Sometimes I feel like a bad Wiccan.
So. The most central tenant of Wicca is "Harm None." To harm absolutely nothing through your life is a great goal, but hardly realistic. We do have to eat, after all. So how far do we take "Harm None?" This may seem like a silly thing to worry about, I know. It means that you don't go out and kick old ladies for fun. But lets look at a moral grey area. If causing pain to someone who intends to cause pain to multiple others prevents that from happening, isn't it more against the rede to not cause that pain? Admittedly we can't know for absolute certainty what this person will do. But a statement of intent usually isn't too far off from actions taken.
And then there's the personal level. Piercings and tattoos cause pain. Regardless if it's a desired effect, an incredibly minor amount, or intentional, doesn't it still go against "Harm None?" But if we say that it is, doesn't that go against personal freedom? Limiting someones personal freedom can be considered another type of harm. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
I don't know if I really had a point in this or if I'm just rambling on and on. Sometimes when I get down on myself, I think about the rede, and I wonder if I live close enough by it. I do my best to not cut people off, not cuss when I get cut off, mind what I say around people, but I still get angry enough to desire lighting people on fire sometimes. I've heard tell that feeling such anger means I'm not really embracing the way of Wicca. That "Real Wiccans" don't get angry like that. Not sure if they're full of it, full of themselves, or if they're right.
Meh. Feel like I'm just babbling now.
May the earth rise to meet you, and the wind always be at your back.