The Wiccan Rede (beliefs, pagan, faith, Commandment, Christianity)

[Fluffy]

I almost became a Wiccan before turning to Discordianism, unfortunately this was the only part of it I had any quarrels with, I, instead, believe 'do what thou wilst shall be the whole of the law'. But reading an article recently about Discordianism it mentioned the variation within Wicca, which I already knew of, it mentioned that the Wiccan Rede is often the only thing binding it together, & that some Wiccans don't even agree on that, with that new insight I thought I would ask do any of you Wiccans not agree with it? Or do you know any Wiccans that don't? & how important is the Wiccan Rede in Wicca?

The thing I find most difficult with the Wiccan Rede is the various different versions. The wordings can be very subtle in their differences but can often have an important impact. The version I work with, similar to the one you quoted from, Crystal Red, is the Green Egg version since I personally believe it is the most accurate.

I think about it like this. When Christianity first started, they did not have a Bible. Today many Christians would claim that somebody who did not follow the Bible is not a Christian but this would discount many of the earlist Christians from that religion. To me this is not historically accurate.

Do you believe that Gerald Gardner is a Wiccan? Whilst it is highly likely that he had access to the Rede, there is no evidence that he placed any significant worth in it or treated it in a different way from some of his fictional works. In fact, the first public acknowledgement of the Wiccan Rede (that I have been able to find) by Wiccans would be in the year of Gardner's death by Doreen Valiente. And this was when Valiente was clearly breaking away from Gardner's own views. If I counted the Wiccan Rede as a fundamental of what it is to be Wiccan, then I would have to discount Gardner and that just doesn't sit right with me.

However, Gardner does recognise the last few lines of the Wiccan Rede but with a different wording "Do what you like so long as you harm no one" and quotes his source as the "Good King Pausol" (Pierre Louÿs) suggesting he is not referring to a specific document entitled "the Wiccan Rede".

'do what thou wilst shall be the whole of the law'

That is Crowley, right?

I did consider that some of these people that don't agree with the Rede might well be 'fluffy bunny' Wiccans, but I'm not the type of person who could be one

I am oftened called a 'fluffy bunny' Wiccan and I follow the Rede. In fact, according to this site, http://wicca.timerift.net/laws/credo.html, believing in the Rede is to be a bunny.... Personally, I find the term ascribed to people who do not know what they are talking about but call themselves Wiccans. Therefore, if a person does not know of the Wiccan Rede yet calls themselves Wiccan, they are more likely to be a bunny, in the eyes of some, than if they have heard of it, studied it, discounted it with good reason (and there are plenty of good reasons let me assure you) yet still call themselves Wiccans.

At the moment I am finding myself increasingly drawn back to Wicca, though I cannot deny Discordianism after finding so much enlightenment within, & in light of this there may be a way I can still become a Wiccan while remaining a Discordian.

There have been stranger things than Wiccan/Discordians; Wiccan/Catholics immediatly spring to mind. However, whilst discarding the Rede is possible, in my opinion, I think discarding 'An harm ye none, do what ye will' is somewhat harder since it is clearly supported by arguably both of the leading founders of Wicca.

[Crystal Red]

Thanks for that answer above, it's very informative, I don't know if 'do what thou wilst shall be the whole of the law' is crowley, just something I happened to pick up in my short life.

I actually happened to come across a sect of 'Discordo-Wiccans', but they believe in the Rede, I realise I can be a Discordian & a Wiccan, & that there are many stranger combinations (consider Jews for Islam, yes it does exist), but I want to do a bit more research into Wicca before I commit myself to it, I don't want to do it for the wrong reasons, if I was to become one, I want to do it right.

[Darkdale]

Discordianism and Wicca. I can see how that might fit. Though, with Eris as your goddess, you may discover that nothing turns out the way you might expect.