Pagan ethics statement project

[elfwreck]

In response to a couple of recent abuse cases, some Pagans are working to make a "Pagans against sexual abuse" statement, either for the media or for the internal Pagan community or both. Background info is available at The Wild Hunt blog.

Author Brendan Myers volunteered to host the discussion and created a subforum for related topics. The

Comments

[smarriveurr]

I could see it being a natural outgrowth from the Ryan Report and so on. Frankly, given the Vatican response (ranging, as far as I can tell, from "none" to "the modern world is so complicated and confusing, that's to blame, I tell you"), adding "Sexual abuse is bad and we don't condone it, we'll comply with law enforcement to root it out." to the bottom of whatever information you've already published would put most groups ahead of the Church.

Either way, if a meaningful group of pagans (a tradition, a kindred, a lineage, what-have-you) want to come up with such a statement, more power to them, they can do so meaningfully. "Pagans" can't.

Personally given the majority cultural christian ethos, thats just not possible and while those who are looking at drawing up such a policy are well intended I think is going to cause more trouble then it's worth.

Have to agree with this. It's rather like watching a massive greed-based corporate scandal take place, then expecting uncle Joachim at the corner store should publish his newly refined business ethics to prevent such abuses in future.

In other words: Total bollocks.

Whats wrong with just don't break the fecking law.

I tend to expect more of a spiritual authority, though, if they're going to say anything on the topic at all. There are things that are legal that I consider unethical, and things that are illegal that I consider ethical, and the variety grows as you consider other nations and goals of political movements. I tend to think if a law is unjust, you work to change it, but in general, you conform to the law as part of the society. That's not much here nor there on this, though.