Christopher Darren Horn

Hello and Happy Saturday!

I wish to thank Liorah Lleucu/Myfanwy for her very interesting and enjoyable interview of last week. Thank you so much for sharing with us!

Today we have a new interview so please welcome Christopher Darren Horn. Christopher is a Noahide and I know you'll enjoy his interview as well!

Here Is Christopher Darren Horn's Introduction:


I am an ex christian. I had a strange series of events that caused me to rethink my ideas about G_D, my place in this great creation and what we can do to make it better. I don't try to push others into believing what I do, because frankly, I wouldn't know where to start. LOL. You can, if you want, go to this link; http://www.nightghost.ws/2009/06/old-post-strange-happenings.html, and read about some of the strangeness, but that is not nearly all of it. I guess, I would be a searcher of truth more than anything else. I believe in Hashem and what he has taught and will teach me. I'll stuff as much as I can in the ol' 'noggin.

Yes, if it is ok, my blog/website is at http://www.nightghost.ws. I just title it "Ponderings and Other Things from the Nightghost"


1) What religion do you practice?
I guess I would be classified as a Noahide.

2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I think, I could be called a convert. Strangely, I was shown this by a weird series of events. I was not raised within this "religion" I used to be christian.

3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
I don't see there being degrees of observance and the acquisition of knowledge of creation, to me seems to be the defining characteristic.

4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
I am always looking to learn something new and meet others and hear their opinions and ways of doing things, I would think it is not about degrees of observance as it is about trying to find the truth.

5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
I am not sure, I guess I'll leave that question to the philosophers, LOL!!

6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
I have no idea, but I would like to hope, evil is punished and good is rewarded.

7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
The constant learning, any kind of learning and the desire to see everyone have that chance.

8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
I guess I would have to say, any day I am alive is holy, to me, LOL.

9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Yes, I like to learn about other faiths, some are really strange, but no reason we cannot be friends.

10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
Sure I would. It would be interesting to see.

11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
I think if someone wants to wear a burka, it is ok, but I do not like Shariah Law, it seems way too restrictive for my tastes.

12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
Yep, they sure can. I hold women in high regard. They are much better at everything, just ask my wife, she'll tell you so.

13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
Nope, no segregation. Unless she wants to. Then I leave her alone (I don't like pain, LOL).

14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
I really don't know. I don't like the idea of aborting a little baby, it is a hard thought. Concerning gay marriage, sure let them marry, as long as I can have more than one wife, that would be cool, maybe!

15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
That would depend on the religion, but if it makes my child happy and doesn't involve hurting others, beating them on the head, or scaring them into accepting it, it is ok with me.

16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
I think everyone will learn, not hell, but sometimes, you have to learn the hard way

17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
I don't think I see anyone in the public domain who is a Noahide, so can't really answer.

18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
Yes, my wife hates it when I act stupid and gets mad at me. I thought it was ok to leave my cigarette butts on the ground, but I guess not.

19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
No, as a matter of fact, it has set me free.

20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Yes it does. There is a strange mystery in it, because of the ability to reach out and touch all things, the worry is gone.

21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
I believe in it, but only if I get the choice to come back as someone more interesting than myself.

Irving Karchmar Poem

Hello and Happy Thursday!


Slightly different today! Instead of a quote, here is a beautiful poem written by Irving Karchmar:

Answered Prayers

The knowledge of You
Comes swift as light
To sit within the circle
Of zekr and gratitude
A presence felt in darkness
The soul’s delight

The knowledge of You
My bones remember
My blood, nerves, sinews
And my eyes, this poet’s sight
That writes only You, who
Are pen and ink and paper

You are love and turmoil
Hope and answered prayers
Fathomless as oceans
Encompassing as night
My heart’s rest as winter comes
And all the leaves take flight.





There's a new interview coming up on Saturday so be sure to check back!

A Look Back

Hello and Happy Tuesday!

I can't believe YMR is turning 2 years old in a couple of weeks. It wouldn't have been possible without all of you!
As we enter the new year, I'd like to take a look back and thank all of the wonderful participants:

Ebtesam
Alan B. Jones
Irving Karchmar
Beth Chapman
Carina
Tricia Nolan
Michael Webb
Diana
SJ
Lily Shahar Kunning
Leah Jane
Derek Leman
Upasana
Loga Abdullah
Michelle
Sarah
Miss Grace
Hesham A. Hassaballa
G*3
AnnMarie
Wee_Beastie
Jason Hughes
CF
Kriss
KV
Stephanie
Friko
Skeptitcher Rebbe
Judy Dudich
Renee Olson (aka Sosanna)
Monica Chase
Bill Jiryu Webb
Adam
Jenny (aka The Retro-Housewife)
Justin Whitaker
Musa Talib
Umm Salihah
Joel Holopainen/Jouji Heion
Harry/Hanrei Banzan
Dalyn Robert Montgomery
Louise Rogers
Adrian Worsfold
Christina
Elinor Predota
Janie (aka Mother Moon)
Larry Tanner
Modern Girl
Vincent Enlund/VikingJack
Malwina
Navjeet Singh Sandhu
Omar Ghraieb
Liorah Lleucu/Myfanwy
and
Christopher Darren Horn


I also wish to thank all the amazing followers on the blog, twitter and facebook, as well as everyone who has contributed comments!
You are all very much appreciated and I thank you deeply.
All my best for 2012
~Debra

Liorah Lleucu/Myfanwy

Hello and Happy Saturday!

First up I wish to thank Omar Ghraieb for his very interesting and informative interview of last week. Thanks so much for sharing with all of us Omar!

Today we have a new interview so please welcome Liorah Lleucu/Myfanwy. Liorah is a Jewitch and I know you'll enjoy her interview as well!

Here Is Liorah Lleucu/Myfanwy's Introduction:


I am fifty years old, a divorced mother of 3 adult children and grandmother of 6 grandchildren, with my seventh grandchild on the way. Both a registered professional nurse and a biochemist by education, I was born and currently live in the Midwest. I am a Celtic Jewish American with Welsh, British, Irish, Germanic, Jewish and Native American ancestries. My maternal ancestries are Welsh, British and Jewish. My paternal ancestries are British, Irish, German and Native American.

http://walking-on-fire.blogspot.com/
http://www.etsy.com/shop/LiorahLleucu

1) What religion do you practice?
Jewitchery to put it into one word. I am an eclectic witch whose nature-based ritual practice combines elements of Celtic Witchcraft and quasi-traditional Kabbalistic Judaism, with splashes of Germanic Paganism and Native American Shamanism thrown into the mix - the ancient traditions of my Ancestors. My religion is idiosyncratic and doesn’t fit neatly into any category, but Jewitchery is a term that most closely describes my religious practice.

2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
This is a complicated question for me to answer. I wasn’t raised a Jewitch, but I was indeed born one. Raised Christian, I rejected Christianity as a religious path for me in my late twenties or early thirties, and returned to Torah (the tradition of my Jewish ancestors) in 1996 (formally through a Beit Din and mikveh immersion in 1997 under the auspices of the Reform Judaism movement), from there, progressing my study of Judaic Kabbalah and Jewish Law in Liberal to Hasidic environments. Not raised Jewishly, as a Reform Jew at the time of my return to Torah, I ritually converted. My mother’s mother’s mother’s mother and father were both observant Jews, so halachically (by Jewish religious Law), I am Jewish by birth and according to Orthodox ways, conversion was actually unnecessary to reclaim my Jewish heritage as part of the Jewish people. I reclaimed my Celtic heritage, my place among the Celtic people, and returned to Witchcraft (the tradition of my Celtic ancestors) in 2006 (formally through a self-initiation ritual), combining both ancient Ancestral traditions (Judaism and Witchcraft) into a spiritual path uniquely fit to me, best described by the term Jewitch. At this point in my journey, my concept of the Divine is pantheistic-atheistic (similar to Reconstructionist Judaic conceptions of the Divine, I believe), naturalistic, earth-based and as a woman, focuses on Divine Feminine constructs. My studies and practice currently focus on traditional herbalism, artisan craftwork, meditation, Torah study, and using mystical alphabets to channel creative consciousness. Sacred alphabets I work with are Hebrew, Ogham and Runes.

