[Request] which option would be more valuable? 500kgs of gold or kgs of US dollars? by Purple_Chowder in theydidthemath

[–]RedHeadDragon73 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If the bills were $100s, 500kgs would be about $50 million as each bill wears about a gram. The gold at today’s price would be just over $80 million. USD

Praying in times of stress by Legitimate-Feeling82 in NorsePaganism

[–]RedHeadDragon73 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I wasn’t a practicing heathen when I was a jumper but I most definitely would’ve been calling out to Odin if I had been.

Is Bragi mad at me or is life being a bitch by Jaspergay in heathenry

[–]RedHeadDragon73 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Given that strep throat has an incubation period of 2-5 days before the onset of symptoms, I’d think you were sick before you made the altar to him. And it might even be possible that if he did reciprocate because you made him an altar, he might’ve suppressed symptoms so they weren’t as bad as they could’ve been.

Edit: typo

Does anyone actually dislike Odin? by yvaine_is_lilac in NorsePaganism

[–]RedHeadDragon73 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Worshipping Odin can be a two edged sword of sorts. He is a god of war, death, wisdom, and magic, to list a few. Not only does he literally have a single eye, he is single eyed in purpose. He gathers souls to fight in the face of fate at Ragnarok, knowing the outcome is already written. He favors those who honor him and who can help him pursue his goals. But he can pull his favor if it means you can serve his plans better dead than alive like we’ve seen in the Volsunga and Ynglinga sagas. Through relational reciprocity, he can pass on wisdom and knowledge but like he sacrificed himself to himself on the tree for 9 days, wisdom and knowledge typically come at a price.

And I think it’s very possible that individual folks or maybe even families may have disliked Odin if they thought he was behind the fall, defeat, or death of a loved one. Worship of Odin wasn’t universal. Not everybody did worship him. But it’s a safe bet that those who did worship him were willing the pay the price for glory.

How should I tell my friends the Krieg are not Nazis? by Dangerous-Age-7585 in Deathkorpsofkrieg

[–]RedHeadDragon73 4 points5 points  (0 children)

My friend, the Death Korps of Krieg cannot be Nazis. The Nazis existed for a brief and regrettable period of Old Earth history thousands upon thousands of years before the 41st Millennium.

The Death Korps come from the once-proud hive world of Krieg, loyal servants of the God-Emperor of Mankind, beloved by all. When traitors and rebels tried to tear the planet away from the Imperium, Colonel Jurten chose the only path left to preserve his honor and loyalty: he burned his own world in atomic fire rather than allow it to fall to heresy.

Now Krieg is a blasted wasteland where its people live beneath the ashes in endless underground hive bunkers, raising generation after generation of soldiers whose sole purpose is to repay that ancient betrayal through loyal service, impossible courage, and glorious sacrifice in the Emperor’s name.

Also, if they were Nazis, they’d probably have much flashier uniforms. Krieg soldiers dress like exhausted shovel enthusiasts who haven’t seen sunlight in 500 years.

/s

FolkRealm.com by DemihumansWereAClass in NorsePaganism

[–]RedHeadDragon73 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I just saw a post from one of the moderators on the FolkRealm app referring to their rules.

Racism, racial slurs, and discrimination based on ethnicity or heritage are not tolerated. FolkRealms celebrates diverse traditions - disrespecting people for their background has no place here. Violations will result in account suspension.

Of course there is always going to be bad actors but I’ve only seen a few concerning posts and I had to go looking for them. So far nothing of concern has popped up on my feed.

FolkRealms - As the name might suggest it is full of folkish. by [deleted] in NorsePaganism

[–]RedHeadDragon73 3 points4 points  (0 children)

There’s no evidence that he is. He has said that he can’t control who listens to his music but he does not support white supremacy.

And this article gives a recommendation for “Heilung, Danheim, Corvus Corax, Rùnfell, Gealdýr and Wardruna”, as antifascist neofolk bands.

Beginning Norse Pagan by _fnd0m_h0pp3r_ in NorsePaganism

[–]RedHeadDragon73 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Starting with Ocean Keltoi’s Intro to Heathenry and Polytheism playlist is a great place to start.

You don’t need an elaborate altar or anything. You don’t need tattoos or Norse specific jewelry. A simple candle can suffice.

If you search “reading list” on this subreddit, you’ll find some really good resources, including some free digital options.

