In 1979, Margot Adler's groundbreaking book, Drawing Down the Moon, was published. Among many things, she discussed the ethics embraced by the growing Neo-Pagan/Wiccan movement.
The groups were closest on ethics. All agreed with the basic Wiccan Creed-- "An ye harm none, do what ye will." Most affirmed Aleister Crowley's famous statement: "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. Love is the law, love under will." Most agreed that it was unethical to "forcefully violate a person's autonomy." Most affirmed the divinity of all living beings. NROOGD's statement was the strongest.Margot Adler, Drawing Down the Moon, (Boston: Beacon Press, 1979, 1986. 2006 edition) p 97An it harm no one, do you as you will.
You may not alter another's life/karma without his permission.
Solve the problem, no more, no less. All power comes from the Goddess.
You must help your brothers and sisters in the Craft as best you can.
If you stick your hand in a flame, you'll get burned.--New Reformed Orthodox Order of the Golden Dawn
1. An ye harm none, do as ye will.Margot Adler, Drawing Down the Moon, (Boston: Beacon Press, 1979, 1986. 2006 edition) p 101
2. No one may offer initiations for money, nor charge initiates money to learn the Craft.
3. Any Witch may charge reasonable fees to the public.
4. Witches shall respect the autonomy of other Witches.
5. All Witches shall respect the secrecy of the Craft.
6. In any public statement Witches should distinguish whether we are speaking for ourselves, our coven, or our Church.
7. All these Ethics are interwoven and derive from Craft Law.--Covenant of the Goddess
Aside from the two codes of conduct I'd read in Drawing Down the Moon in 1979, I collected the following four codes of conduct in the early and mid 1980's.
Eclectic Pagan Ethics
Know yourself.Elven Trad Ethics
You are free;
And if it harms no one, including yourself, do as you will.
Whatever you do comes back to you.
Power is gained through knowledge.
Do not worship stupidity.--gleaned from an early 1980's article on ethics
1. If you harm none, do as you will.Feminist Dianic Ethics
2. Whatever action you take will return to you threefold.
3. Judge not the path of another for her or his path is sacred.--gleaned from writings on ethics in the MD Tapestry BOS
Do as thou wilt and harm none.Labryadae
Don't think you're omnipotent; don't waste time in self-importance, vain-glorying, guilt, or paranoia about your wimmin's magick.
Maintain a sense of humor.
Don't throw a spell in anger.
Build up the innter temple [the body and the psyche], which is portable and all that we have.
Do no evil--but act in self-defense and affirmation.
A Witch bows to no man.--gleaned from the writings of Z. Budapest, used with permission from Z. Budapest
These are the words of the Thrice Plougher [Great Goddess]: honor thy Mother, rejoice Her with the fruits of the earth, injure no one.The term, Craft Law, in the ethical rules for Covenant of the Goddess, refers to a document also known as "Laws of the Craft," "Old Laws," "Wiccan Laws," "Ordains," or "Ardanes." There are several lists of "Craft Laws" from the Gardnerian and Alexandrian trads that have been published. Published versions can be found in June John's King of the Witches (1969) and Lady Sheba's Book of Shadows (1971). Versions of these laws are in Aidan Kelly's Crafting the Art of Magic, Vol. I (1991) and Aidan Kelly's Inventing Witchcraft (2007). I discuss them more in Myth's Notes after the Sacred Suggestions.--copied into my notebook in the very early 1980's. I do not remember where I got this from.
I liked that these other four, Eclectic Pagan Ethics, Elven Trad Ethics, Feminist Dianic Ethics, and Labryadae, discussed the same moral issues, but from different angles--also using different wording.
copyright 2008 Myth Woodling
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