The fabled lost post: Superficially heathen?

Found this article as a draft on one of my other, non-heathen, blogs. I don't fully remember writing it and I'm not completely sure how long it's been languishing in the limbo of my drafts folder, but I thought I'd (re)post with only a little editing (as I think I might have written in when I was ever so slightly drunk).



I'm noticing a general online trend whereby posts and articles seem to focus much more on what I would refer to as the superficial aspects of the path. Viking TV shows and films, t-shirts, pendants and drinking horns are all nice things to look at and even purchase/own, if you're that way inclined. However, they aren't really things I'd emphasise in my communications with other heathens - mostly cos they don't matter. I'm also noting a distinctly "Brosatru" theme to products that are being marketed at heathens, but that is, perhaps, fodder for another article.

Don't get me wrong, Vikings are cool. But whenever anyone makes reference to vikings as part of their heathen path, it kinda puts me off. A viking was a job. It's akin to saying you want to convert to christianity cos you really like postmen.

No-one seems to be talking about the average Joe in viking age Europe anymore. I don't often hear newcomers to the faith asking about the beliefs and worldview of our heathen forefathers. New questions seem to be either "Can I be heathen if I believe x?" or "Who would be the patron god of reality tv?".

It's kinda cool, seeing so much fresh blood come to the faith, but I often wish heathenry could be separated from viking fandom a bit more.

When vikings are no longer chic...

There is little doubt that heathenry has had an surge of interest due to the popularity of programs like "Vikings" and "Last Kingdom", not to mention assorted other viking-inspired products.

Perhaps some of these newcomer Vikings fans will like what they find and continue their study of heathenry and teutonic mythology in general. But what will happen to our nascent heathen culture when the great media marketing machine moves on to another topic? Right now, there are a dearth of stores and companies offering a range of heathen-friendly products and services, mostly thanks to their being bolstered by the current media-driven interest.

When models dressed as burly, rambunctious viking men and women no longer adorn our screens, large and small, what will happen to our path?

My belief is that, naturally, its growth will slow, perhaps even cease for a while, but I hope that the subculture will move away from the superficial "vikings are cool, I want to look like Ragnar" that has become more pronounced since the media explosion and into more obviously spiritual and/or historic development.

I have to confess that websites offering (tight) tshirts for (musclebound) Ragnar Lothbrok wannabees with cheesy Valhalla slogans really do rather annoy me. Never a particularly big fan of the overemphasis of Ragnarok at the best of times, I had to hold back my bile when I witnessed a group of Brosatru with Grimfrost t-shirts and drinking horns shouting loudly during the Wardruna concert I attended.

I get it, I really do. But some of us will still be raising a toast to our ancestors when you pretenders have moved on to the next thing your television tells you to like. At least have the decency to show some respect and take the time to find out what your current obsession-du-jour is really about.

Another interesting quote:

"What happened to fantasy for me is what also happened to rock and roll. It
found a common denominator for making maximum money. As a result, it lost its
tensions, its anger, its edginess and turned into one big cup of cocoa."

~ Michael Moorcock [author and ex-member of "Hawkwind"]

Could we say heathenry is going the same way?

Heathenry: More than just a Viking religion?

Heathenry, heathenism, odinism, northern tradition - call it what you will. It rarely gets any exposure under its own merits. Whenever anyone new comes to heathenry, they are introduced to it as "The religion of the Vikings" or it is presented as some kind of warrior cult. Over the next few articles that I post here (some my own, some borrowed from other, more learned writers) I hope to alter that image. I want to present heathenry in clearer terms - at least, my version of heathenry.