Ok now were back to the old Inquisition rumoroo...

http://www.cornellreview.org/viewart.cgi?num=110

Cornell covers their findings and the findings of the bbc, which discovered that the "Inquisition" was  "The most fair tribunal of its time".

And one of the 'isms' you left out, atheism, was surely the direct cause of the greatest number of murders in the annals of human history. In the 20th Century alone, more than 100 million died as the result of wars, famines, and cruelties that were initiated or caused by atheists such as Hitler, Stalin, Mao, and Pol Pot.

Can your really regard those people connected as atheists and acting on behalf of atheism, or did they replace religion with nationalism?

Atheism had little to do with the motivation of Stalin (I presume paranoia was Stalin’s prime motivation, Pol Pot’s motivation as far as I can tell pure stupidity his version of communism being even worse that Mao’s, Mao’s motivations Nationalism, I have seen reasonable evidence to suggest Hitler was no atheist).
Communism adopted atheism because it couldn’t not abide a social system greater than its own residing within; while being essential to the state atheism was not the motivation of the men mentioned above. Also you may find that there are several varieties of atheist, the strong from, weak form, non theists and a few more I am certain I did not mention. To tie them all together arbitrarily seems ignorant, implying a common belief where no belief exists.

By the way I long ago abandoned labeling people idiots for believing in imaginary ubiquities men in the sky, I think you should show those who do not belive the same concideration. Religious beliefs transcend intellect; I have encountered some very bright people of many faiths or lack of faith.

All I can say about the Vikings is,
when the Vikings finished raping. pillaging
and plundering the small coastal villages they were
so fond of doing, for sport, they used to throw newborn infants
up in the air in front of their mothers and try to catch the
infants with their spears.
They were usually very drunk after all the action
and they missed catching a lot of them.
The Vikings smelled REAL bad too.
What's funny is, after the introduction of Christianity
in Scandinavia, they stopped doing all that wild and crazy
stuff.
Things that make one go, hmmm,
Valhalla, I am coming?

I'm a 9th. level Cleric, and if anyone so much as looks at me funny I will smite them with my +6 Quarterstaff!

... just kidding!

Quoted: All I can say about the Vikings is, when the Vikings finished raping. pillaging and plundering the small coastal villages they were so fond of doing, for sport, they used to throw newborn infants up in the air in front of their mothers and try to catch the infants with their spears. They were usually very drunk after all the action and they missed catching a lot of them. The Vikings smelled REAL bad too. What's funny is, after the introduction of Christianity in Scandinavia, they stopped doing all that wild and crazy stuff. Things that make one go, hmmm, Valhalla, I am coming?

See, that's the kind of uneducated self loathing hoo nanny bullshit that just isn't based in fact. So here's TINY lesson that you could have discovered yourself with a basic web search.

www.scandinavica.com/culture/history/vikings.htm


Cruel and bloodthirsty pirates or great traders and explorers?

With such magnificent ships, the Norse began travelling and trading first around the Baltic Sea and then on to southern Europe, Russia, the Caspian Sea, Africa, the Middle East, India and Asia. As they travelled around the world, some Norsemen found out that stealing was much easier than trading. The perfect targets to go viking were the wealthy and poorly defended monasteries of western Europe.

Christian documents of the time depict the Vikings as bloodthirsty sauvages who would destroy and pillage everything they could. This is true, but viking pirates were not particularly more cruel than any European army of that age.

The Vikings were the international tradesmen of their time. They traded silk and spices from Constantinople, amber from the Baltic, iron from Scandinavia, slaves from Russia and furs and walrus ivory from Iceland and Greenland. The Vikings kept open the trade route between East and West Europe at a time when trade routes through the Mediterranean were unsafe.

As they travelled around the world, they began to explore and settle in foreign lands. They populated Iceland and Greenland, they temporarely settled in north America, controlled the Duchy of Normandy in France, founded the city of Dublin in Ireland, and made the English city of York the most important town outside of London. The places ruled by the Norse were politically stable and flourishing by medieval standards. The Norse created the first modern parliament in the world in Thingvellir, Iceland, at a time when Europe was still living in the feudal ages.


THAT is based in fact and also partially answers ETH's statement that "these people did not contribute anything to civilized western society."

Self-loathing??
I don't loathe myself,
and I am not uneducated.

Butterfly-Technique

The Tenth Century
Viking Raids
So, what were these famous Viking raids? Were they anything like what is portrayed in Hollywood movies? Certainly not. Not even Hollywood is anything like what is portrayed in Hollywood movies.

What were the raids like, then? That is difficult to answer. Much of our evidence comes from the hands of monks, who were among the chief victims of the raids and who had a certain interest in portraying the Vikings in as lurid a light as possible. There is no doubt that the Vikings struck terror into the hearts of many, not least because their favorite targets were those places that were most weakly defended.

They really did sail in those open boats, sometimes travelling for days over open water, with twenty or thirty or even as many as sixty men aboard. A Viking fleet would have cargo ships, too, that carried horses and other supplies. The style of the Danish and Norwegian ships was quite distinctive, so as soon as they were spotted, word raced through the countryside. Raids on the southern coast of England became so common that a system of watchfires was instituted--not so an opposing force could be rallied, but so that the locals knew to flee for their lives and to hide their valuables.

A Viking ship typically drew only about three feet of water and they were experts at sailing on rivers. Europe is famous for having so many miles of navigable waterways, so the Viking ships could and did travel far inland. Their favored tactic was to find an island where they could moor their ships, the better to protect them, and then to spend some days or weeks raiding the surrounding countryside.

Vikings were also horsemen. They used horses to move quickly from place to place, preferring to fight on foot. When loot was taken, it was sent back to the island fortress with a small escort while the main body moved on. Since they liked to come back and raid the same places repeatedly, they did not scruple to burn, rape and murder in order to strike terror into their enemies. A few examples more or less at random will suffice.

In Russia, the Swedes were famous for the "butterfly cut"--a technique whereby the Viking would slice open a fleeing enemy down the back in such a way that the lungs came fluttering out. Like a butterfly.  

In Iceland a fellow was known as the "child-lover" because he refused to impale a baby on the end of his spear.

In England some Vikings were holding a bishop to ransom. They had him chained in their hall. At a feast, they all got drunk and pelted him with bones until he died.

The Vikings had a reputation for being bloodthirsty and cruel in an age that was itself hard and accustomed to cruelty. This does not for a moment imply that all Vikings were like this or that every Viking raid was an exercise in madness. But the stories are there for the reading, make of them what you will.

Generally the idea on a raid was to get rich and go home. But the opportunities back home were meagre and there was room only for a few successes. Increasingly, therefore, the raiders came and stayed longer, and then they came and settled.   At some point, the locals decided that this wasn't really a Viking raid, it was an invasion. So, what, are you going to tell them to leave? And so, in general, the Vikings settled: in Ireland, in England, in France, in Russia, and themselves became part of the local population.

History of Western Civilization
E.L. Skip Knox
Boise State University


Whatever, dude.

Quoted: Self-loathing?? I don't loathe myself, and I am not uneducated. Butterfly-Technique That is difficult to answer. Much of our evidence comes from the hands of monks, who were among the chief victims of the raids and who had a certain interest in portraying the Vikings in as lurid a light as possible. . This does not for a moment imply that all Vikings were like this or that every Viking raid was an exercise in madness. But the stories are there for the reading, make of them what you will.

Wow, so basically the guy admits that the stories are probably made much more horiffic than they really were and then goes on to state that what you JUST implied was EXTREMELY COMMON was indeed something that might have happened a few times assuming we trust the word of someone who by the authors own admission intended to make the tales as lurid as possible. Furthermore, as pointed out in both YOUR link and mine, the vikings were not any more cruel than anyone of that time period. What compelling evidence. So I guess by that same logic all gun owners are just a time bomb waiting to go off just because 1% of people who have owned a gun did......."whatever dude" yourself.


And for the record, I called you "self loathing" because you almost PROUDLY (assuming you are white) slander your own roots. I consider that self loathing behavior, but my standards in that area probably don't match yours. I actually respect my roots and would rather spend my time boasting the accomplishments of my anscestors than pointing to the faults, especially faults that were common to much of the humans alive during that period.

Not that i particularly want to wade knee deep into the shit storm religous debate that this is and will turn into, i just feel compelled to mention, like i do everytime this topic comes up (which averages once about every 12 to 16 months) to state that i am in fact an asatrau, and have been for a number of years. i am a productive member of society and have meet and befriended several members of this site who are not aware of my religous believes. they all seem to think im a fine person.

i really fail to understand how people who fight for their right under the constitution to keep and bear arms will systematically attack another persons constitutional right to pick their own religion, while i realize that at many levels religion is the one choice in life by which people establish a sense of self identity i still dont understand why they feel a need to attack someone elses choice.      

that being said and before anyone feels a need to attack any choice or statement i have, i invite you to come and serve a year with me over here in iraq.  any combat vets feel free to tear up and shit on my statement in anyway.  

in the long run it doesnt really matter to me, my choice is my choice, and if you dont like it you can go play my favorite game, the go fuck yourself game. but what does bother me is all the drama that seems to end up being attached to any religous statements made by anyone who is neither a christian or a jew.      


i respect your choice, be a man and respect someone elses.



ps, if this in any way losses me "cool points"   or lowers the value of my thoughts to anyone else i really dont care.

Isn't there a rerun of Dungeons and Dragons on the cartoon network you guys are missing while you're here arguing?

Hmm.  As someone leaning towards atheism, the step from one God to many gods seems like a step backwards to me.  Fewer gods would seem to be the way to go---the fewer the better.

