New Zealand Mosque Attack

The terror attack on a mosque by some white supremacist numbskull sickens me to the core. These people were doing nothing wrong. All they were doing was worshipping their god in their way. Why commit this heinous act?

Much of the heathen community is concerned about the terrorists use of “Valhalla” as a means of stating his intended destination upon his death. I totally agree that his, and much of the white supremacist organizations out there, use of our sacred symbols is disgusting. Heathenry has no room for bigots and racists. However, my biggest concern is how callous the human race has become. This type of stuff should not be common place, but it’s becoming so at an alarming rate. Why? What has made humanity so callous and so narcissistic? Because let’s face the facts about this terrorist, he did this while live streaming via a GoPro and that my dear readers is a sign of narcissism. With the increase of social media and streaming technology, this has become possible to live stream such wanton disregard for human life. Should we ban such technology? No, of course not, but everyone should be asking this most important question: why have we human beings become so callous? This is indeed an uncomfortable question to ask, but it needs to be asked and answered. If we are expected to have a conversation on race, a conversation on guns and so forth, why are we not having a conversation for the root of everything that ails our modern society: human callousness?

I hope to the gods that the victims of this horrible act are comforted and are given justice. I hope that New Zealand is merciless in their doling out of the law against this terrorist. And I hope, from all this tragedy, we human beings can become less callous and start loving each other regardless of our so-called differences. We are 7 billion people living on Mother Gaia, none of us are going anywhere. Therefore, we need to learn how to cooperate and get along with each other or we are doomed as a species.

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Christian Insanity aka Wild Bill for America on Persecution

It’s always funny to see Christians talk about persecution especially when they were last persecuted around 300 CE.  Afterwards, they were the ones rampaging and persecuting against pagans for centuries.  Now, they’re pulling the victim card while stating that “we need to get back to our Christian roots with Christian public school education.”  Sorry to say, but theocracies don’t work out as they plan.  Instead of providing Heaven on Earth, it becomes Hell on Earth when people believe they are doing “Gods” work.  YOu can’t state you are for liberty and freedom while calling for the 10 Commandments to be the rule of the land.  Commandment #1 especially puts a halt on that whole idea of freedom and liberty.  If people aren’t given the right to believe in one God, many Gods or no Gods, then you don’t have freedom, you have tyranny.

Wild Bill for America is the prime example of one of those supposedly freedom loving Americans who deep down want a theocracy even though he denies such.  When you vociferously call for Christian “education” in public schools and want the 10 Commandments to be the law of the land, I believe that’s proof enough of wanting a Christian theocracy in charge of our country.

With the ascendancy of the Trump Presidency, we ought to be vigilant about what takes place in the United States.  How far will Trump pander to the evangelicals who helped him into power?  If he wants to retain his position in American politics, it’s not inconceivable that Trump will do what it takes to keep his power.  So, it’s up to us Americans to make sure that the swing to extremism doesn’t occur.

ThinkProgress and Its Blatant Ignorance on Asatru

One of my favorite Asatru groups, The Asatru Community posted an article written by the supposedly progressive website Think Progress titled The Religion of Choice for White Supremacists.  It illustrates the same stereotypical nonsense that Christians today use to demonize our Heathen faith, that it’s filled with primarily hateful minions of neo-Nazis and other white supremacy groups. As someone who s half Hispanic, I have to say I take offense to the misrepresentation of our Heathen faith.  First off, ThinkProgress is supposed to be a progressive site which means progressing past creating hateful stereotypes and mocking minority religious faiths.  For example lets look at this line:

“It’s a comic book religion in a lot of ways,”

Really?  That’s the same nonsense that conservative Christians have said to me many times.  Taking up this mantle of trying to discredit a valid faith is a low blow and only shows the similarities that ignorance of certain instills.  It’s much like how Donald Trump has tried to discredit the Islamic faith.  So, in order to further demonize a faith that some on the Left feel is catering to white supremacy they need to stoop into the cesspool that is Donald Trump?

