature.
Good and evil are both aspects of the One. All is contained
in, arises out of, or is a manifestation of the absolute universal
Life Force or principle. Evil is ultimately and necessarily part
of the One which is all. Therefore, in one sense or another, the
universal Life Force is responsible for all the pain, suffering,
and evil that has, does, or ever will exist.
In a polytheistic framework,
the Goddess(es) and God(s) are no more praiseworthy. From a brief
survey of history and the evidence around us, we would have to
conclude that these divine beings are blithering, bungling idiots
-- sort of the Inspector Clouseaus of the cosmos. They are either
unwilling or unable because of their limitations to eliminate
evil. They should be held in contempt inasmuch as they are responsible
for much of the evil of our world which they supposedly created.
Whether in a polytheistic,
pantheistic, or panentheistic universe, we can have no assurance
that the Goddess/God or Life Force can or wants to
defeat evil. Nor can we be sure that this is even an appropriate
question, since in the latter two worlds evil is part of the One's
very nature. Therefore, evil will no more cease to exist than
these entities or the Life Force itself. In other words, evil
is eternal -- it will always be with us.[36] It is eternal because
it is either an aspect of the very nature of the "divinity"
which creates and composes all (pantheism, panentheism), or these
deities are too limited to permanently accomplish the task (polytheism).
Only an infinite and benevolent personal God could and
will banish evil from the universe.[37]
This alleged Goddess/God or
Life Force is not worthy of reverence but of our rage. It is responsible
for all or nearly all the pain, suffering, and sorrow that has
existed or ever will exist. Who would want to worship or admire
such a Goddess/God? This is an affront to our moral sensibilities.
The optimism of witches and neopagans is not justified; despair
ought to be their response, and a longing for the death of this
alleged Goddess and her tyrannical rule.
The problem of evil is an
acute dilemma -- indeed, an Achilles' heel for witches and neopagans.
In light of this issue -- and the witches' emphasis on the joyful
celebration of life -- we must ask: Do they simply ignore evil
because it is not joyous? Remember, the goddess is not only mother
and maiden, but crone as well.
POSTSCRIPT FOR PAGANS
The world is full of wonder,
beauty, and joy. This same world, however, contains paralyzing
heartache, agonizing pain, misery, and the stench of death. Let
us experience and appreciate the joys of life. But let us view
the whole panorama of life and not just a postcard picture, nor
turn a deaf ear or blind eye to the suffering of humanity and
creation -- which is bleeding to death from a fatal wound unless
a divine physician can administer a healing touch and save us.
The witches' world is fraught
with problems, and we have attempted to point out just a few of
the pitfalls in the interest of their finding life -- and that
more abundantly (John 10:10).
Notes
1 C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1975), 33.
2 For striking examples of this, see note 32 in Part One of this series, and T. M. Luhrmann, Persuasions of the Witch's Craft: Ritual Magic in Contemporary England (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1989), 202, 279-96.
3 See Norman Geisler, Signs and Wonders (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1988), 47-81; See also Danny Korem and Paul Meier, The Fakers (Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1980); and Danny Korem, Powers: Testing the Psychic and Supernatural (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988).
4 See The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology (DNTT), ed. Colin Brown (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1980), vol. 2., s.v. "Magic, Sorcery, Magi"; The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, rev. ed., ed. Geoffrey W. Bromiley (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1980), vol. 1, s.v. "Divination"; Ibid., (1986), vol. 3, s.v. "Magic, Magician"; Ibid., s.v. "Medium"; and The New Bible Dictionary, ed. J. D. Douglas (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1978), s.v. "Magic and Sorcery."
5 These attempts and the arguments which counter them are available upon request.
6 See the DNTT, vol. 1, s.v. "Demon, Air, Cast Out." For the definitive treatment, see the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (TDNT), ed. Gerhard Kittel, trans. and ed. Geoffrey W. Bromiley (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1978), vol. 2, s.v. "daimon, daimonion...."
7 TDNT, vol. 2, 17.
8 DNTT, s.v. "daimonion," vol. 1, 452.
9 See Margot Adler, Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today, rev. and expanded ed. (Boston: Beacon Press, 1986), 23-38, 169, 172, 299, 455; Raymond Buckland, Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft (St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 1988), 99; Scott Cunningham, The Truth about Witchcraft Today (St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 1988), 66-67; Sybil Leek, Diary of a Witch (New York: Signet Books, 1969), 14; Starhawk, Dreaming the Dark, new ed. (Boston: Beacon Press, 1988), 37-38; Starhawk, The Spiral Dance (San Francisco: Harper & Row,
1979), 188-89.
10 See, e.g., Adler, 172.
11 See, e.g., Luhrmann, 290-93.
12 Starhawk, Dreaming, 22, 41.
13 Adler, 27-36, 169-73, 441-42, 455.
14 See, e.g., Starhawk, Spiral, 190, 197; Adler, 20, 169-73.
15 Consult Irving Copi, Introduction to Logic, seventh ed. (New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1982), 306-8.
16 See, e.g., Starhawk, Spiral, 188-90.
17 Stewart Farrar, What Witches Do: The Modern Coven Revealed (London: Sphere Books, 1971), 43.
18 See, e.g., Adler, 36, 43, 86, 164-65, 169-73; Starhawk, Spiral, 188-92; Luhrmann: 274-96, 301-3, 335-36.
19 For some good treatments on logic and adequate criteria to test truth claims, see Edward J. Carnell, Introduction to Christian Apologetics (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1976), 45-62; Norman Geisler, Christian Apologetics (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1978), 141-47; and Norman Geisler and William Watkins, Worlds Apart: A Handbook on World Views (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1989), 105, 262-69.
20 See, e.g., Starhawk, Spiral, 11-12, 14.
21 Despite the claim that witches never use their real or imagined abilities to harm another, there is ample evidence to the contrary. References are available on request.
22 B. Alexander and D. Frew, Christian/Pagan Forum, audio cassette (A 010), (Berkeley: SCP, 1986), October, 19.
23 Space does not permit a thorough discussion of these points. However, they are discussed at length by Geisler and Watkins in Worlds Apart, 75-146, 239-53, 255-69; and Geisler, Christian Apologetics, 173-213.
24 See note 22.
25 Starhawk, Spiral, 80.
26 Ibid., 29.
27 Erica Jong, Witches (New York: Harry N. Abrams Publishers, 1981), 52.
28 Starhawk, Dreaming, 43.
29 Buckland, 17.
30 Sybil Leek, The Complete Art of Witchcraft (New York: Signet Books, 1973), 146-47.
31 See note 28 for the horrific results of this type of belief. For some critiques of reincarnation, consult Mark C. Albrecht, Reincarnation: A Christian Critique of a New Age Doctrine (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1989), 51-111, 127-30; and Norman Geisler and J. Yutaka Amano, The Reincarnation Sensation (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1986), 57-86, 99-102, 107-9, 112.
32 See, e.g., Norman Geisler and Winfried Corduan, Philosophy of Religion, 2d. ed. (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1988), 297-98.
33 Ibid., 299-300.
34 See notes 22 and 35.
35 Albrecht, 106-9.
36 See Albrecht, 106-9, and note 22.
37 For a full discussion of
this issue, see Norman Geisler, The Roots of Evil
(Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1979); and Geisler
and Corduan, Philosophy of Religion, 293-385.
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End of document, CRJ0069A.TXT (original CRI file name),
"The Modern World of Witchcraft: Part Two"
release A, April 25, 1994
R. Poll, CRI
(A special note of thanks
to Bob and Pat Hunter for their help in the preparation of this
ASCII file for BBS circulation.)
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