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Wiccan: Wiccan Rede
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The Wiccan Rede (pronounced "reed") is a saying that was formulated to sum up the ethics of the neo-Pagan religion Wicca. The most common form of the rede is An it harm none, do what ye will. "Rede" is a word from Middle English meaning "advice" or "counsel", cognate to the German Rat or Swedish råd. "An" is an archaic contraction of the word "and," meaning "if," as in the Shakespearean "an it please thee." Other variants include:
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The Wiccan Rede is a saying that sums up the ethicsof the neo-Paganreligion Wicca. The most common form of the rede is An it harm none, do what ye will. "Rede" is a word from Middle Englishmeaning "advice" or "counsel". "An" is an archaic contraction of the word "and", meaning "if", as in the Shakespearian "an it please thee". Other variants include:
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Some Wiccans interpret the Rede as meaning that causing harm by inaction is inconsistent with Wiccan belief. For instance, doing a spell to disable a rapist from continuing to abuse others, even though he may be harmed by the spell, can be interpreted as a legitimate observation of the Rede. Where greater harm is caused by inaction, then the Rede may be seen as encouraging responsible action to prevent it.
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In the second part of the Wiccan Rede the word "wilt" is understood to mean "will". The meaning of "will" in this case is understood to mean one's true will as opposed to a want. This means that the rede can be fully understood as being that one should always follow your true will instead of trying to obtain simple wants and to ensure that in doing one's will you do not harm anyone or anything. The rede can be seen as encouraging a Wiccan to take personal responsibility for his or her actions.
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Wiccan morality is ruled according to the Wiccan Rede, which (in part) states "An it harm none, do what thou wilt." ("An" is an archaic word meaning "if".) Others follow the slightly adapted Rede of "An it harm none, do what ye will; if harm it does, do what ye must." Either way, the Rede is central to the understanding that personal responsibility, rather than a religious authority, is where moral structure resides.One of the major differences between Wiccans and other types of witchcraft is the Rede.
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This was part of an article called "Wiccan-Pagan Potpourri" by Lady Gwen Thompson, founder and High Priestess of Welsh Tradition Wicca. In the original version of the Rede, each two-line couplet was numbered, 1 through 26.
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Wiccan Rede