3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
Certainly. There are other Jewitches but many, if not most, were raised in Judaism, unlike me. However, like me, in Jewitchery they are reclaiming the pagan and shamanic heritage of our Ancestors - so in that way, we are the same but arriving as Jewitches from different angles.

4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
I’m a mutt. In some ways, I am all of these. I’m artistic and very mystically oriented, so I lean toward meticulous metaphysical Orthodox observance. I’m a rationalist, so I tend toward a liberal religious emphasis on ethics and critical thinking. I live in the Bible belt, so I’m a realist and recognize that my observance level is unavoidably subject to my surroundings and circumstances.

5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
I’m an anomaly. I was born remembering my soul journey into physical existence and the entire story (in a very wholistic sense) of my Being. There is more to what we are as human beings than may be discerned while within a physical body. I do not remember either a heaven or hell as commonly taught – such is not my experience of Being. More than this I will not say.

6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
I don’t believe in heaven and hell as commonly taught, so no one, in my opinion, makes it to either of them. Based on my experience and remembrances, I do believe that every living creature is an amazingly rare and treasured spark of the Divine who made into physical existence against highly improbable odds. So, my experience of remembering informs me that the existence of every living creature is a miracle whose full value is totally beyond normative comprehension. Every living creature is an indispensable part of the Whole, and to where we are going, we will all surely arrive.

7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
Because it allows me to be true to myself, to evolve, and to get to where I am going.

8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
I observe all of the Traditional Jewish and Celtic Pagan holy days. It is my birthright to do so. I observe them in a myriad of ways, sometimes with ritual, sometimes not. Like I wrote earlier, I am a realist. My ritual practice has evolved and shape-shifted many times over the years. Sometimes I feel like a nut, sometimes I don't :)

9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Yes.

10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
It would depend on the context and purpose. I value interfaith sharing within a context of mutual respect.

11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
I really am not qualified to make a fair comment on either of those things. These two things exist within the context of a culture and religion which is not my own.

12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
Yes.

13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
I honor the Divine in private spaces generally.

14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
The very act of breathing is a religious act for me – there is no separation between my daily life and my religious life.

15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
My adult children do not identify as Jewitches and are raising my grandchildren a Christians. I honor the right of my children to choose their own path toward Divine consciousness. We are all different as human beings, yet even so, we all share a wonderful ultimate human Destiny, so I’m not worried.

16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
No. I don’t believe in hell.

17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
I can’t think of anyone.

18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
A hate crime – no. Illegal discrimination – yes. I’d rather not explain. It’s complicated and not useful to any discussion here.

19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
No.

2) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Yes, absolutely – peace of mind and more importantly, deep joy.

21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
Yes.

Bob Dylan Quote

Hello and Happy Thursday!

Today's quote is brought to you by Bob Dylan:

People seldom do what they believe in. They do what is convenient, then repent.

There's a new interview coming up on Saturday so be sure to check back!

Big Thanks!

I wish to thank ymr participants:


Janie (aka Mother Moon), Larry Tanner, Modern Girl, Vincent Enlund/VikingJack, Malwina, Navjeet Singh Sandhu and Omar Ghraieb.

All very interesting interviews that I very much enjoyed reading and learning more from all of you.
Thank you for sharing your unique voices with us!

Omar Ghraieb

Hello and Happy Saturday!

I wish to thank Navjeet Singh Sandhu for his wonderful interview last week. Thanks so much for sharing with us Navjeet!

Today we have a new interview so please welcome Omar Ghraieb. Omar is a Muslim and I know you'll enjoy his interview as well!

Here Is Omar Ghraieb's Introduction:

I am a Journalist\Blogger\Translator from Palestine. I was born and raised in Cyprus Island, I wrote for many important international media venues and I have numerous friends around the world which all helped me to be liberal, understanding and accepting to all kinds of human beings.

Blog: www.gazatimes.blogpost.com



1) What religion do you practice?
Islam.

2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I was raised as a Muslim.

3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
Of course, just like every other religion, Islam has degrees of observance. I am not an expert to name them or explain them but from my understanding and point of view I would say that there are 3 basic degrees:

1- Conservative: A person that includes religion in all aspects of life, practices religion in a literal way and makes sure he isn’t missing any detail.

2- Moderate: A person who finds the balance between being religious yet modern.

3- Liberal: A person who is Muslim yet very open minded and manages to balance between religion and his own thoughts.

4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
I consider myself liberal. My European background, personal thoughts and level of tolerance all played a role of turning myself into a liberal person that values religion and owns a broader idea of god.

5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
Islam revolves around the basic human idea of good and bad. Just like everything in life, you do good you are rewarded but if you do bad you are punished. So its heaven for good people and hell for bad people but of course with exceptions because god is all about mercy, love, compassion and tolerance.

6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
I do believe that in the end everyone will make it eventually into heaven even bad people will make it to heaven after paying their dues.

7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
I solemnly believe that if I wasn’t Muslim I will end up being one, from my point of view Islam is a perfect fit for me because my ideas, beliefs and values match with the concept of Islam.

8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
We have many holy days of worship, eids and celebrations. Every holy day has its own rituals.

9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Of course, not just because Islam asked us to accept everyone and that there is no difference between anyone except for their level of faith but because I also have a great amount of tolerance in me. Islam asked us not to be racists and I was born to be against racism anyway.

10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
Of course, and I already did. I lived for so many years in a European country and 90% of my friends were Christia. I always celebrated their holy days with them and they always fasted Ramadan with me.

11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
Burka isn’t obligatory in Islam, it’s a personal choice. Since I am very open minded and I accept all kinds of people I don’t mind accepting women who choose to wear burka, life is all about personal choices and if we seek respect we have to give it back.

Shariah law is something that I value and believe in, but it can't be implemented in a literal way. Yes Islam covered everything in life in the Shariah law and foresaw many stuff yet we are in 2011, and many laws have to be amended and more liberal.

12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
Women can play a role in spreading Islam and offer a more understanding of it but I don’t think Women can hold religious office. I trust Islam on this one.

13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
We all know that you can worship god anywhere but just like every other faith we do have a place of worship, the mosque. If you don’t go to the mosque that doesn’t mean you are not a believer or a not a worshiper, it only means you are missing a spiritual experience that you can share with others but only god can judge for that because you can have good solid reasons like work or other reasons.

14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
I think we are driven by our own personal choices, beliefs and thoughts which of course have religion as a part of it. In Islam, abortion can be wrong for some reasons and regulations and accepted for others while gay marriage is wrong. But that doesn’t mean I have to judge people who get abortions or who are gay or be a racist towards them. I am not god to judge. I accept them. Their relationship with god and right and wrong is their business. I accept them if they accept me, I respect them if they respect me.

15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
Honestly, I don’t know. I never thought about it and I don’t know how I will react then. I believe feelings can't be controlled yet religion should be put in consideration of course.

16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
Of course not, only god can decide that. How would I know?

17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
I don’t necessarily agree with all of them. Yes, we might be all Muslims but we are all entitled to have our own thoughts and approaches so I might agree with some and disagree with some others.

18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
It didn’t get serious or harmful but yes I have been judged for being Muslim, judged for being Liberal and judged for a few other reasons which makes me even more determined to be opened and tolerant.

19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
Of course not. Islam honors human beings.

20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Yes it does. Maybe I don’t give myself peace of mind, but my religion does.

21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
No, I don’t. I think every individual is created and born to live his own life and fulfill his own destiny. I don’t believe that anyone can be reincarnated. Maybe people who know me will meet people who have many similarities with me after I pass away but that doesn’t mean I got reincarnated. I know so many people that are similar to me already and I am alive.

Ella Fitzgerald Quote

Hello and Happy Wednesday!

Today's quote is brought to you by Ella Fitzgerald:


It isn't where you came from, it's where you're going that counts.