<Spaceballs> That's funny, she doesn't look Asatruish. </Spaceballs>

Quoted: Not that i particularly want to wade knee deep into the shit storm religous debate that this is and will turn into, i just feel compelled to mention, like i do everytime this topic comes up (which averages once about every 12 to 16 months) to state that i am in fact an asatrau, and have been for a number of years. i am a productive member of society and have meet and befriended several members of this site who are not aware of my religous believes. they all seem to think im a fine person. i really fail to understand how people who fight for their right under the constitution to keep and bear arms will systematically attack another persons constitutional right to pick their own religion, while i realize that at many levels religion is the one choice in life by which people establish a sense of self identity i still dont understand why they feel a need to attack someone elses choice.       that being said and before anyone feels a need to attack any choice or statement i have, i invite you to come and serve a year with me over here in iraq.  any combat vets feel free to tear up and shit on my statement in anyway.   in the long run it doesnt really matter to me, my choice is my choice, and if you dont like it you can go play my favorite game, the go fuck yourself game. but what does bother me is all the drama that seems to end up being attached to any religous statements made by anyone who is neither a christian or a jew.       i respect your choice, be a man and respect someone elses. ps, if this in any way losses me "cool points"   or lowers the value of my thoughts to anyone else i really dont care.

Glad to meet you GlockLuvinRedleg, it's good to find a kindered spirt here on ARFCOM. And thank you for those of you who have stood by me in my choice. To those that have knocked my choice I have only this to say. You have only tested my metal in the fire and it has made my decesion to become Asatru even stronger.  This is the religion of my ancestors, my roots, my heritage and as such I've always felt as the Asatru feel even before I knew it's name.

The Christian God is suppose to have created the first man from dirt, In Asatru the first man was created from an Ash tree. Why is it that Christians have no problem believing that they're made from dirt but it's wrong for me to believe that the first man came from an Ash tree, both sound like a creation myth to me and both are equally valid to the person that believes.
May Thor protect and keep you safe.

What I find most interesting in the debate between the hard-charging, fundamentalist Christians and the equally enthusiastic atheists is how similar they actually are. They are simply two ends of the spectrum, and essentially the same. They (and I'm speaking in general terms here) both question the intelligence of their opposite number and deride their beliefs at any chance they get. They both cling to their circular arguments. One more thing the two sides of this same coin have in common is a terribly skewed idea of what "God" and religion actually are.

Joseph Campbell said, "God is a symbol. The connotation [as opposed to the denotation] of the symbol lies beyond all namings, beyond all enumeration, beyond all catagories of thought. One often asks, 'Is God one, or is God many?' These, however, are categories of thought and do not serve well in talking about what is beyond all speech." Campbell goes into great detail about the difference between the connotation of a metaphor and it's denotation. An example of the difference: "God is in heaven on his throne. In his hand is a two-headed coin, identical on each side, and this he flips into the air and catches it, indifferent of the outcome." The denotative meaning of this metaphor can be seen as God is a man, heaven is a place, so on a so forth. The connotative meaning is the devine is beyond the ideas of both the fundies (pardon the expression please) and the atheists. (I know, it's not that great of a metaphor but hey.. I haven't had enough caffeine yet.)

But hell.... He explains it much better than I ever could. Go read his books. Orrrr... Rent "Joseph Campbell: Mythos" or "The Power of Myth" on DVD. Honestly worth the time.

Quoted: What I find most interesting in the debate between the hard-charging, fundamentalist Christians and the equally enthusiastic atheists is how similar they actually are. They are simply two ends of the spectrum, and essentially the same. They (and I'm speaking in general terms here) both question the intelligence of their opposite number and deride their beliefs at any chance they get. They both cling to their circular arguments. One more thing the two sides of this same coin have in common is a terribly skewed idea of what "God" and religion actually are.

yup assholes are assholes, no matter what they believe or don't believe.

any religion that helps you be a better person is a good religion.   This board is predominantly fundamentalist Christian, so thats no a popular viewpoint here because they have the only TRUE answers  

THE ASATRU KINDRED
by Valgard Murray

The Webster's Collegiate Dictionary defines Kindred as: A group of related individuals; Of a similar nature and character; Of the same ancestry. I would agree with that definition, but it is only partly true. The Asatru Kindred is the foundation for the new Asatru Nation, and as such, is the testing ground for the new tribes of our Folk. In the near future, the Kindred will prove to be the living entity that will survive the onslaught of Ragnarok.

In ancient times, our people survived as an extended family. As populations grew, these extended families joined together to form tribes. This tribe was, in essence, a group of extended families. Over the years they developed their own unique traits, value systems, heritage, traditions, religion, and other vital characteristics. As time wore on, and the people grew larger in numbers, these tribes joined with others of similar character and formed Nations. Again, this method served the people for many years.

During the late Viking Age, and with the coming of Christianity, things changed. The Christian Church was only able to assert its authority over the people by either bribing certain leaders of the Nations with promises of unlimited power and authority with the promise of Kingship, or they obtained the same ends with the use of force and treachery. So, one by one, the Nations submitted to absolute control of the Church through the clever manipulation of Kings.

To further assert this absolute control over the people, countries were formed. These were nothing more than geographical areas defined by lines on a map. They were, in effect, the geographical areas where the new Kings could wield absolute control. Any farther than that was claimed by a neighboring Kingdom. Over time, this led to the formation of towns and cities of such size that large numbers of people were needed just to serve the infrastructure of the Kingdoms. People left the ancestral farmlands to live in the cities and serve the Kings and their armies. Once the Folk lost their natural bond with the land, they lost their souls, and the power and influence of the Kings and the Church was absolute.

The ties which bound the tribes together common ancestry, religion, heritage and social structures were meaningless in the towns and cities. All that mattered is that you swore allegiance to the King and the country which he led. It goes without saying, that the great fratricidal wars of Europe and America could not have been fought without this artificial form of political control wielded by the Church and State.

Today, as Asatru asserts itself, we must learn from the lessons of the past. And to regain our freedoms, we must work hard to rebuild our ancestral tribes. The Kindred is vital to our success and survival as an indigenous people.

Sadly enough, although Asatru at this time is experiencing tremendous growth, many who return to their ancestral religion don't wish to join or found Kindreds. They prefer to worship the Holy Aesir and Vanir alone, or occasionally with a few others of like mind. They do not want to be bothered with commitments, or they do not want anyone depending on them, or they just do not have time for working with others. This article is not for them. This article is for those who are endowed with the spirit of Tyr and are willing to devote their lives to building the Nation of Asatru and serving the Folk. Sacrifice is what makes you an Asatruar, not convenience. If you are willing to devote your life and all that that entails to this sacred cause, then read on.

THE HISTORY OF ASATRU KINDREDS IN VINLAND
The first Kindreds were formed in Vinland in the early 70's. The Asatru Free Assembly strived to found Kindreds at this time, and while the Odinist Fellowship did not, members of the Fellowship formed Kindreds all the same. There were also a few independent Kindreds that were already in existence at this time and some of them later joined both the AFA and the OF. When both of these pioneering groups disbanded, it was the Kindreds of these former groups that vowed to learn from the lessons of the past and form the Asatru Alliance. The number one lesson to be learned is that national organizations are certainly necessary and do much to promote the growth of our religion, but they are subject to failure and disbandment. All the while, the Kindreds survive!

Of the many Kindreds that were formed in the late 60's and 70's only two survive: Arizona Kindred and Wulfing Kindred. Although it is estimated that there are about 100 Kindreds in Vinland today, how many of THESE will be around in a few short years? Only those with an iron will, boundless courage, and clear and level head will survive and prosper.

HOW TO FORM A KINDRED
If you think that you have all the qualities of leadership and determination that are required of the Gothar, if you are willing to promote Asatru, the worship of the Holy Aesir and Vanir, and the right to self determination of our Folk... then I would encourage you to start that Kindred. The first place that I would look for members would be your own family and extended family. This is how many Kindreds are formed today in Vinland. You certainly meet all of the criteria as defined by Webster, and thus have the greatest chance of success. Your family also has friends who may be interested in joining the Kindred.

You are fortunate today that the Asatru Alliance promotes the founding and growth of Kindreds, and that through the pages of our publication, Vor Tru, we reach many of the Folk. Over the past 8 years of the Alliance, we have brought many a reader seeking Kindred association in touch with those founding Kindreds and seeking members. As the Asatru Community grows, and the influence and distribution of Vor Tru increases, more and more people are both deciding to form new Kindreds, and to take the rightful place in the Community.

The most important advice that I could give anyone wishing to form a Kindred, is to choose your members carefully. It takes a tremendous amount of effort on your behalf, and you need people who have a positive attitude.

You will need people whom you can trust and depend on. People with negative attitudes only draw strength and vitality from you. They will sap your spiritual and physical strength, and you will fail in your purpose of forming a group of self-supportive people dedicated to making the Kindred succeed.

You must have members who you feel comfortable around and whom you can trust explicitly at Kindred gatherings and events. If some oddball or loose-canon type comes around, politely show them the door. You and your family, and the women and children of your group, should at all times feel safe and comfortable. If you have to spend all of your time worrying about so-and-so running amok, your Kindred will fail. Follow your instincts the AllFather gave them to you for just such reasons.

At first, it is more important to have a small, loyal, tightly knit group, than a large group with no cohesive purpose or goal. It is much easier to focus on your Kindred development with four or five individuals committed to making the Kindred work, than twenty people with twenty different ideas on what they think the Kindred should be. Once your group has established itself, and has developed a Kindred philosophy and a system of gatherings that works, then open up the Kindred to new membership a little at a time.

Over the years, I have seen one Kindred after the other explode onto the scene with a fast growing membership, lots of plans and boundless energy, only to see them fail. The Kindred leader, for one reason or another, didn't have a cohesive plan that worked. Or the leader was inconsistent with Kindred focus and goals, and kept changing the direction of the Kindred. For instance, he changes the name of the Kindred several times a year, one moment he is Asatru, the next Vanatru... or Odinn is his mentor today, and it is Thorr tomorrow. Indecisiveness, confusion, and just plain stupidity, will lead to failure. It is very important for the Kindred leader to be consistent and open in his plans for the group.

Next, one should always lead by example. As the founder and leader of a Kindred, people will look to you for guidance. Live true always be honest and honorable in your dealings with the Folk. You are a role model, and you must never forget it.

Learn to cultivate leadership traits in the members of your Kindred. Encourage people to take an active role during Kindred activities and planning. If someone has an idea and the ability to follow through with it, be supportive and helpful. As your Kindred grows, there will be plenty of work to go around.

