Personal Ethics

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[dragonfaerie]

By and large, Pagan paths leave a lot of room for a personal ethical standard. We're given guidelines on valuable ideas, but not necessarily told how to behave.

What are your personal ethics?
What values do you hold dear?
How closely do these values align with your religious path?

And most importantly, how comfortable are you with defining your own ethics? Do you prefer to be told what to do/how to behave/etc? Does sorting out your own beliefs make you anxious? Or is the whole process of self-discovery exhilarating and freeing?

Karen

[Monica M.]

By and large, Pagan paths leave a lot of room for a personal ethical standard. We're given guidelines on valuable ideas, but not necessarily told how to behave.

What are your personal ethics?
What values do you hold dear?
How closely do these values align with your religious path?

And most importantly, how comfortable are you with defining your own ethics? Do you prefer to be told what to do/how to behave/etc? Does sorting out your own beliefs make you anxious? Or is the whole process of self-discovery exhilarating and freeing?

Karen

I use personal ethincal guidelines based on universal values summarised as daycare rules. (Don't hurt others people, don't break anything and if you squeal Miss Monica will get cranky. ) Basically I try to treat everyone with respect and cause as little harm as possible. I also believe it is my responsibility to be involved in social justice issues for others who are not capable of standing up for themselves. I worked out for myself as a child what was right and wrong and why so for me it has always been part of who I am. It also got mixed up with professional ethics and the UN's human rights thing the name of which is completly gone from my head at the moment. Im definately comfortable with what I do and believe and certainly don't need anyone else telling me what is right and wrong.

[HeartShadow - Cutethulhu]

What are your personal ethics?
What values do you hold dear?
How closely do these values align with your religious path?

The most important to me is that we are all Divine.

That means that everyone deserves respect.  There are no disposable people, there's nobody that doesn't matter, there is no "them".  We're all Divine.

As far as how they align with my religion - well, there's really no difference between my beliefs and my religion's beliefs at the moment. So ... perfectly!

[Tranquil_Oak]

What are your personal ethics?
What values do you hold dear?
How closely do these values align with your religious path?

My values and ethics can be summed up in my personal version of the Rede, Golden Rule, or whatever one wants to call it:

"Do what you will, so long as none are harmed.  But don't lie, for to deny truth is to deny all of Creation.  And don't do what you hate, because all things are disclosed before the Creator."

It merges a few different Golden Rules together, but it works for me.

The values/virtues that I hold dear the most are love for one another, kindness to all, doing good deeds whenever I can, and charity for those in need.

And most importantly, how comfortable are you with defining your own ethics? Do you prefer to be told what to do/how to behave/etc? Does sorting out your own beliefs make you anxious? Or is the whole process of self-discovery exhilarating and freeing?

I am comfortable defining my own ethics.  I don't prefer to be told what to do by other people who are just as flawed as me.  Whenever I don't know which way to go, I'll pray to Brigid, my personal archetype of the Divine Mother, and trust that she will show me which path to take.

What makes me anxious is when others try to force their beliefs onto me.  Sorting out my own beliefs doesn't make me anxious.  It's not exhilarating, but it is freeing.  This past week and a half, for example, I have been meditating and praying to Brigid quite a lot, and certain thoughts and concepts keep popping into my head comparing my personal beliefs with that of Wicca.  Even though I never really fully agreed with certain aspects of traditional Wicca, I still considered my core beliefs and Wicca to be the same or quite close.  But the more I was meditating and praying, the more distant the two became, so much so that I cannot call myself Wiccan anymore without knowing it's a lie.  So, while that is indeed freeing, it is not exhilarating.  So, I guess that I'm just a monopantheistic Goddess-worshiper.  There doesn't seem to be too many of us around, at least where I live.  I happen to like being in a physical group (not just online) with other actual physical human beings who believe the same as I do, so it actually is the opposite of exhilarating. 

Blessings

[Lykos]

By and large, Pagan paths leave a lot of room for a personal ethical standard. We're given guidelines on valuable ideas, but not necessarily told how to behave.

What are your personal ethics?
What values do you hold dear?
How closely do these values align with your religious path?

Well, these are some loaded questions!

Ethics? I really don't think about them too much honestly. I have a basic core of ethics that I learned from my upbringing and I pretty much work from there. For me, everything is subjective, so my ethics morph to fit the situation or context. The basic frame work is pretty much summed up by "the golden rule" and simple Greek ethics as laid down in the Golden Verses and the Delphic maxims, but even those are more like guidelines.

Values? Well, I hold virtue very dear as a value. In a nutshell,
treating others as well as you can (with exceptions for enemies, of course) is the best pursuit when it comes to outward ethics. All the other specifics I can flesh out as the issues arise. I really don't see any reason to tie myself down to set in stone rules and outlines.

Well, seeing as how my basic ethics and value stem from very Greek rthics and values, I would say my personal ethics fit well with my religion.

And most importantly, how comfortable are you with defining your own ethics? Do you prefer to be told what to do/how to behave/etc? Does sorting out your own beliefs make you anxious? Or is the whole process of self-discovery exhilarating and freeing?

