Values and Ethics

The American Council of Witches’ “Principles of Wiccan Belief”

Wiccans, generally, do not agree with or believe in one specific set of rules. The one rule which tends to be universally accepted is the Wiccan Rede. However, this lack of a universal Pagan or Witch rule did not stop various Witches in the United States from trying to compose something basic and which could be more widely accepted. The American Council of Witches, in 1974, composed a list or statement of beliefs and practices which could help define Witchcraft from an American perspective. This list included:

1. We practice rites to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm of life forces marked by the phases of the Moon and the seasonal Quarters and Cross Quarters.

2. We recognize that our intelligence gives us a unique responsibility toward our environment. We seek to live in harmony with nature in ecological balance offering fulfillment to life and consciousness within an evolutionary concept.

3. We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than that apparent to the average person. Because it is far greater than ordinary it is sometimes called ‘supernatural’, but we see it as lying within that which is naturally potential to all.

4. We conceive of the Creative Power in the universe as manifesting through polarity – as masculine and feminine – and that this same Creative Power lies in all people, and functions through the interaction of the masculine and the feminine. We value neither above the other, knowing each to be supportive of the other. We value sex as pleasure, as the symbol and embodiment of life, and as one of the sources of energy used in magickal practice and religious worship.

5. We recognize both outer worlds and inner, or psychological worlds sometimes known as the Spiritual World, the Collective Unconsciousness, the Inner Planes etc. – and we see in the interaction of these two dimensions the basis for paranormal phenomena and magickal exercises. We neglect neither dimension for the other, seeing both as necessary for our fulfillment.

6. We do not recognize any authoritarian hierarchy, but do honor those who teach, respect those who share their greater knowledge and wisdom, and acknowledge those who have courageously given of themselves in leadership.

7. We see religion, magick and wisdom in living as being united in the way one views the world and lives within it – a world view and philosophy of life which we identify as Witchcraft – the Wiccan Way.

8. Calling oneself ‘Witch’ does not make a Witch – but neither does heredity itself, nor the collecting of titles, degrees and initiations. A Witch seeks to control the forces within her/himself that make life possible in order to live wisely and without harm to others and in harmony with nature.

9. We believe in the affirmation and fulfillment of life in a continuation of evolution and development of consciousness giving meaning to the Universe we know and our personal role within it.

10. Our only animosity towards Christianity, or towards any other religion or philosophy of life, is to the extent that its institutions have claimed to be ‘the only way’ and have sought to deny freedom to others and to suppress other ways of religious practice and belief.

11. As American Witches, we are not threatened by debates on the history of the Craft, the origins of various terms, the legitimacy of various aspects of different traditions. We are concerned with our present and our future.

12. We do not accept the concept of absolute evil, nor do we worship any entity known as ‘Satan’ or ‘the Devil’ as defined by Christian tradition. We do not seek power through the suffering of others, nor accept that personal benefit can be derived only by denial to another.

13. We believe that we should seek within Nature that which is contributory to our health and well-being.

The Wiccan Rede

Wicca is a simple religion, a faith with relatively little dogma or mandatory creeds of faith. One article of faith, however, that ties all Wiccans together is the Wiccan Rede. It is the only Wiccan law, if we can honestly call it a law.

Strictly speaking, a rede is a guideline or a suggestion. In the case of the Wiccan Rede, it is a guideline or a suggestion that is expected to apply to Wiccans. Followers of other Pagan paths may choose to abide or follow the Wiccan Rede or not. The choice is theirs. As a matter of fact, it would be likely that most non-Wiccans do not believe that this Rede applies to them as they would consider it a Wiccan doctrine or statement.

Initially, the Wiccan Rede did not exist at the same time that Gerald Gardner started studying witchcraft. There is no publication which refers to the Rede prior to 1954, when Gardner wrote about the simple morality of doing whatever you please so long as you harm no one. It was not a law. It was not a suggestion or a guideline. It was, simply, an example of morality which one could choose to apply to their own life.

The Wiccan Rede which we are familiar with was presented by Doreen Valiente (the person who codified much of Gardner’s teachings) during a speech in 1964. Her version simply states “Eight words the Rede fulfill. Harm ye none an do as ye will.” The Rede was simply intended to summarize Wiccan theology and to present us in a more favorable light, a less threatening image of witches that what most people had learned from church and from the media.