KINDRED ACTIVITIES
It is vital for the healthy growth and development of the Kindred to have regular gatherings. The more frequent the gatherings, the better. I would encourage those who can to meet once a week. If that is not possible, try to get the Kindred together as often as possible. The Arizona Kindred meets every Wodensday. Now I realize that we have members in several states, and even within the state, some of us are separated by hundreds of miles. Some of us though only live a few miles from each other, so we meet once a week. We also have the seasonal Blots as well as other important gatherings throughout the year. We expect our members to attend all the gatherings that they can, with at least one a year being mandatory.

We have always expected our members to be self reliant, and one way to promote this is to have regular camp outs. In the Winter we camp in the desert, and in the Summer months we camp in the mountains. We encourage our members to procure suitable camping equipment, and to learn campcraft. Of course, for those new to camping in the great outdoors, we always have enough gear to share. If at all possible, schedule several camping trips a year. The Arizona Kindred meets this way about six times per year.

At our camp outs, we follow a usual routine. Those who can, arrive Friday afternoon to secure a campsite and to generally set up the camp. We usually have an informal meal that evening and just kick back and enjoy each others' company around the fire.

On Saturday morning we usually have some type of group activity. This could be going for a hike, a trip down to the swimming hole, or perhaps a firewood scrounging expedition. Sometimes we will have a seminar and discuss an important topic. By mid afternoon, we prepare for the Blot. Following the Blot, we have a formal Feast. This is usually a pot luck dinner, with everyone bringing something to share with the Kindred. The Kindred usually supplies the meat for the cookout, and has a campstove available for those who need to cook their offering to the Feast. In the evening at dusk, we hold the Sumbel. We encourage our members to brew their own mead and bring it to share at the Sumbel. Following the Sumbel, we usually stay around the campfire and just enjoy each others' company.

On Sunnasday morning, as Gothi, I cook breakfast for the Kindred. This usually consists of hearty Spam sandwiches and berserker coffee. I have been known to cook breakfast for 30 people or more.

After breakfast, the whole Kindred should be engaged in cleaning the grounds, and as a last gesture, we make an offering to the Land Spirits. This sequence of events works well for the Kindred, and people learn to work with the schedule. Again, consistency is the key to successful outings.

At our weekly gatherings, being limited to a couple of hours at a time, we usually spend the first half hour or so just talking about our week, and sharing any news or ideas with the Kindred. Then we have an ongoing project that we work on. We have for the past year been studying the Runes. At first we concentrated on the basics, learning how to pronounce them, write them, know them, and later we carved them. We each made our own Gandr. Then as our knowledge progressed, we made our own Runes and started to cast them. At the same time, we read and studied the Rune Poems of the Eddas. Always working together as a group to learn all that we possibly can about the Runes. This work continues today. We also have studied the Havamal, and continue to do so. We are now comparing various translations of the old Lays to learn even more. Lately we have started to study Old Norse for liturgical reasons and for everyday conversation. This is a work in progress.

Future plans are for brewing classes, wood carving, organic gardening, home disaster preparedness, and what ever else we decide to learn and to share with each other. Although all of this takes time, we look at this as all in a life's work. We will continue to meet and study as long as we draw breath.

This should give you some idea of Kindred activities. Remember the importance of meeting often, and having interesting activities for the Kindred to share.

AS THE KINDRED GROWS
Sooner or later, there will be the need for the Kindred leader to share the responsibility and workload of managing the Kindred with others. Early on one finds that the many tasks necessary to produce a successful Kindred gathering are just too much for one person to handle. You should not be shy about asking for help from the members of the Kindred. In fact, many are looking for ways that they can help all you need do is ask. I know some Kindreds who are very fortunate to have members quite willing to act as chairmen of the various committees necessary for successful Kindred management and functions.

Another important step for the Kindred as it grows, is to decide to incorporate in their state as a non-profit church, and eventually apply to the IRS for 501 (c) non-profit status. This will require for the membership of the Kindred to elect three officers to serve on the Board of Directors of the corporation. The requirements for incorporation vary from one state to the next, but basically the steps are: elect a president, vice-president, and secretary/treasurer and draw up a Constitution for the church/Kindred, and a set of By Laws. Other states may require credentials from the "National Church" granting so-and-so Kindred official recognition. This of course can be handled by the office of the Secretary/Treasurer of the Asatru Alliance. A simple request to the Secretary is all that is necessary to grant credentials.

Some states require that the Constitution, By Laws, and Articles of Incorporation be published in the legal ad section of a newspaper. Of course this takes money. When the Arizona Kindred incorporated ten years ago in Arizona, it cost us about $650.00 for all the fees, which included publishing our incorporation papers in the local newspaper three times. Then there are the incorporation fees themselves, which can run anywhere from $75.00 to $150.00 for non-profits, and some may have to seek legal help as well. So, it is obvious that this will take a major commitment from the Kindred, but those Kindred leaders out there who recognize the great importance of legitimizing Asatru know that it is worth the effort.

Once this is accomplished, and when your Kindred is serious about obtaining money and property, then it is time to file with the IRS for your non-profit status. You will find when you first go down to your local bank and want to open a checking account for the Kindred, that the bank will require you to supply them with what they call an EIN number. This is an Employer's Identification Number. It is the equivalent of a Social Security number, except for an organization. This of course allows the IRS to keep complete tabs on all people and organizations that use banking services. It is very important for the IRS to keep their super computers busy compiling data bases on everyone and everything.

Now, there is a gray area in the way that the IRS looks at non-profit churches. If your Kindred is only taking in and paying out a couple of thousand dollars a year, they do not pay much attention to you and leave you completely alone. It is when you reach the level where you are taking in over $5,000 per year that you must look for the 501 (C) status. Of course your Kindred may cruise along forever and not take in very much money, but what if you decided to acquire property, build a Hof or activity center? What if someone passes over the Bifrost Bridge and leaves the Kindred a nice sum in their Will? Or maybe a rich philanthropist comes along and likes what you are doing and donates $100,000 to the Kindred, then what are you going to do? Well, if you are not incorporated and have not received your EIN number, you can not accept the donation without having to pay taxes on it. And the person making the donation can't use it as a tax deduction. So, chances are, that they may go elsewhere to relieve themselves of their money or property. If your Kindred has completed the first two steps of incorporation and obtaining an EIN number, you could probably accept a large donation, but would be required by the IRS to immediately request for 501 (c) recognition.

So what is required of the Kindred to obtain 501 (c) status? First of all, the IRS requires for you to pay them $500 for the filing fee. You then have to meet their criteria of just what a church is. You also have to provide them with some type of Financial Report of just what kind of money the Kindred holds, where it came from, and where it went, so they can again see if it fits their criteria as a church. It's really not as hard to do all of this as it may sound. Other Kindreds have already completed all three steps, and they would be glad to advise anyone who is seeking information on how to proceed.

I must stress at this time, that the structure of the Asatru Alliance is nothing more than a confederation of independent Kindreds. The Alliance is not an organization. We do not have a Board of Directors, a membership list, or do we charge dues. So the Alliance itself is not incorporated. The true strength of the Alliance lies in the number of Kindreds that it has who have accomplished the three steps of legitimacy outlined above. Of course we stress this point in our By Laws where we urge Kindreds to incorporate.(Editorial note since the writing of this article the Asatru Alliance has become a 501(c) 3 corporation).

Asatru is poised on the threshold of tremendous growth. The infrastructure for the future must be in place first. I urge all Kindreds to proceed with the three steps as soon as they are able.

SEEKING KINDRED MEMBERSHIP IN THE ASATRU ALLIANCE
Whereas the Asatru Alliance is not a mail order church, there are no provisions for individual membership in the Alliance. To be a member of the Alliance, you must belong to an official Alliance Kindred that is, a Kindred that has met all criteria for membership in the Alliance and has petitioned the Thing for full membership, and has been accepted by an official vote of the Thing.

The Alliance has provisions for people who are trying to form Kindreds. You need to write the secretary/treasurer of the Alliance and outline your request to form a Formational Kindred with the Alliance. In this letter you must declare that you will uphold the By Laws of the Alliance, and make an honest effort to respond to all inquires that you may receive of people wishi ng to make contact with you for possible Kindred membership. That does not imply that you have to accept any or all of the people who contact you, it just means that you at least have the courtesy to respond to their request for information.

Your Kindred will then be listed in the Kindred Listings of the Alliance in the Formational Kindred section. This allows our many Vor Tru readers to seek out a Kindred in their area for possible membership. When you eventually are ready for Official Kindred status, you then send your delegate with membership petition to the AlThing.

I might add at this point that it is very important to have a permanent and secure mailing address. I do not advise using your home address, but rather a Post Office box, for security reasons. You do not want some psyched out Jesus Freak paying you a midnight visit to vandalize or terrorize you. The worst that they can do to your Post Office box is to scratch your numbers off, or write you a hate letter. It is also important that this be a permanent address, for it is very confusing for everyone when a Kindred changes its address.

CONCLUSION
I hope that this article has been of some help in explaining both what one should do to form a Kindred, but also how an existing Kindred can avoid some of the mistakes that the Founders made back in the days when forming a Kindred was breaking new ground with no one to look to for advice and instruction.

As the Asatru Community grows, and it is at a rapid rate, the Folk will look to the Kindreds to provide them with a place to be with people of like mind and purpose; a place for spiritual growth, and a place to share common social values.

It is up to us to prepare for the future by promoting the formation and growth of healthy and vibrant Kindreds, and thus secure a future for our children on Midgard.

As the myth of Ragnarok has come down to us it appears to emphasise one part of the basic theme: that of death and destruction. When the story was first recorded the decline of the pre-Christian religious expression was well advanced. Odinists who lived at that time, when their religion was suffering an eclipse, can be forgiven for seeing in the myth of Ragnarok a story of the doom of the gods.

In the article The Great Year we will discuss the cycle of Ages through which the Earth passes. When the Ragnarok myth was recorded the Earth was well into a Dark Age - an Age which became even darker. Human beings seemed to be cut off from the gods of nature and race. They seemed to be lost, cast adrift, and were ready to accept the proffered "redemption" of a "saviour", even such an alien artefact as the crucified Jew, Jesus.

