tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443926733658770096.post7414713112695915314..comments2023-11-21T11:56:45.500-05:00Comments on The Political Pagan: Non-White Asatruar: Do They Exist?Maelstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14875423418826420350noreply@blogger.comBlogger62125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443926733658770096.post-25105254758674228012020-02-11T06:29:10.787-05:002020-02-11T06:29:10.787-05:00I'm someine who is of mixed heritage(Asian/Eur...I'm someine who is of mixed heritage(Asian/European) I am a beliver in the Norse Gods(spacificaly Thor)... yet i do not label myself as Asatru nor anything else, I am human. <br />I beleive the Gods do not care for labels,race or background. these are concepts of man not the Gods. <br />It's the same as an Asian beliving in a Jewish/Christian God.Yet Asia is full of Christians. <br />They are inclusive, so why should the way of the Nordic Gods be any less <br /><br />The Gods call to those whose hearts and minds are open to their voice.<br />The disscusion of race or background is something that is not important.<br />As long as you honor the Gods and are true to them what importance do these things hold.<br />Honor the Gods if they have called to you and let that be the end of it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443926733658770096.post-64796588560099913242018-10-05T19:28:07.260-04:002018-10-05T19:28:07.260-04:00I am Mexican, and follow the oldways, my great gra...I am Mexican, and follow the oldways, my great grandmother was European, but she get married with a half blood and the 90% of my family are white, in fact my son is a green eyed blond child, by the way my great grandmother was SpanishEdgarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14936143073753355770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443926733658770096.post-77630884306564644732018-03-02T13:30:36.445-05:002018-03-02T13:30:36.445-05:00Curls NPearls, I agree with you. Unfortunately, t...Curls NPearls, I agree with you. Unfortunately, there are "human beings" who choose to believe the gods made a mistake when they created people to have different skin colors, or hair textures, or eye colors; for some reason, they believe the gods creating this plant as one harmonious ecosystem-where everyone should pray together- was in error. Life is a path that each of us must walk. At the end of the walk, each of us will meet the gods. Regardless of what we look like, they will give each of us a beautiful gift, and that gift will be a mirror. When you look into it, all your wrongs or all your rights will reflect back upon you; and skin color will not matter.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443926733658770096.post-8390187614920427902018-02-07T17:04:53.917-05:002018-02-07T17:04:53.917-05:00It is interesting that this is the one Blog essay ...It is interesting that this is the one Blog essay from this site that continues to generate further discussion, EIGHT YEARS after it was first posted!! Clearly, this topic strikes a nerve, with two very different schools of thought.Maelstromhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14875423418826420350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443926733658770096.post-72215560590164519322018-02-06T21:36:37.664-05:002018-02-06T21:36:37.664-05:00True Wontanism means that even dark people of whit...True Wontanism means that even dark people of white ancestry should be accepted to practice it; as by nature whiteness is a component of their DNA. <br /><br />Having stated this if you are a magic person of a darker persuasion, don't constrict yourself to these terms and labels. Your ancestors speak to you because you are connected to them by blood.They are beyond the racism of blind children who do not have the ability to truely converse with the gods. Let us not ignore their voices or their touching; adhere and listen.<br />Ancient Voicehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10339299220891769302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443926733658770096.post-87703781452140105372018-02-06T21:21:18.588-05:002018-02-06T21:21:18.588-05:00Wotanism is the act of being ethnocentric. Howeve...Wotanism is the act of being ethnocentric. However for Wontanism to be true to itself, dark skinned individual who are of white ancestry should also be accepted. Birracial individuals should be accepted.Ancient Voicehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10339299220891769302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443926733658770096.post-88977313860599015262018-02-06T20:39:15.003-05:002018-02-06T20:39:15.003-05:00I'm a non-white Asatruar. I have South America...I'm a non-white Asatruar. I have South American parents, and the majority of my ethnic heritage is South Asian and Persian. I think the idea of having to be white to be an Asatruar and of Germanic descent as the only qualifier to be an Asatruar devalues the religion. And I also think that it limits the reach of the gods. How dare we have the audacity to do that??? It may upset some people that I am not white or do not look like them; and I laugh at that. Choosing a religion based on your looks, or excluding people based on theirs, is absolutely ridiculous; it is literally the most superficial approach to religion. And really, religion is one of the last things in life that should be superficial. No, I am not white. My hair is dark with red shine in the summer sun, my eyes are as dark as jet. My skin is the colour of a young fawn. If I have any European ancestry, it is but a drop. However, I felt the call to Asatru long before I even knew what it was. The gods call who they want, and we have no say over who they choose as their own. