Earthwise Ethics

Earthwise Ethics

We all have ethics and guidelines we live by. They form the foundation for each person’s belief system, spirituality, philosophy, ideology, faith, practice, moral values, tradition, or religion. Those of us on an earthwise path support these basic principles. (1)

* We recognize that all beings are connected.

* We have a reverence for earth and all creatures and we believe it is important to protect and heal the environment. We try to step lightly on the earth and to live in harmony with nature.

* We support free inquiry and we honor learning, knowledge, skills and ideas, both ancient and modern. We value discovery and understanding, rather than unquestioning obedience and we believe in equal access to education for all people.

* We cherish, support and protect artistic expression and we celebrate creativity in all it's forms.

* We believe in the four basic human freedoms (2):

Freedom of Speech & Expression,
Freedom of Worship,
Freedom from Want,
Freedom from Fear

* We believe in equal opportunity and equal treatment under the law for all people, regardless of their religion, nationality, political affiliation, age, race, gender, sexual orientation, physical challenges, or social status.

* We oppose cruelty, abuse, and the exploitation of others.

* We have a desire to help those in need and to be a force for good. We work to prevent and correct the mistreatment of children and animals both around the globe and close to home. We also seek to help those men and women who are less fortunate than ourselves.

* We believe that every human being is ultimately responsible for his or her own actions. Therefore, as individuals and as citizens, we endeavor to make choices that are wise, healthy, informed and responsible. We acknowledge that our choices matter greatly to others, both in the present time and in future, and we act accordingly.

* We respect the beliefs of other people as long as these beliefs do not violate basic rights and freedoms.

* We oppose fanaticism and hatred and we speak truth to power.

* We honor our own cultural heritage and respect what is positive and life affirming in every society.

* We support economic and civil justice for all.

* We value integrity and honor wisdom in all it's forms.

* We treat ourselves and other people with respect.

* We claim the right to be joyful, creative, fulfilled human beings and we support the right of others to do the same.

* We accept the global and personal challenges before us. We seek out the solutions that work best, both for us and for the planet as a whole.

* We honor the past but avoid repeating the mistakes of history. We celebrate the present with a sense of perspective and gratitude. We take action today to create a better future for us all.

For many of us there are spiritual components to these principals:

* We believe in the spiritual equality of women and men.

* We honor our connection to the sacred, as we understand it.

* We celebrate the changing of the seasons, our holidays, and the important moments in our lives according to our chosen path, tradition, faith, or philosophy.

* Our personal practice is a source of joy, comfort, empowerment, and growth. It includes self-acceptance, respect, honor, courage, understanding, and compassion.

* We accept that each person will find the path that is right for him or her. We do not claim that our way is the only one, true or right way. We offer information on our traditions and beliefs to those who are interested but we do not proselytize.

* We speak out against spiritual abuse, intolerance and fraud, including that which we find in our own groups, and circles.

* We treat people of other faiths and traditions as we wish to be treated.

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- Copyright 1999, 2005, 2008, 2009 Sia Vogel

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Endnotes:

(1) I've been tinkering with this mosaic of earthwise principals since the mid-90's As you can see, very little here is original; these ideas come from a number of different sources, including the U.N. statements on human rights, feminism, the ecology movement and the recovery movement, not to mention a myriad of writers, thinkers and philosophers. Hecate's recent post reminds me that it is again time for us to clearly state what we believe. But none of this means anything if we do not put these principals into action in our daily lives.

(2) The Four Freedoms were outlined in a speech by Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1941.

Thanks to:

Artemesia, Chaos, Fritz Jung, Kitchen Diva, Lynn W., Rowan Fairgrove, Snakemoon, Terry P. & Wren Walker for their thoughts and suggestions as these notes grew and changed over time.