Values & Ethics
The subject of values, where they come from, how they are learned and how we come to the personal conclusions about right and wrong is complex and in some cases controversial. The way and the means to induce fellow human beings to think and behave in certain ways has been studied and re-studied for thousands of years.
There seem to be no hard and fast rules, no exact science that will guarantee the way peoples of any societal structure will conduct themselves. For all that religions have tried to influence and regulate the morality of people I am far from convinced that any set of teachings have done much to convert those who do not already possess a need or calling in that direction in the first place.
Although many of my core beliefs about right and wrong match the moral codes set forth by many teachings I believe that I was born with an innate sense of what is right and what is wrong. I further maintain that although we can and should try to teach and demonstrate values it is impossible to 'regulate' them or to even 'instill' them in others. Rather I believe that people possess (whether born as part of their soul, carried through their genes or otherwise obtained through some process not yet understood) an innate sense of values. There is reason to believe that environment and experiences can influence this innate core of beliefs, but even then we all know cases where a persons life experiences appear to make no sense at all in terms of how they think or what they believe.
I was raised Christian but the doctrines and teachings of Christianity, as a whole never spoke truth to my heart. I say as a whole because there are tenets and specific points of Christianity that match my own soul sounds, but it's overall theology and directives are not principles that I can wed myself to. This said, I'll not engage in specific battles against Christianity or any other religion as I truly believe that each person has the right and the responsibility to follow their hearts in these matters and should live their lives accordingly.
I do call myself, witch and do utilize much from the Wiccan teachings, however even thus I do not wed myself to any particular path of Wicca, nor do I follow conventional paths of Wicca as laid out by others. As a breathing, thinking, feeling woman I am in a constant state of exploration and allow my innate sense of knowing to be the final judge of what is right for me.
Betsy Foster
© December 2001
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