20: Do We Know How To Be Pagans?

Intro Sponser GoldMoney - barbariangold Blog Shout out Barbarianforever@barbarianforever.com @barbarianradio Instagram Historical paganism is a murky part of academia With the destruction of the library of alexandria as well as multiple attempts by christians to wipe out all traces of paganism, we have very little to go off of when looking to practice. Jackson crawford But does it matter and can we still practice this ancient faith in an authentic way. Historical analysis- Key points, Paganism is born out of our natural way of being and is always in the background this isn't historical reenactment, we don't need to have it be perfect. we know enough to kickstart the engines and start doing this well and craft new practices that are just as authentic as anything Paganism is not particularly liturgical and therefore our creative act of rebuilding the religion is just as authentic as the ancient practices maybe even more so If we practiced some purely historically accurate paganism we would miss one important essential key to religions and that is that religions change over time. These practices have a connection to the past but they are not set in stone. We have to think about the purpose of religion and use it accordingly So what do we do? Real Hethenry - The Heathen Elite: Fostering a Culture of Excellence Heathenry remains in a phase of growth and development. We do not have the benefit of centuries of organic practice to fall back on. We are still exploring the mysteries and uncovering truths held by the elder Germanic people, and rather than being disturbed by this progress we should instead see it for the challenge it is. Instead of shrugging our shoulders at accepted wisdom or, hiding behind "traditions" that are barely older than we are and not necessarily founded in truth, we should seek to constantly challenge our preconceptions, to constantly reevaluate our understanding in the light of emerging research, both academic and practical. It is our intellectual duty to seek the next level, fostering growth and evolution that carries us closer to true understanding of what it means to be Heathen and the responsibilities entailed therein. In settling for the second best and the sub-par, one settles for relationships with one's kin and that kin's gods that are "acceptable" rather than "excellent" and "meaning well," rather than "being well." Settling squanders potential and invites the spectre of stagnation. 3 Perspectives on Heathenry: Imagine that a thousand years from now a collection of 1954 Hudson Hornets is discovered by an archaeologist. All these models are in similar condition, however they will not start. They are missing pieces of their engines and the interiors have been gutted. Records from this time period on American automobiles is scarce now, most data having been lost in the ensuing time. Three enthusiasts each purchase a vehicle, hoping to "restore" it. The first enthusiast removes all the remaining pieces of the the engine, cleans up and restores pieces of the automotive body – mostly with materials not found in 1950's America. They attempt to make it as visually perfect as possible, while replacing the engine and moving parts with modern equivalents. The enthusiast then takes it to car shows and discusses the history of automobiles in general, using as many terms as he can that are from the 20th and 21st centuries. He also dresses in what he believes is "motorist" fashion, typically a Nascar driver's uniform. This is reenactment. For a time Heathenry could be mistaken for reenactment, before the internet was available outside of major universities, let alone in everyone's pocket. Reenactment can be solid introduction to Heathenry , depending on how they restored the body, and the perspectives learned on the methods used to create objects used in everyday life of that time period. Unfortunately left alone it only exists as a veneer. The second enthusiast restores the car with a mixture of modern parts and parts from other vehicles (both within the same period and from elsewhere), often removing the old. The interior is replaced so as to make the driver as comfortable as possible, while the exterior is customized to their taste. In the end, the car looks vaguely like the original, but has a number of details that are from other makes and models and is powered by an engine that is almost completely modern. This is neopaganism. Unlike Heathenry , neopaganism is customized to the individual. Ideas, themes, concepts, and beliefs are pulled from a number of sources, frequently modern ones. For them, it is more about creating a belief system that is in line with the worldview they already hold. Neopaganism will often look like Heathenry , using the same gods, many of the same terms, and so forth. Yet closer inspection will note that the individual engages in beliefs or actions that are not recognizable to the arch-Heathen . The third enthusiast examines all existing examples of automobiles from that time period, and through trial and error fits them together, fills in gaps of knowledge, and materials used on the vehicles and compares to what is used now. Replaces the vehicle with original parts when possible, or fabricates new parts that worked as the original when necessary. Spends years studying all aspects of automobiles, often sees their work used by others – sometimes correctly, sometimes not. Borrows research findings from others working on similar ancient vehicles. At times encounters resistance to changing or adapting to new discoveries that are made from commonly accepted methods being used by most. Other times it is silently adopted by all. Eventually they are able to make the vehicle run and be used as it was during time it was built. At the same time, they ensure all of its parts are up to modern code, so that they can use the vehicle publicly without breaking the law or causing unwanted attention. The third enthusiast is a reconstructionist. They combine many of the ideas of the first two, but add and expand upon the methods they used for their conclusion. They have to adapt to changing attitudes when newly discovered data is found, contradicting previous assumptions they may have had. They use a list of modern sciences that crosses anthropology, history, architecture, archaeology, agriculture, linguistics, and others to rebuild a framework and give context to their view of the world they live in. Reconstruction in Heathenry can be incredibly frustrating. We frequently learn that previously-held beliefs may not be accurate to the arch-Heathen worldview, or that certain notions of modern-day life may not have existed then. It is a process through which we constantly have to build and rebuild our worldview, and it is a great deal of work. But to be truly Heathen, and to be recognizably so, it is necessary. And while it can be frustrating, it can also be rewarding. The knowledge gained, and the connection made with one's ancestors in the pursuit of that knowledge, are worth the effort made. _______ The thing that is missing from these perspectives is truth. I believe that there is a truth that we can grasp at that is not something we will find in books but something that we find through our experience. There is most certanly a danger in injecting modern worldviews into heathenry so much as to distort them. I find this in the universalistic type thinking that borrows the values of christianity and overlays them onto the myths and historical aspects of paganism. History should be a guiding light but is not the be all end all. There is so much we don't know. and just because some of our ancestors did something a thousand years ago, does not me we must do it today to be true heathens. We would all be in a rough spot if we acted like Egil in the sagas, killing people for looking at him the wrong way. Every tribe will have to find their balance between reenactment, reconstruction and neo-paganism,

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20: Do We Know How To Be Pagans? is an episode from Barbarian Radio by Barbarian Radio.

This episode is 36:44 long.

This episode was published on May 28, 2018.

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