Ask an Asatru

[CHRISTINE77]

All religions tend to spin stories to accommodate the position they wanted the audience to reach to begin with.

Modern Asatru don’t believe that the gods protect specific trees or shrines. They have better things to do. Those objects are there and are revered because many humans need a tangible focus to concentrate their minds on, much the same as Christians sometimes have a crucifix in their house or church. Would anyone stop believing in God because someone came in and broke up their crucifix? I have a god pole in my back yard. If someone came back and chopped it up, I would think they were rude and report them to the police for destroying property, I wouldn’t doubt my god for not striking that person dead. The god pole doesn’t have any power or significance beyond its role as a reminder and a focus for my devotion.

Well most pagans do believe in nature gods and revere sacred spaces. Even I think certain places and trees have a holiness to them, after all, they are God’s creations and have been in our world a very long time.

And yes, I was being a little facetious about St. Boniface, but most of European pagans really did turn to Christ.

 

[Gullveig]

What about after the end of the world? What’s Asatru eschatology like?

The simple answer is that we just don’t know. The only thing we can do is be prepared for whatever happens and to meet that fate as bravely as possible.

The more complex answer is that there are two different theories. The first is that time in linear and that Ragnarok will come and the world will be destroyed as we know it, but that destruction will give rise to a completely new world about which we can know nothing except that some of the gods and humans will survive to make what they can of the new world, those that don’t will no longer exist, and the mythic cycle will come to an end. The second theory, which is probably the more likely one and the one that the majority of Asatru believe, is that time is cyclical and that the world is continually created and destroyed. So, Ragnarok will come, but the cycle will just start over again. If that’s the case, then after Ragnarok, all souls will be reborn into the recreated world all over again.

 

[Gullveig]

Well most pagans do believe in nature gods and revere sacred spaces. Even I think certain places and trees have a holiness to them, after all, they are God’s creations and have been in our world a very long time.

I think the distinction is that one can revere a sacred space, but still not believe that it is so divine that the gods feel the need to protect it. In reference to my god pole, I feel like that is the focus through which Tyr receives my prayers and acts of devotion at times. The grove that my parents’ kindred meets in has a similar feel to it. But, if someone were to knock down my god pole or raze the grove, the gods would not be any less real. Nothing lasts forever.

And yes, I was being a little facetious about St. Boniface, but most of European pagans really did turn to Christ.

Yes, sometimes even at sword point. In the Icelandic Sagas, there’s the story of a Norwegian king who politely held some Icelanders hostage until they converted to Christianity and agreed to go convert the rest of Iceland. Fortunately, one of them was charming enough that the queen eventually persuaded her husband to let them go. People convert for all kinds of reasons, not just because of honest belief.

 

[JHow]

In your post above about the afterlife you mentioned people who live an “honorable” or “good” life. What are the sources of morality for your religion? How do you determine the ethics of a particular action? For instance, how does your religion think about abortion? Or smoking? Or something like social justice? Does your religion address issues like these?

Also, if your family has Icelandic roots, do you eat ‘slatur’? I have been watching Andrew Zimmern of late.

 

[CHRISTINE77]

I’m curious - in many pagan, or multigod religions, practitioners actually believe that there is one supreme god, and that the other gods are really just manifestations of the one Creator god. How is it with you Asatrus? Is there one supreme God and many demi-gods?

 

[AveChriste11]

You mention that you are particularly devoted to Tyr. Have you taken note of the linguistic similarities between Zeus, Theos, Jupiter, Deus, Dios, Dieu, Dyaus Pitr (Sanskrit), and Tyr? It seems that there is a common source in Proto-Indo-European so I was just wondering what you thought about that.

 

[Gullveig]

In your post above about the afterlife you mentioned people who live an “honorable” or “good” life. What are the sources of morality for your religion? How do you determine the ethics of a particular action?

We take our moral guidance primarily from the sagas and the eddas and also from historic accounts of how our ancestors behaved. The Havamal is probably the most looked to source for advice on how to behave, as it contains the words of Odinn on how to be wise. Much of Asatru moral code relates back to our ideas of wyrd. A person’s wyrd is sort of like their fate, but it’s essentially the sum of what a person was handed at birth (family situation, genetic predispositions, etc), their actions in life, and their luck. We believe that our luck is bound up with that of our “folk”, or the people who are closest to us, our “people” essentially. So, our actions towards those people heavily affect what happens to us both in this life and the next life. If we treat our folk poorly, don’t honor our ancestors and our family, and generally reflect poorly on our people, we degrade our own luck and worsen our wyrd. Our behavior is thought to have positive and negative spiritual effects on the wyrd of those who are closest to us, as well.

Also, one’s reputation is important, because it lives after you and therefor forms a portion of one’s soul. Per the Havamal:

"Cattle die and kinsmen die,
Every man is mortal.
One thing I know that never dies:
The fair fame of one who has earned it.

Cattle die and kinsmen die,
Every man is mortal.
One thing I know that never dies:
The judgement upon each one dead."