That was over a millenium ago and the Dark Age has now moved near its end. As it progressed the "veil" between mankind and divinity continued to thicken so that today, for the majority of people, the connection between man and the gods seems tenuous indeed. For them the material world has become everything. The cruel and repressive machine society has developed a system ruled by the manipulators of money and material power. Both mankind and nature seem enslaved by it. It has meddled with the forces of nature so that the ecology of the Earth seems to be grievously endangered and we are all aware that the "system" playing its deadly computer game between "East" and "West" has weapons that could precipitate a Ragnarok fully as devastating as that in the story. It seems all too probable that we who are now living will experience a cataclysmic upheaval that will change our world beyond recognition. The doom element in the Ragnarok myth is the symbol of a real and all too evident truth. The cataclysm seems inevitable.

And yet this myth is truly an expression of the "eternal return" and its truth contains hope and a knowledge of renewal. In all the cycles of the Earth apparent death and destruction is followed by rebirth, the burgeoning of new life. So too will the coming cataclysm mrk the final end of this Dark Age and the beginning of a new cycle of the Earth.

The action in the Ragnarok myth appears to be occurring on two level: a devastating upheaval of nature and a battle between the forces of Light (both human and divine) and the evil powers of darkness.

This too is very relevant to our times. If we reflect upon this aspect of the story we will soon realise that this great war has in reality been going on in our world for at least the past century. As in the story, the forces of Light have been taking a battering, and at the present time the evil "system" seems to be totally triumphant. The war is not over, however.

If you have a deep concern for the welfare of the Earth, and perhaps some idea of the nature of the evil system that has managed, by carrying out its ruthless materialistic policies, to cast a dark pall of fear and hopelessness over every nation of the world, then you will probably want to join the fight against this "system".

Quoted: During my years in the wilderness, I read Joseph Campbell's 'Myths to Live By', which appeared well before his introduction to mainstream America in Bill Moyers' famous PBS series. It was very unsatisfactory, to say the least. His later works were ones that I read with an even more critical mind, and they were as lackluster as that previous four-volume work. If you really want to base your belief systems upon something credible, something historical, and something that does not change over the span of a couple of decades, then find someone else to admire and read. Eric The(BeenThere,DoneThat)Hun

If you had actually read anything Joseph Campbell wrote you would know that mythology is historical and does not change over the span of a couple of decades. You would know that the elemental ideas of all mythological systems do not change, only the names and the places do. You would know that mythology does not equal falsehood but is metaphor. You would also know what a metaphor is and how it functions in mythology.

Quoted: Post from Dino - This board is predominantly fundamentalist Christian, so thats no a popular viewpoint here because they have the only TRUE answers First, while I will admit that the overwhelming majority on this Board are Christian (about 71-73%, according to almost every poll ever taken throughout the years I've been here), there is no way that the great majority of that majority is fundamentalist Christian, at least not in any meaning of that term to which I could agree. Second, is there even such a thing as the 'TRUE' answer? I happen to think that there is, and I would imagine that most folks would agree, as well. Christianity has, for better or worse, been chosen as the 'TRUE' answer in the Western World, you know, the part that was commonly referred to as 'Christendom', and in which we find all of the parts that came together to create this very nation. You can rant, rave, swear, cuss, bitch and moan, but you cannot rightfully say that this nation, as was the case with the entirety of the Western World, was not a reflection of shared Christian values and morals. Show us the nations that were created and advanced by any other religion, that have anywhere at any time in recorded history approached the sublimity and purity of this nation in all of its attributes. God Bless America! It's not just an empty, hollow slogan. Eric The(Serious)Hun

You are very good at totally missing the point.  

I would not argue against the truth of Christianity.
I would not argue against the truth of any religion.

The values and morals that we have as a culture that come from Christianity are shared the world over.   Calling them Christan Morals  or Christian Values sounds like Christianity is the only religion to have those values, which is not true.

The biggest difference between our culture and others  is the idea that one man is as good as any other and his life is just as valuable.   That belief is a product of the enlightenment, its not a Christian belief, although I'm sure you'll find some way to twist it.   Holy Books are wonderful that way.  

In past posts you have given  Christianity kudo's for all the achievements of western society, but when someone brings up past misdeeds, you blame that on Catholicism and claim your brand of Christianity is untainted.  

Christians did play a major part in western society, no one with any sense of history would deny that.    They would also have to admit that the reason the western world has risen to prominence was the increasing secularization of its societies.  That secularization was brought about, in many cases, by people of faith.  

Many of the achievements of the western world happened in spite of Christianity, not because of it.   Thats not the fault of Christianity, thats the fault of the misguided people who had power at the time.  In the same way the credit should go to the people responsible, whether they are Jewish, Protestant, Catholic, Deist, agnostic, or atheist.

There is TRUTH in any religion, not just yours.

The reason people recommend Campbell is he helps to point that fact out.

You can take Campbell to the extreme and say that it makes all religions false, but that ignores the TRUTH that all religions have at the core.  Those who take that route are missing the point.

There is a reason we have religious freedom in this country.   Too bad people tend to forget it.

Quoted: Quoted: During my years in the wilderness, I read Joseph Campbell's 'Myths to Live By', which appeared well before his introduction to mainstream America in Bill Moyers' famous PBS series. It was very unsatisfactory, to say the least. His later works were ones that I read with an even more critical mind, and they were as lackluster as that previous four-volume work. If you really want to base your belief systems upon something credible, something historical, and something that does not change over the span of a couple of decades, then find someone else to admire and read. Eric The(BeenThere,DoneThat)Hun If you had actually read anything Joseph Campbell wrote you would know that mythology is historical and does not change over the span of a couple of decades. You would know that the elemental ideas of all mythological systems do not change, only the names and the places do. You would know that mythology does not equal falsehood but is metaphor. You would also know what a metaphor is and how it functions in mythology.

Also, sometimes truth becomes myth over the eons of time with the retelling of a story. Remember Paul Bunyan and Babe his blue Ox. I'm sure at some point in history there was a very large man that was a logger and did  some "super human" feats but with the telling of his tale over time he grew to be one of America's Mythical figures, with his stories being even bigger then the real life events that spawned them.   The Bible has taken some of the Norse myths and incorperated them into it's own teachings, in Norse myth we learn about gods taking mortal women as wives and the resulting giants that were their offspring, sounds a bit like "the sons of god" and the "daughters of men" and all of that stuff from Genesis, doesn't it, and the funny thing is that the Norse myth pre-dates the Old Testement by centuries.

I love that so called christians, a religion based on brotherly love,Attack with ferver someone thatpractices another religion.

What i find repulsive is that eric the JEW, will try to persecute The pagen. After all the jews have been through this clod attacks another mans religion!  What a jerk!

Odinist's follow the "laws of nature" being that nature was created by a God.


There is no sense of arguing about religion in this forum you can neither enlighten nor inform.


Tn Frank IM me if you want to talk about some additional resources for what you seek.

Hail Odin

Quoted: I love that so called christians, a religion based on brotherly love,Attack with ferver someone thatpractices another religion. What i find repulsive is that eric the JEW, will try to persecute The pagen. After all the jews have been through this clod attacks another mans religion!  What a jerk! Odinist's follow the "laws of nature" being that nature was created by a God. There is no sense of arguing about religion in this forum you can neither enlighten nor inform. Tn Frank IM me if you want to talk about some additional resources for what you seek. Hail Odin

Wow, that is a most exellent alias Thorshammer.  It is funny how the Myths and ledgens of Asatru have been taught by so many other religions without them even knowing the real origin of their teachings. I've found that most of what is in Christianity has been taught, thousands of years before, in the Norse Myths and has been adopted by them as their own teachings.
Wether the Christians on this board like it or not, I'm going home to my roots. I choose to follow the path of my ancestors.
May Thor Protect you on your journey.

Many of the pagen traditions ,the church was forced to adopt in order to get people to accept christianity.(santa claus)

The christians denegrate muslums for converting by the sword , but christianity is guilty of the same crime when it forced itsself onto northern europe.


Its funny that Odinism, just connects with our soul. I knew it was my religion when i found it. It makes perfect sense to me. I am proud that i am breaking the chains of christianity.
I believe odinism just doesnt appeal to non europeans. Thats why people like eric the hun, who is a jew , just cant relate to our religion. His blood flows from the middle east not europe so our european gods are strange to him.Just as his Gods and morality are strange to me.

Christianity was started by the jews,It is a theology that is alien for europeans. The elders of isreal dumped christianity onto the roman legions knowing that following it would be fatal for the jews. The legions then brough christianity back to europe and forced upon the pagens living there.

Take care frank.

Just one of my favorite smilies.

"You Rang? Can I have a hammer-shaped cookie?"

ODIN

Quoted: img.photobucket.com/albums/v320/visigoth/odin.jpg ODIN

I do love symbology!

Quoted:Hail Odin

Quoted: May Thor Protect you on your journey.

Cool ... soon you'll be flinging secret "88" hand signals to each other so that "the jew" doesn't catch on too quick.

Quoted: eric the JEW ... Christianity was started by the jews,It is a theology that is alien for europeans. The elders of isreal dumped christianity onto the roman legions knowing that following it would be fatal for the jews. The legions then brough christianity back to europe and forced upon the pagens living there.

Quoted: Quoted: Self-loathing?? I don't loathe myself, and I am not uneducated. Butterfly-Technique That is difficult to answer. Much of our evidence comes from the hands of monks, who were among the chief victims of the raids and who had a certain interest in portraying the Vikings in as lurid a light as possible. . This does not for a moment imply that all Vikings were like this or that every Viking raid was an exercise in madness. But the stories are there for the reading, make of them what you will. Wow, so basically the guy admits that the stories are probably made much more horiffic than they really were and then goes on to state that what you JUST implied was EXTREMELY COMMON was indeed something that might have happened a few times assuming we trust the word of someone who by the authors own admission intended to make the tales as lurid as possible. Furthermore, as pointed out in both YOUR link and mine, the vikings were not any more cruel than anyone of that time period. What compelling evidence. So I guess by that same logic all gun owners are just a time bomb waiting to go off just because 1% of people who have owned a gun did......."whatever dude" yourself. And for the record, I called you "self loathing" because you almost PROUDLY (assuming you are white) slander your own roots. I consider that self loathing behavior, but my standards in that area probably don't match yours. I actually respect my roots and would rather spend my time boasting the accomplishments of my anscestors than pointing to the faults, especially faults that were common to much of the humans alive during that period.

