|
 Just
a few centuries ago, people really believed that the earth was
created as described in the Bible. An Irish archbishop had even
figured out the exact time --- October 23rd, 4004 B.C., at 9
a.m. sharp.
This,
of course, was so much nonsense. Even most Christians now realize
that their "Book of Books" can not be taken literally,
although some still go to great lengths to rationalize Genesis.
Indeed,
there was a time when there was no Earth, but how the immensely
complex solar systems, and subsequently our own good Earth,
came into being is in itself beyond Man's power to verify.
It
is generally agreed that our planet has existed from four to
five billion years and. that homo sapiens has lived on Earth
from 400,000 to 500,000 years. Which of the existing theories
one accepts does not really matter. What does matter, however,
and what should concern us such more, are the problems facing
Man right here and now.
It
is a sad fact, which is particularly true for Western Man, that
while technologically we have accomplished fantastic feats,
it is for this very reason that we have become so materialistic
that we have lost all sense of values which cannot be counted
in dollars and cents.
The
result is the moral quagmire in which we find ourselves today.
The Man of the West has forgotten how to think for himself,
how to take an honest stand, and how to have the courage of
his convictions.
If
we want to get out of the spiritual morass we are stuck in,
we will have to find our bearings and map a new course.
It
should be apparent to everyone that the spiritual highways on
which Western man has traveled for many centuries have not kept
his intellectual faculties at the same high level as his technological
accomplishments. It would therefore seam logical to go back
in time and try to find out where we took the wrong turn and
start from there all over again.
Christianity
was officially estab1ished as a creed at the Church Council
in Nicaea in the year 325. It has formed the basis for the spiritual
life of Western Man since then. It was, however, never adopted
wholeheartedly by the nations of Northern Europe, 'where it
was forced upon the peoples by the sword about the year 1000,
accepted reluctantly as the official religion of those countries.
Undoubtedly
there are many truths in the Bible, most of which are in
[page 2]
THE
ODINIST MOVEMENT is governed by THE ODINIST COUNCIL
consisting at the present time of members from Canada
and the United States. A steering committee of four
members was elected at a meeting held June 27th, 1971.
There
is no general membership and therefore no membership
fee, but we expect that every person who agrees with
our ideas and the scope of our undertaking will realize,
that sacrifices of time, effort money will be necessary
in order to further our purpose.
* * *
THE
ODINIST is published by the Odinist Movement and will
appear at regular intervals. The price is 30 cents per
copy or 4 copies for one dollar. A sample copy will
be sent free of charge on request. *
Cheques
and money orders should be made payable to
THE ODINIST, P.O. Box 731,
Adelaide st., Toronto 21o,
Ontario, Canada.
* America First Books
Editor's Note: These publications, prices, and addresses
are no longer in existence, and are reproduced on the
web as historic artifacts of the original publication.
|
NEW VALUES FROM THE PAST
common with other great religions. However,
the main tenets of Christianity --- meakness, humbleness, submission
--- are not in keeping with a normal human being's natural instincts
and habitual conduct.
When
a discrepancy exists between inborn instincts and taught behaviour,
a clash cannot be avoided. Furthermore, science has now shown
the Bible to contain many inconsistent statements, proving that
it cannot be the word of any God, who should know the workings
of the Law of Nature which he himself supposedly created. It
is no wonder that the peoples of today suffer from spiritual
malnutrition.
It
is of no use to lament this sad state of affairs. That has been
done over and over again. It is now time for action ---- some
down-to-earth reassessment of values, conduct and motivation.
"This
above all: To thy own self be true" is an old admonition
repeated in Hamlet. The necessity for Man to be true to his
inner instincts and feelings is in reality the essence of Odinism.
For only when there is harmony between Head and Heart is it
possible to be a "whole" person.
How
can I be true to my own self? Only by answering the question:
Who am I? --- I am the sum total of the Generations before me
--- I am the product of the experiences, the feelings, and the
characteristics of my ancestors. I can be proud of it -- or
I can be sorry -- but that does not alter the fact that this
is who I am.
When
I have accepted the fact that I am the link between the past
and the future, only then am I true to the person I am -- only
then have I identity without which I am nothing.
The
realization that I am the link binding generations together
carries with it a responsibility which I cannot shun if I want
to be true to my own self -- it is my moral obligation to build
a society the standards of which are in keeping with my religious
beliefs and ideological attitudes --- a society which will be
the foundation for the future health and spiritual wealth of
my kith and kin.
Not only average height
of body varies,
but also average height
of soul.
Yockey.
Men are tired to disgust
of money economy.
They hope for salvation from somewhere or other,
for some real thing,
of honor and chivalry,
of inward nobility,
of unselfishness and duty.
Spengler.
If evil thou knowest,
As evil proclaim it,
And make no friendship
With foes.
Havamal.
|
[Page 3]
OUR FAITH
(Condensed from an article by the late Alex
Christensen published in the Dec/64-Jan/65 edition of Viking
Age, an American publication)
* * *
From
close contact with the ways of Nature in land, sea, and air,
our forefathers formed a true philosophic basis for all human
development. The Odinist Faith teaches a simple but beautiful
theme, drawn from this communion with Nature.
