Heathenism
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This begs the question: “What is Heathen in today’s world?” Simply put, this is a reconstructionist religion based upon the ancestral beliefs and values of the Scandinavian/Northern European cultures. A personal loyalty (or “Tru”) to the deities of the Northlands is an obvious assumption. In fact the term Asatru literally means “true to the Aesir” – and “Aesir” is the name of one of the two groups of Germanic deities (the other being the Vanir). Another self-evident tenet is a deep respect for Germanic religions, culture and history.
What many do not realize, however, is that there is a strong determination to practice moral principles found among most Asatruar/Heathens. The so-called Nine Noble Virtues are a modern innovation, but have been adopted by many as a way to live one’s life. These Virtues are: courage, truth, honor, loyalty, discipline, hospitality, industriousness, self-reliance, and steadfastness. These tenets give Heathens a guideline for how to live life as a member of this faith, and also tell other Heathens what to expect. The Havamal, also found in the Poetic Edda, outlines a list of polite behaviors and expected ethics. This is another source for the modern heathen to build a strong ethical structure.
Now, it must be mentioned that Asatru, or Heathenism, is considered an ancestral faith. In many minds, this means that a person should be of Germanic descent in order to practice Asatru. This is very similar in most respects to the view held by many Native American tribes, and is to be respected. On one end of the spectrum are people who believe that Northern ancestry is not essential, because ultimately the gods choose whom they will. Then there is what is known as the “folkish” viewpoint, which says that people must have Germanic/Scandinavian ancestry in order to fully connect with the gods. Most modern heathens today seem to rest in the center of this continuum, believing that some Germanic ancestry is important, but not required to practice the religion. Sadly, there are those who take this belief in one’s ancestral blood to the extreme, and use Asatru as a way to promote racism and hatred. It must be made clear – there is no evidence in the lore or any other traditional source that racism occurred in the Viking Period. The vast majority of Heathens are not, in fact, racist in any way, and the term “folkish” is not synonymous with the term “racist."
-TRK-
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