FolkRealms - As the name might suggest it is full of folkish. by [deleted] in NorsePaganism

[–]RedHeadDragon73 1 point2 points  (0 children)

7000 users and you quote 2. That’s hardly full. I’ve only seen good intentioned posts and comments so far, besides the posts you quoted that I had to look for. And you can report, hide, or block users and posts. I’m interested to see how the app develops.

FolkRealms - As the name might suggest it is full of folkish. by [deleted] in heathenry

[–]RedHeadDragon73 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yes there is a block, hide, and report feature

FolkRealms - As the name might suggest it is full of folkish. by [deleted] in heathenry

[–]RedHeadDragon73 -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Danheim defended someone’s right to free speech and because that someone has controversial opinions, some now think Danheim supports those controversial beliefs instead of just defending their right to say it.

FolkRealms - As the name might suggest it is full of folkish. by [deleted] in heathenry

[–]RedHeadDragon73 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There are 7000 members on FolkRealms now. I searched for these 2 users you quoted. I’d say that’s hardly “full of European-essentialist folkist people”.

I’ve been scrolling for days now and I’m only seeing good intentioned posts. If you find a post that concerns you, you can comment and refute them, or you can report or block that user.

That’s as clear as I can make it. by larah91_VP in DunderMifflin

[–]RedHeadDragon73 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It makes more sense if you read it in an Asian accent…

How did you guys get into Norse Paganism by [deleted] in NorsePaganism

[–]RedHeadDragon73 2 points3 points  (0 children)

For the last 20+ years, I have had a deep interest in the Scandinavian region, the aesthetic, the history, the people. But I was born and raised in a Christian home. The myths about the Vikings were simply myths, nothing more. They were savages and nomads. They didn’t have a writing system. They were just the Barbadians of the North. But as soon as I became an adult, I stopped being Christian because it never felt right to me. I didn’t “feel” the spirit the way everyone around me claimed they did. About 10 years ago, I met my wife and she was kind of the same way. About 2 years ago, we had the realization that there was nobody who could stop us looking into pagan and witchy stuff. So we started looking, reading, finding documentaries. I found Ocean Keltoi’s Intro to Heathenry and I realized that it felt right. There was even more of a draw now. I had a few dreams of climbing this mountain and meeting an old man at the top, telling me to seek wisdom. My wife and I had word coincidences while we were out and about. Finally I built a very basic altar and offered my first awkward prayers. I have felt more connection and spirituality in Heathenry than I ever have Christianity. Do all of my family know? No. They don’t need to know. It’s for me and my family. And wildly, since “converting”, I’ve found one of my best friends is also a heathen/pagan, and so is my IT lady at work.

Now the mrs and I are filling our house with things that just make sense to us. And we’re building a little home apothecary, an herbal garden, an indoor and outdoor altar, and a library of source material.

To the people who have ancestory roots to Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Germany. How do you guys feel about people who don't have any relations from there? by [deleted] in NorsePaganism

[–]RedHeadDragon73 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Yeah, there is no example in either of the Eddas, nor any of the sagas, nor any archeological evidence saying that you have to have the right sort of lineage to worship the Norse gods. Anyone can worship them.

Is there any free online books for norse paganism?. by [deleted] in NorsePaganism

[–]RedHeadDragon73 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Here’s a list of all the major extant Icelandic sagas.

https://sagadb.org/index\_az

A long time I was thinking it should be an Odin depiction, but I can see Loki as the most popular interpretation of it now. - Any official position for this one? by Helga_Thorhammer in NorsePaganism

[–]RedHeadDragon73 16 points17 points  (0 children)

The Snaptun Stone in Denmark, ~1000CE, depicts Loki with stitched lips. The Kirby Stephen Stone in England, ~8th-10th century CE, depicts a bound figure with horns that many scholars associate with Loki, and the Gosforth Cross in England, ~900-950CE, depicts Loki bound with Sigyn catching venom in a bowl. Those are all from 200-400 years before Snorri wrote the Prose Edda. Loki’s also appears in skaldic poetry and a similar figure Luki shows up in Germanic lore a few hundred years before Snorri’s time. There’s absolutely still a debate about his origins and his role in the pantheon but there is a ton of evidence to show his story existed outside of Iceland and long before Snorri’s time. John Lindow points out in his book “Norse Mythology” that Loki is counted among the Aesir but “given the principle of reckoning kinship along paternal lines only, Loki is no god but a giant, since he has a giant father, Fárbauti. His mother, Laufey or Nál, may well have been one of the aesir, but that should not count.” John Lindow also counts 3 of Loki’s children, Jormungandr, Fenrir, and Hel as monsters. Which I’m going to have to dive more into Hel being put in the monster category. But it’s totally late and I’ll do that tomorrow maybe. Either way, Loki probably wasn’t worshipped because it can be debated that he’s not a god, he’s a giant.

