is it against the rede to kill bugs? there was a mosquito on my arm once and by the time I finished debating whether or not to kill it, it had taken my blood and left an itchy mark.
I try to take normal bugs (ants, pill bugs, flies, spiders) outside, but mosquitos are awful.
what are your policies, as wiccans, on killing bugs?
There is no Wiccan "policy" against killing bugs. I do it all the time.
Secondly the Wiccan Rede does not say "harm none". It says that we are free to take any actions which do not cause harm. But actions which do cause harm are entirely up to the individual Wiccan and the situation in which they find themselves.
Re: wiccans and bugs By: Brysing Moderator / Adept
Post # 3 Jul 05, 2015
I consider that the natural "law" of Kill,or be Killed is a good "stand-by". But, as "supposedly" intelligent animals I would prefer humans to avoid danger whenever possible; and that a repellent is better than killing,if possible. There are insect repellents available. Sometimes it is unavoidable, and a kill is the only answer.
Only the female mosquito draws blood, and takes very little. But the danger is not the loss of blood; it is that mosquitoes carry disease, especially Malaria.
though the Wiccan Rede states harm none "an' ye harm none do what ye wilt" but sometimes even i kill these bugs, but bugs like butterflies, and catterpillers i dont kill, in fact when i was playing with the hose to cool down with using cold water in my swimsuit, i saw on the ground a catterpiller and even slugs where im gonna be playing in water at, and used a leaf to bring them across the street and then i talk to them letting them knos they dont have to worry getting stepped on
An in Harm None, Do as Yee Wilt. As or An does not really change the interpretation. If your actions do no harm, they are good. The issue is, what do you morally view as harm ? Is it wrong to kill a bug? A bug is a life, you harmed the bug by ending its life. A life is gone because of your actions. On the other hand, do bugs have souls? If the answer is no, do you care? If the answer is yes, you took a soul away from their incarnation. But then consider if the spirit was to experience that sudden end. Is it still okay to kill a bug?
Yes, I know that entire situation sounded insane, but these are actual things people contemplate when they interpret the Rede. Or at least they should. This is also why many Wiccans are vegan or vegetarian. Some people even claim they can sense the energy from the animals when they eat meat and it is why they stopped. Which, one could argue is plausible if you are a highly spiritual empath who believes everything on earth has a spirit. However you justify situations as harmful or not harmful determines your actions. Most just do not think about it that deeply and follow the crowd. Society says squash it, so you squash it.
Personally, I try to avoid killing insects whenever possible. I have a few spiders around my home I am cautiously aware of. They stay in their area, and I am fine with them. Occasionally, I am on a walk and suddenly started and will slap a bug or swat at a particularly petulant fly. There is nothing wrong with that. You are human. Do better tomorrow.
