A Bit More on Heathen (Ancestral) Values
Quite a few Heathens, no doubt, have seen the film 13th Warrior, based upon Michael Crichton’s novel “Eaters of the Dead”, itself inspired by the actual historical account of the Arab traveler Ibn Fadlan.
They are equally well aware of the prayer uttered by the beleaguered Norsemen as they make their final stand against overwhelming odds. It’s the best, and most moving part of the film. Fewer people may know that Michael Crichton took his inspiration from the account of the real Ibn Fadlan. Here is the Crichton version:
‘Lo, there do I see my father. ‘Lo, there do I see
My mother, and my sisters, and my brothers.
‘Lo, there do I see
The line of my people
Back to the beginning.
‘Lo, they do call to me.
They bid me take my place among them.
In the halls of Valhalla
Where the brave may live forever.
And the Ibn Fadlan original:
“The first time they raised her she said, ‘Behold, I see my father and mother.’
The second time she said, ‘I see all my dead relatives seated.’
The third time she said, ‘I see my master seated in Paradise and Paradise is beautiful and green; with him are men and boy servants.
He calls me. Take me to him.’ “
Obviously, the Crichton version is more poetic and stirring, but we have to remember the Norse gift for poetry and the fact the Ibn Fadlan had the words through an interpreter, and that Muslim concepts of the afterlife no doubt colored his understanding of what he heard, the idea of “paradise” for example. It is clear that Crichton captured the essence and spirit of the original heard by Fadlan.
Another film that captures the Heathen spirit perfectly is Lord of the Rings. The Rohirrim, few Heathens will have failed to notice, are quintessentially Heathen in their attitudes. And when Theoden King falls before the Witch King, the words he speaks to Eowyn are perfectly Heathen, and perfectly in accord with my previous “Heathen Values” post:
I go to my fathers in whose mighty company I shall not now feel ashamed.”
Finally, an example of how important ancestors were to our own ancestors, I will provide the example of the Norwegian Heathens who, in the tenth century, demanded that King Hákon participate in their rites by drinking toasts not only to the gods Oðinn, Þórr, Njörðr, Freyr and Bragi but to “their kinsmen who lay in barrows.”
I realize ancestry isn’t important to many modern Pagans, particular of the New Age variety, but that is why we Heathens are Heathens, I suppose 
Hrafnkell Haraldsson is the author of A Heathen’s Day, which since 2005 has addressed the life and thoughts of a modern day Heathen. He maintains a second blog, Digital Gods (www.digital-gods.com) which focuses on polytheism for the digital age. He is also the founder of the Mos Maiorum Foundation (www.mosmaiorum.org) which is dedicated to the study and support of Paganism as ethnic religion. 
I guess for me, if I'm going to be judged based on the past deeds of my ancestors then…I find that unjust. I should not be rewarded for things I had no part in nor punished for deeds undone. This idea reminds me too much of Catholic Original Sin; that we inherit the punishments of Adam and Eve's sin. How is what you're saying any different if we indeed inherit our ancestors tab so to speak?
Perhaps if I cannot agree with or understand this, Heathenry is not for me. No matter how much I love the stories of the north.
The 13th Warrior is a lot of fun sometimes, and I enjoyed how Crichton worked various Havamalisms into Eaters of the Dead. And it's appropriate to your comments, Granamyr, in that Beowulf (in the poem) is a man whose ancestry has put him at some disadvantage; he cannot recite his ancestry very far back, and he has few inherited possessions. Despite this, he is able to become a great and powerful man.
I don't know that we're being judged so much as we're reaping the consequences of our ancestors' actions. Our world, our society and culture, didn't come out of nowhere. The laws, mores, and societal conventions we live with are the result of the actions of everyone who came before us. Not only do we inherit physical characteristics from our ancestors that make our lives easier or more difficult, but we can gain from them wealth, family connections, and the like that can also establish advantage (or disadvantage, as the case may be) for us.