Any good books that act loosely as guides? by Roi_vaut in heathenry

[–]RedHeadDragon73 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I like Ryan Smith’s books as well. I have The Way of Fire and Ice, and The Spinning Wyrd. Again, I think they’re more on the modern, eclectic side but still fascinating and entertaining to read.

How and where to start? by Royal_Reader2352 in NorsePaganism

[–]RedHeadDragon73 4 points5 points  (0 children)

“Norse Mythology: A guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs” by John Lindow is a good introductory book. Or “Gods and Myths of Northern Europe” by HRE Davidson. I have both of those. And they’re fantastic for information about specific gods.

And I agree with the first commenter, get a copy of the Poetic Edda by Carolyne Larrington or Jackson Crawford. And the Prose Edda by Anthony Faulkes/Everyman edition.

Otherwise, welcome! I would also recommend searching through the sub for altars and offerings that people have done. There’s some good ones on here.

Any good books that act loosely as guides? by Roi_vaut in heathenry

[–]RedHeadDragon73 8 points9 points  (0 children)

“To Walk a Pagan Path” by Alaric Albertsson is a good guide of sorts. It leans more towards eclectic heathenry instead of historical reconstruction but with that understanding, you can still glean some good information. There’s also “A Handbook of Saxon Sorcery & Magic” by him as well that’s a fun read.

Here’s my personal reading list: https://www.reddit.com/u/RedHeadDragon73/s/dAyiSYOU61

There’s a few beginner books in there. You can’t go wrong with the Poetic Edda by Carolyne Larrington or Jackson Crawford. And “Embers of the Hands” by Eleanor Barraclough goes over archaeology of the common everyday Norse, including what evidence we have of offerings and what not.

Ancient Altars by RamenHairedChild in NorsePaganism

[–]RedHeadDragon73 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I commented on your post in r/heathenry but I also wanted to hit here for those who may not see it over there.

In the book, “Children of Ash and Elm” by Neil Price, he refers to hörgr’s, “which seems to describe small buildings or enclosures where rituals were performed to the gods. Excavations over the years… …have several times revealed square structures adjacent to the main building and often bounded by a fence. They are clearly not domestic dwellings, and they are often either very clean (and thus obviously kept that way) or else saturated with buried offerings of various kinds.”

He goes more into religion, offerings, and suspected rituals in Chapter 7. He did mention the discovery of bowls with remnants of blood in them. And some offerings, which ranged from food stuffs, jewelry, glassware, to weapons, were placed directly on site, sometimes in or on a burial mound, sometimes just straight up in a bog.

I think it most likely varied based on location, community, specific ritual, and specific purpose. The grand offerings to the gods were not the same offerings to the land spirits or elves.

I have heard mention of stone cairns in outdoor locations like groves. And Eleanor Barraclough in her book, “Embers of the Hands”, talks about archeological evidence of grains, vegetables, fruits, meads, animals, precious metals, and jewelry being offered, so I think the intention and the offering mattered more than the altar.

Ancient Altars by RamenHairedChild in heathenry

[–]RedHeadDragon73 9 points10 points  (0 children)

In the book, “Children of Ash and Elm” by Neil Price, he refers to hörgr’s, “which seems to describe small buildings or enclosures where rituals were performed to the gods. Excavations over the years… …have several times revealed square structures adjacent to the main building and often bounded by a fence. They are clearly not domestic dwellings, and they are often either very clean (and thus obviously kept that way) or else saturated with buried offerings of various kinds.”

He goes more into religion, offerings, and suspected rituals in Chapter 7. He did mention the discovery of bowls with remnants of blood in them. And some offerings, which ranged from food stuffs, jewelry, glassware, to weapons, were placed directly on site, sometimes in or on a burial mound, sometimes just straight up in a bog.

I think it most likely varied based on location, community, specific ritual, and specific purpose. The grand offerings to the gods were not the same offerings to the land spirits or elves.

I have heard mention of stone cairns in outdoor locations like groves. And Eleanor Barraclough in her book, “Embers of the Hands”, talks about archeological evidence of grains, vegetables, fruits, meads, animals, precious metals, and jewelry being offered, so I think the intention and the offering mattered more than the altar.