A recent post caused some concern in the comments section. Shorts in a twist, as it were. It should be understood that I grew up in the Church, after selling my business I returned to Bible College, earned my degree and pastored for three years. I believed pagans were ‘of the devil,’ indwelt by demons, etc. because that’s what I’d been taught by the Church. I also believed that in order to defeat one’s enemy, one had to know one’s enemy, so I did a deep dive on my Germanic ancestors faith. Needless to say, that study cured my ignorance. Now allow me to explain my motivation for the posts that have a ‘pagan’ flavor.
#1 I’m not bashing anyone else’s spiritual position. The comments section often contain Scriptural references, chapter and verse. My posts rarely include any references to the Havamal, Poetic Edda, or Voluspa (Historic Germanic writings that provide the spiritual understanding of our pre-Christian ancestors). Those who are concerned about the ‘pagan’ tone of my posts may want to actually read these. You may be surprised to find a great deal of moral and ethical consistency with what you read in your Bible. One might also read Germania by Tacitus.
#2 Pagan is a generic term to refer to anyone not accepting Christianity be they Germanic (The Old Ways), Voodoo, Wiccan, Buddhist, Native American Shamanism, etc. and has been used by the Church the same way ‘racist’ has been used by the Left – to silence their opponents. The actual term merely relates to ‘rural person’ who simply wanted to retain their folk-ways rather than abandon them for a new religion. Those of European descent who actually take the time to differentiate Germanic paganism from the others will be less inclined to smear their ancestors beliefs and practices.
#3 Yes, Pagans have engaged in human sacrifice, but … historical evidence for Germanic pagans engaging in such is exceedingly thin. Historical references suggest it likely that occasional sacrifices of defeated enemies may have occurred, but not on a regular basis. See #2 above. Not all pagans are the same. Now explain how Christians burning people at the stake is not a human sacrifice. The Inquisition? Unfortunately, such atrocities seem to be a part of the human condition.
#4 What is Germanic paganism (The Old Ways)? Reverence for our ancestors, not all mankind. Appreciating the struggles, the blood, sweat, pain that preceded us. Recognizing that, if not for them, we would not exist. Recognizing the Divine in nature. The Creator of All, Heavenly Father, God created the natural world. Rather than take nature for granted, rather than thinking we are above or outside of nature, we recognize that we are a part of nature. Our ancestors considered all things sentient. It’s interesting to note that university research is beginning to accept the idea that all things, including trees, rocks, planets, have consciousness, just not to the same degree (see Rupert Sheldrake, PhD biology, Cambridge University and a Christian).
We all live in a world of natural cycles, our ancestors recognized this and celebrated the change of seasons. They were all dependent on the seasons and weather for their survival and their rituals and rites obviously included the desire for the fertility of their crops, livestock, and even themselves. As most moderns have left farming, they have no attachment to the land or recognize the need for fertility or even respect for natural cycles.
The mythic Gods were archetypes. Unlike the Abrahamic God, they were mortal and fallible. The myths taught how to live an honorable life by emulating the positive and discarding the negative actions of the Gods and Goddesses. It should be remembered that a myth is simply a fictious story that teaches a truth.
#5 My primary motivation is not to convert anyone to The Old Ways or have them abandon their Christianity. No, my primary motivation is to reinforce tribalism, folkishness, reverence for our ancestors, and seeing the Divine in nature. I believe we can all agree that these are more than ever important in our day. Seeing the Divine in nature does not require worshipping rocks and trees. Actually, our Germanic ancestors didn’t do that, a fact that one would discover if they did some actual historical research rather than accepting Church propaganda. I hardly see how any of this could be offensive to a Christian.
I hate Modernity and what it has done to our people. My posts are intended to offer a path away from Modernity regardless of one’s spiritual path. I have no problem with Christians, only with the Church and her doctrines of men.
I apologize for the length of this post, but it was necessary to fully explain my motivation and, hopefully, enlighten those who have a false understanding of The Old Ways and view our ancestors as lost souls devoid of any goodness and morality. It is my hope that future posts of this type might be received in the spirit with which they are delivered.
15 responses to “Clarification”
Is there not a way to truncate these posts with the rest continued? So we don’t have to scroll as far to skip them?
” Yes, Pagans have engaged in human sacrifice, but … historical evidence for Germanic pagans engaging in such is exceedingly thin.”
Seriously? No human sacrifice? What did they do during WW2? Concentration camps, Einsatzgruppen anyone? I also have German (and Austrian) blood; my mother remembers her German parents sitting in the kitchen discussing whether Hitler was the antichrist. A pilot I graduated test pilot school with’s parent both had tattoos from the concentration camps there; they were fortunate to survive.
I would have to respectfully disagree with your assessment, although you are right in that it is a human condition without Christ Jesus, as without Him we are children of the devil and we do his deeds. Most of the murder done by the so-called church was not the church at all, but a Roman pagan assembly having little to nothing to do with the Jewish Rabbi from Nazareth.
Lame as usual.
Reading your posts is like a breath of fresh air. Thank you.
Roth- Thank you for the clarifying statements. Lots of historical context there.
God gave us freedom of thought
Can someone please explain how any problem was not solved by ingenuity of the mind?
Every problem was created by the mind of a politician.
As one of the Buddhists here, I thank you for your clarification.
Thank you, Roth. Old ways/folkism has a place as an adjunct to worship. The ‘modern’ church has nothing for me. BTW, the Orthodox church adheres to old ways and traditions, IMO.
Jesus is the way the truth and the life. Roth you have a mind that works, it’s your heart that is of great concern
Thank you for your concern, but my heart is just fine. It’s with my ancestors and the Creator of All. My path is just different. I’ll meet my Maker with a clear conscience.
And of course with everything going on in this country and the world. Americans MUST ONLY focus on the truly important issues of survival and argue even more about religions and technical questions on them, OMFG….
This country and the people that inhabit it truly deserve whats coming…….
Roth may I make a suggestion, just ignore the brainwashed minions. This is nothing but a distraction campaign meant to keep the low IQ folks focused on their believed future glory and not what’s really going on that will end in the boxcars and camps.
Utter nonsense. Let those who are prone to it continue to whine. It is very refreshing seeing these views and historical contexts. Keep going.
Thanks for the clarification. I truly appreciate your work here.
There are quite a few commenters lately that are recalling the ancient folk ways. Many, especially the holy’er than though little c Christians, are taking offense without taking note. The early church didn’t try to supplant all the folk ways, they often supplanted ancient traditions with Christian ones: All souls/ saints for Samhain, Christmas for Yule and so on. Few revered nature as did Francis of Assissi; and found God there too.
I’ve watched confused as many authors continue to promote “the past” to renew the folk of European decent. I agree we need to return to the Männerbund (see https://www.amazon.com/One-eyed-God-M%C3%A4nnerb%C3%BCnde-Indo-European-Monograph/dp/0941694747/ref=sr_1_1?sr=8-1), as it never went away even after the Christianization of the Franks, Saxons and others – even after conquest and well into their millennium.
The hard work is how to resurrect that ancient way of being, of bonding, of coming together as tribe is the part I don’t think we’ve hit on yet. Even though well thought out commentary like “Not Just in England” seems to strive for it, but how to bring it about.
Somewhere between true Christian reverence (and the motivation of the crusader orders) and ancient concepts of tribal cohesion lays the answer, and the rising of the “wrath of the awakened Saxon” (Kipling). Many are hitting all around it, but I’m not sure we’ve found the full target yet.
I caution that the folks that object to free thinking as expressed in your articles will be unable to grapple with the ugly truths when savage is beating down their door.