So, basically, the gods take into account the sum of your wyrd and what people think of you when deciding where you go after you die. If you’ve been particularly awful, you get to spend your time in Hel with full knowledge of how you’ve shamed yourself and your family and knowing that everyone else in the afterlife knows that about it, too. The most basic measure is: don’t do anything in private that you wouldn’t do in public and don’t do anything that you would be proud to claim for the rest of your life. And especially, don’t do anything that will cause harm to your people.

One branch of Asatru has developed the 9 Noble Virtues as guidelines, which are Courage,Truth, Honour, Fidelity, Discipline, Hospitality, Self Reliance, Industriousness, and Perseverance.

For instance, how does your religion think about abortion? Or smoking? Or something like social justice? Does your religion address issues like these?

There isn’t one absolute answer to these problems in Asatru. Our gods don’t hand us a set of detailed instructions, they expect us to grow in wisdom and govern ourselves accordingly. As far as abortion goes, traditionally, a child doesn’t have a soul until it’s been formally named and accepted into the family, which can’t occur until after birth, so some Asatruar believe that abortion is fine. I think most Asatruar would agree that abortion is undesirable and should not be done without a really good reason. One thing the Havamal and the sagas are clear on is that offspring and family are very important and necessary, and kin-slaying is the most heinous act an Asatru can commit.

Drinking and smoking are considered fine within moderation. Moderation is a big theme in the Havamal.

Also, if your family has Icelandic roots, do you eat ‘slatur’? I have been watching Andrew Zimmern of late.

I have! It’s actually not that bad, I kind of like it. It’s hard to get or make here in the States, though.

 

[Gullveig]

I’m curious - in many pagan, or multigod religions, practitioners actually believe that there is one supreme god, and that the other gods are really just manifestations of the one Creator god. How is it with you Asatrus? Is there one supreme God and many demi-gods?

Not really. Thor and Odinn are the dominant gods in the pantheon, but the gods are all considered to be individual entities with their own stuff going on. Thor was often considered to be the chief god in ancient times because he oversees so many of the things humans care about, but most modern Asatru revere Odinn, Thor, and Frey as a trifecta of chief gods. No one god is considered “supreme”.

 

[CHRISTINE77]

Not really. Thor and Odinn are the dominant gods in the pantheon, but the gods are all considered to be individual entities with their own stuff going on. Thor was often considered to be the chief god in ancient times because he oversees so many of the things humans care about, but most modern Asatru revere Odinn, Thor, and Frey as a trifecta of chief gods. No one god is considered “supreme”.

How do you feel about Loki?

When you worship your gods, do you feel a sense of overwhelming love and protection from them? Do you feel that they are actively watching over you? Do you feel that you have let them down when you do wrong things?

 

[SonCatcher]

Many of your posts discuss bravery as though it is a cardinal virtue. Could you discuss its importance and what it actually means for you?

Thanks.

 

[Gullveig]

You mention that you are particularly devoted to Tyr. Have you taken note of the linguistic similarities between Zeus, Theos, Jupiter, Deus, Dios, Dieu, Dyaus Pitr (Sanskrit), and Tyr? It seems that there is a common source in Proto-Indo-European so I was just wondering what you thought about that.

I’ve read a bit about it. I can’t presume to know exactly why this is, but my theory is that the gods have always been with us, so a certain amount of synchronicity between religions comes as a result of the primeval human encounters with the gods, and a certain amount of synchronicity has come about as cultural groups have bumped into each other and exchanged ideas, words, and stories.

 

[CarolNoel]

Gullveig I am not trying to be a smarty pants, but when I first saw the Ask an Asatru, my peepers thought it said Ask an Ashtray. I think I need to get my eyes checked

Anyway, enjoying your information. Thanks.

 

[Gullveig]

How do you feel about Loki?

There are two schools of thought about Loki. The vast majority of Asatruar believe that Loki is a destructive and chaotic force, which for many makes him “evil”. But Asatru doesn’t have a solid concept of “good” and “evil” beyond what aids the orderly workings of the world and what causes chaos. So, some people see chaos as being evil, but some people see chaos and therefore Loki as being a necessary element that keeps the world functioning. Sort of like Kali in the Hindu religion, to a certain extent. Personally, I’m on the fence about Loki. I don’t think he’s “good”, but he performs a necessary function, in that without the influence of Loki and the jotunns, we would face no adversity and therefore have no chance of spiritual growth.

When you worship your gods, do you feel a sense of overwhelming love and protection from them? Do you feel that they are actively watching over you? Do you feel that you have let them down when you do wrong things?

I feel that way more about my ancestors than the gods. Being Asatru is sort of like being a kid away at boarding school. Your parents (ancestors) are back at home (in Hel or wherever their soul happened to go after death) and they love you and care about you and if you write to them, they’ll help you out as much as they’re able and are disappointed in you if you get bad grades. Your teachers (the gods) are concerned for your individual welfare to the extent that they are there if you really need them, but they have bigger responsibilities than just you in particular. That doesn’t stop you from forming a special and very meaningful relationship with a particular teacher (god), but it’s not the same type of relationship as you would have with your parents for instance.

