Heathenism?

First I'm hearing of it, so :confused:

Reply to Teller
Vark Vikernes is the notorious Neo-völkisch pagan who was arrested for the attempted bombing of The Blitz House, tried for the arson of four churches and the murder of his fellow bandmate, and imprisoned for 15 years in Norway. His infamy popularized Neo-völkisch movements. He wrote a book called Vargsmål which outlines his ideas. Wild Hunt doesn't appear to have anything to do with Neo-völkisch movements, however.

Reply to Teller

The Wild Hunt and related folklore show up in a lot of fantasy stories. See Jim Butcher's Dresden books and Kevin Hearne's Iron Druid books, which are well written and enjoyable.

"Heathen" is a Germanic word (Dutch, German, Old English) but the concept derives from the Middle Eastern 'received' religions -- Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. People who don't believe (from the perspective of those who do believe) are "heathens".

Lately, people want to associate everything / anything with white supremacy. Braunschweiger, Bach, and Bier. "Oh, oh--having a beer & bratwurst while listening to Bach -- must be a white supremacist.

Quoting Teller

During a recent period of mindless internet browsing, I came across the Wild Hunt website.
The site appears to be dedicated to all things "Pagan".
The piece that got my attention was that about "Heathenism", a devotion to "ancient Germanic mythology".
Anyone have any thoughts about the legitimacy of this practice and how it may be related to "white supremacy"?

Being a pagan or heathen might mean one is connecting to pre-Christian, regional religions and connect this to nationalism or a particular race. But using these terms might simply mean one is attracted to the religions,w hich could be seen as indigenous. IOW gods, rather than God, nature centeredness, shamanistic tendencies, pantheistic elements
and without
some of the anti-body
anti-emotion
anti-sex
aspects of the Abrahamic religions.

Since pagan and heathens were words used by people within 'civilization' for those outside, it has a bit of a spit in the face, I'll use that label as a term of pride. Similar patterns have happened with gay and
oppressed minorities where they tweak judgmental terms from the outside and use them in idiosyncratic ways.

In any case, there is no necessary connection between, say, being a pagan in Germany and being a neo-Nazi.

We're a heathen culture. With technology.

Quoting Wayfarer

We're a heathen culture. With technology.

The Abrahamists and the technocrats have a long history of abusing pagans.

Not that you are wrong, but you can also look at pagans as people with non-dominant technologies and religions.

The nearest thing that Western culture had to spiritual enlightenment was Christianity, without it, it will relapse into Imperial Rome. You can see it happening. Technologically-advanced pagans. I'm sure that's what Planet of the Apes was a send up of.

Quoting Wayfarer

The nearest thing that Western culture had to spiritual enlightenment was Christianity

I would say Hellenistic philosophy and Hermeticism make more interesting candidates for such a title.

Reply to Tzeentch Well, Christianity appropriated a lot of what was best in Hellenistic philosophy. Hermeticism continued to exist as a kind of counter-cultural movement. But it's mostly been replaced by 'scientific-secularism' which has virtually no philosophical depth whatever. Just plenty of technical smarts.

Quoting Wayfarer

The nearest thing that Western culture had to spiritual enlightenment was Christianity, without it, it will relapse into Imperial Rome.

I am not sure what this means. Europe acted quite like Rome in the Americas. But I am sure I am missing what you are saying.

Reply to Wayfarer Imperial Rome was aggressively, even militantly, Christian and therefore enightened from about 306 C.E. or A.D. on, until it was finally extinguished by the Ottomans in the 15th century, weakened as it was from being sacked and plundered by enlightened Christians.