Hello and Happy Saturday!
There'll be a new interview next Saturday so be sure to check it out!
If you'd like to participate, please email ymr@bell.net. Would love to hear from you!
Have a wonderful day everyone!
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Simone de Beauvoir Quote
Hello and Happy Wednesday!
Today's quote is brought to you by Simone de Beauvoir:
Change your life today. Don't gamble on the future, act now, without delay.
Have a wonderful day everyone!
Today's quote is brought to you by Simone de Beauvoir:
Change your life today. Don't gamble on the future, act now, without delay.
Have a wonderful day everyone!
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Brian Greenhow
Hello and Happy Saturday!
I wish to thank Seth Alföðurson for his very interesting and informative interview. I really enjoyed learning more about your faith and I thank you so much for sharing with us Seth!
Today we have a new interview so please welcome Brian Greenhow. Brian is an Asatruar and I know you will enjoy his interview as well!
Here Is Brian Greenhow's Introduction:
My name is Brian Greenhow and I've dabbled in quite a few religions, I guess you could say I never found that missing piece. That is until about 3 years ago, I began looking into Norse mythology, at first as nothing more than a hobby but there's a point somewhere that it became something more and I can't truly say exactly when, and at first I felt a little isolated, it wasn't until a year later that I stumbled across the term Asatru and then realised that there were far more people like me than I first thought.
1) What religion do you practice?
Asatru
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'm a convert and I didn't need to do anything, one day I just looked back and I just... was! I was raised Christian but always felt out of place, and when I was old enough to read the bible myself I found it wasn't for me, and for a long time I was Gnostic, I briefly touched on Hindu then turned to witchcraft but I never really felt I fit there either, Tao offered me inspiration but again, I couldn't immerse and it was only due to a friend introducing me to folk metal that I started looking into Nordic myth, and that last piece of the puzzle just fit.
3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
There's no real orthodox observance to Asatru, but you will find a number of different degrees, some of them don't mix well with others, but for the most part we all try to learn from each other. As with most religions, you'll find the hardcore fundamentalists, those with an aggressive political drive and varying degrees of moderacy and of course those who abuse the ideology to suit their agenda. Some are very hands on and insist on ritual while others are happy to keep their worship between them and the gods, I suppose what I'm saying is, there's no set way to observe, everyone seems to forge their own way.
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 consider myself a moderate though I don't know if I chose that so much as it just fell down round me, while I am a very opinionated person, I have little drive for ambition or politics and I practice my religion as I already lived my life, I'll stand up for myself if need be but generally prefer to keep to myself.
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)
There are many thoughts on the afterlife for an Asatruar and no real right or wrong answer but in short, there's no Heaven/Hell. There are many deities and some believe they will go to their patron god's hall for their service, others believe in reincarnation and some believe we stay here in spirit to watch over our descendants. Most will tell you we first go to the goddess Hel, who decides our fate and for warriors of course, there is Valhalla where those chosen train to participate in Ragnarok and stand by the gods in the final battle.
6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
Simply put, no, Valhalla is for warriors, if you're not a warrior you face Hel and I believe are given a place according to your deeds, whether that be a peaceful rest, joining your ancestors or another turn on the wheel or a punishment for a life misspent.
7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
Honestly I can't rightly say, but it seems to fit very snugly with my world view, as if I was born to be a part of it.
8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
There are a lot of holy days, but most are either on the height of the season or a season change, perhaps the most important is Yule, which for our ancestors was observed at the peak of winter. Everyone has their own customs but most holidays are marked with a feast or gathering to celebrate family and friends, and a symbolic offering to the gods.
9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Yes, providing the acceptance is returned, I personally don't tolerate someone who can't tolerate me. I go on the premise that everyone is my friend unless they give me reason not to be, so saying, I have very few enemies and as a general rule, have no problems with other ideologies.
10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
Yes, but this is conditional, if they don't respect my beliefs then I would have to think their invitation involves an ulterior motive but if it's just in the spirit of hospitality, then I'm happy to join in the celebration.