There's a new interview coming up on Saturday so be sure to check back!

Navjeet Singh Sandhu

Hello and Happy Saturday!

I wish to thank Malwina for her very interesting interview of last week.
Thanks so much for sharing with us Malwina!

Today we have a new interview so please welcome Navjeet Singh Sandhu. Navjeet is a Sikh and I know you'll enjoy his interview as well!

Here Is Navjeet Singh Sandhu's Introduction:


Navjeet Singh Sandhu, aka NSS Bohd an engineer by profession. Whatever time he finds away from machines he dedicates it to writing literature and loves to be called as a writer. He believes love, laughter, literature makes you happy, healthy and holy.
Contact him on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1164547747


1)What religion do you practice?
It’s called Sikhism. It has got a name for the sake of being called something. Otherwise, to practice you need to live the way a human is. I practice it being socially humane. Followers are called Sikhs.

2)Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I was raised in it.

3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox, conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
As my personal opinion, there’s no such differencing. It’s just the terminology used by politicians (at least in case of Sikhs) to segregate the people to fulfill political motives. We have just Sikhs: who are never ready to hear anything; second, Sikhs who are never heard. In general, our religion is very liberal and so are most of the followers.

4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
I’m a liberal, too. It’s not the question of choosing. The principles of Sikhism are so that the outlook of the followers becomes liberal.

5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
We cremate our dead. We have the concept of reincarnation. We believe that you do reap as you sow. So you have to eat the fruit of your seed. We believe in karma. That’s why Sikhs pay their taxes regularly!
Heaven and Hell are explained as per our religion as do exist but they are not separate places, they are in this world only. You have everything, nice income, healthy family, satisfactory living, good mannered and disciplined children. You are not an addict. You are in heaven. Else, you are moving towards hell. No good children, wife in hospital, you doing a regretful job, have no peace of mind, need pills to sleep, can’t live a day without medics. Then what state are you in other then hell? It’s just that you don’t know that you are in hell.

6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
I think I have answered it already.

7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
It’s natural. Liberal. Explanatory. It’s conceptualized on the Creator itself. Not on a individual name of God, or a form of God or a way of realizing God. Or a race or language.

8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
Going to a Gurudwara Sahib (sikh temple) is a daily routine of a Sikh. We celebrate many holy days and we follow our normal routine on these days. We celebrate the historical events/days as our holy days. The motive is to keep the people aware of the history, to make children understand the concepts of Sikhism by telling them examples from past.

9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Of course, I have many friends who are Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, and Buddhists. I have friends who are atheist or agonistic as well. Sikhs are very welcoming people. The foundation stone of the most sacred place of the Sikhs: Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple, Amritsar ) was laid by a muslim priest Hazrat Mian Mir in 1588 (ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_temple#Construction_of_the_Harmandir_Sahib )
In 1675, the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Teg Bahadur, gave his head to save the Hindu priests of Kashmir ( a province of India). ( refrence: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru_Tegh_Bahadur#Death )
So being friendly and helpful to people of other faiths is no issue with Sikhs. We have the concept of free kitchen (free food, called langar ) in which we serve free food to people of all religions and races without any discrimination.

10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
Yes, indeed Sikhs all over India celebrate many Hindu festivals with full zeal and vigor. I was used to do that in my residential school. Celebrating a festival, is being happy when your acquaintances are happy is in no way giving away your identity. Sikhism teaches to accept everything that is no harm to identity.

11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
Every religion has its rules. I’m lucky, mine has very less. Humanity or killing human rights is not a rule and can never be in a religion. Mis-interpretors are every where, I think there are too many in the world of Islam. If you are talking of French law, I have no objection against it. As per Shariah law, the place where I belong to is not under the influence of such laws so speaking on a topic which one is fully aware of is not a wise decision.

12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
Yes, they are. Equality of every kind is a principle of Sikhism. Equality of gender has been widely accepted in Sikhism from the very beginning of Sikhism. In fact we have many Gurudwaras (Sikh Temples) in the name of Sikh women of importance in history.

13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
Every religion has a separate worship place and so does Sikhism. It doesn’t segregate me in any sense from my social or other aspects of life.

14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
All things that are said to go with a ‘simple living’ are permissible in my religion. Till date I have not lost any opportunity of work because of my religion.

15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
Even I don’t have any problem in marrying outside my religion. Marriage is an association of two souls. In India, Sikhs have a very high rate of inter religion marriage.

16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
No, no. If anyone is not doing right things he will feel living in a hell. Hell / Heaven are not faith dependent. They are ‘work’ dependent as I already explained.

17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who
in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
You don’t have to believe a politician speaking of religion or on religious issues. Rest, religion is considered a very personal subject. Someone’s attitude towards a specific religion is not a considerable issue.

18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
No.

19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
Never, not at all. Infact, as a child I practiced my religion out of pride, not out of understanding. Slowly and gradually things changed.

20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Yes.

21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
I suppose I have answered this already.

Bette Midler Quote

Hello and Happy Thursday!

Today's quote is brought to you by Bette Midler:


I always try to balance the light with the heavy - a few tears of human spirit in with the sequins and the fringes.



There'll be a new interview on Saturday so be sure to check back then!

January Interviews

Hello and Happy Tuesday!

Here's what YMR will have in store for the January Interviews:

we'll hear from Heather Cardin who is a Baha'i, Manuel Araujo who is a Polytheist, Helio Pires who is a Roman Polytheist and H. Jeremiah Lewis/Sannion who is a Classical Polytheist.

All excellent interviews you're not going to want to miss!

Malwina

Hello and Happy Saturday!

Thank you Vincent Enlund/VikingJack for your very interesting and unique interview last week. I really enjoyed learning more about the Asatru faith. Thanks for sharing with us Vincent!

Today we have a new interview so please welcome Malwina.
Malwina is a Christian and I think you'll enjoy her interview as well!

1) What religion do you practice?
I am a christian

2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I was a catholic but now I am in the protestant church.
When I was a catholic I never really believed in God, I was just practicing a religion- rituals, ceremonies but I met people who told me about the living real God interested in my life and I believed in Jesus

3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
God is not religion. God is a living Person and He wants to have a close relationshp with His children, He wants us to know HIM-
people who don't know God - they make up religion and all kinds of rituals, bows and ceremonies

4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
the answer is the same as in number 3

5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
here on the earth we have the only chance to choose where we will spend our eternity.
There are only 2 ways: you either believe in Jesus and in what He did for us on the Cross or you reject Him.
The Bible says in John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life"
God sent Jesus to save us. We all were given salvation, but the salvation is ONLY in Jesus.
Acts 4:12 says: "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
There is no one else who can save us but Jesus
for muslims Cross is a symbol of death and failure but for christians the cross is the place of VICTORY because there on the Cross Jesus defeated the devil, death, sin and curse and He was raised from the dead and all those who believe in Him and in what He did will be saved, because God placed salvation in His Son - in Jesus Christ.

Look what the Bible says: "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory."

God manifest in flesh. Who manifest in flesh? Jesus Christ,
that is why all other religions are false and they only want to destruct people and deceive them (influenced by the devil) because salvation is only in Jesus, the Son of God.