I understand bringing awareness to the bastardization of Asatru by filthy racists, but the article smacks of painting a picture of a faith with a really broad brush.  Not all Asatruar are racists and not all Asatruar are white.  Perhaps an interview with non-racist Asatruar might have helped expand the minds of the authors of this hideous, hateful article.  Instead, they only cite white supremacists, which are only a minority in our Heathen faith.  If you replaced Islamacists with white supremacists and replace the cited material with quotes from jihadists ThinkProgress would be all over the article saying it was Islamophobic and offensive.  In this case, I think it’s proper to state that perhaps ThinkProgress has a tendency towards Asatruophobia.  How else do you explain such a ridiculous article that is offensive in its own right?  How do you explain the one sidedness and ignorance that is displayed?  Asatruophobia.  The same phobia that monotheists tend to be infected with.

I am a half Hispanic Asatruar and I am proud of my religion and thankful for the Gods calling upon me.  This is something that, unless experienced, many won’t ever know nor feel.   I don’t feel that I’m special because I felt the Gods calling me, it’s just an exhilerating feeling to feel the Gods walking nearby in the wooded groves or feeling the thunder rumbled the ground and believing that it’s Thor striking the anvil with mjolnir.  Call me silly or insane, so be it.  I’m not trying to convert to my belief system.  This is how my soul feels.  It’s simply a connection with the Divine, which is something anyone can feel deep in their soul.

Mirroring the Supposedly Uncomfortable Mirror: Part 2

So, with that background in mind, let’s return to the question. Am I attempting to initiate a witch hunt or red scare?

Once again, it’s an issue with usage of language.  People in general are turned off by those who attempt to posit that they are more enlightened than others.  Please, check your privilege at the door, no one is more or less enlightened due to them agreeing with or disagreeing with your views.

 

The extreme rhetoric regarding me or this piece is obscuring a much larger issue. As I noted at the beginning of this essay, the information page was presented as a supplementary resource to the article about Augustus Sol Invictus, a known Fascist and New Right candidate who shares much of the same theology and practices as some of the fiercest critics of my piece.

The extreme rhetoric you are receiving is your fault because of your usage of language and the fact that you seemingly did not consult others outside of your boxed in perspective.  f you had, people would have told you, “This piece is a bit condescending, might wanna tone it down.”  There’s no problem with exiting your box and thinking outside of it.  It helps create a peaceful dialog for that I too believe is important to discuss, but not when it seems like an attack instead of an invitation.  This is why the United States has an abhorrent racial problem is because both sides of the issue are being condescending towards each other which does nothing but shy people away from the discussion.  It’s either their views are treated as Truth or else you’re publicly shamed as a racist/white genocide sympathizer.

 

There are some deeply difficult questions that we need to ask. Do the gods want us to return to ‘tribal’ societies, do the gods demand we war against Muslims and Atheists and Leftists, do the gods demand we institute strict hierarchies and authority-relationships between priests and the rest of us? And did those gods happen to notice those are the same ideas of the New Right?

You’re assuming that the Gods interventionists in human affairs.  Some of us assume that they aren’t interventionists while others believe otherwise.  I use the term “assume” because no mortal being can actually “know” what the Gods are thinking or want for us.  I assume they just want us to figure human issues out for ourselves and not have the hand of Divine Governance dictating what we should do.  That no longer implies freedom, but totalitarianism.  The Gods may call, but they can’t dictate want the ultimate outcome of humankind should be.  When those believe we are being called to dictate to our fellow human being that the Gods will must be done, then we have a theocracy and theocracies never turn out well.

While I disagree with Rhyd WIldermuth on his execution of the article he wrote, both the original and the rebuttal, I do respect his beliefs and believe his heart may be in the right place as long as he isn’t some infiltrator/witch hunt provoking tyrant.  I would like to give him the benefit of the doubt and state that Rhyd WIldermuth isn’t any of the above, but rather a person with a kind heart being vigilant of those who would tarnish the beautiful religions of Paganism for political opportunism.  And I am be wrong, who knows?  I don’t him to come to any guaranteed conclusion, but until then I stay with my belief that Rhyd is really a good guy who needs to consult more different people to look over his work.

Hail!