Why do I get the feeling you are an 88?

Maybe ASATRU died out because the Norse beliefs and gods are heavily based in RACISM and ETHNIC SUPREMACY??!!

Not a fan of either.

Quoted: Why do I get the feeling you are an 88?

Probably because you're an associative thinker and you are narrow minded enough to relate any kind of pride in heritage to socialist politics. You've been conditioned to believe that black pride is acceptable, mexican pride is acceptable, and any positive feelings about ones own race when a member of the white race must automatically summon some kind of negative conotation of burning crosses and swastikas. It's an all too common problem in todays society. People are lost without labels and political correctness. Probably the side effects of a public education and too much time in front of the television set.

Where you come from is part of who you are. Knowing the history of your peoples and their lifestyle helps one have a better understanding of themself. It doesn't automatically make you a "nazi". I won't lie and say I don't recognize racial differences and to a large degree base some of my perception of people on those, but I also am not foolish enough to believe in absolutes and I'm about as traditional of an American as you will find. If that makes me an "88" in your limited perception, so be it.

Quoted: Maybe ASATRU died out because the Norse beliefs and gods are heavily based in RACISM and ETHNIC SUPREMACY??!! Not a fan of either.

I'm still waiting for the punchline of this one.

Quoted: Quoted: Why do I get the feeling you are an 88? Probably because you're an associative thinker and you are narrow minded enough to relate any kind of pride in heritage to socialist politics. You've been conditioned to believe that black pride is acceptable, mexican pride is acceptable, and any positive feelings about ones own race when a member of the white race must automatically summon some kind of negative conotation of burning crosses and swastikas. It's an all too common problem in todays society. People are lost without labels and political correctness. Probably the side effects of a public education and too much time in front of the television set. Where you come from is part of who you are. Knowing the history of your peoples and their lifestyle helps one have a better understanding of themself. It doesn't automatically make you a "nazi". I won't lie and say I don't recognize racial differences and to a large degree base some of my perception of people on those, but I also am not foolish enough to believe in absolutes and I'm about as traditional of an American as you will find. If that makes me an "88" in your limited perception, so be it.

Actually I thought associatively in my limited perception, that since you got
sand in your vagina when I trashed your beautiful little image of the Vikings
and their crazy antics and zany shennanigans which only happened 1200
years ago, only an 88 would get her panties all up in a bunch when someone
slights her lily white "heritage".
Yes, I am white.
No I don't cry like a girl and try to assume as much bullshit as you do
when someone speaks of my supposed "heritage".

Sie wissen was ich sage.
Seig Heil, bruder hatebreed! Seig, heil!

You've been conditioned to believe that black pride is acceptable, mexican pride is acceptable, and any positive feelings about ones own race when a member of the white race must automatically summon some kind of negative conotation of burning crosses and swastikas.

+1

I think what some of ya'll are thinking about is the Christian Idenity Movement, notice the word "Christian" in there. Here's a brief overview on it.

The Christian Identity movement is a movement of many extremely conservative Christian churches and religious organizations, extreme right wing political groups and survival groups. Some are independent; others are loosely interconnected. According to Professor Michael Barkun, one of the leading experts in the Christian Identity movement, "This virulent racist and anti-Semitic theology, which is practiced by over 50,000 people in the United States alone, is prevalent among many right wing extremist groups and has been called the 'glue' of the racist right."

The largest Christian Identity movement has traditionally been the Ku Klux Klan which was reorganized in 1915 by William Simmons, a Christian pastor. He had been inspired by the film The Birth of a Nation which portrayed the KKK as a champion of white civilization. The KKK slid into obscurity by the second World War, but was revitalized in the mid 1950's as a reaction to enforced racial integration in the southern US.

Quoting the FBI's Megiddo Report on domestic terrorism: 5

"Wesley Swift is considered the single most significant figure in the early years of the Christian Identity movement in the United States. He popularized it in the right-wing by 'combining British-Israelism, a demonic anti-Semitism, and political extremism.' 6 He founded his own church in California in the mid 1940s where he could preach this ideology. In addition, he had a daily radio broadcast in California during the 1950s and 60s, through which he was able to proclaim his ideology to a large audience. With Swift’s efforts, the message of his church spread, leading to the creation of similar churches throughout the country. In 1957, the name of his church was changed to The Church of Jesus Christ Christian, which is used today by Aryan Nations (AN) churches."

"One of Swift’s associates, William Potter Gale, was far more militant than Swift and brought a new element to Christian Identity churches. He became a leading figure in the anti-tax and paramilitary movements of the 1970s and 80s. There are numerous Christian Identity churches that preach similar messages and some espouse more violent rhetoric than others, but all hold fast to the belief that Aryans are God’s chosen race."

Other current organizations which follow Christian Identity beliefs are: American Nazi Party; Aryan Nations; Church of Jesus Christ Christian, Aryan Nations; Confederate Hammerskins; Jubilee, National Association for the Advancement of White People; The Order; radical modern offshoots of the original Posse Comitatus; Scriptures for America, White Aryan Resistance (WAR) and White Separatist Banner. Many small groups fade in and out of existence frequently.

horizontal rule
Beliefs about Armageddon:

Quoting again the FBI's Megiddo Report on domestic terrorism: 5

"Christian Identity also believes in the inevitability of the end of the world and the Second Coming of Christ. It is believed that these events are part of a cleansing process that is needed before Christ’s kingdom can be established on earth. During this time, Jews and their allies will attempt to destroy the white race using any means available. The result will be a violent and bloody struggle -- a war, in effect -- between God’s forces, the white race, and the forces of evil, the Jews and nonwhites. Significantly, many adherents believe that this will be tied into the coming of the new millennium."

"The view of what Armageddon will be varies among Christian Identity believers. Some contend there will be a race war in which millions will die; others believe that the United Nations, backed by Jewish representatives of the anti-Christ, will take over the country and promote a New World Order. One Christian Identity interpretation is that white Christians have been chosen to watch for signs of the impending war in order to warn others. They are to then physically struggle with the forces of evil against sin and other violations of God’s law (i.e., race-mixing and internationalism); many will perish, and some of God’s chosen will be forced to wear the Mark of the Beast to participate in business and commerce. After the final battle is ended and God’s kingdom is established on earth, only then will the Aryan people be recognized as the one and true Israel."

"Christian Identity adherents believe that God will use his chosen race as his weapons to battle the forces of evil. Christian Identity followers believe they are among those chosen by God to wage this battle during Armageddon and they will be the last line of defense for the white race and Christian America. To prepare for these events, they engage in survivalist and paramilitary training, storing foodstuffs and supplies, and caching weapons and ammunition. They often reside on compounds located in remote areas."

The leadership of the more radical "CI" groups advocate, but do not themselves engage in violence against Jews, Blacks, and Homosexuals now, rather than waiting for Armageddon to begin.

The Watchman web site contained a quote from a Christian Identity leader which gives a flavor of their style of rhetoric, and their predictions for the future of North America:

"We are going to build the Kingdom of our God on this continent if we have to turn it into a Bosnia first! Death may find you in front of your one-eyed church of Satan or in the filthy bingo parlors where you worship your devil god, but be sure that you will not escape the consuming fire that is the real baptism of the Holy Ghost, The God of Racial Israel.2

Quoted: i really fail to understand how people who fight for their right under the constitution to keep and bear arms will systematically attack another persons constitutional right to pick their own religion, while i realize that at many levels religion is the one choice in life by which people establish a sense of self identity i still dont understand why they feel a need to attack someone elses choice.

You're being overly sensitive.  Nobody's constitutional rights are being attacked here.

TNFrank shared his view, and other chimed in that they think he's wrong and they have a better answer.  Frank has responded.

Maybe I missed the paragraph where it was suggested that Frank be arrested for his opinion...
BTW, thanks for your service, GlockLuvinRedleg.

Quoted: You've been conditioned to believe that black pride is acceptable, mexican pride is acceptable, and any positive feelings about ones own race when a member of the white race must automatically summon some kind of negative conotation of burning crosses and swastikas.

Actually, I personally believe that ANY pride in one's race is incredibly stupid no matter who is saying it.  

Ok, now tell me how lightning bugs light their ass and where do butterflies go when it rains?

I know that I hung on Yggdrasil
For nine nights long
Wounded by spear
Consecrated to Oðin
Myself a sacrifice to myself
Upon that tree
The wisest know not the roots
of ancient times whence it sprang.

None brought me bread
None gave me mead
Down to the depths I searched
I took up the Runes
Raised them with song
And from that tree I fell.

Runes you shall know, and readable staves,
Very powerful staves,Very great staves
Graven by the mighty one who speaks
Carved by the highest hosts

Oðin among the Aesir,
Dvalin (sleeper) among dwarfs,
Dáin (dead) among alfs,
Alvitter (all-knowing) among etins,
I myself carved some for mankind.

Odin.

PREAMBLE TO THE BY-LAWS
OF THE ASATRU ALLIANCE

The Asatru Alliance promotes the native culture of the Northern European peoples. However , we do not practice , preach , or promote hatred , bigotry , or racism . We believe that Northern Europeans can believe and promote their own culture and heritage in a positive manner , this is expressed through our native religion . Asatru .

We do not promote or condone activities of the left or right within our religion , any manifestations of political activity is outlawed by the By Laws of the Asatru Alliance

Simply speaking . . . we have banded to actively promote the ancient culture and religion of Asatru . . . as practiced by our ancient Northern Eoropean Ancestors . . . that , and nothing more .