6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
everyone CAN go to heaven because God gave this chance to everyone but only those who follow Jesus and believe in His atonement will be saved

7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
because all others are false religions and what is MOST IMPORTANT: in all religion people try to save themselves by good works
but christianity is the only to believe we have a Savior. Jesus came to save us, He already died for us, He already saved us but this salvation is not automatic - it has to be accepted and received-
also only in christianity God is a living God,
allah is dead and not interested in people (he is above that)
but God the true God LOVES us, He cares for us, He heals us: our emotions, our sicknesses, He comforts us, He gives us solutions to problems, He wants to bless us in every practical way

8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
every day is for God

9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Jesus taught that we should not only love those who love us but we should love even our enemies.
God is love and we should love everyone.
People from other religions are not my enemies, they simply are deceived and they dont know the truth

10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
why waste time for something that you know is false and deception?
I can visit people from other religions at home but being a part of what is not from God? What for? But that doesn't mean I don't like them

11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
I think that the devil hates women more than men and that is why he chose mohamed who despised women to write quran and there he abased women to the max.
In the times of Jesus only prostitutes covered themselves for shame and
besides, it is nonsense because all evil thoughts and behavior come from the heart and there is no covering.
You can have a dress code but if you don't change the nature and the heart then you focus only on the external.
A sinful man will "undress" a woman with his eyes even is she is all covered up, but a man changed in the heart will turn his eyes away from the sight that offends him.
Jesus changed our nature, our hearts which is the source of our heart's motives and actions based only on the external thing is lies and deception and doesn't really deal with the core of the problems which is the heart
and moreover, muslim women cover themselves not to be a slave of men (which is complete nonsense and absurd) BUT they wear make-up in order to look pretty and be attractive and THAT is hypocrisy.
Mohamed despised women - and that is why he gave all rights to men - men can have 4 wives, can beat them, reject them, close them at home for disobedience,
women are to have plenty of children and to be obedient to their boss - the husband - as slaves.
I will not mention how mohamed created the paradise for muslims - and it plainly shows that he was a man with great problems....

12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
yes, women can be leaders, can teach and preach.
God (the true God) loves all people alike.
He loves women just as much as He loves men.
Jesus died for all - for men and women and He has no favorites

13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
no

14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
God is my everything and I look to Him in every area of my life

15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
if it depends on me - I would never allow it
but the person who really encounters God in a living way- would never want to leave a good living God for a dead religion

16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
religion does not save anyone, only Jesus saves us-
all those who believe in Jesus and in what He did on the cross will go to heaven for eternity with Him, all others who rejected Him will go to hell

17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
there are millions of reasons why

18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
no

19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
no

20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
yes

21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
there is no such thing

Louis Riel Quote

Hello and Happy Wednesday!

Today's quote is brought to you by Louis Riel:


Deeds are not accomplished in a few days, or in a few hours. A century is only a spoke in the wheel of everlasting time.


There'll be a new interview on Saturday so be sure to check back!

Vincent Enlund/VikingJack

Hello and Happy Saturday!

Thank you to Modern Girl for her interview of last week! Another excellent read!
Thanks Modern Girl for sharing with all of us!

Today we have a new interview so please welcome Vincent Enlund/VikingJack. Vincent is an Asatru and I know you'll enjoy his interview as well!


Here Is Vincent Enlund/VikingJack's Introduction:

My name is Vincent Enlund, on line I am generally known as VikingJack. I’m 38 years old married with 2 wonderful kids. I am the Chieftain of the Wanderer Kindred of Arizona (a local Asatru Kindred in Arizona), Chieftain of the Asatru Alliance (one of the oldest, recognized National and International 501-c3 originations in the world), I’m affiliated with the Swedish Asatru Society, and associated with many other local, national and international Kindreds.

I have been Asatru for more then 20 years (since 1989). My wife and I are very active in the Asatru community. We founded the Wanderer Kindred of Arizona (www.wandererkindred.org) around 2000. I have been active with the Asatru Alliance for about 13 years, and working with other national and international organizations and independent kindreds for more then 5 years.

1 - What religion do you practice?
Asatru. Long before Christianity came to northern Europe, the people there - our ancestors - had their own religions. The modern expression of these is Asatru. It was practiced in the lands that are today Scandinavia, England, Germany, France, the Netherlands, and other countries as well. Asatru is the original or native religious belief for the peoples who lived in these regions. roughly, Asatru means “belief in the Gods” in Old Norse, the language of ancient Scandinavia in which so much of our source material was written.

2 - Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
Revert.
I made my first personal Profession to Asatru, while camping in the mountains of the Black Hills of South Dakota, on May 1st 1989. So I have been Asatru for about 20 years.
3 - Within your religion are there degrees of observance (i.e.. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
No, Not really. Asatru folks express their beliefs in their daily lives as much or as little as they see fit or comfortable with.

4 - Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((i.e.. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
I live the Ideas of Asatru and my ancestral practices every day of my life, just like my ancestors did. I don't know what degree that qualifies me as.
5 - What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
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 and 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.

We of Asatru do not overly concern ourselves with the next life. We live here and now, in this life. If we do this and do it well, the next life will take care of itself.
6 - In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
No. First we do not necessarily believe in a type of paradise in the next world. Secondly we believe that the value and worth put on you by the Gods, Goddesses and your ancestors is directly related to your deeds and actions within the community of the life that you lead right now. IE: If you are a negative, chaotic and poor quality of person within the community of the life that you live right now not only will there be consequences in this life but there will be in the next as well.
7 - What makes your religion a good fit for you?
I felt no connection or truth in any other religious faith. I felt a great calling back to the traditions and old beliefs of my ancestors and European culture. I had a desire to truly live by a way that was a part of my life and family and not just what someone in authority told me I was supposed to be like, because everyone else is that way too.
8 - What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
We have many day of remembrance and Holidays throughout the year but only 4 true Holy Days per-say. Midsummer, Midwinter, and the spring and fall equinox. Most people celebrate these days with a Blot, a Feast and a Sumble, and many also have personal traditions and ancestral customs that they add to these celebrations as well such as Folks wrestling, Dance, music, poetry, etc…

The Blot is a common ritual within Asatru. In its simplest form a blot is making a sacrifice to the Gods. In the old days this was done by feasting on an animal consecrated to the Gods and then slaughtered. As we are no longer farmers and our needs are simpler today, the most common blot is an offering of mead or other alcoholic beverage to the deities.

One of the most common celebrations noted in tales of our ancestors is the Sumbel or ritual drinking celebration. This was a more mundane and social sort of ritual than the blot, but of no less importance. When Beowulf came to Hrothgar, the first thing they did was to drink at a ritual sumbel. This was a way of establishing Beowulf’s identity and what his intent was, and doing so in a sacred and traditional manner.
9 - Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Sure, why wouldn't I?

10 - Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
I might. It would depend on the religion and the holy day in question.

11 - What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
I think its foolish, Chauvinistic mumbo jumbo. But who am I to judge the personal beliefs of others. If it makes them happy then happy day for them and if not then they should change it.
12 - Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
Yes. I think that it's a great thing. Our ancestors had a great respect for women as it should be. There are historical examples of germanic women Chieftains, war lords, priestess, there where powerful women in every aspect of leadership. Why should that change today

13 - Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
Yes. If you are a complete social degenerate I do not what to share my personal weird with you, and I don't want you sharing yours with me and the friends and family that I honor every day. If you have no European ancestry, why would want to venerate others peoples European ancestors rather then those of your own. Now, if you mean do we segregate by skin color or sex, then no we don't. I feel just fine about it.
14 - How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
Everyones religion affects all of their daily designs in life. If it doesn't then its not really their religion.
Being Asatru affects everything in my daily life. Being Asatru is not about doing something on Sunday or special holidays. Asatru is how you live, behave and interact with your community and other people all of the time. If you are only honorable to other Asatru folk then you're not really honorable. If you are only hospitable in you free time then you are not really hospitable. If you are only industrious at work then your not really industrious.

Please keep in mind that we have no expectations for folks to be the best all of the time, after all we are all only human. All of our ancestors where just as flawed as we are today, and as our children will be tomorrow. We however do expect Asatru folk to live the way we say we are going to live and to treat people in our community appropriately no matter who they are. If you insult me, I will demand an apology whether you're Asatru or not. If you give me a gift I will gift one back to you whether you are Asatru or not, and so on and so forth.

We are Asatru because we choose to live that way not because we read a certain book or go to a certain building on the weekends.
15 - How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
As long as she was marrying someone that I thought loved her, would treat her correctly, and that they would be happy together. I would be fine with it.
16 - In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
Maybe, they will go wherever they go. Ours is not the only way. Nor are our Gods and Goddesses the only Gods. They are simply our Gods for us. Others may have theirs and their Gods may have a place for them, that would be between them and their God or Gods.
17 - Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? i.e. who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
Raven Caldera and his followers as well the Nazi folks that like to say that they are Asatru. These are extremists that claim to be representing Asatru and the old ancestral ways but all that they are doing is using our ancestry to justify their personal extreme political views through false information and misleading propaganda.
18 - Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
Not that I am aware of.