11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
Sharia Law is an abomination, and the burqa is a device to dehumanise women. I despise misogyny and cruelty, Sharia Law is nothing but. The burqa is a symbol of domination and slavery.
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 have equal standing in Asatru, and I'm very happy about that.
13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
My place of worship is practically anywhere and I can express myself in any way I wish. I don't feel compelled to interact with other groups but neither am I compelled not to, and I suppose, to answer the question, that leaves me at ease.
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?
My religion has very little impact on my daily life and no impact on my opinions, my opinions are my own and if my religion required me to change them, then I would reconsider my religion.
15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
For me, that's almost a certainty so I have to be alright with it, but as any father I'm obliged to consider what makes my children happy but I won't allow them to be mistreated either.
16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
No, for starters, I don't think there is a hell, each individual is judged on their deeds alone, not their beliefs.
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 can accurately answer that, perhaps my belief isn't really known well enough yet or perhaps I'm still too new to know of the major spokesmen, those I have heard of are all practicing to some degree.
18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
No, most people I've found haven't heard of or know too little about my religion for any such thing to occur.
19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
No, Asatru is all about valuing yourself, self respect and self reliance.
20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Yes, I feel more than ever that I know my place in this world and I don't need to feel guilty about it.
21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
Yes, I think our souls need to learn something and sometimes it takes more than one turn to learn it.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Virginia Woolf
Hello and Happy Wednesday!
Today's quote is brought to you by Virginia Woolf:
Each has his past shut in him like the leaves of a book known to him by his heart, and his friends can only read the title.
Have a wonderful day everyone!
Today's quote is brought to you by Virginia Woolf:
Each has his past shut in him like the leaves of a book known to him by his heart, and his friends can only read the title.
Have a wonderful day everyone!
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Nido Qubein
Hello and Happy Wednesday!
Today's quote is brought to you by Nido Qubein:
Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start.
Have a wonderful day everyone!
Today's quote is brought to you by Nido Qubein:
Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start.
Have a wonderful day everyone!
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Seth Alföðurson
Hello and Happy Saturday!
I wish to thank Mary for her wonderful interview! I enjoyed reading your answers and learning more about your faith. Thank you for sharing with us Mary!
Today we have a new interview so please welcome Seth Alföðurson. Seth is an Asatruar and I know you will enjoy his interview as well!
Here Is Seth Alföðurson's Introduction:
HI! My name is Seth Alföðurson, I am 18 years old and have been practicing Asatru for five years. I am the founder of a brand new networking/ “organization” called The Asatru Community (TAC for short). We are a fast growing, completely free, and very welcoming organization that wishes to bring heathens and Asatruar together from all around the world. It was a lack for something similar that made me create TAC. I am kind, young, funny and full of life and the drive to get things done! There is really not too much to say about me, if you want to learn more about myself or TAC, here is my contact info! Feel free to contact me! At this point, you may be wondering what Asatru is, well instead of taking up the time here to explain it, you can find out all you would want to know here: http://theasatrucommunity.wordpress.com/asatru/
Email: theasatrucommunity@outlook.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seth.alfodirson
Website: http://theasatrucommunity.wordpress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AsatruCommunity
1) What religion do you practice?
I am an Asatruar. I have practiced Asatru, a type of heathenism, for 5 years.
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?
Converted or reverted. Hmm, that is a good question. It all depends on how you look at it. I would say convert. My family has been Jewish for a while, I would not say more than 2-500 years. Before that they were pagan/heathens, must have been. Well, back to the question I was born and raised Jewish, and when I was thirteen I “converted” to Asatru. What did I need to do? I renounced my faith, and swore an oath to The Holy Powers, or the gods and goddess, that I would be their follower, and uphold their virtues and honor.
3) Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
No there are not. One of the great things about heathenry is everyone does their own thing. There is no dogma, or set of rules to follow. For Asatruars, there is a basic set of ideas and beliefs that most heathens follow, but it’s pretty much to each his own, there are not levels of beliefs. There are however Folkish and Universalist beliefs. Those who are folkish believe that only people of European decent can honor the European gods. Universalists on the other hand believe that anyone can honor our gods.
4) Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
As to what I said, I am a Universalist.
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)
This is a big one! There are many different ideas/ possibilities depending on your beliefs and how you lived your life. Instead of going on about this, I shall just link to an article I have already wrote about it, I think it explains it nicely. http://theasatrucommunity.wordpress.com/the-afterlife/
6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
Well first off we do not have a heaven or paradise per say. There are many good places you can go to after death, as you can see from the article above. Most people think that Valhalla is our heaven, so let’s just go with that for now. I believe that in order to go to Valhalla, you have to live and die bravely, defending what you stand for. The general idea is however that you must die in battle to go to Valhalla.
7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
What makes Asatru a good fit for me? It is home, it gives me strength and guidance when I need it. It gives me answers to the questions of life. My ancestors (From central to northern Europe) followed similar faiths. It is returning to my ancestral roots.
8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
We have many holidays, the solstices and equinoxes, days to honor the gods and goddesses, etc. We have many many holidays. The ways in which our holidays are celebrated are by prayer, blots, which are sacrifices and or libations to the holy powers, or the sumbel, which is a great feast and gathering. Certain holidays are celebrated with certain rituals, etc. For instance, Ostara, the celebration of the spring equinox which just occurred, is usually celebrated with a blot.
9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
If I did not, I would not have any friends! There are not many heathens our there! Although TAC is trying to bring together those that are.
10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
I have, and I would again! I have been to many Jewish celebrations, catholic, Lutheran. Why? Because I am not a bigot. It is not going to hurt me to support my friends and family, it’s not going to convert me or change my world view. All it can do is show me the way other people believe and live, and I think understanding is a very important feature.
11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
I do not know enough to comment. All I know is that they have something to do with restricting women’s rights, which I am fully against.
12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
Historically, in European, especially Scandinavian culture, women were always equal to men. That all changed when the Christians came however. In the past, and today women are looked upon as highly as men are and are welcome to do whatever they wish. I am perfectly fine with women holding religious offices, although since Asatru is not an “organized” religion, I would not call them offices. Our priest class are called Godis for men, and Gydjia for women. (I think that is spelled wrong) Or godsmen and godswomen.
13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
Nature is our place of worship, and nature does not segregate.
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?
Everything I do is in the full knowing that the gods and goddess, or the vaettir (sprites), and even the ancestors are watching. Being a heathen means going through life and living it, feeling and knowing the presence of the divine. To live strong and true, I go through my days knowing this. It does affect my decision making, in a way. But my opinions on the examples above are my own, and they will change from heathen to heathen. There is no set rule, or belief on anything in heathenry.
15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
Let’s just say I expect them to! The chances of them marrying within the religion are slim at the time being. However that is changing quickly. I want my children to marry for love, not faith.
16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
Absolutely not. First off, Hell, the word at least, comes from our religion. Thousands of years before Christianity came along we had a place called Hel, and a goddess named Hela, or Hel. In the original Hel, it is like the underworld. It is cold, and icey. But it is not a place of punishment, but a place of rest. From my knowledge, it is very much like the Christian heaven, a place of rest and relaxation where one meets with their deceased kin. Those who go to Hel are those that die of old age or sickness, but it is not a punishment, but a chance for rest and happiness. Now our version of Hell, is Nastrond, in the world of NIflheim (We have 9 worlds) and is a terrible, terrible place. You go here if you are a rapist, murderer, oath breaker. Not or not having the same beliefs as I do.
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 is no one that speaks for all heathens. There are different heathen organizations, such as The Asatru Community, Asatru Folk Assembly, Asatru Alliance, and their leaders can speak for their own group and its ideals, but no one can speak for all heathens. Despite this, there are those who think that they can, and I usually disagree with them strongly on their ideals.
