Asatru/Heathenism Information Thread

[Duck]

I have a question. I am descended of French, Italian, English, Scottish, and some sort of Germanic country (due to the fact that my brother and sister have blue eyes, and my brother has light hair). As you were saying why you discourage people of non-Germanic descent to follow Asatru or Heathenism, according to that, do I fall into the category of "Germanic"? My interpretation is that the French descended from the Gauls and Franks, who are Germanic, and the English from Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, and the Scottish from Picts and other Celts. In my view, I am Germanic in a sense. However, I would like a second, or third, opinion. I felt that I connected to Asatru, which is why I took it up. I agree that people of different cultures should follow the religion of their ancestors. How do you feel about my situation?

My personal feelings on the matter comes in the form of a couple questions. Does the mythology associated with the Northern European Gods speak to you? Do you feel a sense of connection to the Gods? If the answers are "yes" then Asatru/Heathenry/Odinism are probably for you.

While I would be curious about someone appearing to be obviously NOT of Germanic/Nordic heritage practicing Asatru/Heathenry, who am I to decide that the gods cannot speak to someone? If the gods speak to you, the gods speak to you. I might be curious but cannot condemn.

 

[Klaufi_Wodensson]

Hmm. Well they definitely speak to me. And I definitely feel the connection. When I found the religion, I knew it was for me. It was an instant connection.

Would you say I am Germanic? I was just curious about what others would think. I already have one opinion that says I am Germanic. What do you think? It won't change the way I follow the Gods or anything, I am just wondering.

 

[Herr Heinrich]

I love the German language in general haha. My Step-Father speaks the Bavarian dialect (don't know what it's called), and he says there is less emphasis on the "ch" sound and the "v" sound of the w. You are going to be a teacher? What will you teach?

English in Germany probably. I am still trying to decide betwix education and psychology though.

 

[Duck]

Hmm. Well they definitely speak to me. And I definitely feel the connection. When I found the religion, I knew it was for me. It was an instant connection.

Would you say I am Germanic? I was just curious about what others would think. I already have one opinion that says I am Germanic. What do you think? It won't change the way I follow the Gods or anything, I am just wondering.

Sure, probably Germanic.

 

[Revasser]

Unless you've got a real genealogy nut in the family who has access to older and more complete records than most families have, there is a lot of guess work involved in deciding whether one is "really Germanic" or not. Especially if one lives outside of Europe. You can get some idea by looking at superficial stuff like surname and possibly physical appearance but these aren't always indicative one way or the other to be honest. I don't find it to be that helpful to get so hung up on ethnicity that you worry about it at the expense of actually being heathen.

I'm not saying that a universalist "everyone can be a heathen, heritage doesn't matter" approach is a great way to go about it either, but when people start talking percentages and fractions and worrying over how Germanic they or someone else is, they're missing the point IMO.

 

[Justin Thyme]

I'm curious as to how Odin can be looked upon as the All-Father when Tyr is the one with all the fatherly attributes. I understand that Tyr most likely was the "Father God" prior to the advent of the Vikings. How do those following Norse Heathenism reconcile some of the inconsistencies in the, for lack of a better term, genealogy of the gods? Or are the actual Norse mythologies only a generalization that support the Nine Noble Virtues with those virtues being the real focus of the religion and not the gods?