Asatru/Odinism is legit RL revival,how soon until it protests Marvel’s version?

[JDC001]

http://icelandmag.is/article/asatru-...ligion-iceland
http://odin.org/intro.html

Especially since Marvel has made Odin (and his own father Bor) himself a patriarchal stereotype in recent years

[Oberon]

I will check out this article. I seem to be one of the few/only actual Pagans on the board. I'm a Wiccan or a Witch. I certainly know some Odinists and Asatru folks. As well as Druids, Kemetics, and various other Reconstructionists or modern Pagans.

These folks have some comic readers amongst them, and in fact some claim that youthful reading of Thor may have moved them into the direction of exploring Paganism in its many forms (I've not even mentioned Far-Eastern Pagans, or Santeria, Yoruba or forms that come from Africa or South America. Quite a world of non-Monotheistic out there.

At any rate, the answer is it won't matter or be about much, since we're still an incredible minority (Maybe only a million or 2 Wiccan/Witches in the US, and Wiccans tend to be the most prolific).

Marvel's Asgardians are not Pagan Gods. They're Alien/other beings who came to be worshipped as Gods and possibly believe their own myths/myths about them.

[Mantis Dad]

they are comics. why would it bother? you may be interested in this group as well. they are followers of odin that have been around for quite a while. i don't know how to post a "link", but i can copy and paste:

The Odin Brotherhood is a secret society for men and women who value “knowledge, freedom, and power.”

The Odin Brotherhood adheres to and practices the ancient warrior religion that is today called Odinism or Asatru. Consecrated to the pagan gods of Asgard–gods that are older, better, and truer--members of the Brotherhood use the Eddaic Verses–also called the Poetic Edda–as sacred texts.

As a warrior religion--a creed that glorifies the hero over the saint--the "mailed fist" over the "nailed hands"--the Odin Brotherhood represents strength over weakness, pride over humility, and knowledge over faith.

In an era of ugliness, impotence, and death, we glorify beauty, power, and life.Ours is a religion that creates no laws, only virtues. A revolt against the modern world–with its laws and moral codes–its hangmen and its priests–Odinism teaches men and women how to rule, fight, hunt, and procreate.

Members of the Odin Brotherhood are a hidden elite–a luminous beacon in a corrupt and squalid world. As proud friends of the gods and goddesses, we distinguish themselves from ordinary men and women.

Our religion--the proud tradition of Odin, Thor, Sif, Heimdall, and the other deities described in the Eddaic Verses--equips us to face the tyranny of fate–and the mystery of death.

Ordinary humans--dedicated to what Nietzsche called the slave religions--spend their lives toiling and obeying. Members of the Brotherhood--in contrast--are extraordinary mortals who know how to rule, fight, hunt, and procreate.

HISTORY ACCORDING TO THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD

Regarding the place of Odinism or Asatru in history, members of the Brotherhood assert that the religion of Odinism dates back to the dawn of humanity.

Man has been a hunter for several hundred thousand years–a farmer for ten thousand years–and a factory worker for two hundred years. Odinism is the religion of man the hunter.

This religion–almost exterminated in the fifteenth century of the current era–was kept alive by the Odin Brotherhood.

The great monotheistic religions–in contrast–the religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam–represent man the worker–man the toiler. As slave religions, they teach men and women to kneel, believe, and obey.

Historically, the Odin Brotherhood views Judaism, Christianity, and Islam as three manifestations of the same faith. These religions, which call upon the same god, essentially have the same five laws. Believers are taught to placate, propitiate, supplicate, honor, and obey.

WHO ESTABLISHED THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD?

In the legend of the Brotherhood, the story begins when a young pagan widow–the beautiful mother of three–was caught honoring her ancient gods and goddesses in a remote grotto.

A mob of nominal Christians–bigots who were black with hate–burned her alive on a pyre composed of green wood.

After the murder, the woman’s three children–using an ancient and forbidden rite from paganism–a rite called necromancy--summoned her from beyond the outer darkness–from beyond the grave.

Answering the summons, the slain woman instructed her children to save the ancient religion of Odinism by taking the movement underground.

They were instructed to form a secret society–a conspiracy of equals. Dedicated to the old gods, it was called the Odin Brotherhood.

According to the Brotherhood, all of these events occurred somewhere in Eurasia–somewhere north of the Black Sea--in the fifteenth century of the current era.

We know that buried artifacts exist which will some day confirm our tale.

HOW DOES ONE JOIN THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD?

Traditionally, the teachings spread from person to person. Only by word of mouth, from mind to mind, could the secrets pass.

Today, however, with more written information appearing in manuscript and in published form, solitary practitioners–lone wolves who initiate themselves–are becoming more common.

In its current form, membership in the Odin Brotherhood is secret–as in the so-called Illuminati conspiracy. The objectives of the Odin Brotherhood are stated publicly, as in the legendary Rosicrucians.