19 - Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
No. Just the opposite. My beliefs give me Value, Glory, and a namesake that will hopefully live past my age, and provide pride to my children and grand-children.

20 - Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Yes
21 - Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
Some do. There is 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.


If you are interested, I get asked for interviews on a fairly regular basis. I have included in this email some of the better questions that I have been asked over the last year. Feel free to include any of them if you like.

3 - What made you pick the Asatru faith?
I felt no connection or truth in any other religious faith. I felt a great calling back to the traditions and old beliefs of my ancestors and European culture. I had a desire to truly live by a way that was a part of my life and family and not just what someone in authority told me I was supposed to be like, because everyone else is that way too.

4 - What is your favorite Asatru aspect?
Ceremony. When we get together for holidays and ceremonies, they are times of reverence and celebration. We spend our time as a community celebrating all that we have, all that we have learned, the great things we have done and that have been done by our friends and family. We celebrate life and all that comes with it. We celebrate heroes, stories and songs. We celebrate in each other and ourselves.

We do not waste time with prayers of how much life sucks or how not worthy we are. We do not waste time with asking for mercy or praying for a better world under Gods guidance. We do not waste our time begging for forgiveness for being Human.

6 - Where is Asatru practiced?
Generally speaking usually outside, if you are talking about ceremony. But there is no solid rule saying it has to be outside, we just know that it was common for our ancestors to worship out among nature and the spirits of nature so we try to when we can as well. If you are talking about life in general Asatru is practiced in the way we live every day of our lives, and how we interact with other people, the environment and the community at large around us.

7 - What types of people belong to the Asatru culture?
Every kind you can imagine. I know Asatru doctors, lawyers, philosophers, teachers, writers, academics, auto mechanics, engineers, computer programers, graphic designers, road builders and every other profession and life position that you can think of.

8 - What are some common symbols in the culture? (ex. Mjolnir)
Mjollnir (Thors Hammer), Irminsul, The Valknut, The Sun Shield (Sun Wheel or Odins Cross), Aegishjalmr, The Gjallarhorn, any of the Elder Futhark Runes.

9 - What are the common languages associated with Asatru?
German, Icelandic, Norwegian, Danish, Russian, Finnish, Swedish, Irish, Scottish, Gaelic, Dutch, Ukrainian, Serbian and other common Scandinavian and Slavic Languages.

10 - Describe some morally significant expectations within Asatru. (taboos or codes of behavior)
The NNV (the Nine Noble Virtues) is a set of ethical codes used by many Modern Asatru. There are also the 12 traits that are discussed heavily by the AFA (the Asatru Folk Assembly), and some Asatru prefer to draw their code of conducts directly from the historical guideline set by the Sagas of our Ancestors. I like the NNV because whichever way you choose to look at our ancestral code of behavior you will find these nine virtues highest among them, and they are easy for a new comer to Asatru to remember and practice.

These are some very simple explanations of the NNV that I read to myself, as a reminder, every day. There is a much more defined version on my website that I like to share with people to try to let them understand the NNV completely as they are important to me.

Courage
By facing Life’s struggles with courage, we constantly extend our capabilities. Without courage, nothing else can be done!

Truth
Blind faith has no place in Life. No pie-in-the-sky; we must act in this world as we see it and as it really is rather than calmly waiting for the next good thing that may happen upon us.

Honor
We must be true to what we are, and we insist on acting with nobility rather than baseness. Our standards must be banners held high in our hearts.

Fidelity
We stand true to our faith and our values. Loyalty is the basis for all enduring human activity, and we hold it in the highest esteem.

Hospitality
The isolation and loneliness of modern life is not necessary. The willingness to share what one has with ones' fellows, especially travelers, is a vital part of our way of life.

Discipline
We hold to the discipline necessary to fulfill our purpose. We stand willing to exercise the self-control and steadfastness necessary in difficult times.

Industriousness
Let us dare to be all that we can be! Let us take risks and taste the richness of life. Passivity is for sheep. We refuse to be mere spectators in life.

Self-Reliance
We depend on our own strength and character to achieve our goals. We seek only the freedom necessary to our quest, whatever it may be.

Perseverance
We hold to our path until its completion and are not ashamed to be strong. The cult of the anti-hero will find no support in us. A true life is not for the weak of spirit.

11 - Describe some of the ways people in this culture are expected to act. (appropriate greetings, proper dress for special events)
Some people will take older greeting and use them as a means of great other Asafolk as a sign of kinship, such as Hail, Hailsa and Wassail just to name a few. But generally speaking any greeting made in hospitality is an appropriate one. When it comes to special events there are a few things to keep in mind. You'll often see people dressed in archaic clothing styles at Asatru gatherings. This is a point of preference for them, and anyone is welcome to do so, too, if they wish. Wearing such clothing does not make you more Asatru just as not wearing such does not make you any less Asatru either. The clothes most wear are the same clothes that we wear every day, The Gods and Goddesses know what year it is. Also, there is the question of how much clothing is enough. Unlike some other pagan traditions, ritual nudity is not found at most Asatru rites, and is extremely uncommon even at very private ones. You may sometimes see a lot of skin, but participants are generally expected to be dressed in a street-legal fashion and family appropriate settings.

Asatru often leave gifts for the land-spirits of the places they visit. Gifts can be amounts of food or a beverage, maybe cookies, cake or even on rare occasions a little silver or amber is sometimes left. Most put some effort into making their gift such that it will not be seen as litter if it is discovered by other people.

12 - Are there any artifacts or technology unique to Asatru?
Here are a few things that I contribute to my heathen ancestors:
Trial by jury (dates back at least to the Vikings and Heathen tribes across Europe in the Viking Era)
Right to bear arms (carried by all freemen across Europe before and even after Christianity came to Europe)
Rights of women (declined drastically after Christianity moved to Europe)
Local democracy (local assemblies, or Things all over Europe)
National representative republics (Iceland)
Anglo-Saxon Common Law (the “rights of Englishmen” carried into Christian laws from earlier Heathen customs)
System of “checks and balances” (structure of Germanic tribes included equivalent of an executive, a judicial, and a legislative branch)
Kings subject to law (common in pre-Christian times, before “divine right”)
Election of rulers (practiced by many Celtic and germanic tribes)
Resistance to tyrants (required under law in some ancient European cases)
Concept of free will (implied by Germanic concepts of time and causality)
Specific limits on the powers of kings and chiefs (by law dating back to at least the tribes of Gaul 1000 BC Europe)

It can be argued that the pre-Christian Germanic and Celtic heritage of Asatru ancestry has been increasingly undermined with the passage of time and the growth of the power of government at the expense of our individual freedoms and rights.

Freedom balanced with responsibility and accountability is an Asatru thing.

13 - How do you guys worship, what is your worship like?
Most of the time "worship" is done in the form of Blot or Sumble with our ceremonies, generally, performed outside, as a group. There is usually a Gothar (a spiritual leader, kind of like a priest) leading the ceremony, where a group of Asafolk share (one at a time) thanks, great deeds, poems, songs and anything of praise and worth with the gods and each other. Very simply put it looks kind of like people giving toasts at a wedding only without the bride and groom.

This is only one common way of worship, there are many others as simple and as complex. Everything from a detailed Blot to those of us that just sit in the rain and talk to Thor.

14 - What are the main beliefs, or teachings of Asatru?
We believe in a standard of behavior which is consistent with those of our ancestors as expressed in our historical documentation, our Gods and Goddesses as expressed in our ancient mythology and our Culture as expressed in our living culture as well as the experiences of our histories, families and lives.

Being Asatru is about how you treat other people and the world around you. Being Asatru is about correct behavior.

