Munson's Mead Hall - The Biting Fly of Racism

All new social movements, especially religious/spiritual ones, encounter friction with the society in which they first manifest. As one writer put it, "The first hundred years are always the hardest."

Asatru is no different. As an outgrowth of other modern Pagan and reconstructionist movements, Asatru continues to have the same growing pains that other groups do. However, Asatru has also had a somewhat unique problem to deal with – the misconception that it is a racist ideology.

How this came about is somewhat complicated, but the basic situation is this. In the latter 19th century, Darwin's theory of evolution was all the rage. One outgrowth of this was the concept of "Social Darwinism" wherein theorists applied loose interpretations of ideas like survival of the fittest to cultures and societies. As these ideas spread, many nationalistic social theorists began to delve into their old native cultures (or what they perceived to be such) for a new sense of identity and strength. This often meant exploring pre-Christian roots. In Germany, the newest empire on the block, this was particularly popular.

As a general rule, there's nothing wrong with such explorations and research. After all, such research is the bread and butter of modern Asatru. In fact, there was an early Heathen revival, primarily Odinist, which began to take shape as a result of this early historical and archaeological work.

However, the nationalists did not merely study the old folk ways and beliefs, they experimented with and manipulated them to fit contemporary political and social ideologies. Racism, and anti-Semitism in particular, were strong, unsavory threads.

As we all know, the problem hit its zenith with the rise of the Nazi party in Germany. Hitler, Goebels, Himmler and other Nazi theorists built upon the ideas of the nationalists who came before them and wove them into their vision of a Germanic "master race" -- a principal aspect of their propaganda.

In order to boost nationalistic/racist pride and to separate themselves, the Nazis adopted and warped several pre-Christian symbols, names and concepts. Old Germanic and Norse culture was tweaked, romanticized and re-packaged to fit the party's goals of domination and conquest. The warrior aspects of these cultures were exemplified while other aspects, such as democratic tribal institutions, the rights of women and individual freedom were buried and ignored.

As mentioned, there was an early neo-Heathen movement in Germany at the time. However, the Nazis were NOT pagans or anything of the sort. Hitler considered himself a Christian; "I believe today that I am acting in the sense of the Almighty Creator. By warding off the Jews I am fighting for the Lord's work." [Speech, Reichstag, 1936] . There are may other similar quotes on record.

Hitler said that the future "must not take the form of a revival of the worship of Wotan." and "It seems to me that nothing would be more foolish than to re-establish the worship of Wotan. Our old mythology ceased to be viable when Christianity implanted itself. Nothing dies unless it is moribund." (Hitler's Table Talk, page 61, translated by Norman Cameron and R.H. Stevens, 1953)

In Chapter 12 of Mein Kampf, Hitler wrote:
"The characteristic thing about these people [modern-day followers of the early Germanic religion] is that they rave about the old Germanic heroism, about dim prehistory, stone axes, spear and shield, but in reality are the greatest cowards that can be imagined. For the same people who brandish scholarly imitations of old German tin swords, and wear a dressed bearskin with bull's horns over their heads, preach for the present nothing but struggle with spiritual weapons, and run away as fast as they can from every Communist blackjack."

According to an article in a 1995 issue of the Australian Odinist magazine Renewal, many Odinists were persecuted under the Nazis:

"From the beginning of the Third Reich, Odinists were persecuted. In 1933, Rudolf von Sebottendorff was arrested and exiled. The works of Odinist writers such as Lanz von Liebenfels, Ernst Issberner-Haldane and Reinhold Ebertin were banned. Former membership of an Odinist congregation disqualified anyone from holding rank or office within the NSDAP [Nazi Party]. Things quickly became worse. In 1936 Friedrich Marby, a runemaster and follower of [ Wotan worshipper Guido] von List, was arrested and sent to a camp at Flossenberg; he was released from Dachau in 1945. He was not alone. But the full power of the state was not focused on religious minorities until the 9th of June 1941 when the head of the security police, [Reinhardt] Heydrich, banned a large number of spiritual practices. Among the victims were followers of Rudolf Steiner, followers of von List, and traditional Odinists. Their organisations were dissolved, their property confiscated, and many of their leaders arrested."