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07056431789576226593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443926733658770096.post-27691136814670306402018-02-06T20:30:52.825-05:002018-02-06T20:30:52.825-05:00I'm a non-white Asatruar. My parents are South...I'm a non-white Asatruar. My parents are South American, and my ancestors are from Northern India and Persia. And yet, this is the religion that is right for me. It may upset some followers that I am not white, and do not look like them. But if you are choosing your religion based on your looks, then you are choosing it for the wrong reason; literally the most superficial reason possible. It's laughable. The gods call who they want, and that's all there is to it. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07056431789576226593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443926733658770096.post-75085276718209735672017-09-21T06:37:40.927-04:002017-09-21T06:37:40.927-04:00Nature defines true wotanism.you love your own kin...Nature defines true wotanism.you love your own kindred because they inter alia look like you.it's very simple!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16146274125403538966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443926733658770096.post-24885412739577684712017-09-21T06:32:03.920-04:002017-09-21T06:32:03.920-04:00True wotanism is based on the laws of nature and t...True wotanism is based on the laws of nature and thus cannot allow non whites who can be pagans in their own rightAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443926733658770096.post-35318170318751961852017-09-21T06:24:20.474-04:002017-09-21T06:24:20.474-04:00True wotanism based on nature's laws can never...True wotanism based on nature's laws can never accept non whites as wotanists.non whites can be pagans in their one right but separate from whites.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16146274125403538966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443926733658770096.post-68000585454314136922017-09-15T21:35:22.499-04:002017-09-15T21:35:22.499-04:00I am a right leaning Heathen that lives in the Oza...I am a right leaning Heathen that lives in the Ozark mountains of Missouri. Heathenry, especially now 7 years after you posed this question, is very open to anyone who wants to participate, I even know of a tribe in Arkansas that has a Transgender member. Regardless of your race, gender identity or sexuality the vast, <b>vast</b> majority of Heathens don't mind, and everyone is welcome at public events. We may be more conservative people but we aren't backwards, we are aware that it's 2017 and we are accepting of our community, whoever is one of us (a kinsman), we are a very community based religion and we stand by our brothers and sisters no matter what they look like... If we play the game of labels, and you are in my Kindred, you are first and foremost my Kin.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443926733658770096.post-28581272885237582612017-07-14T06:55:38.664-04:002017-07-14T06:55:38.664-04:00Hello, this is an extremely interesting debate - e...Hello, this is an extremely interesting debate - especially the rather high amount of Native American feedback. I didn't see that coming. <br /><br />@Ellie, due to the historical circumstances many many people of all creeds and colours have european ancestry. Take Afro-americans, they are mixed in with Europeans, and their culture is, for most parts, founded on European culture.<br /><br />Anyways, The dwarfs forged us and brought us to the surface, the three high Asir gave us life and will, the three Giantresses gave us fate.Hreikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09795724229549976967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443926733658770096.post-26020644439329569372017-04-15T06:34:01.261-04:002017-04-15T06:34:01.261-04:00I joined asatru specifically because of it's r...I joined asatru specifically because of it's reputation as ethnically-focused. That said, I would be happy for people of any race or religion to come along to meets. They are certainly welcome among the asatru followers I know. But I don't see why a non-european would have any desire to actively celebrate european ancestors and european folkways in much the same way that I find other cultures and religions interesting and respect them (and have gone to their festivals), but do not have any reason to follow them personally.Ellienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443926733658770096.post-82063838428340171102016-11-06T00:04:50.722-04:002016-11-06T00:04:50.722-04:00I was born in Beijing, China and I am Chinese. Alt...I was born in Beijing, China and I am Chinese. Although I was raised in America by caucasian non religious parents. I used to follow the Asatru faith for sometime and would wear multiple variations of Thors hammer. Therefore there are other people who do follow the Asatru faith who have absolutely no European