15 - Are there any terms, objects, people I should know about?
Gothar - is plural of Gothi (male) or Gythia (female) - The Gothar are the collective priesthood of the Asatru Community.
Blot - Asatru Ceremony of sharing spiritual and physical gifts both to and from the Gods and Goddesses.
Sumble - Asatru Ceremony of sharing community luck and goodwill with each other and the Gods and Goddesses.
Wyrd - Hard one to explain so we will go with your community, Luck and Fortune as affected by you and the people closest to you.
Asier - Half of the old Gods. The Gods of Asgard. Such as Odin, Thor and Frigga. These where gods primarily associated with human action and achievement.
Vanir - The Second half of the Gods. The Gods of Vanihiem. Such as Freya, Freyr and Hiemdal. These where Gods primarily associated with the Earth and weather.
Desire - Our general ancestors that still watch over us.
Isineir - Our Female ancestors that still look after us.
Land Vetor - Spirits of the land and community that we live and work in.
Byfrost - The rainbow bridge between Midgard (Earth) and Asagard (the home of the Gods).
Mjollnir - The great hammer of Thor used to protect both Midgard and Asagrad. The symbol worn by most Asatru as a sign of their loyalty to the old ways and Gods.
Yggdrasil - The tree that connects all of the 9 world and all of the different people of each of them to each other.

16 - What are some misconceptions (if any?) that you would want to be cleared up? or something special that you would like other people to know about Asatru?
OK here are some good ones.

Followers of Asatru are white supremacists.
No we are not. Just because some Neo-Nazi's wear a hammer and say they believe in the old ways does not mean that they are Asatru. Asatru has nothing to do with Hate, racial supremacy or political agendas. As a matter of fact our germanic ancestors were some of the most racially tolerant people in world both trading and raiding cities, towns and countries completely equally.

Asatru is for Vikings.
Vikings were not a people but rather an action done by many of the Slovak and Scandinavian tribes. Asatru is the modern expression of the cultures and practices of the indigenous peoples of Europe. That does include people that were "Vikings" and their traditions but it also includes a lot of other peoples as well.

Asatru, Wicca and Neo-Pagans are all the same.
No we are not. There are some Neo-Pagans and Wiccas that do include some of the northern european Gods and Goddesses into their worship but they also include variations of Egyptian and Greek Gods as well as more modern Occult figures as well. Most Wiccas and Neo-Pagans pick and choose from gods, goddesses and traditions like it's a giant religious buffet. Asatru does not.

Most Asatru have done extensive research and will continue to do research their whole lives. Asatru are True to the gods and goddesses of our European Folk, and the traditions that go along with that fellowship. Also there is an extensive connection and loyalty to family and community within Asatru that, many times, does not exists in most Pagan and Wiccan sectors on a whole.

18 - Does Asatru have any holy scriptures?
No. There are written sources which are useful because they contain much of our lore and history in the form of myths, stories, historical accounts and examples of right conduct, but we do not accept them as infallible or dogmatic.

There are some good sources for our ancestral history and our ancestors heathen practices and lives. The Saga of the Volsong, The Volsunga, The Havamal, The Poetic Eddas, The Pros Eddas, Beowulf, The Sagas of the Icelanders, The Greenlanders Sagas, The Vinland Sagas, The Irish Chronicles and The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles. These are all good places to start to learn, but the truth of being Asatru comes from understanding the world around us and how we interact with.

20 - What is Asatru or Heathenries, specific World View.
Asatru (or Heathenry) is a world accepting pre-Christian, European folkway in which we better ourselves through a connected progression of Right Relationships among our Region, Folk, and Soil. We maintain this with our innangardhs by gifting relationships within our Regions, through which luck can flow and we can build a stronger more valued standing for ourselves within our personal communities.

We see the world in the Right Now as world accepting. We do not focus on an ultimate union with our gods, but in what is tangible and directly related to us, such as; ancestor veneration, and building and maintaining a relationship with the spirits of the land. We see the world in present and past tense, in a clan or tribal like model.

Kelsey Grammer Quote

Hello and Happy Thursday!

Today's quote is brought to you by Kelsey Grammer:


Apologizes are pointless, regrets come too late. What matters is you can move, on you can grow.



There's a new interview coming up on Saturday so be sure to check back!

Full List

Hello and Happy Tuesday!

Here is the full list of all ymr interviews past, present and future!

Agnostics: 5
Apikoros: 1
Asatru: 1
Atheists/Objectivists: 15
Baha'is: 2
Buddhists: 9
Christians: 16
Druid: 1
Ex-Jehovah's Witness: 1
Feri Witchcraft: 1
Gnostic: 1
Heathen: 1
Hindu: 1
Jewish: 7
Jewitch: 1
Mathematics: 1
Messianic Judaism: 2
Muslims: 10
Mystics: 2
Noahide: 1
Non-denominationals: 3
Pagans/Wiccans: 15
Pantheist: 1
Polytheists: 5
Sikhs: 2
Sufi Darvish: 1
Taoist: 1
Unitarians: 4
Womanist: 1

If you'd like to participate, please email ymr@bell.net. Would love to get your perspective!

Modern Girl

Hello and Happy Saturday!

I wish to thank Larry Tanner for his very interesting interview of last week. Thanks so much for sharing with us all Larry!

Today we have a new interview so please welcome Modern Girl. Modern Girl is a Unitarian Universalist and I know you'll enjoy her interview as well!

Here Is Modern Girl's Introduction:


Modern Girl has a complicated religious path. She was raised by an observant Catholic mother and a non-observant and secular Anglican Dad. Both parents allowed her to explore different religious options, which led her to Neo-Paganism, New Age, Buddhism, Catholicism, Judaism, Agnosticism, Unitarian Universalism, Humanism and more. At the age of 24, she started to blog about her religious experiences and different stances on religion. Now she blogs about many secular, political, and trivial matters as well, but 3 years later, she still loves the religious blogosphere.

Blog: http:sundialsaga.blogspot.com
Twitter name M0DERNGIRL (all caps, with a zero as the second character)


1) What religion do you practice?
Currently, I’m a lapsed Unitarian Universalist. In the past year, I have worked as a worship associate for my Unitarian congregation and have been heavily involved in the young adult programming, but since January 2011, I’ve been taking a break (attending maybe once a month. I attended yesterday but felt nothing during the service – my current minister is terrible which is why I’m lapsed). Also in the past year, I have observed many of the Jewish holidays with my fiancé and future in-laws, and I have observed Christmas with my parents. Despite all the religious affiliations, the best description I have for myself is “Agnostic Humanist” which to me, means somewhere between a secular humanist and a religious humanist.

2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
The long answer to this is the content of 9 very long blog entries. Here’s the short version. Mom was an observant Catholic – but liberal minded. Dad was raised Anglican but disliked organized religion. I went to Catholic church and Catechism until I was 8, then we stopped going (they changed priests, we didn’t like the new guy). My parents gave me free range to explore, I started to get into Neo-Paganism and New Age stuff (astrology, tarot cards, oujia boards, past lives, ESP, animal sages, Native mythology, Celtic mythology, etc.) That was fun until I was about 20 and taking a Comparative Religious Studies minor in university. Then I developed a taste for Buddhism. I tried to get back into Catholicism when my Mom and Grandmother were sick, and a few years before that I gave Evangelical Protestantism a very short try (when my Pennecostal friend asked me to). By the time I was 21 or 22, I discovered that I believed in a higher power, but not Jesus, and not the Bible. According to Karen Armstrong’s “History of God” I was a Freelance Monotheist. I disliked the label Agnostic at the time because I believed (and still do) that there is something greater in the universe that we don’t understand. When I was 23 I met my Jewish fiancé, and was totally infatuated with Judaism for a year or so, then discovered it was too patriarchical and still too literal (though more metaphorical than Christianity). Almost exactly 2 years ago (and a year into my blogging about religion) I discovered Unitarian Universalism – the idea that what we believe doesn’t matter as much as what we do while we’re here. I love UU, the principles really speak to me, and it's a great “inbetwen” the liberal Christianity of my parents and the liberal Judaism of my fiancé. It’s not perfect, and after being involved with the UU congregation for 2 years, I’m a bit disenchanted with organized religion in general, but I know that UU is the best fit for me out of all the options. And nowadays, I’m comfortable knowing that it’s not so much how I label myself, as what I do. I love and feel connected to the Pantheism theories of Spinoza and Einstein, although I’m getting closer to Atheism all the time, I do believe in something bigger than us is out there.