On the Worship of Idols

Christians have this tendency  to scathingly reduce paganism to a false religion that worships idols.  First, paganism is an old religion that was around before monotheism became an idea.  The monotheistic concept came from a cult that worshiped one God over the others and it then became popular and acceptable.  How do we figure this?  Well there are two examples from two pagan religions at the time that showed an attempt at solely worshiping one God over the others.  With the Greeks, there was a small cult devoted to Zeus as being the only God and the others being archetypes and not true Gods.  The Egyptian religion was almost extinguished by Akhenaten who tried to forced his monotheism on the Egyptian people.  However, he failed and a lot of his imagery in hieroglyphs were vandalized because of his heresy.  So if these two examples, that happened after the advent of monotheism, and the archaeological evidence piling up showing there was some type of polytheism where the monotheistic God Yahweh was a part of then it only shows that monotheism is nothing more than an offshoot of polytheism where one God was revered above all others.

Second, the idea of idols has an empty, hollow overtone to it and I’m sure it’s meant that way, but our pagan religions are filled with life and vibrancy.  It’s far from being empty or hollow, it has content.  We worship real, living Gods where the idols we worship are imbibed with their spiritual essence.  In other words, it’s a way to invite the Gods into our homes and lives.  They don’t simply step through the threshold like an intruder.  We invite them.  It’s not a hard concept to follow and stays in tune with the idea of free will given to us by the Gods.

In conclusion, the idea of idol worship being seen as empty is nonsense.  There’s more to it than what monotheists believe.  Our religion is as valid as theirs and that’s something they can not take away from us ever again unless we allow it.  So, educate them on their ‘idol worship’ epithet they try to use against us.  Tell them that it means more than what they believe.

Science and Religion

As a current student in the sciences and a polytheistic heathen, this issue strikes deep into my core.  Personally, my ability to rationalize what science offers on the table and my religious beliefs are kept compartmentalized into their respective corners of psyche.  Science, as we have been taught, explains how the natural world works.  Since the Gods, spirits and anything otherworldly is beyond science, beyond the natural and hence supernatural, science can not and will never prove that the supernatural exists or not.  No scientific instrument nor method of observation has been formulated specifically for the supernatural, so for a theist or an atheist say that via science the truth is absolutely known.  The truth isn’t absolutely known and anyone who states such is basing it off of faith and not fact.  Yes, that includes atheism because to state the unknowable as truth is faith in such a personally accepted truth.

People state that there is a war between science and religion and personally I think that’s absolute hokum drummed up by anti-science or anti-religious zealots out there who haven’t the capacity to have an open mind not a civil discussion on how science can thrive even though one is religious.  It’s a false dichotomy to believe because is in the science field they must be an atheist or that if someone is religious that they can’t accept scientific facts.  If these assertions were true we would’ve shunned Issac Newton and Francis Collins (former head of the Human Genome Project and current director of the National Health Institute), but fortunately we haven’t shunned these folks and our understanding of the natural world is furthered because of them.  The only war is in the minds of vapid folks who can’t grasp that people can accept science and their religious beliefs without either side being compromised.  So in essence, keep your beliefs, whether it’s theistic or atheistic, out of science.  Period.  No personal religious/non-religious beliefs need to be injected into science because science can neither prove nor disprove the existence of the supernatural.

Science doesn’t need to be at war with religion and vice versa.  People like Richard Dawkins need to stop with their zealotry and step back and realize they are no better than the fundamentalists who want to throw science out the window because it doesn’t adhere to their Young Earth Creationism (Francis Collins doesn’t adhere to this nonsense, but still is a Christian…interesting).

