We Asatru are a squabbling bunch. How many people have seen kindreds blow apart because of internal disagreements. In my 8 years of living in Maryland I've seen four of them blow apart
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I need to be able to make my family (extended, inclusive, historical and current) proud and face myself in a mirror in the morning.
All else is window dressing.
If I drove my alliances away with pettiness, frustration, bile or jealous hungers - I could not face myself in the morning. If I make my home an unwelcoming one, if I make my steps in the never stink, if I spread worthless anger or deny guest right to another arbitrarily - I make myself into something I cannot be.
too many people lose because they forget this and lose themselves in frustation and fear.
You know, in the grand scheme of things it doesn't matter whether we think of heathenry as one religion or as one way with many religions within it. People's definitions of "religion" and "sect" and "approach" differ.
But we need to learn the difference between plainspeaking to a friend and ally and plainspeaking to an enemy. We fritter away our common strength by focusing too much on pissing contests, by attacking our allies. That is not constructive, it is counterproductive. And it is not manly pride, it is folly.
I don't think it matters very much to the gods what we call ourselves or how big our kindreds or our organizations are. I think they do care if we waste our time and energies or shoot at each other rather than at those we have legitimate beefs with.
I am not one of those who think the Old Man puts his folks through horrid ordeals--or in fact that any of our gods do that, though some of us have hard orlay.
But so long as we live, we will have to strive. Pretending otherwise is delusion or foolish navel-gazing. The thing is, which battles do we pull out all the stops on, which people do we get out the long knives on? We have to distinguish between telling someone "You're being an idiot" and cutting someone off at the knees; we have to expend our efforts reasonably wisely and value companionship. "Man's delight is man" and a tree that stands alone looks naked. And even Thor takes someone along.
Much of this I would agree with. But I will gently point out that there are several lists of "virtues" and they are all modern inventions. Heathen ethics are not a little list like the 10 Commandments . . . which is one reason people who like dogma find heathenry a bit stressful :-) We will always differ--as you recognize
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The "day" remark was a facetious one. Of course I think it should be every day getting along.You are right that our ancestors tore each other apart by allegiance to a king and tribal warfare has always been a problem
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Comments 35
All else is window dressing.
If I drove my alliances away with pettiness, frustration, bile or jealous hungers - I could not face myself in the morning.
If I make my home an unwelcoming one, if I make my steps in the never stink, if I spread worthless anger or deny guest right to another arbitrarily - I make myself into something I cannot be.
too many people lose because they forget this and lose themselves in frustation and fear.
Reply
You know, in the grand scheme of things it doesn't matter whether we think of heathenry as one religion or as one way with many religions within it. People's definitions of "religion" and "sect" and "approach" differ.
But we need to learn the difference between plainspeaking to a friend and ally and plainspeaking to an enemy. We fritter away our common strength by focusing too much on pissing contests, by attacking our allies. That is not constructive, it is counterproductive. And it is not manly pride, it is folly.
I don't think it matters very much to the gods what we call ourselves or how big our kindreds or our organizations are. I think they do care if we waste our time and energies or shoot at each other rather than at those we have legitimate beefs with.
Frith,
M
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I agree with you completely.
Although (and as aside) - I'm starting to realize that the Old Man likes conflict to test his people. I'll have to ponder that some more.
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I am not one of those who think the Old Man puts his folks through horrid ordeals--or in fact that any of our gods do that, though some of us have hard orlay.
But so long as we live, we will have to strive. Pretending otherwise is delusion or foolish navel-gazing. The thing is, which battles do we pull out all the stops on, which people do we get out the long knives on? We have to distinguish between telling someone "You're being an idiot" and cutting someone off at the knees; we have to expend our efforts reasonably wisely and value companionship. "Man's delight is man" and a tree that stands alone looks naked. And even Thor takes someone along.
Frith,
M
Thunor's and Woden's
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