Is Asatru neo-pagan?

[Bathilde]

Viked this from a discussion on an FB group.

I know a lot of Asatru folk who do not self-identify as neo-pagan, and would hate to be called one. And there are some who have no problem with, and consider themselves neo-pagan.

What do you think?

[Sera]

It doesn't bother me at all to be called a pagan (I hate the term neo-pagan). It's such a general term that I have a hard time finding it offensive.

I do, however, know many heathens who are deeply offended by it, and from what I can gather, it seems to stem from a fear of getting lumped into the same catagory as Wicca. To each their own, I suppose.

[Bathilde]

I agree

[Aelfgar]

I admit to not identifying as either Neo-Pagan or Asatru, just a Heathen here.

[Wulfcempa]

I think, technically, it is correct. By the dictionary definitions, we are pagans ("a follower of a polytheistic religion") and we are not the old pagans so we must be the new ("neo") ones.

But within pagan/heathen communities, the definitions take on different meanings.

So, if I were talking to an anthropologist, I might call myself a "neo-pagan". If I'm talking to, say, a non-pagan acquaintance, I'm likely to refer to myself as "pagan". When talking to people who should know the difference, I say "heathen".

[Deleted User 72]

I suppose we are all technically neopagans. But I prefer the term "Heathen" because it helps differentiate us from the crystal waiving hippies often denoted by the term neopagan.

[Gemyndig]

I'm not much bothered really - some (? a lot) of what I think and do is probably new, and so neo-pagan or neo-heathen doesn't really offend me. I used to be all "well we're a proper olde worlde religion and you're not!" about Wiccans, but I've gotten over all that now and I get on with them really well these days (probably because I know what I'm about now and am at peace with it.)

[schwarzesonne]

I definitely DO NOT call myself a “(neo-)pagan!”

The reasons for this are twofold; the first being historical and the second being cultural.

First the historical reason. Our New English “neo-pagan” is derived from the German “Neu-Heiden” a pejorative term used by the Nazis in the 1930s & 40s to describe any of a number of movements cropping up in Germany at the time ranging from Ariosophy to Gotterkenntnis and from Heidnische Naturreligion to Anthroposophy. Basically it was used much like “cult” is used in our New English parlance to mean “any religion I disapprove of”.

The second is cultural. A pagan is anyone who does not subscribe to the Abrahamic tradition. In other words, every religion from Buddhism to Dahomean Voodoo is pagan. Not only is this a term of derision, but it also says nothing about what I do or believe. You will notice that your average Buddhist does not refer to himself as a “pagan”--why should I?

Those people who specifically refer to themselves as “neo-pagans” are those who practice junk religions such as Discordianism or Wicca that are so loose that to define neo-paganism it amounts to just whatever the local coven or grove says it is or whatever the latest trend in Llewellyn books might be.

None of these accurately reflect what my beliefs or practices are; so it makes no sense for me to answer to such a term.

[Bathilde]

What do you do if you are called neo-pagan?

[schwarzesonne]

Assuming we're talking about a conversational setting I'll just politely explain that Heathens are something different from pagans even if we do share some superficial similarities.