Yeah, life continues. I guess it just depends on whether you see that as a bright new future or the post-apocalyptic survivors in a broken land, I guess?
I mention it because it's at the top of the reading list of almost every reconstructionist heathen reading list I've encountered. It's definitely dated, absolutely, but it is still a good overview of teutonic culture. Its view of the mythology is less relevant, but I've not yet encountered...
From what I've read, good and evil aren't really even concepts that the Germanic peoples even cared about. Culture of the Teutons makes it seem like there is much more of a focus on order versus disorder, and kin versus not-kin. I would imagine that Snorri's attempts to shoehorn everything into...
In my last post, when I said that "they bring more chaos than the alternative" I was specifically referring to Fenris, Jormugandr, Loki, and other entites of that stripe, not jotun in general. If it was understood otherwise, I did not accurately convey my meaning.
Evidence: "That being said...
"while Heathens tend to be socially and politicallyconservative."
You would think that, but it's actually not true. A heavy majority of heathens are left or left-leaning.
The differences between the Jotun and the gods do seem to be rather academic, yes. That being said, some Jotun seem wholly inimical to life itself. I refer to Fenris and Jormugandr in particular. But, that view requires a rather standard view of Ragnarok, so I totally understand a differing view...
So I was reading an article over on Hugin's Heathen Hof and I ended up down the rabbit hole of Rokkatru. For those unaware, these are people who honour the Jotun.
Is it just me, or does this seem like lunacy? The Jotun, historically, are the chaos beyond the gates. Honouring them, especially...
That's a very interesting point, and one that I'd not ever thought of before. It definitely goes a ways to explaining my discomfort with monotheism but relative openness to polytheism.
Out of curiosity, what makes you confident that your experiences were real, as opposed to manifestations of...
In the terms of foxes in your garden, it is far more likely true than false, absolutely. But Zeus appearing in your kitchen and making you a sandwich is not equally as probable as foxes running through your garden. I am not saying that it is patently impossible, but it is a huge deal less likely...
The ancients were ignorant, though. Not in a general sense, but as a species we have more knowledge now than we ever have had, by virtue of being around longer. The vikings were more advanced than civilisations that preceded them, as well, and we currently will be surpassed by those that come...
Well yeah but surely you see the value in basing modern conclusions from the historical record. If someone wants to get ideas as to how to do a Blot, it makes sense to look at the old sources as much as one can, and then fill in the rest. If your conclusion is "we weren't there so do whatever...
That's because the archetype theory is the product of expanded psychological and scientific understanding that didn't exist in the ancient world. It is a new method of interpretation because we didn't have the tools to see it as an option in the past. It is a way of explaining gods and powerful...
You told him a thing, and he unquestioningly believed it? Sounds to me like your dad humoured you to make things easier. Your religion, your god, is so new. So, so new. Even IF a religion were true, it'd be something earlier, something older. Not a violent newcomer like Islam that is barely 1500...
Most of it is still Christian, unfortunately. Praise be the archaeologists for their pre-christian data-gathering. I studied OE for four years in university, basically everything the stab-happy buggers wrote was Christian in nature, since it all kinda starts with Caedmon's Hymn. It's still...
Upon looking into some of your sources, I am wondering how relevant Godden is. His 2002 work seems to focus almost exclusively on post-Christian Saxon concepts. If this discussion is regarding Anglo0Saxon Heathenry, it seems like a better idea to look pre-christian, if possible, though I do...