Is Asatru For Everyone?

[HeathenHammer]

There are three general views regarding this question: Universalist, Folkish, and the Nazi-like, racist view. The Universalist view being that anyone and everyone has the ability to connect with the Germanic gods, and should be accepted into the Heathen community. The Folkish being that only the people with the correct ancestry can potentially connect with the Old Gods and should be accepted, but do not look down on other races. Lastly, the racist view, made famous by Hitler's Third Reich, is pretty much self-explanatory.

I personally see most things as a Universalist, but with Asatru things are a bit different. Ancestry plays a large part in Asatru, so much so that some believe that they are connected to the gods through blood. Due to this, I would take a Folkish stance. I think racism is as vile as anyone else, but I think people should look into the indigenous religions of their ancestors (which I believe they would find more of a sense of identity and belonging). What do you guys think?
Thanks!

-- Nick

[schwarzesonne]

Not getting into the old debate that's been going on since the 1970s, as it's accomplished nothing in all that time but to piss off people on all sides. But I will mention this: you've missed two other perspectives that really go around the whole racial issue-- the völkisch view and the tribalist view. Both of these have had a massive influence on Second Reawakening Heathendom, and it would be a real shame not to include them in the equation.

[Bathilde]

I think talking about the different views in heathenry is a good thing and doesn't necessarily piss people off as long as we all act honorably.

I am culturist(but this can be seen as tribalist) in that I do not think that everyone is suitable to be heathen and adopt a heathen worldview without assimilating in to one of the heathen cultures, which is the proper context of the worldview and folk way. I do not think that one needs ancestry of those cultures in order to assimilate, but I think if one's ancestry has maintained cultural ties it's a lot easier to accomplish this. Being adopted into a cultural folkway has historical basis, and for those who like to compare heathenry to american indian folk ways, the indians did similarly adopt outsiders into their tribe. Hence the blood argument doesn't fly in that regard.

I think those that are neo-nazi or otherwise racist/racialist most likely aren't heathen, they're just using the mythology and symbolism for their agenda(which is the reason for wotanism). I call these people nazitru.