Karen

Sorting out my own ethics is very freeing and I have no problem with doing so.

[Vella Malachite]

What are your personal ethics?
What values do you hold dear?
How closely do these values align with your religious path?

And most importantly, how comfortable are you with defining your own ethics? Do you prefer to be told what to do/how to behave/etc? Does sorting out your own beliefs make you anxious? Or is the whole process of self-discovery exhilarating and freeing?

Hmm.  I actually wasn't sure how to answer these questions at first - they require a lot of introspection.

I personally believe in putting others before myself where possible, the art of compromise and the ability to be true to myself, more than the ability to be true to other people.  I probably lie a little too often, but I find I have very few problems with lying as a concept.

Values....Probably the most important value to me is...being reliable.  As much as I'd like to be irresponsible, a large part of me takes responsibility for things, and it's good for other people to know they can count on you, whatever comes.

I'm fairly sure they line up pretty closely with my religion.  After all, reliability could fall under the heading of "hospitality" for the Celts, if it's stretched a little.  It's an outgrowth of the concept, anyway.

As for defining my ethics, I find it helpful, but difficult.  My code of ethics isn't quite figured out yet, really.  I'm still working on who I am, how am I supposed to know what I believe before I know that?  But it's good to have a feel for what it is.  And I don't always live up to my own code, which can make it a bit hard sometimes.

[EntrancedBySeshat]

As for defining my ethics, I find it helpful, but difficult.  My code of ethics isn't quite figured out yet, really.  I'm still working on who I am, how am I supposed to know what I believe before I know that?  But it's good to have a feel for what it is.  And I don't always live up to my own code, which can make it a bit hard sometimes.

That's pretty much how I find myself.  I've come the conclusion that, over the course of my life, my understanding of the world will change again and again, and with it my beliefs on how I should conduct myself in interactions with that world.

And most importantly, how comfortable are you with defining your own ethics? Do you prefer to be told what to do/how to behave/etc? Does sorting out your own beliefs make you anxious? Or is the whole process of self-discovery exhilarating and freeing?

I find it, occasionally, nerve-wracking.  On any level of ethics.  I've made major mistakes in my past.  Things I thought were wrong then, and still think are wrong now.  A lot of no-win situations with no good way out.  When I look at my ethical beliefs, I find myself staring at a list of exceptions to the rule that make it incredibly fuzzy when I attempt to herd them together.

Some ideas keep coming up, though.  I believe in doing whatever seems best for all involved.  (Not that I'm 100% consistent, but I sort of gravitate toward Stage 5 of Kohlberg's scale of moral development.)  Furthermore, I believe in doing what I think is right and fair, even if it is not in my best interest.  (Which can sting.  A lot.)

Lastly, I believe that people should be forgiven.  A lot.  I know too many good people who beat themselves up for their wrongs. (And this is without ever looking the mirror myself.)  However, forgiveness should not mean opening yourself up to the same abuse repeatedly.  If someone says they're sorry for raping 13 women, that's all good and well, but that doesn't mean anyone should assume they'll to stop.

[moonlion]

What are your personal ethics?

Be there for my family and friends; try to help my colleagues when they need; no back-stabbing (I hate this); be open and honest but not rude; do what I can for the environment (low consumption lights, recycling, no plastic shopping bags etc.); think about what I do before I do it so that I am aware of the consequences (believe, a lot of people don't do this).

What values do you hold dear?

Love, family, faith, loyalty.

How closely do these values align with your religious path?

IMHO for me that is what my Pagan path is about.

And most importantly, how comfortable are you with defining your own ethics?

Is it really possible to completely define your own ethics ? I think that most of us are much too involved in our society that we can affirm that we defined our own ethics (actually, those  who do normally end up behind bars ...). Having said that, I prefer to do what I think is right on my own rather than to be told what to do.

Does sorting out your own beliefs make you anxious? Or is the whole process of self-discovery exhilarating and freeing?

Rather the latter one: it makes feel good everytime I find a new, before hidden layer to my Faith, Path, in myself.

[Tyto]

What are your personal ethics?
What values do you hold dear?
How closely do these values align with your religious path?

I think Monica put it really well.  I'm a preschool teacher, and I have five basic rules for the kids (no hitting, no name calling, no yelling, if you make a mess help clean it up, and share).  That's mainly how I try to live my life, with a few exceptions.  I guess the only thing that I would add to that is the maxim "many hands make for light work."  I try to help others whenever I can, and (almost as hard) accept their help whenever it's offered.

I believe that everything has something divine in it and that everything is a part of a greater whole.  Given this basis cohesion, cooperation, and mutual respect (maybe even love) is the only logical way to live my life.

And most importantly, how comfortable are you with defining your own ethics? Do you prefer to be told what to do/how to behave/etc? Does sorting out your own beliefs make you anxious? Or is the whole process of self-discovery exhilarating and freeing?

I kind of specialized in moral philosophy when I was in school so I love this stuff.  I used to have a lot of anxiety about my beliefs and ethics because they are so self defined, but then I thought "Why is believing something I made up any less valid than believing something I was told?"   I'd say that it feels good to get to know myself after all these years, although it is a little scary at night sometimes.

