Why I'm a Pagan

[Piparskeggr]

The church in which I was baptized and learnt about Catholicism during my childhood and youth was the Italian parish, catering to the laborers who worked in the railyard in town and their families. After 100 years, it was still considered a "mission church."

We also had 2 Irish (working class and middle class) and French-Canadian parishes.

My old church and the French have been folded into the middle class Irish congregation, while the working class Irish church has survived quite well on its own. Most of the Italian congregants (including my mom [and dad]) went to the working class Irish church, much to the chagrin of the bishop.

[Cato]

Good article, I rebutted to a poster named "Bruce" who asked these questions:

"Mr McNallen,

What does Asatru teach about sexual morality? Does it offer us an alternative to the baboon-like sexual morality so rampant in our society? Does Asatru even see this as a problem?

What does Asatru teach about abortion?"

My responsa, as guest user "Odin's Man:"

"Traditional Asatru teaches monogamous marriage between one man and one woman that is consistent with the description of Cornelius Tacitus of the old tribes in Germania 18. Emulation of the ancestors is one of the foundation stones of Asatru since, as we are our ancestors reborn. The northern sagas indicate that a man was almost always content with but a single wife; the famed skald Egil Skallagrimsson had but a single wife, as did king Hrolf Kraki. There seems to have been no law from the Gods demanding monogamy, rather it seems to have emerged as a societal practicality due, in part perhaps, because of the high position of the womenfolk in the old tribes. We don't cloister our women; they are our equals in every way.

Largely, one's sexual morality outside of marriage is one's own concern, not of anyone else. We don't have commandments from the Gods saying not to do such-and-such, not to eat this, fast on this day, etc. Self-control is praiseworthy, Odin teaches this in the Havamal: avoid being a gossip, avoid being a drunkard, avoid lusting after another's wife, be hospitable, etc.

As to abortion, I personally believe that it is a monstrous crime against the ancestors and ourselves. Since Asatruar believe in lines of ancestry and descent, abortion is a crime against one's ancestors and one's descendents. Some of us believe in reincarnation within the family, so aborting a child is obviously going to upturn the applecart.

Asatru isn't a left-leaning religion, at least not as I understand it to be. It's a serious matter and speaks to serious issues: the preservation of Odin's people, the re-establishment in some form of the religion of the old tribes and gaining it the respect that it deserves, re-establishing sundered relationships with the Gods, moving out of Christianity’s shadow and the spiritual authoritarianism of its Bible and its bi-polar God, etc."

[Cato]

It's also amusing to read some of the generally ignorant and ill-informed comments people have about Heathenry.

[Jamt]

AltRight Radio has a podcast interview with Stephen McNallen where he explains the rites, rituals, and significance of the indigenous religion of Europe. The man is not alltogether unreasenoble in my opinion; 21 minutes: http://www.alternativeright.com/altright-radio/

[Regnera]

I respect others' religious believes(except the Devil worshiping cults),even I'm never a fan of the "Blood&soil"(I think soil is important,but I don't care about blood status) ideology