Wiccan Rede Question

[Lady Motevia]

Ok, so I have a question regarding the Wiccan Rede and would like everyone's opinion. We all know that the Wiccan Rede states: "An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will". Now, here's my question...

What about when harm comes to a person due to inaction?

If a person comes to you in need of help, how does this adhere to the Wiccan Rede? I'm not talking about the bum on the street of Chicago begging for change. Let's say that a person who has not really been there for you in the past, but has never outright hurt you either, comes to you in need of help and their life is in danger. This person has nowhere to go and no one else to help them. Does the Wiccan Rede dictate that it is our duty to help this person? It doesn't necessarily mean to say that in order to help them you must take them in, but just show them where to go. How do you think this falls into the lines of karma if you know that without your help they could get very sick?

Basically right now I'm in the process of helping a family member of mine who has not really been around in my life and has burned a few bridges in his family tree. My husband, my mother, and I'm sure many others do not understand why I feel the need to help him. I know that if I don't help him find someplace to go, he will get very sick and possibly die. On one side I feel that the Goddess would not want me to walk away from him despite what he's done to me before, but on the other I have people who may be greatly disappointed in me if I spend my time to help him. What are your thoughts on this matter? Should I say to hell with them and help anyway, or act as if I never heard his cry for help like everyone else in the family has done?

[lorifiya]

If they have burned bridges it is possible that in helping them you may be the one hurt, though people do need the chance to make a change for the better they just need the right person to believe in them.

Also though they do have homeless shelters and assistance for getting in section 8 housing.

If you do decide to let them stay with you though, you really need to lay down the law and stick with it, and make sure they know you will not bend on the rules.

[Lady Motevia]

I'm actually not offering him to stay with us. Just trying to find him a place to live. Where he lives, there is no section 8 housing in Wisconsin. He's a Type 1 diabetic and blind. I'm actually trying to find him a place around here to live with other family members. It's also more complicated than saying he's burned bridges. That entire side of my family is dysfunctional and psychotic. But the biggest issue here is that this guy is actually my father.

[firemoonw]

My feeling is the god and goddess would stand before you and say it is your duty to help a poor sole, that dose not mean that you have to take him in but show him the way to help him self. Because he is a family member it is what is in your heart of what you need to do.If you don't follow your heart , and do as the rest of the family you are no better then they are. So follow your heart for the truth in your feeling you are the only one that can answer that question my dear.

[Lady Motevia]

Thanks, Glen. I know that I need to help him and I'm doing everything like what you and I talked about this morning. But I'm interested in hearing everyone's thoughts as to how this goes with the Wiccan Rede. In my opinion, not doing anything is just as bad as if I caused harm to him myself. Thus why I don't understand why the other people in my family do not understand why I want to help him. He is my father, after all. He may have been a jerk to many people and I didn't know him for 16 years, but what his wife did to him was just plain wrong.

[firemoonw]

Amber here are to saying that mite help you from the wiccan rede. Bide within the law you must in perfect love and perfect trust live you must and let to live farirly take and farirly give.this one I think will the most. Mind the three-fold laws you should three times bad and three times good.When misfortune is enow wear the star upon your brow.

[habibidancer]

The wiccan rede is not a rule. The word "rede" means advice, or counsel. The wiccan advice is, as long as YOU and no one else will be truly harmed, do what YOU WILL. What is your will in this? You want to help. of course you do because this is your father. Because he is family. Because you are essentially a good person who feels compassion to someone in need.

It's always complicated. There are always those that don't "get it". This isn't about them. This is about you and the person in need. Wiccan advice is, Do What You Need To Do.

[firemoonw]

I no you have done the right thing and you will be apprerciate for it some day even, if only be gratefully buy your dad and that is where it count any way Amber.