The KKK and Asatru

Tabnabs

Seems there was a group of Ku Klux Klansmen in Texas who heard that some Pagans were holding a ritual out in the woods somewhere. Having run out of other minorities to harrass, they decided to get back to their roots and practice some religious bigotry in addition to the usual racial intolerance and break up the party with a good ol' cross-burning. [Note: in recent years, the Klan has tried to distance itself from its history of religious intolerance and claim that the organization's only concerns are racial. This is, of course, utter crap as the anti-Semitism of the Klan is well documented, as is their history of anti-Catholic violence in the early part of this century]

So anyway, these fellows loaded up some lumber and a couple of cans of gasoline and went out hunting for these Pagans they'd heard about, hoping to catch them dancing nekkid around a fire or something. They found the spot where the other vehicles were parked and donned their hoods. Grabbing the lumber and gasoline, they assembled a cross and strode off into the woods, confident that they'd scare any remaining pants off the fluffybunny New Agers.

They were a little disconcerted to find themselves looking at the business end of at least 2 spears, a couple of swords, assorted knives, and more than one firearm. They'd crashed an Asatru blot, and didn't realize that not all Pagans are pacifists. From somewhere behind the hardware, a voice called out "If that cross goes up, you're getting nailed to it. I've got my hammer right here..."

The Klansmen left in a bit of a hurry, it's said.

(Author Unknown, sources various)

Nevyn

Thank you for that giggle and welcome to boards.ie Dyflin.
Here is a link to the site FAQ,
so make sure you read the charters of the forums you visit as they can oft have
thier own variations of what is acceptible with that forum.

Nice to see a tale about Asstru warriors fending of racism.

Talliesin

LOL. That story made me smile on a couple of different levels at the same time. Nice first thread.

Tabnabs

Thanks for the welcome

I've read the FAQ section and it all seems perfectly logical.

Number 5. made me wonder though, is that what separates pagans from christians?

(No proselytising. Anyone trying to convert anyone to anything will be immediately banned.)

archdukefranz

If only more klansmen died for their beliefs...

Talliesin

Dyflin wrote:

Number 5. made me wonder though, is that what separates pagans from christians?

(No proselytising. Anyone trying to convert anyone to anything will be immediately banned.)

There is certainly a difference between how most Pagan paths view proselytising to salvitic paths (salvitic meaning they believe that their path offers salvation that other paths do not, and hence they have a duty to spread it), but not all Pagans disagree with proselytising, and in all this is a matter for another thread. However in this case the rule is not one that comes from the faiths in question, but one that helps us in moderation by defining a boundary which helps people discuss religion without every thread being a matter of differing views trying to convince everyone that their view is correct.

MichaelMartin

The Ku Klux Klan and National Socialist/Fascist policies on religion border on schizophrenia. On the one hand they blame the Jews for all the evils in the world, but on the other hand they base their spiritual concept firmly on Christianity, a religion of jewish origin, and pray to a fictitious (http://www.jesusneverexisted.com) dead jew on a stick. Makes no sense to me at all!

Dyflin wrote:

Seems there was a group of Ku Klux Klansmen in Texas who heard that some Pagans were holding a ritual out in the woods somewhere. Having run out of other minorities to harrass, they decided to get back to their roots and practice some religious bigotry in addition to the usual racial intolerance and break up the party with a good ol' cross-burning. [Note: in recent years, the Klan has tried to distance itself from its history of religious intolerance and claim that the organization's only concerns are racial. This is, of course, utter crap as the anti-Semitism of the Klan is well documented, as is their history of anti-Catholic violence in the early part of this century]

So anyway, these fellows loaded up some lumber and a couple of cans of gasoline and went out hunting for these Pagans they'd heard about, hoping to catch them dancing nekkid around a fire or something. They found the spot where the other vehicles were parked and donned their hoods. Grabbing the lumber and gasoline, they assembled a cross and strode off into the woods, confident that they'd scare any remaining pants off the fluffybunny New Agers.

