Human Values
by arayla 
It is hard to put Pagan values into a classification.
And I sooo cringe when I hear “Harm none do what you will”.
The way I see things is that there is a natural order to things. We all believe energy is there weather or not a person chooses to recognize it. We have tried to explain to many “muggles” that there is simply a natural order to the way the Universe works things. We pagans just tap into it on a more visual and conscious level, trying to kick out the unnatural roadblocks.
If our religious path is a way of flowing with the energy then why should values be any different? Values are, after all, no more than discovering the natural order of what works for us and those around us. The bottom line is there are things that are good and there are things that are bad. We do the best we can. None of us are a complete version of either good or bad. For the most part we are trying to dance with that universal order and finding where we fit.
And then there was grey. Should healings be done without asking the person being healed? Is getting tanked before and after ritual a good idea? Should it really be accepted that there is usually a “pagan” around that seems to use the word to see how much sex they can get? The list goes on. I can even tell you my point of view (no, no and yes) but it isn’t even what my values are that make a difference to anyone but me and those I love. In essence it isn’t even worth more than a grain or two to this concept that I have values that would be considered pagan to begin with.
Moral code is a way to connect with what is right. Pagans are trying to connect with what is ingrained into being human. There are just some things you don’t do (bad attracts bad) and some things you do (good attracts good) if you want to lead a happy, well adjusted life.
So what are those things? They really don’t need explanation. We all innately know them; it’s part of the human code. You shouldn’t let anger get the best of you. You should appreciate the beauty everywhere. You should help the ones you love and stand up for what is right. There are a few more but that is basically the end of the story.
Or is it? There are good people and bad people everywhere, even in the pagan community. I think that is where the true discussion over pagan values comes from. How do we cope when we smell bullshit? What do we do now that we are so disconnected from our neighbor? There should be a level of acceptance of the fact that there are jerks in every crowd but never an acceptance for what a “bad person” does that is wrong. If anything, pagan or not, we should do some more standing up for what is right and stop hiding behind the fact that we are all trying to better ourselves. Is bettering yourself hiding out from a confrontation when you know of an injustice? I don’t think so. I think it is just self-preservation. But where did we get this idea that to preserve our light we have to avoid calling someone out on what is dark? And the fact is that a person will hide the bad stuff they do. They know it’s wrong too. So I am not talking about stopping a rape, beating, injustice if you see it happening. It happens in private.
What do we do when we know there is someone we know of that did something really bad? We chose to either not hang out with them or avoid talking anywhere near their close circle about it. Ohhh that takes a bite out of them. How could they ever live with our snub or silence?
The behavior continues.
We continue to be ok with it because we do nothing to stop it happening again or help heal the victim. Why? Because we don’t know the victim that well or it isn’t our place. It’s gotten so bad that it’s become taboo for people who have been wronged to even talk about that wrong to anyone except a close, secret circle.
Most of us are doing pretty good at doing the right thing. I have that confidence in the readers here. But what can we do to prevent the bad to come or heal from that which was??
And has anyone ever noticed that it is strongly human to do something? The more we preserve self in avoidance the more that part of nature tells us to reach out against something wrong. If the only wrong we are left exposing ourselves to is who picks whose nose then we’ll be overly critical.
Society says --
We should never, ever cry in public.
We should actually control every extreme emotion in public.
No PDA, no arguing with the SO.
We never even talk about politics at parties for crying out loud.
Keep everything a secret. Only let people in when you have to.
Donating time and money regularly is good but not necessary.
Is this pagan? This is normal? It seems it is. How very sad.
After the complaints are blogged what do you do to right that wrong??
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