Some of the qualities we hold in high regard are strength, courage, joy, honor, freedom, loyalty to kin, realism, vigor, and the revering of our ancestors. To express these things in our lives is virtuous, and we strive to do this. Their opposites - weakness, cowardice, adherence to dogma rather than to the realities of the world, and the like - constitute vices and are to be avoided. Proper behavior in Asatru consists of maximizing one's virtues and minimizing one's vices. This code of conduct reflects the highest and most heroic ideals of our people.

May Thor protect you.

It appears that there are a lot of you guys...

Asatru Theme

Wow...

Let me get something straight and clear here. It seems like there are at least two people posting to this thread that seem to believe that claiming Asatru as a religion makes one a white supremisist Nazi. Have I got that right?

I just want to make sure that is indeed the opinion before I tell you how freaking rediculous you are.

Quoted: It appears that there are a lot of you guys... Asatru Theme

Excellent.  I love that song and those kittens are, well, KILLER, LOL.   I just had to bookmark that link. Thanks.

Quoted: Wow... Let me get something straight and clear here. It seems like there are at least two people posting to this thread that seem to believe that claiming Asatru as a religion makes one a white supremisist Nazi. Have I got that right? I just want to make sure that is indeed the opinion before I tell you how freaking rediculous you are.

Yep, Hydgirl, some of these people are on the wrong track entirely. Following the religion of Asatur no more makes one a Nazi then following the Christian religion a member of the KKK even if both groups(Nazis and KKK) claim the religion as their own.  By the way, Hitler thought that he was very much a "Christian", one of the belt buckles made during WWII for the Nazis had the inscription "Gott Mit Uns", or "God With Us", go figure.  If any of ya'll took the time to read the By-laws that I posted you'd see that Asatru is a Neutral religion, neither left nor right in it's believes and they'll even go so far as to keep politics out if Asatru by adding a restriction about politics to the By-laws.  
 If it's ok for Native Americans to hold to their roots by worshipping the "Great Spirit" and having their traditional religious celebrations and if African Americans can hold to their native religions and have Kwanzaa celebrations then why can't European Americans follow the believe of their ancestors by taking Asatru as their religion?  
 All I'm looking for it fellow ship with others that believe the way that I do, learning the Norse Myths and Ledgends and worship freely, without every Christian trying to convert me or telling me that I'm crazy.  Hell, my wife is even upset over my discision even though I'm not trying to convert her from her Christian faith. She's even gone as far as saying that we should get a divorce as soon as mom is in a Nursing home and I'm back on my feet with a job and all. It that the Christian way? If someone doesn't believe like you do dump em' and move on.  Seems like I read in the Bible that if an Unbelieving husband is married to a believing wife that the wife should stay with her husband if he wants to and not get a divorce. Guess she needs to read her Bible more.
And you Christians think that you get discriminated against for your believes, try converting to Asatru sometime. May Thor protect you.

EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT ASATRU AND HEATHENRY…

Q. What is Asatru?

A. The word 'Asatru' has several meaning "True to the Gods", or 'Loyal to the Gods' being the most common translations. In Icelandic it could be translated as 'The highest religion'. It is a fairly modern term. Our ancestors had no specific name for the totality of their religious beliefs, which tended to vary according to era and geography, albeit around common themes. You might also think of it as "the religion of the Vikings" since they were its main followers in the years just before our ancestors adopted Christianity. The last official 'holdouts' were the Icelanders.


Q. When did Asatru start?

A. Asatru is thousands of years old (though it is practiced in a modern form today, to meet the needs of our age). Its beginnings are lost in prehistory, but it is older than Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, or most other religions. The spirit it expresses, though, is as ancient as the northern European peoples themselves - anywhere from a mere 40,000 years old to perhaps as much as 150,000 years. As you can see, we have been Christian for only a few percent, at most, of our existence as a distinct group! The modern revival of Asatru has its origins in occult and romantic nationalist movements of the 19th century and the counterculture movements of the mid-20th century. These movements in turn drew upon historical records and folk traditions. For example, Icelanders never forgot their old religion. Led by the poet and Gothi ("godman") Sveinbjorn Beinteinsson, Icelandic Ásatrú was recognized by the government there as a legitimate religion in 1972. Since the early 1970's, the religion has been in a period of rapid growth in Europe, North America, Australia, and New Zealand. It must be emphasized that Asatru is not a religion frozen in time, but an evolving dynamic entity, as it always has been.


Q. Why did Asatru die out?

A. Asatru was subjected to an often violent campaign of repression over a period of hundreds of years. Countless thousands of people were murdered, maimed, and exiled in the process. The common people did not give up their cherished beliefs quickly or easily. Eventually it was the monolithic organization of the Christian Church, bolstered by threats of economic isolation and aided by conversion of the ruling classes that triumphed over the unsophisticated tribes. It was greatly assisted by an energetic proselytizing campaign over centuries, something unknown to 'live and let live' Heathens who had a general culture of religious tolerance. To be fair, however, Christianity often succeeded because of the nobility of soul and generosity of many who embraced its ideals as opposed to its corrupt institutions. The fact that it superficially adopted the Old Ways made the process more palatable.

Despite this, many elements of Asatru continued down to our own times - often in the guise of folklore - proving that our own native religion appeals to our innermost beings in a fundamental way. Do you honestly believe that the Bible has anything to say about Santa Claus, Christmas Trees, Yule Logs and the Easter Bunny - or the name of 'Easter' itself (named after our Goddess of Fertility, Oestra or Ostara)? Not to mention the days of the week (in English) being named for our Gods.

Now, a thousand years after its supposed demise, it is alive and growing. Indeed it cannot really die because it springs from the soul of our people. Asatru isn't just what we believe, it's what we are.


Q. Is Christianity a step up from Heathenry?

A. No. The so-called "barbarians" who followed Asatru (the Vikings, the various Germanic tribes, and so forth) were the source of our finest civilized traditions - trial by jury, parliaments, Anglo Saxon common law, the right to bear arms, and the rights of women, to name a few. Our very word "law" comes from the Norse language, not from the tongues of the Christian lands. We simply did not, and do not, need Christianity or other Middle Eastern creeds in order to be civilized.


Q. Is Asatru a New Age religion?

A. No, it is the continuation of our Ancestral beliefs. Although adapting to the modern world we strive to maintain the spirit and practice underlying the ancient religion as recorded over a period in excess of a thousand years. In this respect we differ from most Neopagans and Wiccans.


Q. Who are the Gods?

A. They generally fall into two categories, or tribes, the Aesir and Vanir who were once enemies but long ago became allies. They have been honoured for many thousands of years by the various Germanic Tribes across Northern and Central Europe, and under many different, but similar names. They all represent Principles or aspects of Nature, which are beyond the scope of this document. The ones most people are likely to have heard of are those below:

Chief amongst the Gods is Odin, also known as Wotan, or Wodens. He is remembered in the culture of the English speaking peoples by having a day of the week named for him - Wodens Day - Wednesday. His wife is Frigga. The war god is Tyr, also known as Tiwaz and Tiw, whose day is Tuesday. Then we also have Thor, also known as Donnar and Thunnor, from which we get the name for 'thunder'. His day is Thor’s Day - Thursday. His most modern incarnation has been the Marvel comic strip! His wife is Sif. Friday is named after either Frigga (Odin's wife), or Freyja.

Other Gods and Goddesses are (in no particular order): Heimdall, Baldur, Loki, Frey, Nanna, Jord, Nerthus. To varying degrees the Gods of the Asatru pantheon can be roughly matched to those of other Indo-European cultures such as Greece and Rome, and even those of Hindu India.


Q. What are the basic beliefs of Asatru?

A. There exists a realm wherein dwell the Gods and Goddesses of our ancestors. These we honour, and interact with today in ceremony, via personal gnosis and through living honourable and worthy lives. We believe that these Beings reflect aspects of Nature, both internal to ourselves and external in the widest sense of the word. We believe that the Gods care for us, as we do them and that they are interdependent with us - that we affect them, and they affect us. We believe in standards of behavior which are consistent with the spiritual truths expressed through the Gods, and which are harmonious with our deepest being.

Although there are many variations in beliefs and practices within this faith, Ásatrúers all share a defining personal loyalty to, or "Troth" with, the Gods and Goddesses of the North, such as Odin, Thor, Frigga, the land wights (spirits), and many others; a deep respect for their Germanic religious, cultural and historical heritage; and a strong determination to practice the moral principles followed by their predecessors.

Ásatrúers believe that they are working with the gods, as kin, to improve the human condition in this world and to oppose ill-behaved beings (Thurses or Jotuns) and the disorder and destruction that they represent.


Q. How does Asatru differ from other religions?

A. Asatru is unlike the better-known religions in many ways. Some of these are: We are polytheistic. That is, we believe in a number of deities, including Goddesses as well as Gods. (We have a tongue-in-cheek saying that a religion without a Goddess is halfway to atheism!) We do not accept the idea of "original sin," the notion that we are tainted from birth and intrinsically bad, as does Christianity. Thus, we do not need "saving." We do not claim to be a universal religion, a faith for all of humankind. In fact, we don't think such a thing is possible or desirable. The different branches of humanity have different ways of looking at the world, each of which is valid for them. It is only right that they have different religions. We do not in general proselytize. We will not come knocking at your door trying to 'sell' Asatru. If you are not interested, that is fine by us. If you are, then welcome! Our Gods are fallible! They make mistakes, and they can also die. So, are they inferior? Not at all; our gods are not static deities, they learn and grow just as we do. This is the strength of a living religion.


Q. What standards of behaviour are taught in Asatru? What are the Nine Virtues?

A. Some of the qualities we hold in high regard are strength, courage, joy, honor, freedom, loyalty to kin, realism, vigor, and the revering of our ancestors. To express these things in our lives is virtuous, and we strive to do this. Their opposites - weakness, cowardice, adherence to dogma rather than to the realities of the world, and the like - constitute our vices and are to be avoided. Proper behavior in Asatru consists of maximizing one's virtues and minimizing one's vices.

This code of conduct reflects the highest and most heroic ideals of our people.

Many follow a modern guide distilled from the best of the ancient traditions called 'The Nine Noble Virtues'. Most commonly, these are: Courage, Truth, Honour, Loyalty, Discipline, Hospitality, Industriousness, Self-Reliance and Perseverance. Some groups offer slightly different interpretations, which they are free to do.

