For many years neo-pagans have assumed that the word “pagan”, dervied from the Latin pagani, referred to followers of the older religous traditions at a time when town dwellers were following newer traditions. In other words “pagani” has been equated to “hick” or “out of fashion”. However recent and thorough research by the respected anthropologist Ronald Hutton turns up no evidence of this claim. In his 1999 book, “Triumph of the Moon”, Hutton writes:

“For over a hundred years writers had commonly asserted that the Latin word paganus, signified 'rustic'. In 1986 however, the Oxford-based historian Robin Lane Fox reminded colleagues that this usage had never actually been proved and that the term had more probably been employed in a different sense in which it was attested in the Roman world, of a civilian; in this case a person not enrolled in the Christian army of God.”

We call modern Earth religions, such as Wicca, which borrow from pre-Christian Pagan religions with additions from contemporary religious thinkers, neo-pagan. We acknowledge that some ancient pagan religions used animal and/or human sacrifices. Modern or “neo” pagans do not.

Ethics:

Ethics are the standards of conduct and moral judgment and moral philosophy. The standard of conduct is set in Wicca by the Wiccan Rede and the Law of Threefold Return (also called the Three-Fold Law).

a. Three-fold law:

Ever mind the Rule of Three
Three times what thou givest returns to thee
This lesson well, thou must learn,
Thee only gets what thou dost earn!
The Three-fold law reminds us to think before we act, and this means in all things we do and say, not only when we do deliberate magickal acts.

b. Wiccan Rede:

There are several versions. It is frequently condensed to: “An ye harm none, do what ye will”, which is another reminder to think before you speak and act. If anyone knows the author of this version please let me know and I'll give proper credit.

YE WICCAN REDE:
Bide ye Wiccan laws ye must in perfect love and perfect trust
Live and let live, fairly take and fairly give
Form the circle thrice about to keep all evil spirits out
To bind ye spell every time, let ye spell be spake in rhyme
Soft of eye, light of touch, speak ye little, listen much
Deosil go by the waxing moon, singing out ye Witches' Rune
Widdershins go by the waning moon, chanting out ye Baneful Rune
When the Lady's moon is new, kiss your hand to her times two
When the moon rides at her peak, then ye heart's desire seek
Heed the North wind's mighty gale, lock the door and trim the sail
When the wind comes from the South, love will kiss thee on the mouth
When the wind blows from the West, departed souls may have no rest
When the wind blows from the East, expect the new and set the feast
Nine woods in ye cauldron go, burn them fast and burn them slow
Elder be ye Lady's tree, burn it not or cursed ye'll be
When the wheel begins to turn, soon ye Beltaine fire'll burn
When the wheel hath turned a Yule, light a log the Horned One rules
Heed ye flower, bush and tree, by the Lady blessed be
Where the rippling waters flow, cast a stone and truth ye'll know
When ye have and hold a need, harken not to others greed
With a fool no season spend, nor be counted as his friend
Merry meet and merry part, bright the cheeks and warm the heart
Mind ye threefold law ye should, three times bad and three times good
When misfortune is anow, wear the star upon thy brow
True in love ye must ever be, lest thy love be false to thee
In these eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill,
'An ye harm none, do what ye will

And here is a shorter version, less poetic, but more to the point:

Bide the Wiccan Law Ye must
In Perfect Love and Perfect Trust
Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill
An it harm none, do what Ye will
What Ye sends forth comes back to thee
So ever mind the Rule of Three
Follow this with mind and heart
And Merry Ye Meet, and Merry Ye Part.

In Circle of the Moonlit Sea