What is the wiccan Rede?
There is one fundamental law upon which all Wiccan law and morality is based and it is known as the wiccan creed. The Wiccan creed consists of 22 tenets, each one expressing an axiom for the life and behavior of a Wiccan. To read it is a simple matter of searching for it on the Internet as it would be a little too long to reproduce and discuss in detail within the scope of this article. There is a more fundamental expression of this law that is known as the Wiccan Rede. The Wiccan Rede is a simple, one line statement that embodies that essence of Wiccan law and spiritual morality, it is as follows:
“And thou harm none, do what thou will.”
Wiccan Rede Intent
The intent of the Wiccan Rede is to provide the simplest expression of a code of conduct that is applicable to all, for all situations requiring moral or ethical judgment. This is not new in society; the Ten Commandments have been with us for a long time. Modern society has grown complex and the body of laws that govern behavior and interaction are, to say the least, voluminous. This is a source of difficulty for many as we are increasingly challenged in our interpretation of what is right and what is wrong in a given situation.
Much of the Wiccan Creed covers aspects of Wiccan practice regarding magick and obligations of the Wiccan to honor nature and ceremonial events. There are several passages that deal with personal interaction between wiccans, honoring elders, and the three-fold law which is an expansion of the axiom, “what ye sow that shall ye reap.” It states that whatever is done for either good or ill, in magick will return three-fold to the practitioner. There are many axioms and laws that serve the purpose of acting as general rules applicable to all, such as the golden rule, “Do unto others what you would have others do unto you.” The Wiccan Rede however goes beyond the scope of this by declaring that the individual is free to act in any manner that they so choose, so long as their choice does not result in harm to anyone.
Wiccan Rede & Responsibility
This places responsibility for moral judgment on the individual and provides a single, simple yardstick to judge by. Law that is founded on the limitation or restriction of the individual in their actions and behavior are subject to fundamental weakness; that being a lack of universality. Declaring that a given behavior is forbidden can never take into account individuals for whom such behavior is natural.
An example is the Skyclad ritual. Traditional wicca calls for certain rituals to be conducted in the nude, to honor nature by not hiding ones true self. Public nudity is illegal, but such rituals are often conduced outside. While society at large deems that this is against the law, it is not for those individuals who see it as an important element of their faith. The Wiccan Rede, simply stated, allows for individuals to behave in any manner that is natural for them, so long as no one is harmed in any way. In so doing, the Wiccan Rede honors the fundamental idea of individual liberty while preserving social order through mutual concern and respect. This is universality.
