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Author Topic: Why do you practice your faith?  (Read 5897 times)

Meritmut

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Re: Why do you practice your faith?
« Reply #15 on: July 01, 2012, 02:07:07 am »
Quote from: Shine;61988
The Theoi in general strike me as much sterner and, in some ways, more demanding than many of the Netjeru. Fffff, it makes me nervous because I screw up a lot. XD I like your new icon, btw.

 
Thank you :) I love this picture, just not sure why lol. I agree though, the Theoi are more stern but I think that just hold you more responsible for your actions. So not necessarily messing up in your ritual but more like if you act in hubris they will let you know that won't fly kind of thing. I kinda feel like the netjeru are more easy going, kinda go with the flow kinds Gods lol. I feel like the Norse Gods are stern too like the Theoi, they really don't give off the impression of being tolerant of bad behavior lol.

SatAset

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Re: Why do you practice your faith?
« Reply #16 on: July 01, 2012, 06:11:54 am »
Quote from: Meritmut;62328
I kinda feel like the netjeru are more easy going, kinda go with the flow kinds Gods lol. I feel like the Norse Gods are stern too like the Theoi, they really don't give off the impression of being tolerant of bad behavior lol.

 
The Netjeru are as intolerant of bad behavior as any other pantheon.    

Each pantheon and each deity may have different views on how one should act, but respect goes a long way with anyone.
I am the Goddess of Who I can Become. I mix the magic of the sorceress with the blade of a warrior. I walk the liminal pathways to see the face of the Goddess, both terrible and kind. As She stares back at me, I tremble in awe and ecstasy.  --SatAset

PrincessBurrito

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Re: Why do you practice your faith?
« Reply #17 on: July 03, 2012, 04:01:03 am »
Quote from: Meritmut;60673
Hi everyone so I have been looking into Heathenry for about two years now and I am stuck. I can not decide between Egyptian polytheism or Heathenry. So I thought maybe if I heard from other people on why they believe what they do it would help me decide.

Some of the issues I have with Heathenry: No information from the actual practitioners of the faith, the concept of the soul not being able to leave the body (how do you go to an afterlife then?), the belief the Gods are somewhat distant, I am not sure lets say you are having trouble conceiving a child could you ask Frigg or Freyja for help or would it be more appropriate to ask the disir?

These are some of the "problems" I have run into, I know the fact that there is nothing from the actual practitioners can't be fixed lol but I guess its hard figuring out what was a actual heathen concept and what was christian influence. For instance I have seen differing opinions on the Baldur myth.

 

I'm just starting to re-awaken my faith as a Norse Heathen in a new light, and I got some questions to ask you.
Have you read the Eddas and any other books on Norse Mythology AND Norse people?
You say you've been looking into Heathenism for a few years, but have you researched the ancient Norse people and how they viewed their religion first?
If you want in depth (and I mean IN DEPTH) info, look up the PDF for the book "The Road to Hel" (actual book was like a couple hundred $$ last time I saw) that thoroughly points out how the Norse people perceived death, the soul and the afterlife. Obviously I cant tell you everything, but the Norse people did somewhat believe in the soul leaving the body, there is proof of this in recorded facts of ancient burial rituals.
The belief of gods was somewhat distant because the Norse people were more grounded and focused more on life as they made it here on earth. (as opposed to the Egyptians who pretty much only lived to die and go into the afterlife) That doesn't necessarily mean that the Gods weren't involved in their lives.
You'll find that in the Edda, some Gods actually travel through Midgard (earth) and mingle with humans.
So make of historical facts as you wish, but you will find contradictions, because it's all history.
Back in high school, my Ancient History teacher taught me a very important thing. She got all the students in a circle and we played a game of Chinese Whispers. As we started whispering something about Ancient Greece, by the time we reached the end of the circle we changed to something like "purplemonkeydishwasher' or something! And thats what makes historical facts not as credible as we think.
Facts and stories were passed on by word of mouth and were most likely altered in a LOT of ways before it was written. (especially in Scandinavia, because the Norse people didn't really write until much after everyone else was writing)

So it's really upto you. Make most of history as you can. Read up on your facts. But dont get discouraged and influenced by the amount of information available.

(also visit asatrulore.com and read the forums there. But just a warning, unless you got the right intentions and sufficient historical knowledge/value, dont expect anyone there to help you, just read some posts to get the general gist of Heathenism. Most Heathens only honor their ancestors, families and the nine noble virtues. Any questions regarded invoking Gods, souls or anything spiritual or anything like that can offend them, and pass it off as "Wiccatru")

hlewagastir

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Re: Why do you practice your faith?
« Reply #18 on: July 03, 2012, 06:50:03 am »
Good try, but not flawless ;)

Quote from: Draconia;62588
Obviously I cant tell you everything, but the Norse people did somewhat believe in the soul leaving the body, there is proof of this in recorded facts of ancient burial rituals.
 
So make of historical facts as you wish, but you will find contradictions, because it's all history.
Back in high school, my Ancient History teacher taught me a very important thing. She got all the students in a circle and we played a game of Chinese Whispers. As we started whispering something about Ancient Greece, by the time we reached the end of the circle we changed to something like "purplemonkeydishwasher' or something! And thats what makes historical facts not as credible as we think.
Facts and stories were passed on by word of mouth and were most likely altered in a LOT of ways before it was written. (especially in Scandinavia, because the Norse people didn't really write until much after everyone else was writing)

Most Heathens only honor their ancestors, families and the nine noble virtues. Any questions regarded invoking Gods, souls or anything spiritual or anything like that can offend them, and pass it off as "Wiccatru"

 
1) Please provide said proof (and if it´s in a book please provide citations and page numbers).

2) The differences between the skalds of the 9th, 10th and 11th century in Scandinavia and your high-school-circle is that the skalds had a) trained their whole life and had an excellent memory, b) a long tradition of fixed verseforms which improved the accuracy and survivability of spoken words over time (an example being fornyrðislag which were used on both Rökstenen and in Völuspá).

The most reliable info we have on pre-Christian heathenry is the old Kvæði, passed on by mouth for a few hundred years until written down, our biggest contamination/alteration problem is medieval Christian and Scholarly theories, mixed in with original (pre-Christian) source material.

3) I do not know how you got that impression :confused: The NNV is usually frowned upon by Heathens because it´s a modern intervention - resembling the 10 commandments.
Most Heathens I have come across worship/honor/sacrifice to their gods too (if not more than to their ancestors).

FollowerofOdin

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Re: Why do you practice your faith?
« Reply #19 on: December 31, 2012, 09:15:41 pm »
Quote from: Lokabrenna;61170
It sounds to me that you might want to step back if you feel like you're actually going backwards. You don't need to necessarily embrace the entire pantheon right away, that would be overwhelming for most of us, and not every deity is going to like or be interested in you. I guess I don't really see the point of making twelve offerings if only two are really going to have an effect, you know?

 
As for me, I'm sticking with Odin.

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