and Northern European blood. Although I stopped following the religion because in the years I was part of the religion I have never actually met another person of the same faith and my family thought I was kind of weird for following Asatru. It does not help that most people do not even know about paganism, let alone Germanic Neo-paganism or Germanic Paganism. I lived in Colorado when I followed the faith, that being said I currently life in California. I still like to follow some of the ethics and values of Asatru because that is what I loved about Asatru when I joined. Maybe someday I might get back into the religion although, for now the religion contradicts my scientific beliefs.Conradnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443926733658770096.post-55252760623418986822016-05-20T23:59:42.023-04:002016-05-20T23:59:42.023-04:00Frog, I am not an authority to tell you what you s...Frog, I am not an authority to tell you what you should or should not do. In my personal opinion, the gods are not obsessed with race or ethnic identity, as they are beyond those things. The gods mixed freely with giants in the myths, and the Vikings mixed freely with non-Vikings in history. It is only in recent times that people have become obsessed with the illusion of racial purity. As I see it, you are free to love those you wish to love and share your belief with those you wish.Maelstromhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14875423418826420350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443926733658770096.post-79498294662510285532016-05-20T19:43:00.255-04:002016-05-20T19:43:00.255-04:00Me n my boyfriend are white heathens i have 2 bira...Me n my boyfriend are white heathens i have 2 biracial sons. Is it allowed to introduce my sons to our beliefFrog1427https://www.blogger.com/profile/01795592919231803859noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443926733658770096.post-51630590646718844952015-12-24T08:45:12.693-05:002015-12-24T08:45:12.693-05:00Thanks for your thoughtful contribution, John. I a...Thanks for your thoughtful contribution, John. I am amazed that five years after it was written, this blog post still generates discussion. I believe this shows that the issue is still important and that debate continues about who Asatru is for and to what extent racial or ethnic identity should be a condition of Asatru involvement. I am also intrigued by your political affiliation. If you are in the USA, you must be aware that left-wing political views are not so common among Asatru Pagans in America, which is what led me to start this blog in the first place! I wish you well and invite to continue to contribute comments.Maelstromhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14875423418826420350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443926733658770096.post-73185953628924144852015-12-24T05:01:35.410-05:002015-12-24T05:01:35.410-05:00I'm a Norse Pagan, and a democratic Communist ...I'm a Norse Pagan, and a democratic Communist (I believe that volk is not an ethnic concept, and the Norse considered volk those who they identified with and owed loyalty. Numerous historical anecdotes show us unrelated individuals being considered volk based not on skin color but social circumstances which caused them to bond with a given community. I am a volkist, and my volk are the international working class, regardless of race). I once dated a half haitian, half Moroccan girl who worshipped Freyja fervently and honored the Norse Gods. She also practiced West African Vodun alongside this, and had come into Paganism from her grandfather who practiced Vodun and taught her faith, but she had been taught by him that any Gods or spirits might call her,and felt a connection to the Norse gods. I know this isn't traditional Asatru but I thought it might still be relevant. In addition, I once saw a black metal head wearing both a pentacle and a Mjollnir at a Type O Negative concert, but I didn't ask him about how he saw his faith.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16968910765845856622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443926733658770096.post-25266573605037112302014-11-05T21:13:53.636-05:002014-11-05T21:13:53.636-05:00Dear Esteban,
Thank you for this news from Costa ...Dear Esteban,<br /><br />Thank you for this news from Costa Rica! Very interesting and I wish you and your group best of luck.Maelstromhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14875423418826420350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443926733658770096.post-9775891529639431852014-11-05T19:50:49.212-05:002014-11-05T19:50:49.212-05:00Well, I am the gothi in Costa Rica, most of us are...Well, I am the gothi in Costa Rica, most of us are mestizos, some are not white or close to white. We accept others, we are not universalists nor folkish, we are tribalists and we accept people based on their social compatibility.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06527298230967784012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443926733658770096.post-67718611485118532102014-06-06T12:44:28.767-04:002014-06-06T12:44:28.767-04:00I have recently been researching Asatru. I am a no...I have recently been researching Asatru. I am a non-denominational witch. I am also an atheist. I have googled just about as much as I can and can not seem to get the direct answers I am seeking. I happened to come across this blog and found some pretty good conversation. I am german/scottish/french-canadian. I love the idea of kinship and celebrating my heritage. I apologize in advance if I am off topic here. I just feel this group of commenters may be able to answer my questions without a blanketed agenda of white supremacy. 