18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
Nope, not yet, although I know of many heathens and pagans who have been. A ridiculous thing I think.
19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
Absolutely not, in no way! It does the opposite! It makes me stronger and more confident!
20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Definitely! Asatruars are fond of meditation, and prayer, besides the wondrous effects of those two things, being an Asatruar in general gives me peace of mind.
21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
Yes I do. I believe there are many paths after death, in some cases we can choose which path we wish to go down. One thing that I think is different between heathen reincarnation ideas, and those of other faiths is that you must be reborn within your family line. We are our ancestors, and in turn will be part of our descendants. It is for this reason that it is looked down upon to name a child after someone who is still living, as it may mean that person wishes for said namesake to die.
I am free and open for anyone to contact me and ask me anything! My contact info is on the top of this interview. I would like to thank the host of this site for allowing me to share my ideals and beliefs!
I wish to thank Mary for her wonderful interview! I enjoyed reading your answers and learning more about your faith. Thank you for sharing with us Mary!
Today we have a new interview so please welcome Seth Alföðurson. Seth is an Asatruar and I know you will enjoy his interview as well!
Here Is Seth Alföðurson's Introduction:
HI! My name is Seth Alföðurson, I am 18 years old and have been practicing Asatru for five years. I am the founder of a brand new networking/ “organization” called The Asatru Community (TAC for short). We are a fast growing, completely free, and very welcoming organization that wishes to bring heathens and Asatruar together from all around the world. It was a lack for something similar that made me create TAC. I am kind, young, funny and full of life and the drive to get things done! There is really not too much to say about me, if you want to learn more about myself or TAC, here is my contact info! Feel free to contact me! At this point, you may be wondering what Asatru is, well instead of taking up the time here to explain it, you can find out all you would want to know here: http://theasatrucommunity.wordpress.com/asatru/
Email: theasatrucommunity@outlook.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seth.alfodirson
Website: http://theasatrucommunity.wordpress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AsatruCommunity
1) What religion do you practice?
I am an Asatruar. I have practiced Asatru, a type of heathenism, for 5 years.
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?
Converted or reverted. Hmm, that is a good question. It all depends on how you look at it. I would say convert. My family has been Jewish for a while, I would not say more than 2-500 years. Before that they were pagan/heathens, must have been. Well, back to the question I was born and raised Jewish, and when I was thirteen I “converted” to Asatru. What did I need to do? I renounced my faith, and swore an oath to The Holy Powers, or the gods and goddess, that I would be their follower, and uphold their virtues and honor.
3) Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
No there are not. One of the great things about heathenry is everyone does their own thing. There is no dogma, or set of rules to follow. For Asatruars, there is a basic set of ideas and beliefs that most heathens follow, but it’s pretty much to each his own, there are not levels of beliefs. There are however Folkish and Universalist beliefs. Those who are folkish believe that only people of European decent can honor the European gods. Universalists on the other hand believe that anyone can honor our gods.
4) Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
As to what I said, I am a Universalist.
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)
This is a big one! There are many different ideas/ possibilities depending on your beliefs and how you lived your life. Instead of going on about this, I shall just link to an article I have already wrote about it, I think it explains it nicely. http://theasatrucommunity.wordpress.com/the-afterlife/
6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
Well first off we do not have a heaven or paradise per say. There are many good places you can go to after death, as you can see from the article above. Most people think that Valhalla is our heaven, so let’s just go with that for now. I believe that in order to go to Valhalla, you have to live and die bravely, defending what you stand for. The general idea is however that you must die in battle to go to Valhalla.
7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
What makes Asatru a good fit for me? It is home, it gives me strength and guidance when I need it. It gives me answers to the questions of life. My ancestors (From central to northern Europe) followed similar faiths. It is returning to my ancestral roots.
