Do Wiccans have a responsiblity to help those less fortunate than them and to advance social justice?

Question

I know that the central tenet of Wicca is "as long as it harms none, do whatever you want." Does this mean that they are not required to help those less fortunate than them?
For instance, Christianity teaches that it's not enough to merely avoid doing harm. Christians also have an obligation to help the poor and needy, to give both their time and money to charitable organizations, and to work for a system that promotes justice and ends oppression. For Christians, doing good is not merely the absence of doing evil, but actively taking the time to help others.
Does Wicca have a similar teaching?

Yes, I know that all human beings have this responsiblity regardless of their belief. I wanted to know if there was a specific law or teaching in Wicca that addressed this issue.
Perhaps I should have worded the question differently.

SpiritWanderer: There is a difference between not harming people and helping them. If you are indifferent to them, you are neither harming or helping them. Christianity teaches that it's not enough to simply not harm them and be indifferent- you have to help them too. I wanted to know if Wicca explicitly teaches the same thing. The fact that some Wiccans help the needy and some Christians don't is moot. I just want to know what the religion itself says.

and by "the religion" I mean Wicca.

Answer 1

Wiccans are not required to behave in a certain way, such as doing charitable works. We live with the repercussions of our actions, and we live in the environment we create. However, spiritually speaking, one of the goals is to live in greater harmony and connection with the world, and some form of charity is a logical path toward that goal. Also, when you're aware of the larger world you're aware of the pain and suffering, which also leads to action to combat it.

Answer 2

Wiccans and other Pagans DO have a responsibility to help other people in their religions. There is the Threefold Law (in Wicca) which states "What you do for good or ill, returns to you threefold".....

In Hellenic Polytheism, philoxenia is a part of our religious responsibities. The Delphic Maxims include the following sixteen statements which are considered to be very important:
1. Nothing Too Much
2. Know Thyself
3. Aid Friends
4. Control Anger
5. Shun Unjust Acts
6. Acknowledge Sacred Things
7. Hold on to Learning
8. Praise Virtue
9. Avoid Enemies
10. Cultivate Kinsmen
11. Pity Supplicants
12. Accomplish Your Limit
13. When You Err, Repent
14. Consider the Time
15. Worship the Divine
16. Accept old Age

Number 11 on this list is the one that directly applies to your question. The prescription of philoxenia is also found in the writings of Homer.... Specifically in the Odyssey.

Answer 3

Wiccans have just as much moral responisibulity as any one else does.

Your faith does not determine what kind of heart and compassion you have, YOU DO. So if matter little what faith you are, a compassionate caring person will try and help those less fortunate when they can just as any other human would that has these qualities in them. All the faith does is give them a label as to what Religion they are, nothing more.

i know many people who do charity events for the public and are Wiccan or Pagan & Christian as well as Jewish all working together for a common good. I see no harm in that at all. If only more could do that rather than killing because one person is a Shiite and the other a Sunni or Baptist over Catholic, its like the silly fight in Boston with cars over t urned when they won the wold series couple years back, Horrible display of humanity at its worst. Think they were All Wiccans? Hardly, most were actually local Bostonians making them very Christian and many Catholic too.

So we all have the same responsibility morally, its nothing to do with the faith you choose in my opinion.

Answer 4

Let's look a little bit more closely at the Wiccan Rede: "If you harm none, do what you will."

The Rede can be interpreted as both a negative and a positive statement. As a negative statement, it suggests that we avoid performing committing actions that cause harm. As an positive statement, it suggests that we act in ways that will REDUCE harm, and this would include acts of charity, compassion, and social activism.

(I should also point out that in most interpretations of the Rede, "will" does NOT mean "whatever you want". Instead, it means acting in accordance with one's highest nature, the conscious will -- which is our ability to love and be compassionate.)

I know many Wiccans who are involved in local charitable causes -- they just don't usually go around shouting it from the rooftops. And most Wiccans are involved in environmental activism, even if only in the simplest form of promoting recycling in their own homes.

Answer 5

Well there are multiple points I would like to make. First is that what you quoted is only a small portion of the Wiccan rede which is actually much longer. Second, Helping the needy is a responsibility of humans everywhere regardless of religion (as you stated in the extra portion). Third, I would say that the portion of the rede that you stated would sum it up. In my opinion it should not just be interpreted as "do no evil" like you said but also to actively assist those that need help, thus actively aiming to remove harm from someone else.

Answer 6

they do no longer. Your achievement shouldn't obligate you to sense badly. although, undergo in innovations that a lot of human beings worldwide artwork so so perplexing for pennies an afternoon. Their blood, sweat, tears, and frequently their dignity is going into the artwork they do just to proceed to exist, and that they won't be wealthy, no depend how perplexing they artwork. additionally undergo in innovations, that we will not all be wealthy. If we've been, then I assure somebody, or a team of someones might do some thing to create an top type. it fairly is how capitalism survives. it relatively is consistent with inequality, however the explanation I help it fairly is via fact it relatively is consistent with a organic inequality which will continually exist, and has existed via fact the beginning up of civilization. some all and sundry is smarter than others. some human beings artwork harder than others. some all and sundry is lazy. some all and sundry is born handicapped. Even the Bible says there'll continually be undesirable human beings, and the only thank you to completely do away with the disparity between the instructions and equalize all and sundry may be to punish people who gain extra, and advantages people who do no longer, each and every time. no one may be allowed to have a surprising theory, or in the event that they have been, that they had ought to proportion with all and sundry, and we would all take the credit. it fairly is stated as communism, and with communism, no one finally ends up wealthy. all and sundry finally ends up undesirable. nicely, screw that. the wealthy do no longer ought to help the undesirable, and that they must no longer be compelled into doing so the two, yet they must help. purely via fact they could have been somebody else, you recognize? they could have been born in some African village with out sparkling water to speak of. they could have been born 3 hundred years in the past and not had the opportunities that they do now. the wealthy can no longer fix the concern, neither is it their job to accomplish that, yet they are able to help ease the discomfort.

Answer 7

What you must realize, Dear, is that Wicca does not have a standardized set of beliefs and rules. What one Wiccan may feel is an important responsibility, another Wiccan may not.

Since the only rule is to do what you want as long as it does not hurt someone else, one must think long and hard about one's actions or lack of action concerning social matters.

Many Wiccans are die-hard animal rights activists. Many are die-hard hunters.

What is important is to figure out YOUR own set of values and be true to them.

Answer 8

For what its worth, I had a Wiccan help me greatly during a very difficult time and situation. I quite possibly would not be the person I am now because of this Wiccan friend. Interestingly, I'm a Christian. We had some interesting discussions :)

regards and respects

Answer 9

I believe all religions have similar teachings. Whether you follow the teachings or not is up to you. I know many wiccan who go out of their way to help the less fortunate. I also know many Christians who wouldn't give a starving man a french fry. You must make the difference, and not count on your religion to do it for you.

Answer 10

Yes.
Speaking as a Wiccan (not a Wiccanesque neopagan) Wicca does have such a belief. JUST AS IN CHRISTIANITY it is enumerated between the lines.

Well, in my Trad it's actually #14.
14. Do not make yourself a burden to those who would not carry you gladly, and then never without good cause.
(In a nation of helpers, those who need help come first)

I'd say "those who need help come first" is pretty profound.

Also, you're WAY off on your version of the Rede, just FYI.