I just found out that June was declared International Pagan Values Month, unfortunately rather close to leaving on vacation. Ethics is something I enjoy writing, discussing and debating about, so I’ll see if I can squeeze in a couple posts before I leave.
First, I thought I’d take a step back and look at the sources for my values. There are simply, values I’ve always held, that were instilled in me in childhood, as well as those I’ve learned from experiences. In an earlier post I owned up the Christian/Jewish influence on my values. There are also the values of religious organizations I belong to:
ADF has the Nine Virtues, quite similar to the Nine Noble Virtues of Asatru.
- Wisdom
- Piety
- Vision
- Courage
- Integrity
- Perseverance
- Hospitality
- Moderation
- Fertility
The New Order of Druids has Nine Ideals:
- Approach nature with reverence and respect
- Always uphold the truth
- Walk the way of balance
- Preserve the harmony upon your actions
- Always abide to the laws of nature
- Use wisdom in service to the universe, not to promote selfishness
- Never profit from knowledge or the use of powers for the sole purpose of monetary riches
- Respect all others, even if their opinions are different
- Never break a sworn oath, lest you be forsworn
Unitarian Universalists uphold the Seven Principles, and other values are set forth within their Religious Education programs and other places.
- The inherent worth and dignity of every person.
- Justice, equity and compassion in human relations.
- Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations.
- Free and responsible search for truth and meaning
- The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large.
- The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all.
- Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.
Hellenists find moral guidance in the Delphic Maxims, (way too many to post here!) and from philosophers such as Socrates.
My, that’s a lot to study and consider! A question I often ask myself is with all these varied sources, do any of them conflict with one another? So far I haven’t found any direct conflicts but there are different values each ethical system emphasizes. Some common values I’ve found in several of these systems are: integrity/honor, courage, perserverence, wisdom, hospitality, and respect for nature.