8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
We have many holidays, the solstices and equinoxes, days to honor the gods and goddesses, etc. We have many many holidays. The ways in which our holidays are celebrated are by prayer, blots, which are sacrifices and or libations to the holy powers, or the sumbel, which is a great feast and gathering. Certain holidays are celebrated with certain rituals, etc. For instance, Ostara, the celebration of the spring equinox which just occurred, is usually celebrated with a blot.
9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
If I did not, I would not have any friends! There are not many heathens our there! Although TAC is trying to bring together those that are.
10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
I have, and I would again! I have been to many Jewish celebrations, catholic, Lutheran. Why? Because I am not a bigot. It is not going to hurt me to support my friends and family, it’s not going to convert me or change my world view. All it can do is show me the way other people believe and live, and I think understanding is a very important feature.
11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
I do not know enough to comment. All I know is that they have something to do with restricting women’s rights, which I am fully against.
12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
Historically, in European, especially Scandinavian culture, women were always equal to men. That all changed when the Christians came however. In the past, and today women are looked upon as highly as men are and are welcome to do whatever they wish. I am perfectly fine with women holding religious offices, although since Asatru is not an “organized” religion, I would not call them offices. Our priest class are called Godis for men, and Gydjia for women. (I think that is spelled wrong) Or godsmen and godswomen.
13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
Nature is our place of worship, and nature does not segregate.
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?
Everything I do is in the full knowing that the gods and goddess, or the vaettir (sprites), and even the ancestors are watching. Being a heathen means going through life and living it, feeling and knowing the presence of the divine. To live strong and true, I go through my days knowing this. It does affect my decision making, in a way. But my opinions on the examples above are my own, and they will change from heathen to heathen. There is no set rule, or belief on anything in heathenry.
15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
Let’s just say I expect them to! The chances of them marrying within the religion are slim at the time being. However that is changing quickly. I want my children to marry for love, not faith.
16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
Absolutely not. First off, Hell, the word at least, comes from our religion. Thousands of years before Christianity came along we had a place called Hel, and a goddess named Hela, or Hel. In the original Hel, it is like the underworld. It is cold, and icey. But it is not a place of punishment, but a place of rest. From my knowledge, it is very much like the Christian heaven, a place of rest and relaxation where one meets with their deceased kin. Those who go to Hel are those that die of old age or sickness, but it is not a punishment, but a chance for rest and happiness. Now our version of Hell, is Nastrond, in the world of NIflheim (We have 9 worlds) and is a terrible, terrible place. You go here if you are a rapist, murderer, oath breaker. Not or not having the same beliefs as I do.
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 is no one that speaks for all heathens. There are different heathen organizations, such as The Asatru Community, Asatru Folk Assembly, Asatru Alliance, and their leaders can speak for their own group and its ideals, but no one can speak for all heathens. Despite this, there are those who think that they can, and I usually disagree with them strongly on their ideals.
18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
Nope, not yet, although I know of many heathens and pagans who have been. A ridiculous thing I think.
19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
Absolutely not, in no way! It does the opposite! It makes me stronger and more confident!
20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Definitely! Asatruars are fond of meditation, and prayer, besides the wondrous effects of those two things, being an Asatruar in general gives me peace of mind.
21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
Yes I do. I believe there are many paths after death, in some cases we can choose which path we wish to go down. One thing that I think is different between heathen reincarnation ideas, and those of other faiths is that you must be reborn within your family line. We are our ancestors, and in turn will be part of our descendants. It is for this reason that it is looked down upon to name a child after someone who is still living, as it may mean that person wishes for said namesake to die.
I am free and open for anyone to contact me and ask me anything! My contact info is on the top of this interview. I would like to thank the host of this site for allowing me to share my ideals and beliefs!
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
William Wallace Quote
Hello and Happy Wednesday!
Today's quote is brought to you by William Wallace:
Every man dies. Not every man really lives.
Have a great day everyone!
Today's quote is brought to you by William Wallace:
Every man dies. Not every man really lives.
Have a great day everyone!
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