I get why people want things to be simple, scriptural, stamped and approved by the powers that be--or at least agreed upon by the perceived majority.  But what happens when that isn't the way the system works?  What happens when it is left up to you how to proceed, without the safety net of a book, or a leader, or a congregation to tell you what to do about something?

I was always taught that 'to be a witch is to be alone', not only because we are all, and must be competent solitary practitioners of the Art, but also because we are left to our own devices and conscience when it comes to our conduct.  How we think, how we approach, how we react to things is what matters--not whatever moralilty we suppose to infer from from some book, or the mouth of some Big Name Pagan.

The Wiccan Rede, The Law of Return, The Rule of Three/Five/Seven/Ten/Hundred, and The Threefold Law have all been mangled in turn by people who want rules so that they don't have to start thinking and taking responsibility for their lives.  What is a guide for behavior becomes suddenly Abrahamic morality. And to be completely blunt, the Abrahamic morality floating around in our society kills thought and free expression, because everyone is afraid of what everyone else is going to think of them if they aren't happy little conformists.

This is Wicca.  We aren't conformists.  We are supposed to be free.  Being free means making choices.  It also means having the sense of responsibility that is incumbent on being free.  If you can't own your stuff, and live with the consequences of your actions and choices, then you aren't free.  Really, it's that simple.  I'm not a "Harm none" junkie, and don't believe the notion has anything to do with Wicca.  Being a witch calls upon you to own your stuff, walk your talk, and live with the intended and unintended consequences of your actions.

If you can't live with it, then don't do it.  Period.

There are no intercessors or guys to atone for your sins, no one to blame if you get it wrong, and no one but you to hold responsible when you do so.  There are also no intercessors or guys to atone for your sins, when you get it right, and the outcome is still unhappy.  There are people around sometimes to tell you that you did the right thing, and to remind you of the circumstances, and why you did what you did, but the act is still yours and you still have to live with it.

And sometimes you can't avoid doing something that causes 'harm', by whatever definition.  Worse, sometimes you have to do something that causes 'harm' to make things better.  You have to live with that, too.  Been there, and done that.

TheWhiteHart wrote:

It is the difference between what consists of one's personal practice, and what consists of one's tradition and Traditional practices. General day to day stuff is quite Solitary. But the Celebrations of the seasons and the Mysteries are times of gathering... and there are magics which are aided when there are other focused witches in Circle with you raising the power.

That's how I see it as well. And it seems that would mean that when the group does some kind of working that goes awry, the group is responsible for the consequences and for cleaning up after themselves... as a group, neh?

Have you seen groups where the leader feels that everything (every choice, every decision, every consequence) falls solely on them? And then they get cranky with the group for making them do the clean up?

I haven't been in that situation, but until recently I was in a group where the leader seemed to lack the ambition to lead the group in any kind of group working, apparently for fear that she would be the one who was ultimately responsible.