The Swastika and other Symbols

Symbols are a huge part of the problem here. Of course, the most obvious symbol co-opted by the Nazis was the Fylfot or Swastika - the bent angle cross-like symbol which Hitler adopted as the party's symbol.

The symbol of the Fylfot, (Old Germanic "four-footed") has existed since the Bronze Age with thousands of variants across the globe. Many Native Americans use it ("medicine wheel"). The ancient Greeks did as well. In European forms, as in most others, the spurs may swirl in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction without any change in meaning.

Heathen lore and archaeology often associate the Fylfot fire and lightning. Thus it is often thought to be symbolic of Thor. It is a powerful symbol of dynamic cosmic power. Some say it is essentially another variant of the Sun Wheel and basically represents the sun, the passing of days, and the force of life. Regardless, it is a traditional symbol of good fortune and protection against evil (that makes the Nazi usage even more ironic, in my book).

The word Swastika itself stems from the ancient Indian language of Sanskrit: Svastikah. which means "to be happy". It is a symbol of good fortune, the eternal motion of the cosmos and the many manifestations of life. Buddhism borrowed it from Hinduism and used it to represent Dharma -- the teachings of the Buddha (hence its alternate name "Law Wheel") and the essential nature of the universe and karma (the cycle of death and re-birth).

Valknot

In addition to the Swastika, the Nazis utilized other symbols of the ancients such as the Valknot, symbol of Odin.

Several Runes were used including Othala, Tiwaz and Elhaz, which the Nazis used on grave markers of SS soldiers among other things.

Othala

At left, a typically naturalistic Elhaz found on a Rune study website. At right, a racist version with typical modernistic, militaristic styling.

The Celtic Cross is another old symbol utilized by racists. Some refer to it as "the eye of Odin". In fact, it is a Christian symbol. When Christian missionaries went to work in Ireland, they modified the native Sun Wheel symbol by extending the spokes, thus forming a cross. The strategy was to associate the message of the Christ with what the native Celts knew as a symbol of good luck and cosmic power. So you see, co-opting Pagan symbols actually goes back a long way! It's also worth mentioning here that many racists (if not most in the USA) consider themselves to be Christian.

Traditional Celtic Cross.

A racist version.

The Situation Today

Today, a plethora of hate groups have taken up where the Nazis left off. They have been an annoyance to tru Asatruar ever since we began to revive the old ways. Some of these haters consider themselves to be Asatru. However, in most instances I have run across their stated dogma only ever comes down to "White Power!" with Heathenism as window dressing, just like the original Nazis. Scratch the surface, and you find most of them do not know the Lore or appreciate the nuances of our basic beliefs such as Honor, Frith, Wyrd and Orlog. Usually, their beliefs are based mostly on the writings of other racists and go no further back in history than those 19th Century nationalist theorists I mentioned.

In fact, racist "heathens" constitute a very small percentage of the Heathen community, maybe 2%. Functionally, they usually are not even part of the community at all, preferring for obvious reasons to keep to themselves wrapped up snuggly in their own Us-vs-Them world view.

The problem for tru Heathens is that this minority is vocal and visually flashy -- they grab media attention with their marches and crimes. The counter campaign against them led by groups like the Anti-Defamation League has only exacerbated the issue resulting in more misinformation -- misinformation based on generalizations. The media hones in on the haters and the symbols they use and tends to ignore the fact that there are other groups which, while based on Norse/Germanic culture, are anything but racist. Thus, Asatru is rather caught in the cross-fire and sometimes gets a bad rap.

Can You Spot the Difference?

One way to recognize racist perversions of our holy symbols is by graphical design. Racist groups have a tendency to emulate the designs and colors used by Nazi Germany. ALWAYS examine the context in which you see a symbol used.