So, I guess I officially converted from Catholicism to UU. The process was simple. I filled out a membership form and a few months later was asked to stand up during the Sunday service so the minister could announce me as one of the new membership. I wore a flower lapel pin and received a free book.

3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
Unitarian Universalism is really too small for divisions yet. But we do have some people who are more spiritual and some who are more secular. And we have congregations like that to. In the more Humanist and secular congregations, there is a greater emphasis on social justice and politics. In the more spiritual congregations, there is a greater emphasis on interfaith committees, and finding meaning in the world without believing in God or an afterlife – necessarily. Despite not believing in an afterlife or a deity who cares, I’m spiritual. My congregation has recently gone very secular. Sermons used to be about forgiveness, growing, connecting to a greater sense of purpose. Now they are dry stories about politics and current affair with no spiritual guidance. There are also some UU congregations with a greater Christian emphasis, and some with a more pluralistic or interfaith emphasis. I like the interfaith stance better.

4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
Sorry I think I just answer those above.

5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
In UU, we don’t have a clear idea. It’s not emphasized and the purpose of the faith is to pay attention to this life, not what comes after it. Among UU’s, perspective do vary quite a bit. For me personally, I no longer believe in an afterlife. I did once. Heaven, Hell, all that. Purgatory I was unaware of until I was 20, and never really bought into it. Once I even believed in reincarnation. Now, I believe in science and that when we are dead, we cease to exist. Our consciousness ceases to be, and we decay. I think that the matter which composes our body never really ceases to be, but that is recycled into other things, and that the organic particles that make us up will be absorbed into the environment and will reappear as other forms of life and organic material. For this reason, I’d like to be buried without being embalmed so that I can naturally and non-toxically decay and return to the earth. I’d also like a tree planted near my grave so that my cells and atoms and particles can be recycled and turned into atoms and particles that make up a tree.
I believe Heaven and Hell are more of a state of mind. I believe in a type of karma, more like a Chaos theory of natural cause and effect. The more negative hormones that are released by your body, the more negative hormones go up in the people you are around, etc. If you do negative things, you have a negative impact on your environment and things can come back to bite you in the ass. So, Hell is basically when you are in a funk, and you keep doing things to screw it up and let the funk continue. Heaven is when you’re self-actualized, things are going well (but not too well) and you are routinely exchanging positive energy and interactions and motivations with your surroundings.

6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
No. With Heaven being a state of mind that only exists, during this lifetime, then I’m aware that not everyone reaches that. Innocent people suffer, and those people unfortunately don’t always find the bliss that others do. I do believe every life has a purpose and an equal opportunity to impact the world. I believe we are born innocent and good and are motivated more so by good forces than by bad forces.

7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
UU is a good fit for me because it promotes pluralism, a focus on social justice and compassion, and freedom and liberty. It’s a very progressive faith which fits for equality and equity for women, people of color, glbt communities, and more. It promotes pacifism and helping others before helping the economy. It allows me to feel like I’m part of a larger system of progressively minded people, and gives me resources to find writings written by enlightened individuals. It helps push my understanding of the nature of the universe and the purpose of life and existence.

8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
Rosh Hashanah – Jewish New Year. I celebrate this by eating apples and honey to symbolize a sweet new year and to get things started off on the right foot. This happens in September around the first of the school year.
Yom Kippur – Day of Atonement. My fiancé does the traditional fast with his parents. I take the day to dedicate myself to a higher calling – such as a charity, etc. I purposely pick the most non-glamorous job (in 2010 I dragged tables through a dewy wet field at 7am) and I don’t brag or act for recognition for it (unless this counts). I concentrate on making myself a better person.
Thanksgiving – Second Monday of October. I try to get together with others for a good meal, and think about all that we have to be fortunate for.
My Birthday – November 3rd. It’s “Me Day” the most sacred day in this egocentric Western society. I spend the day spoiling myself. Most of the time, a birthday cake is included.
Hanukah – December. I have a Hanukiah (like a menorah, but with 9 candles not 7) and I light the candles with a Humanist blessing I wrote. I usually get together with my fiancé and eat latkes and chocolate on one of the days.
Christmas Eve – December 24th. My parents make a large turkey dinner, Granpa drinks whiskey, Santa drives past our house on a Fire Engine, and we each open one gift.
Christmas Day – December 25th. We wake up early, and sit under the tree, opening gift after gift. Then we eat massive amounts of yummy things all day, cheese and cracker spreads, crock pots full of hot dips, peanuts, chocolates, caramel corn, peppermints, open faced sandwiches on expensive breads, turkey leftovers, cheese balls, peanutbutter balls, and much more. We don’t do anything Christian really, it’s much more of a secular Yuletide thing.
“Holidays” December 26-31. Take it easy at my parents house and continue eating and being a glutton. Dad usually has a shut down at work, so everyone is home and spending time together the entire time.
Maple Syrup Day – February 6th. A day during the winter festival season in which I go and look at ice sculptures and frozen lakes, etc. Buy hot chocolate next to the ice rink, eat pancakes and maple syrup in the morning, and spend the day thinking about Canadian winters. It’s also close to Omelc, Imbolc, Candlemass, St. Briget’s Day, etc.
Passover – Jewish celebration of the escape from Egypt. I observe this by attending seders with my fiance’s family. We sit around a table for a long time, eat loads of food, and sing songs in Hebrew. I found the afikomen both times in the last 2 years.
Good Friday – I don’t eat meat on Good Friday out of Catholic superstition traditions.
Easter – I don’t really observed Easter anymore aside from not eating meat on Good Friday. Once in a while I’ll eat a chocolate bunny, or a cream egg, but that’s it.
Mother’s Day – Second Sunday of May. Call up my Mom and give her something nice.
Father’s Day – Third Sunday of June. Call up my Dad and give him something nice.
Canada Day – July 1st – wear red, sometimes dye my hair red, and go to Parliament Hill or an outdoor concert. Eat street meat (hotdogs) listen to bands, wear glow bracelets, watch fireworks. Have sunburn the next day.
August Family BBQ – get together with the extended family. It’s like the opposite of Christmas, at least weather wise. Having sprinklers going, eat taco salad, enjoy the bask of summer one last time before school starts and the whole cycle goes over again.

9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Absolutely! I only have 8 UU friends and we’re a pretty small group. Plus, UU really promotes an interfaith feel and encourages interfaith dialogue, we’re the faith that all the other faiths can get along with!

10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
As you can see above, there’s really no UU holidays. Not really. My holidays are a mash up between Jewish and Christian holidays and Canadian secular holidays. So, I have no problem joining in on others’ holidays. I plan to raise my kids Jewish, but they will still celebrate Christian with their maternal grandparents. I’ll try to teach them that it’s not “their” holiday but that they can help their grandparents to celebrate it.

11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
I’m all for freedom, but allowing the burka is not promoting freedom. Even if some women wear it out of their own choice, other women wear it because they are peer pressued, or financially pressured or pressured due to family shame and pride. I also think that it causes social isolation while out in public, which is a form of self abuse. I would like to see the burka banned. As far as Shariah Law goes, I live in Canada, which is a secular nation state. I believe the secular laws of Canada should have more authority over the Canadian people than the laws of a religious group.

12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
Yes, in UU women have equal rights and transgendered people have equal rights. I think it’s great and the way it should be. Just because your genitals are different, it doesn’t mean you lack skills to lead a congregation, think spiritually, or have good ideas.