Study Finds that People Are Ditching Churches for Nature

When it comes to people going out into Nature to fulfill whatever spiritual needs, I always enjoy such stories.  However, it’s making Christians angry.  Oh well, they need to just keep to THEIR faith and not bother those who don’t share theirs.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/08/06/study-finds-something-else-could-be-meeting-peoples-spiritual-needs-in-place-of-traditional-churches-nature/

My Fear

Brothers shall fight | and fell each other,
And sisters’ sons | shall kinship stain;
Hard is it on earth, | with mighty whoredom;
Axe-time, sword-time, | shields are sundered,
Wind-time, wolf-time, | ere the world falls;
Nor ever shall men | each other spare. – Voluspa 45

As I’ve stated many times on this blog, I’m on a quest to unite all religious faiths who stand for Liberty and Freedom in the United States of America and who believe fervently in American Exceptionalism.  First, I have to attempt to establish communications and understanding between those of us who are Conservative/Libertarian Pagans and Conservative Christians.  It makes sense considering Christianity is the majority faith in America and has much to do with the foundation of our country regardless of what many people tend to believe. However, I am not without my fears. My fear tends to be summed up by the above quote from our holy text the Voluspa. I think anyone of any faith can see the quote above happening today in our society.

Pagans practice a false religion
I tend to watch Wild Bill for Americas videos on YouTube and read conservative blogs like Ann Barnhardt and what I run into a lot of the times is the quote above. I understand that in their beliefs that there is only one God and that their Commandments set forth by their God is the rules they follow. That’s admirable considering our society has little to no values these days and that people with some sort of integrity and honor still exist today, but Christians do need to understand that people possess free will and will choose their beliefs accordingly. They don’t have to agree, they just have to afford the respect to those of us who aren’t Christians as they expect others to afford to them. I don’t agree with Christianity, but I respect the adherents and their beliefs. Even when I’m proselytized to by them I feel no offense and simply keep the respect for their beliefs in mind. There are non-Christians who tend to get offended by such things, but I keep in mind that if I feel offense to preaching than its a matter of weak faith as opposed to actually feeling offended.

You’re going to burn in Hell
Once again, this is something I’m not offended by not because I don’t believe in some place of eternal damnation (I’m sure there is, Hitler, Stalin and pol pot can’t share the same afterlife such as genuinely good people), but because I feel it is something expressed out of concern for the well-being of ones soul in the afterlife. But once again it’s up to Christians to understand that not everyone believes their is false or evil. Christians can repeatedly express their belief that our religion is false or contrived by the Devil, but it makes it no more true than stating that Jesus was actually the Devil incarnate to create a schism within the Jewish community. Paganism has been around much longer than any monotheistic religion and so to state that those who still practice paganism will go to Hell is ridiculous. However, I do respect the intention behind the sentiment, as long as it’s benevolent and not malevolent.

Worship the Creator, not the created
There’s a big difference between worshiping the created, which tends to be more of pantheism than polytheism, and worshipping the Creator, which most pagans do but just different Creators than Yahweh. There are areas that get fuzzy and seems as if we are worshipping the created, but it’s more of a respect for the spirits imbued within the created such as land wights or land spirits, but for the most part we worship the Creators of our world more so. We just tend to balance both worship of our Creators and respect for the created without forgetting either.

Conclusion
Now that we have cleared up a few things, understanding is the key to the gateway that leads to uniting all Americans against the tyranny currently ebbing it’s way into our society. My fear is that the lack of understanding between Judeo-Christians and pagans will keep the divide growing beyond an incomprehensible depth. We need to keep the spirit of our Nation, which is indicated in the full name of our country United States of America. We need to be united and strong against adversity and care for each other despite our differences in faith. If any Christian would like to counter my points, go for it! If it helps establish understanding between us all than I encourage it. I pray to the Gods for it, because our nation desperately needs to understand each other without being crass and uncivil. And if we disagree with each other than we need to disagree respectfully without resorting to name calling and childish ad hominems.

The Importance of Uniting Differences

Us Heathens always are against the Christians in various ways.  We remember the unjust deeds they wrought upon our Heathen ancestors, but what have Christians done to us TODAY? Personally, they may try to sway me towards their beliefs by saying things like I worship fake gods, that Satan has wooed me with temptation into another religion or whatever else.  However, the keyword is they SAID these things which is quite different than having a sword against your neck with a rabid armored man saying, “Convert or die!”.  I make it no secret that I try my best to bridge the gap between Christians and Heathens/Pagans, because I feel it’s important to get over the past without forgetting and losing vigilance and to unite together to preserve Liberty and our Constitution.