An example of a "RaHoWa" Thor's Hammer. This is a white supremacist symbol cloaked in the guise of a Heathen one. To the untrained eye, it can be hard to distingusih from other jewelry which contains no such hidden message. However, written in runes on the cross-section of the piece is "RaHoWa", a racist slogan which means "Racist Holy War". It's a slogan of the Church of the Creator (now Creativity Movement) whose "religion" is based not on anything spiritual but on the premise that "What is good for the White Race is the highest virtue; what is bad for the White Race is the ultimate sin." You will usually only find these items for sale on racist web sites. To me, it's another lesson for Heathens to learn the Lore and learn the Runes.

If you are not Asatru, or are just not sure...

If you are reading this because you are concerned that someone you know may be racist, here's how to find out: ASK THEM. No amount of guessing or presuming on your part is going to yield the truth.

And I have to say, do not assume anything based on someone's personal appearance or jewelry. Lots of Heathens look "scary" because part of their pagan or tribal self expression is body decoration and wearing things other than suits and ties. By contrast, a lot of racists try to look clean-cut and militaristic. Go fig.

Bottom line: Judge people by their actions and the company they keep. That's the same old boring advice our grandmothers gave us and it works.

If You Are Heathen...

If you are a Heathen, then the challenge for you is to educate and lead by example. And you know, this can be a very pleasurable challenge indeed. When I became Heathen, I had to break the news to my wife. Her initial response though she did not voice it at the time was, "oh dear...is my husband getting into something racist and dangerous?"

Her fears were quelled through my sharing all my reading with her and through meeting other Heathens: "Wow! These are cool and positive people!" We are now running a happy little Heathen household. Nuf said.

The other instance was online when someone pinged me on Instant Messenger. I presume she had read my profile or my web site. She asked me point blank, "Are you Sir a Nazi?" I got the impression she was hoping I was. I let her know politely that she was gravely mistaken and offered some resources for her. It's as simple as that.

In the end, the best way you will swat the racism fly is to just live as a tru Heathen. "We are our deeds" is not only true, it's also very effective in dispelling misconceptions. Lead by example and just don't be a jerk, right? For example, I recently heard about a Heathen who works as a cub scout leader.

And of course don't hide your Heathen flame under a bushel basket (it'll burn up anyway). The message is being carried to the streets on a daily basis by Kindreds and Asa-groups all over the country. We hold gatherings and spread the message of tru Heathenry every time we do something in public.

Other Ways to Swat the Fly and Have Fun Doing It...

~~ Take 'em back. Wear your hammer and other symbols. Use them with pride. You may perhaps have a confrontation with someone who is ignorant, but that's just opportunity knocking. Be polite. Be calm. You may enlighten someone.

~~ Attend Pagan Festivals and parades to represent Asatru. Don't let the Wiccans hog all the reporters! *wink*

~~ Write positive letters to your local newspaper. Send them a press release when a High Holy Day is approaching.

~~ If you are interviewed, don't focus on the racists or let the interviewer steer you in that direction because they are hoping for something sensational.

~~ Always stress the importance of family and community in our beliefs.

And here's one last kicker for you. You may end up educating racists too. I recently read online an account of a Heathen who met a racist skin head who professed to be an Odinnist. Turned out that what he really was was a young guy looking for some direction and an honorable way to live. The Heathen educated this young man about real Asatru, and suddenly the racist version paled by comparison. Remember that a lot of folks turn to extremist paths out of desperation, fear and a need to belong. The better we show what real Asatru is and means, the more likely it is that such groups will wither. The bad guys have had more press until now, but that is only a temporary situation.

Asatru Organizations:

The Troth - One of the oldest Asatru organizations.

Asatru Alliance - Another venerable umberella organization.

Asatru Folk Assembly - Third of the big three orgs in Vinland.

The Irminsul Aettir - One of the older Asatru resource/networking organizations.