It may be unjust, but it's how cause and effect work. We all are born with orlog that has been shaped by the actions of countless people over countless years, and the people whose actions are likely to have the largest influence on that is our ancestors. It's up to us what we do with what we've been given
I can understand do what we can with what we're given. But, it seemed that Hrafnkell was suggesting that it's right to discriminate against someone solely based on their ancestry over which they had no control. (Again like with Catholic Original Sin; we're punished and damned to eternity in fire because we inherit someone else's bad "blood" and baggage.)
Or like with blood feuding and vendetta. Totally OK back then to off someone's family member because their great great great uncle wronged your ancestor. Ridiculous. If such an idea is acceptable to Heathenry then no thanks.
Gran: I really don't think that's what he's trying to say. Are you sure you're being influenced cy your own experiences with Christianity when reading the post? The past informs the present in both on an individual basis as well as a historical and ancestral way. And even if that is what he's saying, you can disagree with it and still be a Heathen. Hrafnkell isn't some mystical authority of Heathenism. Just because he believes it doesn't mean we all have to. This is a reconstruction religion and we all have to use a combination of research, deduction, and intuition to follow it.
(Sorry for crappy typing in my previous post. It should say "you're not being influenced by")
As to ancestry and history, this is something I've been thinking on alot lately. I'm a history nut. As such, I know a fair bit about the histories of various countries and cultures. I truly believe that knowledge of history is a useful and important thing to have. I just wish I knew more about my own family history. My mom has a large and close knit family and alot of information about where they came from, including a family geneologist. My dad's family is a big blank. He's an only child, both of his parents died before I knew them, and he has no contact with any surviving family he may have. I've lately been wishing I knwe more about them and thier families. Where did they come from? What shaped their lives, and the lives of their parents, and their parents? What lives did they lead?
Sorry I haven't been able to respond till now. I spent all yesterday outside working in the yard and then recovering from it
Gran, I'm not suggesting people be judged on the past deeds of their ancestors. I'm saying that what your ancestors did would have definitely changed how people in our ancestors' time would have viewed you.
I AM saying that what your ancestors did influenced where you started from, where you are now, just as what you do will influence where any of your descendants begin.
There is no original sin in Heathenism. Never was. It doesn't fit the worldview.
Sorn mentions Beowulf. An excellent example. A person creates his or her own fate (see my big post on fate awhile back). But you can rise above your fate. You can rise above where your ancestors placed you. You can rise above where you yourself have placed you. Or you can succumb to it. That is the measure of a human being.
Sorn, you expressed what I was trying to say perfectly. Obviously, I should have referenced my "Heathen Fate" post when I wrote this. I clearly didn't express myself well.
Gran, Ulfrun: As Ulfrun says, I am not suggesting we discriminate against people based on the actions or identity of their ancestors. I did point out (or tried to) that in historic times, this would have taken place. You were known as "Son of So-and-so" and what your father did affected your reputation. Being the son of an oath-breaker, a kinslayer, etc, would not have put you in good standing with your fellows. That's how it was. We can say it's wrong but to their way of thinking, our ideas would be wrong.
As did Sorn, Ulfrun does a better job of expressing what I was trying to say than I did myself. Apologies to all for my lack of clarity when I wrote the post. It all seemed so clear in my own mind!
I'm pretty sure it's just me who doesn't get it since you're very good at explaining things, H. And yes, I may have some Christian baggage lurking somewhere that I'm not noticing when I think on this topic. I tried to read it as unobstructed as possible.
And I realize Hrafnkell isn't the uber guru of Heathenry. (: But…this issue is important to the faithful of that religion and if a person can/should be judged according to their ancestors or inherit spiritual woe because of their deeds then that's just not a cosmology I need/want to accept. Different strokes as far as I'm concerned. (:
Pardon me, but is there sin in heathenism, original or otherwise? I doubt it, but I do believe there is karma and lessons learnt.
Flameater, there is no sin in Heathenism, original or otherwise, unless you mean "missing the mark" which is the original meaning of sin. But in a religious sense, no. Karma does not really exist as a Heathen concept but I'm a strong believer in cause and effect, which is the essence of orlog.