can someone please tell me what this means?

Question

Could someone please explain to me the ideal behind the phrase

'do as thee will, so long as thee harm none'

I have been trying to come to a conclusion as to what it actually means and would appreciate some help on this

Thanks
Jay

Answer 1

It's like the Golden Rule. Many beliefs have some variant of it.

It means to live as you want, as long as you don't hurt anyone. If you want to drink, then drink. If you want to drive drunk, then there is a problem, as you have a great potential to harm someone.

While many religions oppress their people, some people take this phrase to heart, because the only rule is to not hurt other people.

Examples of doing what you want:
Drinking
Drug use
Promiscuous sex
Sleeping in on Sunday

Examples of doing what you want that would hurt someone:
Drinking and driving
Buying drugs from a violent drug dealer
Unprotected sex with multiple partners
Shirking your duties as a soldier by sleeping in

Most religions preach against most crimes against people: Stealing, murdering, etc. They mostly boil down to "Do as thee will, so long as thee harm none." Some religions (especially Catholics) throw in superfluous rules.

Answer 2

It's the libertarian or individualist's ideal: "do whatever you wish to do, as long as you don't hurt anyone in the process of doing it."

This thinking would form a pretty solid philosophical or values basis for hedonism - the pursuit of earthly pleasure - and would provide the underlying values for legalizing drugs, prostitution, and gambling, for example.

The ideal behind it is that one's wants, wishes, hopes, and desires are superior to any artificial controls that countervail those feelings, and that the only thing superior to one's wants, wishes, hopes, and desires is the principle that one should not, by pursuing one's desires, hurt or bring harm to other people.

Answer 3

It is the Golden Rule / Wiccan Reede

What it means is that you can do anything you want to do just as long as you do not hurt or harm anyone while you are doing it.


It is a very good concept to live by.

Answer 4

Don't hurt anyone else with what you do -- as long as you don't hurt anyone else, do what you want to do.

It's really pretty simple

It's the Wiccan Rede -- all major religions have some variety of such a statement. The Christian one is Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Kind thoughts,

Reyn
[e-mail]
http://www.rebuff.org

Answer 5

The Wiccan rede. For a good article on the history of the rede:
http://www.waningmoon.com/ethics/rede.shtml

Answer 6

One should only act in ways that do not injure others. Otherwise, do what you desire.
Cast a love spell, just don't try to break up a marriage.
Try for a promotion at work, just don't step on other people's toes.
Drink, smoke weed, whatever. Just so you don't drive.
Make sense? Basically, just think before you act.

Answer 7

That sounds pretty self explainatory to me, not that I agree with it.

do as the will ( do whatever you want to)
so long as thee harm none ( As long as you don't hurt anyone in the process)

God Bless You.

Answer 8

That's the Wiccan Rede. It means do what you want in this life as long as you don't hurt anybody. Adapted from Aleister Croweley's motto "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law"

Answer 9

It means that you are allowed to do anything you want as it doesn't harm anyone else. Its sort of the basis fora lot of the fundamental rights that people in free countries such as the US enjoy.

It is similar to the old phrase, "Your right to swing your fists stops at my nose"

Answer 10

Ah paganism, 'an it harm none, do as thou will.' It's old fashion phrasing. Basically as long as it harms nothing, do what you like. Its very limiting. 'Cause if you think about it does this stretch in to being a vegan etc?