Ásatrúar are in addition generally expected to:

Honour the gods with regular offerings;

Respect and honor the land and the family;

Keep all promises and sworn oaths;

Take bold and decisive action when called for;

Set high goals for themselves;

Be autonomous and yet interdependent with the rest of the Ásatrú community;

Take responsibility for their actions and the consequences of those actions.

These principles we live by differ from the monotheistic religions in several respects. They believe in freedom, yet their scriptures say they are subject to the Will of their God - upon penalty of everlasting torture for refusal. They agree that joy is good, but their teachings burden them with guilt because of some imaginary "original sin" or other failings. They want to accept the real world on a pragmatic basis, yet they are trained to believe without question when the teachings of their religion conflict with reason or with known facts about the nature of the world ("You must have faith.").

Of course, many of us believe in the values of Asatru on a gut level. After all, they're instinctive, passed down to us in through North European culture. We want to believe that the better-known religions espouse those values, so we see what we want to see. Most people just haven't yet realized that the major religions are saying things that conflict with the values we know in our hearts are right. To find Northern European virtues, one has to look to a religion truly consistent with those virtues - Asatru.


Q. How does one become Asatru?

A. At its most basic, it means honouring the Gods. How this is done is up to the individual. Beyond this, argument breaks out! A prominent position is that being Asatru is a way of life; it does not just mean to believe in the gods of The Aesir and The Vanir. It is living one’s life with Honor, Courage, and Respect; it is living ones life by The Nine Noble Virtues; it is living one’s life with heart and mind by The Havamal.


Q. How do you worship the gods? Do followers of Asatru pray to their Gods and Goddesses?

A. Yes, but not quite the way most people mean by the word. We never surrender our will to theirs or humble ourselves before them, because we see ourselves as their kin, not as their property. Nor do we beg and plead. We do, however, commune with them and honor them while seeking their blessing through formal rites and informal meditation. Actually, living a full and virtuous life is a form of prayer in itself. Our religion should affect all parts of our lives, not just some fragments that we choose to call "religious."

To be fair, though, from an historical point of view there are records of people treating the Gods as Christians treat theirs. Some DO worship our gods in that manner. They were worshiped in elder times, and we have solid accounts of people worshipping in terms of sacrifice, prayer and even bowing before representations of the gods. However, most modern Ásatrúar (in common with many ancient ones) adopt the previous approach and attitude to worship and prayer. In keeping with the underlying spirit of freedom, it is a personal choice, and quite often dictated by circumstance.


Q. What sort of ceremonies exist?

A. Ásatrú worship may be a group observance or a private offering. A blót (rhymes with "boat") is an offering of food or drink, commonly mead or ale, to the gods. A blót can be as simple as pouring out a bottle of beer to the gods in your backyard, or it can be an elaborate community ceremony. However, the intent is always the same. An exchange of gifts creates a bond between two people. In a blót, Ásatrúers thank the gods for their gifts and offer gifts in return. This celebrates and strengthens the bond between the gods and humankind.

A sumbel is a series of ritualized toasts. The participants sit in a circle, and a vessel of drink (a drinking horn full of mead is traditional) is passed around the circle at least three times. Words spoken in sumbel are witnessed by gods and humans alike and carry great weight. The rite of sumbel can be a profound experience that creates bonds of community among those who share in it.

Ásatrúers regard the gods as honored senior kin, so they offer them their best. It is customary, but not required, to use alcoholic beverages in blót and sumbel and to share feasts of meat and grain.

Ásatrúers hold blóts and sumbels to mark seasonal holidays and observe life cycles (such as births and weddings) and as needed to give thanks and request assistance. They also commonly hold public ceremonies to witness important oaths.

The most common ritual objects are a patch of ground where offerings may be placed in contact with the earth; a drinking horn; a Thor-hammer; an offering bowl; an oath ring; and various god-icons such as a statue, spear, sword, spindle, or Brisingamen (golden necklace). Those who practice rune magic will have a set of rune tiles that they have cut themselves.


Q. Does Asatru have priests?

A. Ásatrú religious leaders are commonly called "Gothi" (male form) and "Gythia" (female form). Gothis/Gythias are selected by the kindreds or communities that they serve; kindreds may have one or more Gothis/Gythias. Each kindred has its own notion of what role a Gothi/Gythia plays, but generally Gothis/Gythias develop and lead rituals and handle kindred administrative chores. All Gothis and Gythias are expected to be familiar with the lore and to be able to lead ceremonies. There is no central authority that confers 'authenticity' in the way that (say) the Roman Catholic Church does.


Q. Do you worship stones and trees and idols?

A. No. We know that trees, wooden statues, the Sun, and other natural or man-made objects are not Gods, so we don't worship them. We do sometimes use these items as reminders of a God or Goddess, and some believe they can become "charged" with a certain aspect of the divine energy, but we would never confuse them with the actual deity!


Q. Do you have a personal relationship with the Gods?

A. Yes. Most often it is with an individual God or Goddess, rather than the Aesir and Vanir as a whole. Very much 'one to one'. People often feel an attraction to a particular deity, or a calling. Indeed, many have been called by the Gods even though they knew nothing of the existence of Asatru! Such resources as the one you are reading this came as a revelation to them. For further information you need to talk personally to Ásatrúar, as each individual has a unique story to tell.


Q. Does Asatru involve ancestor worship?

A. Asatru says we should honor our ancestors. It also says we are bonded to those ancestors in a special way. However, we do not actually worship them. We believe our forebears have passed to us certain spiritual qualities just as surely as they have given us various physical traits. They live on in us. The family or clan is above and beyond the limits of time and place. Thus we have a reverence for our ancestry even though we do not involve ourselves in ancestor worship as such. We never forget that we have an unbroken lineage stretching back to the first life on Earth. Also, in case it has crossed your mind, we are not obligated to like them. However, we must acknowledge them.


Q. What about these Gods and Goddesses? Are they real?

A. Yes, they are real. However, just as most Christians do not think their God is really an old bearded figure sitting on a golden chair in heaven, we do not believe Thor (for example) is actually a muscular, man-shaped entity carrying a big hammer. There is a real Thor, but we approach an understanding of him through this particular mental picture. However, some consider the Gods to be Archetypes of the Collective Unconscious of the Folk. Some believe that they are the cultural filters through which we interpret, understand and communicate aspects of a deeper reality beyond words. Some believe they are Beings that literally exist in another 'dimension'. The problem that has never been satisfactorily resolved by philosophy or science (let alone religion) is the question of 'what is real'!


Q. Do you believe in other entities?

A. Yes. The disir and alfar are ancestral spirits. They are generally detected only in aggregate ("The disir of this family", e.g.). These beings are associated with human- human relationships and things that get passed down in families (customs, goods, property and luck). When people form durable groups (like tribes or nations), their ancestral spirits seem to draw together to form more distinct "matrons", who play the disir/alfar role for the larger group.

Etins are powerful individual beings with distinct personalities. They are often quite interested in human goings-on, as well as various aspects of the natural world and their own projects. The Aesir and Vanir are one tribe or alliance of these beings. Other etins are in other alliances or unaffiliated. We call the Aesir and Vanir "gods" and the badly-behaved etins "giants" or "thurses", but they seem to be essentially the same kind of being. The Elvenfolk or 'Alfar' also fall into this category - Frey being the pre-eminent such Being.

Wights are associated with places or objects, from the Grand Canyon to a lawnmower. We have a general sense that wights get "larger", more powerful, and more distant from interest in (and awareness of) people as they get older. They generally don't like to be pestered and are considered to be protective of the thing or place they are associated with. People do establish working relationships with their local wights.

This is not a static set of hard-edged categories. There are beings that have some etin-like and some wight-like aspects, for example. And Ásatrúers have a sense that beings can change categories as they develop greater scope or change their interests.


Q. What other concepts exist in Asatru besides Beings?

A. Wyrd, Orlog, Fate and the Norns. I shall leave it to someone else to expand on this as interpretations vary. However, I think that its relationship to the Eastern Karma and common IE origins should be mentioned.  Karma, rather than being viewed as what happens when a divine being hands out punishment/reward for good and bad deeds, should be viewed more along the lines of ‘cause and effect’.  It is a universal law – and all things are subject to it.  Personal accountability is therefore emphasized in Asatru.


Q. Do you consider the Norse Myths to be true?

A. The myths are stories about the Gods and Goddesses of Asatru. We believe they are ways of stating religious truths. That is, we would say they contain truths about the nature of divinity, our own nature, and the relationship between the two. We do not contend that the myths are literally true, as history. However, it is possible some were based on historical fact that was later elevated to the quality of Myth.


Q. What does Asatru teach about an afterlife?

A. We believe that there is an afterlife, and that those who have lived virtuous lives will go on to experience greater fulfillment, pleasure, and challenge. Those who have led lives characterized more by vice than by virtue will be separated from kin, doomed to an existence of dullness and gloom. The precise nature of the afterlife - what it will look like and feel like - is beyond our understanding and is dealt with symbolically in the myths. There is also a tradition in Asatru of rebirth within the family line. Perhaps the individual is able to choose whether or not he or she is re-manifested in this world, or there may be natural laws which govern this. In a sense, of course, we all live on in our descendants quite apart from an afterlife as such. To be honest, we of Asatru do not overly concern ourselves with the next world. We live here and now, in this existence. If we do this and do it well, the next life will take care of itself.

Traditionally, Ásatrúers believe that your fate in the afterlife is based on how you lived, how you died, and the disposition of your remains. Some go to dwell in the hall of one of the gods in Asgard. Some go to Hel (the domain ruled by the Giantess Hella/Hel), a pleasant or harsh place depending on your wyrd, to await reincarnation or the end of this world cycle. Some continue to inhabit this world as guardian spirits for the land or for their families.


