-
Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.
Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:- Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
- Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
- Access to private conversations with other members.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!
Biggest differences between Asatru and Druidism??
- Thread starter Toxikmynd
- Start date
Sees
Dragonslayer
Ásatrú is closer to Celtic Reconstructionism. Druidry is much more "open" and has been on a 300 year or so revival with some shaky history kept by some and disregarded by others. Some have little to do with Celtic tradition, outside of the namesake, others are very much like Celtic Recons who simply use Druid/ry in place.
It would take lots of reading/talking to get a decent grip on any and all of them.
It would take lots of reading/talking to get a decent grip on any and all of them.
Far as history is concerned, impossible to know for sure. The Celtic and Germanic peoples shared many cultural commonalities and probably a pan-culture of sorts (which by extension means a pan-religion), but the Druids themselves weren't a Tribe or cultural group; they were an order. While the Celtic peoples had deep reverence for Druids, whether their particular beliefs lined up or not is anyone's guess.
In terms of the modern religions, Druidry seems to me far more oriented to abstract spiritual practice, and from what I've seen seems to have elements in common with California's hippies(which I don't mean to say in a derogatory or condescending way, for the record), at least in terms of emphasis on love and peace. But like @Sees pointed out, Asatru isn't really comparable to Druidry, since the latter isn't really an attempt to reconstruct/reapply an ancient practice into a defined religion, so much as recapturing an ancient spirit.
In terms of the modern religions, Druidry seems to me far more oriented to abstract spiritual practice, and from what I've seen seems to have elements in common with California's hippies(which I don't mean to say in a derogatory or condescending way, for the record), at least in terms of emphasis on love and peace. But like @Sees pointed out, Asatru isn't really comparable to Druidry, since the latter isn't really an attempt to reconstruct/reapply an ancient practice into a defined religion, so much as recapturing an ancient spirit.
At least as far as the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids is concerned, that's deliberate. ^_^
Toxikmynd
Demir
Pardon me? I'm not sure what you mean... lol
Ingledsva
HEATHEN ALASKAN
At least the modern is.
I know I've said this several times, - but read The White Goddess by Robert Graves.
He discusses the ancient history of different groups, their God and Goddesses, and their interaction and blending.
He discusses the Bards, and how they later - under Christianity - hid their mythic stories in their verse.
He tells us about the Druids.
Very-very interesting if you can make your way through all the ancient names.
*
The Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids (or OBOD) is one of the most prominent Druidic organizations. The way they're set up is that they aren't a specific religion, but a spiritual philosophy designed to be compatible with any or no specific religion (so there's Christian Druids, Atheist Druids, Asatru Druids, Celtic Recon Druids...).
Toxikmynd
Demir
I don't really get that impression this time, to be honest. To me, it looked more like any sort of trade school program; lessons aren't free because resources aren't free. Being a member of OBOD isn't just living one's life a certain way; my impression was that it's also a sort of "job". The life philosophy, far as I could tell, is on their website for any and all to see.
Sometimes we have to remember that ascetic-type morality, where in order to be spiritually valid one has to be completely poor and not have any money, is a very new, very Christian, thing. Plus, the reputations that other organizations that charge money, such as Scientology, have has sort of made it difficult to tell when an organization is legitimate despite a fee, and just trying to rip off gullible, easily led folks.
Toxikmynd
Demir
I'd have to look into it harder. I like the druid livestyle, so I like the idea of Asatru druidism.
May I ask how you are defining religion? IMHO, religion done right is a "lifestyle," or an all-encompassing way of life.
Toxikmynd
Demir
For me there is a difference, I believe religion plays a large role in lifestyle, but not all Christian's wear the cross so to speak. Bad example, but that's the only one I can think of at the moment.
For me, there is no distinction. That's how it was in the pre-Christian days; we didn't have a word for "religion". There was just "our way of life." The term the Vikings used for their pre-Christian religion was "old way", and they referred to Christianity as "new way". That was the only way they knew how to distinguish the two.
bain-druie
Tree-Hugger!
I've been a member of OBOD for years; I'm in the Ovate grade currently.
What Riverwolf said is true; OBOD asks for a reasonable fee when you join their training program, with which to cover their expenses. They don't send unwanted spam crap trying to get me to buy more and more Druid Stuff [on the contrary, they put a lot of emphasis on creating your *own* materials rather than buying them anywhere else], they don't even pressure me with my studies (even my tutor doesn't pressure me at all), and the material is more than worth what I pay, imo. I'm largely solitary in my current practice, but it has been invaluable to me to have the community of OBOD available to me. I've made deep, solid friendships by being part of it; when OBOD does request money, they also give you a detailed explanation of what it is you're paying for. And it's rare that they do request it.
Far, far different from churches my parents made me attend.
Toxikmynd
Demir
I've been a member of OBOD for years; I'm in the Ovate grade currently.
What Riverwolf said is true; OBOD asks for a reasonable fee when you join their training program, with which to cover their expenses. They don't send unwanted spam crap trying to get me to buy more and more Druid Stuff [on the contrary, they put a lot of emphasis on creating your *own* materials rather than buying them anywhere else], they don't even pressure me with my studies (even my tutor doesn't pressure me at all), and the material is more than worth what I pay, imo. I'm largely solitary in my current practice, but it has been invaluable to me to have the community of OBOD available to me. I've made deep, solid friendships by being part of it; when OBOD does request money, they also give you a detailed explanation of what it is you're paying for. And it's rare that they do request it.
Far, far different from churches my parents made me attend.
Love your answer and that little bit on the end lmao.