"An it harm none lest harm be done"... Yet another version of the Golden Rule, though this one tells you consequences, and therefore is merged with Karma. I like it.
In the simplest use of the term, a vampire is a human being who craves and feeds from a specific type of energy source.
To my knowledge, there are very few energy sources that offer their energy freely, and even if they do give it away, they still lose that energy which in effect harms that source.
The Sun is probably the only source of energy which does radiate a great deal of energy and it can be seen that it's suffering is negligible, for it is out there for someone to take. Ironically, sunlight happens to be one source of energy that weakens, even harms, some vampires. But there are some people who gain energy from sunlight, as well as other natural sources, like wind and weather phenomena.
Plants and animals both take energy and provide energy. Animals eat the plants, which harms them, and helps the animals grow. We humans in turn harm plants and animals in order to feed off of their energy.
As Daermon suggests, human beings radiate psychic energy, and I'll add they also radiate warmth. While this may be given freely, it does harm them to take it from them, even if only a tiny amount that they may not notice.
They also are a storage of blood, sexual energy, and emotions. All of these can be fed from, and again, even if given freely with permission, they deplete the human's supply, thus harming them.
There's only one symbiotic relationship I can think of. Trees and plants give off oxygen which we need to survive and we give them carbon dioxide which they need to survive.
In virtually every respect, a human is no different than a vampire. We all have specific cravings and specific food sources. The difference lies in the source they require.
If a human being can still claim to practice "An' it harm none, do what thou wilt," then why can't a vampire? Show me a Wiccan who faithfully follows the Wiccan Rede who does not eat something in order to survive.
It don't care if you didn't slaughter your own cow, chicken, pig, or chop your own vegetables. They were harmed so that you could eat them. Moreover, I doubt anyone got their permission. If a vampire gets a donor's permission, I'd say they're closer to following the Rede than a Wiccan who blessed her veggie-burger.
Why is it so hard to believe that a vampire could also be a Wiccan?
a) Are you biased against vampires?
b) Do you understand The Wiccan Rede?
c) Do you comprehend the predatory nature of a human being, vampire, or life itself?
d) all of the above
As for people here pretending to be vampires or Wiccans. Who cares? Give people their fantasies. The real world shuns us all; that's why we came here. It's bad enough if you have your biases about people, why be biased against peoples masquerades?