The expanded version of the Wiccan Rede first appeared in “Green Egg” magazine in 1975 (volume III, No. 69, Ostara).

The Wiccan Rede stands in sharp contrast to another line which is sometimes paraded to the public, a line which makes us look chaotic, undisciplined, and self-serving, which states that doing whatever you may want—regardless of the well being or desires of another—is “whole of the law”. The Wiccan Rede provides boundaries and demands consideration of all others by forbidding harm.

The Wiccan Rede does offer us a lot of freedom and it demands a lot of discipline at the same time. As we are free to “do as ye will,” we are not required to fit certain roles. In other words, men and women can be equal; they can each do what they want to do without being limited by gender roles assigned by society and by religion. People are free to love whomever they want or are naturally attracted to so long as no one is harmed or their rights as human beings are violated (a form of harm).

Because of the Wiccan Rede, followers of this spiritual path are not required to observe certain aspects of faith in a set manner. There is no law mandating dietary restrictions. There is no law demanding that worship be done in a precise manner. There is no requirement for a practitioner to bow down to the will of someone in authority over them. Your faith and your life are your own and are not subject to someone else’s control!

The Threefold Law

The Threefold Law is not a radical concept. On its surface, it states that whatever you do will return to you threefold. As I mentioned; this isn't a radical new concept, but there is a verse in the Bible which uses a similar logic (Matthew 18:22). Simply put, whatever energies you send out through the Universe (whether thought or deed) will come back to you as a lesson to be learned or "rewarded". I do not believe either of the above are meant to be literal in the sense that you took a quarter from your mother's purse, so now you will have 75 cents stolen from you. I am simply saying that what goes around, comes around. It may be in this lifetime or it may be in a future lifetime, but something will have to give.

How We See Sexuality in Wicca

Pagans tend to view sex as a normal part of human sexuality. While some groups may disapprove of, for example, homosexuality, Pagans tend to be more accepting of and open to homosexuality. In the same vein, many Pagans are also more accepting of polyamory. Sex is a good part of life and it is a desirable part of life.

The Book Religions (religions which are prone to give out their rules and commandments via the written word, such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) are seen as being more sex-negative. Sex is somehow dirty, shameful, and sinful. Because of this, sex had to be regulated and controlled and one successful way of controlling this aspect of the creative process was to subjugate and dominate the outward representation of the creation of life, the female half of the human species. Nurturing, love, and caring were relegated as inferior things that a part of the woman’s domain while aggressiveness and strength were somehow masculine.

The Wiccan perspective on human sexuality is somewhat unique. It can incorporate some of the following concepts:

· Skyclad is honored (okay, many Gardnerians also believe in honoring skylclad, but I tend to agree with Sybil Leek who noticed that skyclad is not always conducive to ritual and working in 25 degree weather)

· Sexual matters, while holy and honorable, are best left in private for practice

· Sexuality is a personal thing that is subject to individual views and tastes

· Love and passion are functions of the soul

· People often notice that there seem to be a lot of gays and lesbians in the pagan world. Do they ever notice the anti-gay discrimination in the pagan community, however?

The Great Rite

The Great Rite, in Wicca, is a symbolic reenactment of the union or marriage of the Goddess and God (heiros gamos). In some Traditions, this reenactment is performed by the High Priest and the High Priestess through physical sexual union. As a matter of fact, I recall several years ago when I had considered studying with a local Alexandrian coven where this literal reenactment of the great Rite was a mandatory part of the coven’s practices (that coven has since disbanded). Generally, most covens prefer a more symbolic form of reenactment through the use of the Chalice (Goddess) and Athame (God) during the cakes and ale portion of the ritual. The “sexual union” of the God and Goddess is achieved by the High Priestess holding the Chalice and the High Priest and High Priestess, together, grasping the Athame and plunging it gently into the ale or beverage contained within the Chalice with the appropriate words.

In some of the various British Traditional Wiccan circles, these words may go as,

"As the Athame is the Male, so the Cup is the female; so, conjoined, they bring blessedness."

This wording is actually fairly common wording. In this example, the Chalice symbolizes the Goddess and the Athame symbolizes the God. The Goddess and God are joined in a “sexual” union and ensure fertility, prosperity, and blessings.