1# Is much of asatru sexist? Are women considered equal. I come across a lot of "brotherhood" but not "sisterhood". 2# is it possible to follow asatru and not "worship" idols? I do not believe there is a god or goddess. I feel I am my own god. I worship the earth moon and sun. I am from earth and I will go back to earth. I do however love the stories of norse religion. Even my sons name is Odin.3#What is there issue with homosexuality? I have found there is a lot of anti-gay mindset. Why? I would imagine that heathenry would be open to this. Do what makes you happy. Induldge on the pleasures of flesh. I have always been atheist…mostly against organized religion…mostly christianity. Asatru is however appealing due to the community of like minded folk that want to keep their heritage alive. Any thoughts? Thanks for reading my way to wordy comment.<br />Winter WitchWinter Witchhttps://www.facebook.com/kikivon.haus?ref=tn_tnmnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443926733658770096.post-63182102944143940692014-05-13T10:03:07.041-04:002014-05-13T10:03:07.041-04:00Interesting how different people's perceptions...Interesting how different people's perceptions on what non europeas are. I know 2 Puerto Ricans and an Argentinian who took up Asatru. They are of Spanish decent, therefore they are of European background as far as I am concerned. I also know a girl of mixed heritage (English, Italian, and native Indian) who embraced Asatru. The God's will call who they will. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443926733658770096.post-87896071854498800972014-03-19T23:48:25.105-04:002014-03-19T23:48:25.105-04:00I am American Indian, Comanche and Ojibwe. I know...I am American Indian, Comanche and Ojibwe. I know a great many pagans of various ethnic backgrounds. Though I am Asatru, I can't claim to know many Asatruar, and none besides myself who are non-white. However, the first knowledgeable person I ever spoke to about the faith, the head of the Denver Kindred, once said to me, "We have no right to question who the gods do or do not call." His basic thesis was that yes, the majority of Asatruar are of northern-european descent, because it is a heathen religion. But Odhinn may be heard by anyone, not just someone whose lineage is connected to the faith. That's my two cents.<br /><br />~KenAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2443926733658770096.post-39103506962630720062013-12-27T22:30:35.363-05:002013-12-27T22:30:35.363-05:00What drew me to heathenism is that it's part o...What drew me to heathenism is that it's part of my heritage. I'm not just drawn to my fathers' gods, but to everything: the land, the language, the myths, the ocean, the warlike nature, the art, the clothing, etc. It does not bother me if I see people of color identifying as heathens, but I don't understand why they do. Until the middle eastern plagues of christianity and islam spread outward, just about everyone of any color, from any continent, was a pagan of some variety. Apart from possibly Buddhism, which I know absolutely nothing about and can't comment intelligently on, I don't know of any monotheistic religions (except Judaism, but since they didn't go around forcibly converting pagans I have no quarrel with them). Almost everyone of any ancestry has their own pagan path to follow. A black person identifying as Asatru seems just as odd to me as it would be for me to identify with the old Mayan gods. I don't know why a Mexican person would follow European gods, that seems odd, but it doesn't offend me. I don't go out of my way either to include or exclude anyone, regardless of race. I don't tend to concern myself with others' actions unless they affect me. So I don't go out of my way to spread Asatru, nor to keep it exclusive. You either hear the call of the old ways, or you don't. I will say, though, that you sound more interested in racial issues than religious issues. Just because someone is interested in our own ancestry does not mean that we feel others' ancestry is inferior, just different. It's like school subjects - I have no interest in math, but that doesn't mean I hate math and want to wipe it off the face of the earth so everyone can come join me in history class. Other people have other skin colors and other folklore and other gods and that's fine. It's sad that in this country, every race is encouraged to be proud of their heritage except whites, because if you're white it's racism. The people going around trumpeting about diversity are the ones that seem to want to destroy it and make us all the same. If you really value diverse cultures, let them be what they are. In other words, everyone should be proud of their heritage. <br /><br />As an aside, I feel that "pagan" is an all inclusive word describing anyone who believes in multiple gods, while "heathen" is more specific to Asatru/Forn Sed. So all heathens are pagans, but not all pagans are heathens. I'm sure it's confusing to those in other countries. Klaranoreply@blogger.com