13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
Nope. I hate segregation. I’ve gone through it when I attend Orthodox Jewish events, and I absolutely hate it. Even in people’s homes, when men daven and the women are separated, it drives me around the bend. I don’t have very much in common with women, I’m one of the guys and I like staying with my fiancé, so that’s irritating. Even at my family BBQ’s (which are sacred to me) it tends to get very gender segregated, but it’s not rigid. I can sit with the men outside as they grill meat and talk politics, and current affairs. Once in a while, an aunt will make fun of me for not being with the women as they prep salads inside and talk about kids, illnesses and domestic affairs, but at least I can go against the trend.

14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
This is tricky. My religion doesn’t dictate how I feel about abortion, gays, etc. But my perspective on that almost perfectly matches that of UU. But it didn’t influence me, UU is the place where progressively minded people go. UU is sort of a secular faith, so I don’t think it’s my “faith” that I think about everyday, but I think about my left-wing progressive stance on the world almost everyday, which happens to match my faith. When I need to make a decision, I don’t turn to my faith for answers. I turn to my humanist insight and my secular understanding of equality and right and wrong. If the humanist and secular understanding of right and wrong is my faith, then I guess you could say I do that. But I don’t follow what a minister says or what is preached on the pulpit. The minister said once we should try to avoid meat on Mondays, and he pissed me off by doing that, because I don’t think a faith should lay our concrete laws like that.

15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
I would be perfectly fine with it. I plan to raise my kids Jewish which is my fiance’s faith. If they don’t want to marry a Jew, I’ll be ok with it. My fiancé might have a hard time with it, even though he’s going to marry outside his faith.

16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
I don’t believe in Hell per say (see previous answers on Heaven and Hell). I think people of all faiths can suffer or flourish, and it’s a state of mind. It’s up to what they do, not what religious ideology they feel they follow.

17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
I’m not sure I follow. UU have historically claimed many figures, like we say Thomas Jefferson and Susan B. Anthony and John Adams were UU’s, but they were actually Christian Unitarians. And some people who were plainly against organized religion have been cited as having UU-like sentiments, but we don’t have the right to state that. Today, there are not many famous UU people.

18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
My work colleague told another work colleague that she was sick of all “this Jewish stuff” in my work group. My boss is Jewish, I have one Jewish colleague, and I’m engaged to a Jew. My boss and colleague are extremely secular, don’t keep kosher and only observe the holidays in a secular way. Jewish stuff has only come up around the Jewish holidays and it’s always spoken of in a secular, inclusive way. Yet, this anti-Semitic colleague in my work group said she’d like to become a Nazi to stop it. I wrote her an email explaining I could report her to the Human Rights and Equity board, she panicked, said she realized it was wrong. Later told me she still thinks she was in the right for saying those things because she’s a person of color.

19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
No. It’s hard explaining to secular people and people wary of Christanity that I go to church but I’m not Christian and it’s not evangelical and my church friends are not Jesus freaks. So sometimes I restrain from mentioning my beliefs.

20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Depends on how good the minister is.

21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
Nope. Please see above for the comments on the afterlife.

Mary Pickford Quote

Hello and Happy Wednesday!

Today's quote is brought to you by Mary Pickford:

You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call "failure" is not the falling down, but the staying down.


There's a new interview coming up on Saturday so be sure to check back!

Larry Tanner

Hello and Happy Saturday!

First up I wish to thank Janie (aka Mother Moon) for her wonderful interview last week. Thanks so much for sharing with us Janie!

Today we have a new interview so please welcome Larry Tanner.
Larry is an Atheist and I know you'll enjoy his interview as well!


Here Is Larry Tanner's Introduction:


I am married with three young children. I have lived in Massachusetts most of my life and still do. Since 2008, I have self-identified as an Atheist. I was raised in a Jewish home of relaxed observance, and I keep some interest in Jewish culture. My wife of 11 years is a devout Christian.

http://larrytanner.blogspot.com


1) What religion do you practice?
Although I don’t feel that I practice any religion, I give a small amount of money to a local Jewish religious center. Through my wife, I support a local Christian church. I recently held a Passover seder with my family, and I attended an Easter barbeque with my wife’s family. Being non-religious, and in some cases anti-religious, has not completely removed religion from my life.


2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I suppose I am a “convert” to Atheism. In 2008, when I was 38 years old, I accepted that Atheism best reflected what I thought was true about the state of the world. I arrived at this conclusion after many years of learning about my religion, about Christianity and other religions, about the textual histories of various holy books, about both world and human history, and about methods of knowledge and understanding in various disciplines of the sciences and humanities. Before I accepted that Atheism was the view I truly held, I considered myself a Jewish believer and I made a practice of reading Torah, donning Tefillin, and visiting shul. After my acceptance—I don’t think “conversion” captures my experience—I became more focused on the knowledge and activities that really interested me. I wanted to learn about probability. I wanted to blog and to do computer programming. I felt more empowered to pursue my best self.

3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
Some people give different degrees of Atheism, as in strong Atheism or weak Atheism. The degrees are supposed to reflect how certain one is. Atheism is often contrasted with agnosticism, which is the position of “I don’t know.” Even at the times in my life when I was most believing, I always harbored some agnosticism. Eventually, however, I realized that I knew enough to make “I don’t know” a weasel conclusion. I didn’t think it was honest for me to sit on the fence anymore, and so I became an Atheist.

4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
I suppose I would be considered a strong Atheist, as I don’t think there’s any question that no gods exist or ever have. I’m certain that all religions are man-made and that all the holy books are human invention. Don’t get me wrong: some of the narratives, poetry, and teachings in these books are lovely. But these books do not warrant special authority and they often don’t make great guides for how people ought to live their lives today. I am also personally critical of religious organizations. I think the Catholic church is a horrible, evil institution. I think religious apology and evangelism are mostly immoral activities. I am an advocate for the position that religious organizations should pay state and federal taxes.

5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
I don’t know of any good reason to think that there is an afterlife in the sense of a Heaven or Hell.

6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
In my opinion, and I feel I’m on the right track with this, everyone dies and eventually decomposes.

7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
Atheism makes a good fit for me because it brings me back to basic important questions that need to be asked about most anything: Is this actually true? How do we know? How else can we legitimately understand this? It’s also a good fit because I don’t need to do things I always thought were kind of silly—such as giving thanks and praise to nothing, or calling Abraham’s willingness to murder his son a good thing, or standing in respect to a book or a wall.

8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
Every day is “holy.” We don’t get a chance to re-do the right now and the today. Hopefully, what we are doing and learning right now set a trajectory for good things.

9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Yes, people of other faiths are my friends. Heck, one of them is my wife! I don’t know what my young children will choose for themselves religiously. My worries for them are more material, but I would not want them to join a religion in which they feel compelled to avoid me. That would hurt.

10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
I try to minimize the amount of time I join family and friends in specifically religious activities. I have better things to do. When they are done with the religious part, I usually try to join them at that time. Sometimes, as for a funeral, one must enter a church and sit through the blah-blah, but these times are relatively few.

11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
I think both the burka and Sharia Law are awful and antithetical to human happiness and welfare.

12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
There are several Atheist organizations, and I believe women are able to hold any office within them. Personally, I advocate equal opportunity for all.

13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
No.

14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
Atheism affects my daily life in some ways. I read the Atheist blogs. I don’t worry about having bacon or sausage. Most of the time, the non-existence of divine beings in the universe doesn’t seem to affect me.

15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
If the potential spouse is a Red Sox fan, I can handle most anything.

16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
No. I have a hard time understanding how people could think that their group alone has the keys out of Hell while everyone else now living and the billions upon billions who have ever lived before are baking over brimstone.

17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
There are some prominent and outspoken Atheists. They don’t speak for me or for anyone else. They know it, too.

18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
When I was a kid, I was probably called various Jewish names before (e.g., “kike,” “Jew-ball,” etc.).

19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
No, not at all.

20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
No. I get peace of mind from the love of my family and from being a decent person.

21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
Not in the sense of people “coming back” as other people or animals. I’m not familiar enough with any pro-reincarnation arguments to comment much on the idea.