TEMPLE OF ISIS

ETHICS




In most Pagan spiritual systems there is a credo:  So long as you harm none, do what you will.  The harming none thing includes yourself.  In some circles there is a prevailing belief of Karma, or a distorted view of what Karma is, which is basically, what you do comes back to you three - ten fold, good or bad.  It is important when joining new groups to be sure they follow these ideas at least.  I suggest a watch and wait philosophy before any official "Joining" of the group.  There are some people in this world that say one thing and act in the opposite manner.  Usually this had to do with "ego" getting in the way of spirit.  Feeding your ego is no substitute for expanding your spirit.

Once you develop a close relationship with Isis or any of the other Gods or Goddesses, they will lead you to the right group.  Trust them and you can shine.

The Ancient Egyptians had a much tougher ethical system.  It includes the above plus so much more.  They took responsibility very seriously, and each member of society was responsible, in some small way, for keeping the Divine Order.  According to the Ancient Egyptian traditions, after you die you must be able to stand before Osiris, the God of the Dead, and the rest of the Pantheon and state the "Negative Confessions" (see below), while your heart, the seat of your consciousness, was weighed on a scale against the feather of Ma'at or truth, really Cosmic Order.  If you can truthfully make all of the Negative Confessions, your heart will weigh more than the feather and you will be accepted into the afterlife.  If you fail, your spirit will be destroyed.


Weighing of the Heart
To the right is the deceased, his heart is in the little jar on the right side of the scale. Thoth writes down the results.  On the left side of the scale is the Goddess Ma'at, the Goddes of Truth or Justice.  Anubis makes sure the scales are true and Osiris, in Horus' form, sits to judge the results.

I have chosen two different translations of the book "Coming Forth By Day", otherwise known as "The Egyptian Book of the Dead".  First from the Papyrus of Ani, and then EA Wallis Budge's translation of a different papyrus.  They are probably from different times too, since there are major differences.

This list is from the Papyrus of Ani as translated by Dr. Raymond Faulkner:

"The Declaration of Innocence Before the Gods of the Tribunal:
    O Wide-strider who came forth from Heliopolis, I have not done wrong.
    O Fire-embracer who came forth from the Kheraha, I have not robbed.
    O Nosey who came forth from Hermopolis, I have not stolen.
    O Swallower of Shades who came forth from Kernet, I have not slain people.
    O Terrible of Face who came forth from Rosetjau, I have not destroyed the food offerings.
    O Double Lion who came forth from the sky, I have not reduced measures.
    O He-whose-Eyes-are-in-Flames who came forth from Asyut, I have not stolen the    God's property.
    O Burning One who came forth backwards, I have not told lies.
    O Breaker of the Bones who came forth from Heracleopolis, I have not stolen food.
    O Order of Flame who came forth from Memphis, I was not sullen.
    O He-of-the-Cavern who came forth from the West, I have not fornicated with the fornicator.
    O He-Whose-Face-is-Behind-Him who came forth from his hole, I have not caused (anyone) to weep.
    O Anointed One who came forth from the chapel, I have not dissembled.
    O Hot-Legs who came forth at twilight, I have not transgressed.
    O He-who-is-Blood who came forth from the place of slaughter, I have not done grain-profiteering.
    O Eater of Entrails who came forth from the Council of Thirty, I have not robbed a parcel of land.
    O Lord of Truth who came forth from the Hall of Two Truths, I have not discussed (secrets).
    O Strayer who came forth from Bubastis, I have brought no lawsuits.
    O Planter (?) who came forth from Heliopolis, I have not disputed at all about property.
    O Doubly Evil One who came forth from the Busirite Nome, I have not had intercourse with a married woman.
    O He-who-is Over-the-Great-Ones who came forth from -?-, I have not struck terror.
    O Demolisher who came forth from -?-, I have not transgressed.
    O Proclaimer of Speech who came forth from Weryt, I have not been hot (tempered).
    O Youth who came forth from the Double Scepter Nome, I have not been neglectful of truthful words.
    O Dark One who came forth from darkness, I have not cursed.
    O He-who-Brings-His-Offering who comes forth from Asyut, I have not been violent.
    O Proclaimer of Voice who came forth from Wenis, I have not confounded (truth).
    O Possessor of Faces who came forth from Nedjefet, I have not been impatient.
    O Captain who came forth from Weten, I have not discussed.
    O Possessor of Two Horns who came forth from Asyut, I have not been garrulous about matters.
    O Nefertum who came forth from Memphis, I have not done wrong, I have not done evil.
    O He-Who-Does-Not-(Allow-)Survivors who came froth from Busiris, I have not disputed the King.
    O He-Who-Acts-As-He-Wishes who came forth from Antinaiopolis, I have not waded in the water.
    O Ihy who came forth from the Primordial Waters, my voice was not loud.
    O He-Who-Prospers-the-Common-People who came forth from Asyut, I have not cursed a God.
    O Uniter of Attributes who came forth from the Cavern, I have not made extollings(?).
    O Uniter of Good who came forth from the Cavern, I have not harmed the bread-ration of the Gods.
    O Upraised of Head who came forth from the shrine, I have not stolen the Khenef-cakes from the Blessed.
    O He-Who-Brings-His-Portion who came forth from Faiyum(?), I have not slain sacred cattle."

Here are the Negative Confessions from EA Wallis Budge's translation of the Book of the Dead:

"I have not committed sins against men.
I have not opposed my family and kinsfolk.
I have not acted fraudulently, or deceitfully in the Seat of Truth
I have never been a friend of worthless or profligate men and wasters.
I have not wrought evil.
I have not made it to be the first consideration daily that unnecessary work should be done for me.
I have not brought forward my name for dignities.
I have not attempted to direct servants or belittled God.
I have not defrauded the humble man of his property.
I have not done what the Gods abominate.
I have not vilified a slave to his master.
I have not inflicted pain.
I have not caused anyone to go hungry.
I have not made any man to weep.
I have not committed murder.
I have not given the order for murder to be committed.
I have not caused calamities to befall men and women.
I have not plundered the offerings in the Temples.
I have not defrauded the gods of their cake offerings.
I have not carried off the Fenkhu cakes offered to the Spirits.
I have not masturbated in the sanctuaries of God.
I have not diminished from the bushel.
I have not filched land from my neighbor's estate and added it to my own acre.
I have not encroached on the fields of others.
I have not added to the weights of the scales.
I have not depressed the pointer of the balance.
I have not carried away the milk from the mouths of children.
I have not driven the cattle away from their pastures.
I have not snared the geese in the goose pens of the Gods.
I have not caught fish with the bait made of the bodies of the same kind of fish.
I have not stopped water when it should flow.
I have not made a cutting in a canal of running water.
I have not extinguished a fire or lamp when it should burn.
I have not violated the times of offering the chosen meat offerings.
I have not driven away the cattle on the estates of the Gods.
I have not turned back the God at his appearances.
I am pure. I am pure.  I am pure."
 

Today's life is much different than that of the Ancient Egyptians.  I suggest you take them symbolically rather than literally.  For instance, if scales and weights have no bearing on your life, think of it as not cheating others.

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