Why are Christians important to the security of our own faith?  Every freedom are like dominoes, when one falls the others follow suit.  So, if Christianity falls it’s highly probable that all other faiths will fall with it.  I don’t care if you don’t like their religion, but you need to understand why it’s important that when the Christian is being attacked it is our duty to history to come to their aid.  Same goes for Christians, if you see other faiths being attacked unjustly it is your duty to come to their aid in order to secure the future of your religion as well.  You don’t have to like us or agree with us, but you too need to see the importance of securing the right of worship for others.  And I say our duty to history because what have we truly learned from the past when a new religion/belief comes in to replace the old?

Who is more of a danger these days?  Is it the fundamentalist Christian or the fundamentalist Islam?  I see more killings being made in the name of Islam rather than Christianity these days so it’s a no-brainer on who is a clear and present danger these days.  I also see the Federal government willing to strip liberty from the masses more so than Christians these days.  The combined forces of the Federal government wanting to expand its dominion over the people with Islamo-fascism wanting the same thing pose a great threat to ordinary Americans and every other human being who enjoy their freedoms.

We need to come together whether you’re Christian Jewish, Heathen, Buddhist, Muslim, Atheist, Pantheist, Agnostic, Taoist, Hindu, Pastafarian,  Confucian and whatever other belief out there, because if we don’t keeping ourselves divided we’ll lose our country and our freedoms.  Keeping to the divided mindset will only lead us down to the dungeons of slavery.  We’ll all live on our knees licking the bootheels of our oppressors whether it’s the American Federal Government or the Islamic Fascists.  No matter who it is that conquers us because we kept ourselves so thoroughly divided…We. Will. Be. Slaves!  There’s no other way to put it than that. So, it’s up to us to change the course of history and swing it away from enslavement and back towards Liberty and Freedom with the Constitution as our absolute guide.

So America, what shall it be?  Freedom?  or… Slavery?

Reconciling Differences

Ever since I swung to the Center I’ve made it my mission to reconcile issues between us pagans and the Christian/Jewish community.  The history between all three faiths has been tense and bloody whether it were pagans brutalizing Christian and Jews or Christians brutalizing pagans and Jews and so forth.  Christians and Jews have reconciled their past differences and Christians were forgiven for their past actions that resulted in deaths of Jews.  They are now a united front against the Muslim incursion into Western civilization.  I figure since it was the Popes job to put things into motion between Christians and Jews that it is my job to attempt to open the lines of communication between the Christians and Jews and the Pagans in order to fix our ailing society.  Ultimately, what happens in this country doesn’t just affect them but also those of us who aren’t of the Judeo-Christian faith.  If the Judeo-Christian faith is destroyed by militant Muslims or militant atheists that we are next on the chopping block and I use that as a literal term.  

I believe in preserving the Judeo-Christian culture this country was founded on that has evolved to allow us heathens to practice openly our religion all due in part to the Constitution of the United States of America.  The militant Muslims and militant atheists want eradicate ALL opposing beliefs because it doesn’t mesh with their worldview, so for us pagans who taunt Christians need to recognize that we need them just like they need us.  Why on Midgard would they need us?  Simple, we are the other side of the checks and balances that keeps them from engaging in bloody sectarian squabbles such as a theoretical war between Catholics and Protestants.  With our freedom maintained to practice our pagan faiths the freedom to be Catholic among many other Christian sects is maintained as well.  We’re all interconnected, but I’m sure there will be disagreements.  That’s fine!  Welcome to America where we be of differing faiths but not kill each other over it.  So why remain divided over our differing faiths when the socialist thugs in power are goose stepping over everyone’s rights?

Pagans who are concerned about the vitality of our country both in it’s economic fortitude and the securing of the Constitution need to reach out to Christians and Jews with an open hand and an olive branch.  So to should Christians and Jews reach out to pagans in order to form a better, more solid union within our country.  Us pagans aren’t going away and a lot of us swing Libertarian and we are fiercely patriotic about our country.  We can and will stand shoulder to shoulder with you to protect this country.  Are you willing to do the same?