Unlike the freemasons, members of the Odin Brotherhood do not need secret words or grips or gestures to recognize one another. We know one another by a way of speaking, a dignity and reserve of manner, and an intensity in the eyes.

FACTS ABOUT THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD

1. The Odin Brotherhood is a polytheistic religion devoted to Odin, Thor, Sif, and the other deities of the Norse tradition. Monotheism, described as "the belief in one totalitarian god," is "preposterous and absurd."

2. The Odin Brotherhood claims an unbroken historical lineage from 1421. Although the movement "bears the teeth marks of Christianity," we have survived persecution.

3. To be initiated into the Brotherhood (we are a "secret society"), individuals must "devote, hallow, and sanctify" their blood to "the gods who live."

4. The Brotherhood denounces "faith" as "a poison that paralyzes the mind." Members are taught to "seek knowledge."

5. The Brotherhood glorifies strength. We assert that it is “only by becoming stronger that a man can realize his divinity."

6. The Brotherhood teaches absolute self-reliance. Members would "rather steal than accept charity."

7. Sin is denied and "contrition" is denounced as a "totem of decadence." Odinists see repentance as a mark of weakness because "only the terrorized repent."

8. The Odin Brotherhood has no temples or churches. The gods, we believe, can be honored anywhere as long as all "strangers" are excluded, all words are "whispered," and "all abominations are avoided." (By abominations, we mean "promiscuity and assassination.")

9. The central rite of the Brotherhood is called the "Glimpse-Of-Extraordinary-Beauty." The celebrants conducting this rite are "enveloped and penetrated by the thoughts of a god."

10. The Brotherhood believes in life after death ("nothing dies forever"). We believe there are three "Other-Worlds," including the fabled "Valhalla" or "White-Kingdom." The Odin Brotherhood believes that the Christian hell does not exist. Hell is one of the "spurious horrors" contrived by extinct theologians."

[DigiCom]

I actually know a few Asatrufolk. And every single one of them are (or were) fans of the Thor comic. I don't expect any grief from them.

[Mantis Dad]

i wear my mjolnir everyday, and also have read all the edda's. and i love thor comics as well.

[Rosebunse]

It's not like Odin is exactly the nicest guy in the myths. And I think most people who are into the myths now understand that the myths and the comics are very different and are an evolving part of the Norse myths.

[Skedatz]

I have to imagine that followers for the past 50 years feel about it today as they did back then: Probably saw it as a work of fiction and not as a reflection of what Marvel thinks about them. It isn't like Odin was portrayed as a super nice guy all this time. He's always been sort of a jerk in Marvel.

[Michael Watkins]

Pfft organized religion

[Mantis Dad]

Pfft organized religion

the majority of heathens are not 'organized' at all. only those that need that group mentality i suppose.

[MyriVerse]

I think its way too late for any sort of protest. Asatru organizations really aren't a new thing and neither is Marvel's Thor.

[Drops Of Venus]

Pagan religions seem to be a lot more open-minded to the idea of parodies or different versions of their religion being represented in media, in contrast to the controversy every single time anything from abrahamic faiths is included in pop culture. Maybe it has something to do with the number of people who practice those religions, I don't know, but I don't think it's going to be much of a problem. I mean, we just had a Lucifer TV show and DC Vertigo just announced a comedy book about Jesus. If networks and publishers can get away with that, they can get away with less controversial religions for sure.

[Mantis Dad]

Pagan religions seem to be a lot more open-minded to the idea of parodies or different versions of their religion being represented in media, in contrast to the controversy every single time anything from abrahamic faiths is included in pop culture. Maybe it has something to do with the number of people who practice those religions, I don't know, but I don't think it's going to be much of a problem. I mean, we just had a Lucifer TV show and DC Vertigo just announced a comedy book about Jesus. If networks and publishers can get away with that, they can get away with less controversial religions for sure.

you are pretty spot on. only thing, the word pagan comes from roman times and the slave religions. the followers of the ancient gods prefer the word heathen which comes from old norse; much like many english words that came originally from norse words:
berserk
sky
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
hell
law
yule

and many others.

[Oberon]

Pfft organized religion

That's why anything that is followed seriously, correctly is also called 'religiously'. Paganism is truly different in that there is no King/Queen of all Pagans. No Popes! Even in Asatru or Shintoism I don't believe that there are one leader motifs.

People are more commonly felt to be facilitators. I'm more retired than not these days but in the metro Detroit area I was an early organizer and facilitator. I'd run a coven for over 20 years but I was only "the leader" of that group.

Most people not familiar with how Pagan religions run can show up at an open ritual (we'd done dozens and dozens of them for over 25 years) and basically feel like it was some sort of hippie event, less the drugs for the most part. PST=Pagan Standard Time. For many years most events NEVER started/lasted/ended ON TIME.

How organized is that?

[Oberon]

There you go. Correct. In the Detroit area most Pagans are into various 'fan' culture with movies, comics, books, etc. Thor has long been well known even if not read avidly.

[Mantis Dad]

my 11 year old is helping me with this. here is my favorite heathen song: