Monday, March 23, 2009

It's who you are not what you are; isn't it?

It seems to me a tenet of the world's cultural discourse that people are fundamentally equal (whether by creation, assertion, mandate or on principle) in some way relevant to moral responsibility and social order. Out of this grows an ethic of treating a person on the basis of who they are, rather than what they are; of judging a person on the personal qualities that are understood as being within their influence and control. It is an ethic that I frequently find?/read into? (YMMV;)) the moral arguments, discussions and debate that I encounter, particularly within the pagan communities of which I am a part. FWIW I think it's not a bad starting point when dealing with friends and strangers alike.

That said, is it an ethic that is universally supported across pagan communities?

Are there myths/legends/teachings/folk lore/etc. that teach that it is right to judge a person on the basis of things over which they are not deemed to have influence and control?

UPG is of definite interest to me for a contemporary perspective and 'traditional' or 'established' materials that are viewed as 'canonical' (for want of a better term) are especially good because I can read them and self-remedy the easy questions.

Template by - Abdul Munir | Daya Earth Blogger Template