[Rowanfox]

By and large, Pagan paths leave a lot of room for a personal ethical standard. We're given guidelines on valuable ideas, but not necessarily told how to behave.

What are your personal ethics?
What values do you hold dear?
How closely do these values align with your religious path?

And most importantly, how comfortable are you with defining your own ethics? Do you prefer to be told what to do/how to behave/etc? Does sorting out your own beliefs make you anxious? Or is the whole process of self-discovery exhilarating and freeing?

Karen

My personal ethics are pretty straight forward: Don't lie, don't steal, don't hurt others or let others be hurt. Respect everyone and everything until they give you reason not to, take responsibility for your actions. Try to add more positive energy to the world than negative.

At some point in my youth I envisioned an imaginary person I most admired, then set out to model my behaviours after that "person". In short, I had a little voice in side asking "What would my enlightened avatar do?" and that is how I patterned my life and behaviours. I am happy to say that after 50 years, I find my first reactions often are just what I imagine my ideal's to be.......must be working.

Happily, I have found a path that fits my own personal ethics to a T. That is how I discovered my faith, by finding the one that fit my own personal ethics most closely.

My own ethics are not complicated or hard to define. No one tells me what to do but me, although I do have a rather exacting standard for myself. My personal ethics were formed when I was very young, in an atheist household, with no religion. Discovering I was a person of faith, and setting out find the name of that faith, was the whole of my spirtual journey. My personal religion did not change me at all, it is simply the name for the faith I was already following.

[Hyacinth Belle]

What are your personal ethics?

I believe that for every action there is a reaction... likely an equal and opposite one. lol. I believe every action is a choice, a decision. And those choices add up over time to either a really great life or a sucky situation. It's not purely a straight shoot to the top; everyone screws up... but I believe you can create the life you want if you are willing to work for it.

I believe in "a gift for a gift." Relationships need give and take.

I do not believe in pure right and pure wrong. I believe everything, and I do mean everything, is relative.

If you're going by school, I plan for my future classroom rules to essentially consist of 1.) be honest, 2.) be considerate, 3.) be inquisitive, and 4.) work hard! I think that pretty much covers everything, IMO.

What values do you hold dear?

Responsibility, reliability, work ethic, honesty, independence, loyalty, inquisitiveness, creativity, tolerance. And generally speaking, "playing by the rules," i.e. not breaking any laws belligerently. Keep the peace.

How closely do these values align with your religious path?

Very well, actually!

And most importantly, how comfortable are you with defining your own ethics? Do you prefer to be told what to do/how to behave/etc? Does sorting out your own beliefs make you anxious? Or is the whole process of self-discovery exhilarating and freeing?

A little bit of both, I suppose. Mostly I like doing my own thing, however.

[stephyjh]

By and large, Pagan paths leave a lot of room for a personal ethical standard. We're given guidelines on valuable ideas, but not necessarily told how to behave.

What are your personal ethics?
What values do you hold dear?
How closely do these values align with your religious path?

And most importantly, how comfortable are you with defining your own ethics? Do you prefer to be told what to do/how to behave/etc? Does sorting out your own beliefs make you anxious? Or is the whole process of self-discovery exhilarating and freeing?

Karen

I've always had my own set of ethics that never quite squared with any mainstream religion in my view. I do not believe in trying to dictate the actions/beliefs of others, as long as they're not hurting themselves or anyone else. I try my best not to lie, cheat, manipulate, or cause harm to anyone, or to cause harm to the earth itself. I believe that rather than an ultimate force of good or evil, each person's actions are due to his own choices, which have very real consequences in this life.

Certain aspects of my path at certain times have been very much based in survival and in my own needs. I accept the merit in the idea of putting others ahead of myself, but at the same time, I struggle with the idea that I can't help anybody if I don't hold a little bit back for myself. I know what it's like to pour so much of myself out that I end up burned out and unable to function, and I don't want it to happen again. I'm still working on finding that balance.

As for whether I'm comfortable defining my own ethics, it's something I've always had to do. I've always had an issue with the dogma other paths have laid out that I absolutely was required to follow. So I suppose I just accept it as part of life.

[RedLori]

What are your personal ethics?
What values do you hold dear?
How closely do these values align with your religious path?

And most importantly, how comfortable are you with defining your own ethics? Do you prefer to be told what to do/how to behave/etc? Does sorting out your own beliefs make you anxious? Or is the whole process of self-discovery exhilarating and freeing?

I suppose in a nutshell my personal ethics that are most important to me are,
remember that my actions have a spiritual significance and remember to take care of my spirit and relationship with the gods/goddesses,
be honest and truthful,
always strive as hard as I can to keep my promises,
have other people's best interests at heart,
don't be hurtful

the values that I hold dear are honesty, openness, courage and trustworthiness. 
and I suppose all of those things are tangled up with a religious path or spirituality.

yes I'm comfortable with defining my own ethics... although I dont think they are all that different from a lot of ethics of other people and established religions... but its easier said than done.!

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