I donât think people realize just how many USChristian attitudes get passed around in Heathenry, so I compiled different statements and behaviors Iâve seen over the years that reflect Christian notions not original to Heathenry. These examples are illustrative rather than definitive, since Iâm only somewhat familiar with different Christian frameworks, but it should be enough to give you the picture:
âThe first and most important thing you need to do to practice Heathenry is read the Eddas.â
âYou must worship Odin even if you donât want to, because heâs the head god.â
âThe point of being Heathen is to live life in a way that grants you entry to Valhalla.â
âValhalla is the good/awesome afterlife and Helheim is the bad/boring afterlife.â
âThe Ăsir are good and the jötnar are evil.â
âOdin is like God, Loki is like the Devil, and Baldr is like Jesus.â
âOdin is more powerful than the rest of the gods.â
âRagnarok is the End Times.â
(âUs vs. themâ attitudes.)
(Not knowing what to do with the the goddesses in general, regardless of oneâs gender.)
âTo be Heathen, you must serve the gods.â
âWe canât truly know the gods, only attempt to understand them through the Eddas.â
âThe gods are distant and donât care about our personal needs or lives.â
âWe must act as the godsâ ambassadors on Earth.â
âMaking sacrifices should be painful. Thatâs why itâs called a sacrifice.â
âRagnarök is the End Times and thereâs nothing we can do about it.â
(Treating the HĂĄvamĂĄl as scripture.)
(Using medieval Icelandic law-tracts as a stand-in for Heathen religious orthodoxy.)
(Observing strict worship and insisting others do the same.)
(Adopting a very feudalistic relationship with the gods; lord/servant dynamics.)
âShowing devotion to the gods is done by acting as their hands and feet on earth.â
âYou must think about the gods all the time and involve them in everything you do.â
âWhy should we merely âwork withâ the gods when we can worship them?â
âRagnarök is the End Times and we must prepare to fight on the side of the gods.â OR...
âRagnarök is the End Times and we must help fulfill it.â
(Behaving as marginalized on the basis of their faith.)
(Reacting badly when confronted with new information about Heathenry.)
(Making bold or even standoffish declarations of faith.)
If you come from a Christian background and hear someone make statements like this, youâre probably going to feel pressured to come up with a counterargument for why itâs okay for you to disagree. What you actually need to do is dismiss the premise entirely. These arguments arenât reflective of Heathen truths and you donât have to argue with them as though they are.
This is also not a dig at those whoâve made these statements / done these behaviors before. Itâs not exactly second-nature for us to break out of the habit of believing in a specific idea or behaving in a specific way when we believed / behaved that way for most of our lives. However, itâs still worth understanding how specific to Christianity these things are and trying to move away from them.
Itâs up to you if you want to point out the nature of these arguments to the people making them. But if you do, I recommend doing so tactfully, with a clear head, and with a very clear understanding about what makes the premise Christian in nature.
Let me know if you want clarification on any of these points and why they arenât reflective of Heathenry. Iâm happy to go into it.
blakekathryn
germansingergirl
prguitarman
romaincrisis
janainaart
vaporwave
turnnoffyourmind
dailybridgerton
