Comments on: Are Yule Logs Unethical?

By: Hrafnkell

Hrafnkell — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:21:37 +0000

Oh geez, yes, that’s another kettle of fish entirely, cinnabari!! There should be no assumption of “earth-goddess-centered” particularly since the idea of the all-prevailing goddess has been debunked by scholarship. Not that there were earth goddesses and that they didn’t play an important role, but the whole “once there was matriarchy” routine doesn’t carry weight any more.

I won’t even get into the whole Loki thing. I’m pretty fed up with the crazy things I hear in that regard as well. That would be a whole new post, my friend.

By: cinnabari

cinnabari — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:48:52 +0000

I think what still makes me cringe is the assumption that “earth-centered” means “earth-goddess-centered,” and what I see as an oddly romantic approach to nature that comes of that. I don’t disagree that there are nature gods in our lore; just that the focus of the religion did not seem to be on how one gets along with nature, but on kinship and social bonds. That nature is, sometimes, incorporated into those social bonds (personified in the Vanir or however else) still does not make it *the* focus, but *a* focus. I think that distinction is key. (See me pick nits. Blame the academic.)

You’re totally right that we Heathens have our share of people who say stupid things (cough, folkish, cough) that are a lot more damaging than “all pagans are nature-worshipers.” That said… if I hear “but Loki is just like Coyote! A trickster!” one more time, I may snap. *g*

By: Hrafnkell

Hrafnkell — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:42:35 +0000

To tell the truth, cinnabari, it once made me cringe too, but a very wise Icelandic Heathen put me on the right track. He reminded me that (in his words): “there is a very strong thread of “earth-centeredness” in heathen mythology as I see it. Sacred kingship was imagined as the king’s “marriage” to his earth, his land – and compared with Óðinn’s marriage to Jörð, the Earth-giantess. Most giants represent either natural forces, phenomena of the earth,
or wild animals of the earth, air, ocean, and fire.”

Nor can we forget that Freyr and Freyja – as deities of the earth – are nature deities. DuBois (who refers to “Nordic agrarian religions” points out that, “As the coital act emerged as a prime metaphor for the mystery of agricultural fecundity, the gods responsible for the seasonal cycle, sunshine, rain, and plants took on the characteristics of human sexuality…This stratum of Nordic religious life appears to have held great significance for people dependent on the seasons and the vagaries of agricultural production.” (DuBois 1999:54-55)

For my part, I think much of my original objection was based on Wicca’s sometimes dubious claims about the nature of ancient religion but I’ve come to the conclusion that just as something isn’t automatically wrong because Christianity believes it (after all, they stole enough from Paganism that to disregard everything they say would be to throw the baby out with the bathwater), disregarding something simply because it is endorsed by Wicca is not to be preferred.

To some extent, I think we Heathens have a false sense of superiority. Yes, I have myself spoken out against the nonsense sometimes uttered by Wiccans but as I’ve shown here before, Heathens can utter some pretty ridiculous things as well. It’s truly breath-taking sometimes.

And you raise an excellent point about “intent” over “trappings.” The same, I suppose, can be said about “blood sacrifices.” I can’t sacrifice my own cow or goat and when I buy the meat in the store it doesn’t have much blood (the life force) in the package, so when I make an offering of the meat the act is based more on intent than on the trappings (the nature of the meat itself).

In the end, we do the best we can with what we have.

By: cinnabari

cinnabari — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 04:17:31 +0000

Hm. I’m still not sanguine with calling heathenism a “nature-based” religion, in part because I’ve fought that battle with neopagans too many times as a recon.

But laying that aside…as an environmentalist and a Heathen… for those of us who don’t live in a house with a fireplace (or a house at all, for that matter), wood fires are not any kind of option. I assume you meant “simulated fires” as in “gas fire places complete with fake jumping flames,” rather than candles or alcohol fires, which is what some of us have to resort to. I’m far less attached to the trappings than the intent of the ritual. And near as I can tell, the gods don’t care, either.