Q. Does Asatru have a holy book, like the Bible?

A. No. There are written sources which are useful to us because they contain much of our sacred lore in the form of myths and examples of right conduct. The closest we come to such are the Eddas, the Prose and Poetic. However we do not accept them as infallible or inspired documents. Any religion which does this is deceiving itself about the purity and precision of the written word. There are two real sources of holy truth, and neither expresses itself to us in words. One is the universe around us, which is a manifestation of the underlying divine essence. The other is the universe inside us, passed down from our ancestors as instinct, emotion, and innate predispositions. By combining these sources of internal and external wisdom with the literature left us by our ancestors, we arrive at religious truths. This living spiritual guidance is better than any dusty, dogmatic "holy book".


Q. What do you have to say about good and evil?

A. Good and evil are not constants. What is good in one case will not be good in another, and evil in one circumstance will not be evil under a different set of conditions. In any one instance, the right course of action will have been shaped by the influence of the past and the present. The result may or may not be "good" or "evil", but it will still be the right action. In no case are good and evil dictated to us by edicts written by an authoritarian deity, as in the Middle East. We are expected to use our freedom, responsibility, and awareness of duty to serve the highest and best ends.


Q. I've heard Asatru described as a "Nature religion". What does that mean?

A. We treasure the spiritual awe, the feeling of "connecting" with the Gods and Goddesses, which can come from experiencing the beauty and majesty of Nature. Our deities act in and through natural law. By working in harmony with Nature we can become co-workers with the Gods. This attitude removes the opposition between "natural" and "supernatural", and the supposed conflict between religion and science. For us, following a "Nature religion" means recognizing that we are part of Nature, subject to all its laws. We may be Gods-in-the-making, but we are members of the animal kingdom nonetheless!

From an historical point of view Asatru had less reverence for Nature than most pagan traditions even though they saw Earth as living and spoke of her as personified by a deity. Our ancestors lived in the cold North, and recognized the harshness of Nature and the effort it took to survive. Even so, they had a reverence that exceeded the monotheistic creeds by a large margin. Times change, and today most life on earth is under threat of extinction. In that respect, and by its recognition, Asatru evolves.


Q. Where did the universe come from, according to Asatru?

A. Our myths describe the beginning of the universe as the unfolding of a natural process, rather than an event requiring supernatural intervention. Followers of Asatru need not abandon modern science to retain their religion. The old lore of our people describes the interaction of fire and ice, and the development of life from these - but this is symbolic, and we will leave it to the physicists to discover how the universe was born.


Q. Why do we need Asatru?

A. People are attracted to the better-known religions because they have genuine spiritual needs which must be filled. People are looking for community, fellowship, and answers to the "big questions": the purpose of life, how we should live it, and what happens after death. For many people today, the so-called major faiths do not have answers that work. Asatru has answers, but most seekers haven't known about it. Once they realize that there is another way - a better, more natural, more honorable way - they will not be satisfied with anything less.


Q. What are the runes, and what do they have to do with Asatru?

A. Runes are ancient Germanic symbols representing various concepts or forces in the universe. Taken together, they express our ancestors' worldview. Their meanings are intimately connected with the teachings of Asatru. Our myths tell the story of how Odin, father of the Gods, won them through painful ordeal so that Gods and humans alike might benefit from their wisdom.

The term rune has several meanings, one of which is "mystery" or secret. When the chieftains and counselors of Anglo-Saxon England gathered in confidential meetings the meetings themselves were referred to as runes as Ralph W. V. Elliot points out in the opening chapter of _Runes_.[1[ "In the Old English poem the _Wanderer_ we find the following line:

"Swa cwæð snottor on mode, gesæt hm sundor æt rune."
"Thus spoke the wise man in his heart as he sat apart in secret musing."

In modern terms runes refer to the figures of the angular fuþark, or alphabet of the old Germanic and Norse people, rather then to the original meanings of the word although modern German still has “raunen” with the sense of mystery and secrecy.

The origin of the fuþark is shrouded in mystery, many theories have been put forward, but it remains a subject of investigation and discussion. In mythical terms the acquiring of the runes by Odin is told in the Havamal, an old Eddic poem.

The names of the rune symbols in the fuþark are a ‘speculum mundi’ according to Ralph Elliot, "a mirror of the Germanic world of gods and giants, of natural phenomena, and of men and their treasured possessions, which reflects many of the things feared or held dear among the people who used the runes. Ritual or symbolical associations of various kinds may still cling to some of the names or at least be dimly discernible even in the later centuries of the runic poems or in the thoroughly Christian verse of the ninth-century Anglo-Saxon poet Cynewulf."
The runes are therefore symbols of a distinct people and their worldview, and the associations were maintained in the fuþarks that developed subsequently.
While we do not have a documented use of the rune staves being used in the in divination specifically we do know that carved symbols were used for divination and the casting of lots and auguries were customary. Bede, in ‘Ecclesiastical History’ mentions the casting of lots among the ancient Saxons, as well as the poet of Andreas in 1099, the Eddas refer to the casting and divination of rods and lots, as does Tacitus although the term he uses is ‘notae’ for the symbols on wooden slips of wood that were used in divination among the Germanic tribes.
The recitation of songs (galdr) are also associated with the carving and use of runes in the sagas and folklore for magical purposes along with the use of runes to mark possessions, send messages and inscriptions of monuments.
Today runes are an important part of the belief system of Norse and Germanic based religions for divination and counsel, as well as being an expression of an earlier world view.
As a convention, some Ásatrúar use a 'Runic Era' calendar that corresponds to an arbitrary date of Odin’s acquisition of the Runes. In this system year zero corresponds to 250BC i.e. the year 2000AD become 2250RE.  Although many Ásatrúar have discarded this ‘runic era’ idea as older and older artifacts depicting runes are uncovered.


Q. Are Asatru symbols racist?

A. No. However, some are used by racists.
The most obvious example is the Swastika, one of the world's oldest religious symbols, found on every inhabited continent. The word itself comes from Sanskrit meaning 'good luck', and the symbol is still used by Buddhists, Taoists and Hindus throughout Asia. It is a sacred symbol used by the Hopi people of North America. It was used decoratively by the ancient Greeks and Romans. To us it is the sun-wheel. Gradually, we will reclaim it from the Nazis and hope that its recent historical desecration will gradually fade in the minds of informed people throughout the world.
Similarly the Runes have, and are, being used by racist groups. In some ways it is a chicken and egg problem. They use the Runes because they think they are somehow 'racist', and so they become associated with racism. This is not merely a problem that Asatru faces. Many violently racist groups use Christian symbolism, the most notorious being the burning cross of the Ku Klux Klan.
To set the record straight, there are scant records of our ancestors practicing any kind of 'racism' in the modern sense of the word. One might dislike someone because of their tribal allegiances, but not the colour of their eyes, hair or skin.


Q. How is Asatru organized?

A. Asatru is non-authoritarian and decentralized, expressing our love of freedom. While we do have definite tenets, we have little dogma. There is no all-powerful spiritual leader whose word is law; no "pope" of Asatru to dictate truth. No guru or priest has the one-and-only direct line to the Gods. The Gods live in you!
The terms you will most often see connected with organisation are 'Hearth' and 'Kindred', also 'Godhords', 'Garths', ‘Harrows’, ‘Hofs’ or 'Fellowships'. These are groupings of like minded people that may include families. They are completely autonomous, although they may subscribe to larger organisations.


Q. Is Odinism the same as Asatru?

A. Not necessarily. As the differences in name imply, Asatru explicitly embraces all the Gods, and Odinism tends to focus on Odin. However, in places like Britain the term 'Odinism' is generally used interchangeably with Asatru. Elsewhere other terms are used such as 'Forn Sed' in Scandinavia.


Q. Why do many Ásatrúar prefer to be called Heathens rather than Pagans?

A. "Heathen" is culturally specific, a Germanic word. Also, it lets us differentiate ourselves from the mass of the Neopagans and Wiccans.


Q. Is Asatru a Folkish religion?

A. A Folk Religion is?


Q. Do you have to be European to be Asatru?

A. Some claim that the religion is gene linked as well as culture linked. This is generally referred to as the 'Folkish' position. Their view is that Asatru is reserved for those of European ancestry, although whether that is 100% or less than 1% is something else to argue about. It ought to be noted that the Folkish position is not racist in the pejorative sense of the word. They believe that all peoples have their own natural religious inclinations, and that they are neither inferior nor superior to one another.

At the other end of the spectrum is the so-called 'Universalist' position which asserts that genetics has nothing to do with eligibility, and that the Gods call whom they will. The 'middle of the road' position can be termed 'Tribalist' where the importance of genetic heritage is acknowledged, but which also recognises the historical reality whereby the outsider may be adopted into the Tribe with all Rights and Privileges.
Wherever three Ásatrúar gather, there will be four opinions! It is not something that is going to be resolved, and there is no central dogma. The two schools of thought have led to two very different branches of Asatru today.


Q. What holidays does Asatru observe?

A. Different kindreds observe different holidays. There are, however, three nearly-universal observances.
Yule is the only really universal Ásatrú holiday. Typically runs from December 21 (Mothers Night) and lasts for 12 days or more. This is the most important holiday of the year. Many traditional Yule symbols have been absorbed by the Christian celebration of Christmas: evergreen trees, Yule logs, holly, etc.
Ostara is typically observed around the spring equinox with decorated eggs, outdoor festivals, and bonfires. This holiday celebrates the earth's reawakening after the long, fallow winter.
Winternights is typically observed at the beginning of autumn. This holiday celebrates the harvest and contemplates the beginning of a more enclosed part of the yearly cycle.
There is generally no specific god or goddess associated with a particular holiday. Each group or individual honors those that seem most appropriate to them.


Q. Do Ásatrúar practice magic(k)?

A. Some do, some don't. In general Magick is not part of Ásatrú worship. In fact, many Ásatrúers don't believe in magic at all. Others, however, practice various kinds of workings (such as rune divination) as a supplement to their religious practices. There also exists a shamanic tradition called 'Seidr' – but that’s a whole other story!  Because there is not definitive way of practicing the Heathen Religion, every Heathen/Asatruar you speak to will give you a different answer as to the way they express their faith.  For some, the magickal path is an intrinsic part of their religion and they do not see religion and magick as separate things.