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Jul. 24th, 2006 09:29 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rivendellrose#@^#$&%@$#$@%J(&(^.
'A pagan religion that some experts say can be interpreted as encouraging violence is gaining popularity among prison inmates...'
Wait... a religion that some say can be interpreted as encouraging violence? So... Christianity? Islam? Hinduism? Pretty much any damned religion in the world? Let's see... we have the Crusades, holy wars and terrorism, the Bhagavad-Gita's injuction that civil war and killing one's kin is okay because it doesn't hurt the soul (I apologize, my brain is not awake enough to remember the exact citation)... Yup, I'd say those can all be (mostly erroneously) interpreted as being pro-violence. But is that what this article is about? No! It's everyone's favorite red-haired-stepchild of the pagan movement - the Asatru, of course!
Because if inmates discover a sudden faith in Christianity while they're on death row, it's a miracle and they should be released for their repentence, but if they find comfort in paganism, boy, it's a sign of a disturbing and potentially violent trend. *Headdesk* It attracts "prisoners seeking power, protection and unity." What religion doesn't attract people seeking those things?
Now, I admit, Asatru makes me a little oogie, too. But all organized religions do that to me. What's that quote? One person can be intelligent and reasonable, but people as a group are dangerous, irrational cattle? I firmly believe that there is nothing about Asatru that is more inherently dangerous than any other religion. It emphasizes loyalty to one's family and friends, honoring elders and ancestors, community, and honor. If you want to know about what Asatru are supposed to believe and follow, read the Havamal, the Sayings of the High One from the Poetic Edda. Unfortunately, there are whackjobs in every religious group, and paganism seems to attract more than its fair share because it's new, it's unusual, and it's non-mainstream and so appealing to people who are already disaffected. I don't mean that as an insult - I am a pagan, and I am mildly disaffected. But for the love of all the gods, can we please not make such easy targets of ourselves?
Update: For comparison, here's the same story in the Guardian. Worth reading if only for how completely similar the two articles are. There's a lot of wording in thaere that's exactly the same - full sentences, even. Makes you wonder. There's one difference - the Guardian article is even worse.
'A pagan religion that some experts say can be interpreted as encouraging violence is gaining popularity among prison inmates...'
Wait... a religion that some say can be interpreted as encouraging violence? So... Christianity? Islam? Hinduism? Pretty much any damned religion in the world? Let's see... we have the Crusades, holy wars and terrorism, the Bhagavad-Gita's injuction that civil war and killing one's kin is okay because it doesn't hurt the soul (I apologize, my brain is not awake enough to remember the exact citation)... Yup, I'd say those can all be (mostly erroneously) interpreted as being pro-violence. But is that what this article is about? No! It's everyone's favorite red-haired-stepchild of the pagan movement - the Asatru, of course!
Because if inmates discover a sudden faith in Christianity while they're on death row, it's a miracle and they should be released for their repentence, but if they find comfort in paganism, boy, it's a sign of a disturbing and potentially violent trend. *Headdesk* It attracts "prisoners seeking power, protection and unity." What religion doesn't attract people seeking those things?
Now, I admit, Asatru makes me a little oogie, too. But all organized religions do that to me. What's that quote? One person can be intelligent and reasonable, but people as a group are dangerous, irrational cattle? I firmly believe that there is nothing about Asatru that is more inherently dangerous than any other religion. It emphasizes loyalty to one's family and friends, honoring elders and ancestors, community, and honor. If you want to know about what Asatru are supposed to believe and follow, read the Havamal, the Sayings of the High One from the Poetic Edda. Unfortunately, there are whackjobs in every religious group, and paganism seems to attract more than its fair share because it's new, it's unusual, and it's non-mainstream and so appealing to people who are already disaffected. I don't mean that as an insult - I am a pagan, and I am mildly disaffected. But for the love of all the gods, can we please not make such easy targets of ourselves?
Update: For comparison, here's the same story in the Guardian. Worth reading if only for how completely similar the two articles are. There's a lot of wording in thaere that's exactly the same - full sentences, even. Makes you wonder. There's one difference - the Guardian article is even worse.
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Date: 2006-07-24 04:53 pm (UTC)In other news, hey you! :D
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Date: 2006-07-24 04:54 pm (UTC)What's that quote? One person can be intelligent and reasonable, but people as a group are dangerous, irrational cattle?
Yes, yes, yes.
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Date: 2006-07-24 04:57 pm (UTC)Hey you! ♥ How's it going? Aside from overheated? ;)
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Date: 2006-07-24 04:59 pm (UTC)I'm doing very well! Had a very good writing day yesterday and I'm still basking in it. Except that in a few minutes I'm going to have to go and get a shot. And that requires going into the heat as well.
You?
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Date: 2006-07-24 05:03 pm (UTC)And even so, you're right - there's a HUGE amount of ultra-violent stuff in the Hebrew Scriptures, especially the Psalms and the historical books. *sigh*
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Date: 2006-07-24 05:04 pm (UTC)I'm embarassed to say that I can't remember where the hell that quote comes from. But I love it.
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Date: 2006-07-24 05:12 pm (UTC)I think what frustrates me most about Asatruar constantly getting bad press of one type or another is that they're pretty much the closest organized religion to my personal beliefs. I feel a kinship with them, but as a group they have some seriously bad PR that reflects horribly on everythng around them.
Religions grow with the people in them. Humanity as a whole, thank the gods, has made a lot of progress since those days. When it comes down to it, no culture has their hands clean of blood; we all just have to recognize that times have changed, and the old rules aren't necessarily baggage that we want to keep. The trick, it seems, is getting rid of what's holding us back, without losing what makes life worthwhile.
no subject
Date: 2006-07-24 05:30 pm (UTC)A shot? Oh... the whole pre-college mess of them? Bleck.
Working, working. The usual. Had a good weekend, though, and tomorrow night I'll be going out for drinks at singles' night at a local bar, so... fun stuff, hopefully.
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Date: 2006-07-24 05:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-07-24 05:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-07-24 06:27 pm (UTC)You said it!
Because if inmates discover a sudden faith in Christianity while they're on death row, it's a miracle and they should be released for their repentence, but if they find comfort in paganism, boy, it's a sign of a disturbing and potentially violent trend
Again, right on!
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Date: 2006-07-24 06:29 pm (UTC)