They were a little disconcerted to find themselves looking at the business end of at least 2 spears, a couple of swords, assorted knives, and more than one firearm. They'd crashed an Asatru blot, and didn't realize that not all Pagans are pacifists. From somewhere behind the hardware, a voice called out "If that cross goes up, you're getting nailed to it. I've got my hammer right here..."

The Klansmen left in a bit of a hurry, it's said.

(Author Unknown, sources various)

Nevyn

MichaelMartin while this is the paganism forum really there is no need to belittle or speak harshly about other religions.
We do our thing and let them do thiers.
I personally find your

MichaelMartin wrote:

dead jew on a stick.

comment offensive.
I am sure most heathens would not be pleased if Hangaty was refered to in simular terms.

As you are new to this forum and to boards I suggest you read this forums charter
and the Faq for the site.
Welcome to boards.ie.

scorplett

Thaedydal wrote:

MichaelMartin while this is the paganism forum really there is no need to belittle or speak harshly about other religions.
We do our thing and let them do thiers.
I personally find your comment offensive.
I am sure most heathens would not be pleased if Hangaty was refered to in similar terms..

I would like to echo Thaed's comments here (at least to a point).

To Michael Martin (do you still use the title preacher of wotan as if it is your wish I will address you as such?)
I, even as a practicing pagan for many many years find such comments to be highly offensive. Not only in the context of it being crude and intolerant of other faiths, in this instance being christianity and judaisim but moreso because of the following reasons.
a) I believe in the historical existance of jesus, along with the prophits of all religions. This does by no means mean that I agree with those teachings or that they may have been divine individuals in any way but that I do believe them to have been worthy individuals who did live on this earth and tought valuable lessons and were of noble virtue. (it is others who interpreted their teachings etc that may have corrupted and altered those core teachings that make many see those figureheads such as jesus, mohammed, moses etc etc as being responsible personally for the way the world has historically represented them)
and
b) It is a core belief of mine and of many pagans that we respect, honour and worship the divine and that such divine is in fact omnipresent and imminant in every fabric of the world about us. This includes every human to have ever breathed air. They are and were as much imbued with deity as any other thing. Deity is everything and everywhere and everywhere and everything is deity. Therefore by such crude statments as a jew on a stick you have insulted the gods and that I find to be highly offensive and disrespectfull to the deity that imbues you with life.

alliekatt

A shamanic relative to Asatru is curently still practiced in neighbouring Finland; if you listen to the 'joik' or singing tradition of the Finnish tribes you will hear a fascinating mythos which has been alive for millenia. The most visible example is the Finnish version of the Upanishads, kept in oral singing tradition, called the Kalevala. It chronicles the adventures of the wizard Vanamoinen, who was the template for Tolkien's creation of Gandalf. One of the greatest joikers you will hear is named Wimme Saari, and he has his own releases out on CD as well as regularly appears in the Nordic music traditions kept alive by bands such as Hedningarna.

Asatruar shamanism I'm sure was not very different from Finnish tradition when it was well and alive. The Finnish still use the Amanita Muscaria in ceremony although I'd be frightened to try it myself; the fairies in Ireland give safer toys!

But then, given the nature of life in Scandinavia, it would be hard not to create a faith of utter nihilism. The original Vikings as I recall did not include a rebirth after Ragnarok; they believed in the eventual heat-death of the universe. I think the Asatru you see nowadays is a kinder, gentler Asatru; if you don't include the mead rituals seen at Klan rallies. The only pleasure I get from that, is knowing the old school southern christian conservatives are bothered all to hell that the Klan has been taken over by bald homophobic closet-gay satanist pseudo-asatru biker gangs who like to goose-step on speed. Talk about your poetic justice...nothing like an influx of dimwitted cartoon characters to ruin the edge of any half decent cultural conspiracy.

alliekatt