Let me say unequivocally that ethics is not some arcane and boring subject that we study in school and promptly forget as soon as we walk out the door. Ethics is the way we honor the Divine in ourselves and in others. It is a way of behaving that is at the core of our beliefs and the basis for how we chose to live our lives. You can call it by many names, good manners, the Ten Commandments, The Golden Rule, the Wiccan Rede...all are essentially a way of describing the same thing. Without ethics, civilization as we know it would cease to exist. Without them, we would lose the connection to the Divine that we treasure.

Let us look at the Wiccan Rede. "An it harm none, do as ye will." It is a simple and elegant rule on the surface. As long as your actions don't hurt anyone, well party on Dude! That seems to be a lot of folks take on the Rede. In fact some people forget the first part of the Rede entirely and just concentrate on "do as ye will". I can assure you that the Gods and the Laws of Karma don't forget however.

The Rede says we must harm NONE...no exceptions, no excuses...no harm to the Earth, our fellow creatures, the people around you, or to yourself. Is this possible? I personally believe that the Rede is a goal we strive for and never fully attain. Do you eat food? Of course you do! Well, what of the harm to the animal or plant life you put on your plate for dinner? What of the harm to the Earth from fertilizers and pesticides, soil erosion, water pollution...all from agriculture? Does this mean you have to stop eating? Of course not! Do you drive a car, use electricity, throw out garbage? Yep, you probably do that too. Does this mean you have to live in the 10th century to minimize your impact on the Earth? It does not! But be honest with yourself, YOU have caused harm. Have you ever been unkind to another person, taken something not yours (what about that pen from the office?), cut someone off in traffic? Be really honest with yourself. In living your life you often cause harm to others. Sometimes that harm is intentional, some is accidental, and some you didn't even think about. Well, here's news for you...The Gods and the Laws of Karma don't care. You violated the Rede and there will be consequences for which you, and you alone, will be responsible..

Once you have acknowledged that the Rede is a goal to work for and not a given situation and have taken off the blinkers that let you go around smug and happy that your religion is so sweet it makes your teeth itch, you can get down to the work of making your life an ethical one. What this involves is considering each decision in the light of the Rede before you decide upon a course of action. You do this by looking at all the possible consequences of that action and whether that will cause harm to any, choosing the path that causes the least harm and (THIS IS THE KEY) accepting the responsibility for the consequences of your actions whether intentional or unintentional. That is what our religion is all about PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. You can't stand before the Gods saying, "I didn't mean...", or "I didn't think...", or "the Devil made me do it"...it won't wash! If you did it, it's all yours to deal with. OUCH! That can be pretty uncomfortable to face up to. We all like to shift the blame away from ourselves. But taking the difficult path is the way to spiritual growth.

Now, I have heard lots of Wiccans ask, "Does that mean I can't defend myself if attacked?" No, it does not! The Wiccan Rede says harm no one, INCLUDING YOURSELF. If not taking action against your attacker means that you will be harmed, you can defend yourself. ****BUT**** You must weigh your need for defense against the harm you will cause another through your actions. If someone breaks into your home and is stealing the silverware, by all means call the police, but don't blow his head off! On the other hand, if the robber threatens your life or your children, you can protect yourself with any weapon that comes to hand.. Just know that you will be called before the Gods to answer for your actions, and that should you kill this person, YOU are responsible for their death. His Karma and yours may balance out on the scales, but be willing to accept the consequences if they do not. No fair saying, "He made me do it...", your answer MUST BE, "I chose to do this."

And I am not talking here about some Divine retribution, or something like the Christian Hell for violations on the Rede. What I am saying that all our choices of action have consequences for which we alone are responsible. And if your choices are consistently negative or harmful towards other creatures, then the energy which tends to return to you will also be negative and harmful. In effect, we become the tools of our own Karma. So, what kind of energy would you like to wake up and find on your doorstep one morning??

Well, this isn't such an easy rule to live by is it? No one ever said this would be easy...nothing worthwhile ever is. But remember...your actions are the face of the Gods that this world gets to see, and it is this path that lets you attune yourself more closely with the Divine. And think about how much better this world would be if we all lived like this.