 

[Gullveig]

Many of your posts discuss bravery as though it is a cardinal virtue. Could you discuss its importance and what it actually means for you?

Thanks.

I talk about bravery especially because it’s one that’s very important for me due to my association with Tyr. Tyr’s example is that he risked his own safety and lost his hand so that the monstrous wolf Fenris could be bound until end of the world. Bravery in general is considered to be an extraordinarily important virtue, because you have to have it in order to have practically any of the other virtues. It takes bravery to be honest with people when you know they won’t like what you have to say or to fight back against people who want to hurt you. Bravery to me doesn’t mean that you’re not afraid, it just means that you choose to do the honorable and good thing in spite of being afraid.

 

[cath4alltime]

Have a burning question about Asatru and Germanic/Norse reconstructive paganism? Ask it here.

Hello,

I wacthed the Viking mini series on the History Channel, how close is that to your religion? Do you have statues of your gods? What is your favorite god?

 

[JHow]

Since family is important in you religion, what would be the Asatru reaction to homosexuality? Is it looked down upon (as a behavior not likely to produce a family)? Is it an open question that the gods have left for you to decide for yourself? Is it avoided as a topic not conducive to good order for a small crew at sea on a long boat in close quarters?

 

[Gullveig]

Hello,

I wacthed the Viking mini series on the History Channel, how close is that to your religion? Do you have statues of your gods? What is your favorite god?

Religion-wise, it’s not very close at all, but I’ve only seen maybe the first 4 or 5 episodes or so. Up to the point where they set sail back for Norway. There are elements that are sort of close, like the way the Vikings in the show think about Odinn’s influence on their voyage, in that there was a cult of Odinn that was very big during the Viking Age, so there was a lot more focus on Odinn as a deity of war and death, but that had more to do with what was going on politically and socially during the Viking expansion and less to do with the religion as a whole.

I don’t have statues of the gods as such, but I have a carved god pole in my back yard that has images of my patron Tyr, as well as Odinn and Frigga. Imagine a totem pole, but shorter, carved in the Norse style, and not painted. Tyr would have to be my favorite, of course, but Frigga is my next favorite. She knows everything about everything, but tells no one their fate, which I think is wise.

 

[Gullveig]

Since family is important in you religion, what would be the Asatru reaction to homosexuality? Is it looked down upon (as a behavior not likely to produce a family)? Is it an open question that the gods have left for you to decide for yourself? Is it avoided as a topic not conducive to good order for a small crew at sea on a long boat in close quarters?

That’s actually a really interesting question. So, the ancient Norse had a concept of strong taboo called “ergi”, which means “unmanly” but has the general connotation of referring to a something that is disorderly and morally questionable. Basically, even though it’s not considered to be “wrong” exactly, it’s considered to be something that a decent person should probably not being doing and people will think less of you for doing it. Men who performed the passive, or “female”, role in a sex act were considered “ergi”, as were men who practiced “women’s magic” or seidhr, because the act of spiritual ecstasy was considered to be passive in the same way that the female role in sex was considered passive. Interestingly, it wasn’t considered ergi for a guy to play the active role in a homosexual act, but it still wasn’t considered good behavior. Women could also be considered ergi if they exhibited sexual behavior that was considered to be masculine in nature, and even female seidhr practitioners were treated with a great deal of caution. Ergi was an extremely serious social and legal matter back in the day.

Religiously, most Asatruar believe that it’s a matter for your own conscience now, because we’re not subsistance agragrians that really need to produce lots of kids and maintain rigid gender roles anymore, but it does put people at a distinct disadvantage, in that a homosexual person is less likely to produce descendants and it can create disorder and bad feelings within families. I’ve never personally encountered any homosexual Asatruar, though.

 

[Razanir]

She knows everything about everything, but tells no one their fate, which I think is wise.

You mention fate. Where do Asatruar stand on fate v free will?

 

[Gullveig]

You mention fate. Where do Asatruar stand on fate v free will?

Asatru has the concept of wyrd, sometimes called “oorlog”, which is partially governed by the Norns, god-like beings that determine fate. A person’s wyrd is understood to contain three parts: there is the part that is fated from birth (this would be the circumstances of your birth, genetics predispositions, etc. with the possibility that some people have divinely appointed and unavoidable fates, though this is definitely the exception not the rule), the part that is determined by luck (which can be influenced by the whims of the gods, one’s ancestral spirits, and the favor of the land-wights), and the part that you determine yourself. Primarily, the things that happen to you in life and where you end up are your own doing. Even people who are dealt a bad hand over which they have no control can determine how they go about living with it and improving their lot. So, Asatru generally comes down on the site of free will, with the understanding that there are factors involved in free will decision-making that can be divinely appointed or influenced by bad luck.