They
saw the sun and the stars, they watched the grandeur of the
night and the day, they saw the sowing and reaping, and they
wondered about them. They thought about the nature of Man and
of all things. They believed that there was no separation of
Man from the rest of the timeless universe, and that Man was
an essential part of the universe. They believed that they themselves
were part of the Eternal.
They
believed, however, that it was beyond the powers of Man to understand
the universe. The part of the universe which is beyond a man's
knowledge and power is not his concern, nor is he responsible
for it. He cannot alter the course of a star.
They
believed themselves to be the sons and daughters of the universe,
of God, and that the attributes of God, the All-Father, were
theirs, however limited and qualified those attributes might
be. Man could perceive merely a part of the All-Father's being.
Man had enough wisdom to realize that the part which he did
know was but a small part of the All-Father.
These
various powers were different for different persons. Some men
had different ideas of the All-Father because they were expressions
of different Powers of God.
These
different -powers of God were recognized by our forefathers
and called the Father-Spirit of that particular person. Through
the Father-Spirit, men became part of the universe, and life
on earth was merely more subject to time than life after death.
After death on Earth, their spirit returned to the Father-Spirit
and lived as timeless entities.
They
believed that every man had his place in the universe --- his
Gard in God. Man is born into certain circumstances, with certain
powers and opportunities, with certain capacities and limitations,
with a certain vision that will show him his Gard in God, his
place in the universe.
Man's
Gard in God is his road, his fulfillment; his inspiration, his
responsibility. Every man has his Gard in which to serve and
ever exercise his Genius, to reap his harvest to live and work.
A man's Gard is his privilege --- his rights and duties are
equally beautiful, because they bring 'him into fel1owship with
the universe.
The
old faith was joyful in the presence of the All-Father. It continually
strove to be in accord with the manifestations of God, so far
as man could see them. Man rejoiced in life. His simple duties
were within his power to perform and, having performed them,
his heritage was assured.
The
old faith taught that a Man's Gard in God was holy. No man can
disregard his Gard without causing hurt and destruction to himself
and his kin. No man can disregard his Father-Spirit which expresses
itself in Man's instincts and body without causing downfall
and death.
All
men are children of the powers of God. All men are of divine
origin. Thus the functions of Man are matters for respect and
honour. Work is holy and life-giving, as it brings the worker
in close contact with Truth and the Ways of God.
Although
it is beyond the power of Man to wholly understand the Great
One, there are capacities, more or less conscious in all of
us to feel and observe something of the powers of God.
The
All-Father extends beyond the experience and understanding of
Man. He is all-wise, all-comprehending, unrestricted by 'I'ime
and
Space.
[Page 4]
FAITH
The
old faith did not believe that Man, born evil as a sinner, should
ask forgiveness for inborn qualities. The old faith instead
taught its followers that they were a part of Nature, part of
the beauty of the universe, and that Man's Father-Spirit and
his Guardian spirits were about him, guarding him from any ill
consequences resulting from his limitations; Man is not alone
in his Gard.
It
Taught its people not to fear life, but to go through it with
respect. It taught its people not to fear death, but through
their own efforts to pass with dignity to our great heritage.The
All-Father comes with His Gods and they stretch out to help
us, for wee are of the them and are their children, and they
belong to us, for we are made from them and live by them.
Life
meant unbreakable union with those who were born to "belong
together ---- the family and the kin. The family became the
cell on which society was founded and the preservation of one's
kin was part of Man's holy obligation. For only through the
preservation of the family could Man ensure the continuation
of life on Earth generation after generation.
The Two Equinoxes
The
Spring; and Fall Equinox mark the two points where the path
of the sun crosses the celestial equator. When this happens
day and night are of equal length.
The
Fall Equinox always occurs on or about Sept. 21., - in the English
speaking countries also called the "First Day of Fall".
Our
ancestors looked upon Nature's special phenomena as occasions
for celebrations, and the people gathered for services and a
feast. Particularly in the Northern countries this festival
was closely connected with the Harvest Thanksgiving, where thanks
were offered for a good food supply for the winter. The Autumn
Equinox ceremonies were in some areas also connected with the
ancient sacrifices held in the beginning of the month of Goi,
which roughly corresponds to the end of September and the beginning
of October. This festival was particularly important in order
to ensure that the Gods would favour the people with a mild
winter.
 This
year the Fall Equinox should be celebrated on Sept. 18, which
is the Saturday closest to the actual day. Odinists, singly
or in smaller or larger groups will commemorate this special
day with a simple ceremony, candle light, speeches or readings,
in the company of good friends; and may we propose a toast of
mead in honour of our forefathers Gods, invoking them to bestow
upon us the Wisdom of ODIN and the Spirit of THOR.
OCTOBER THE 9th
Leif
Erikson was the first of our forefathers to set foot on American
soil. In the year 1000 he went on an expedition to explore the
lands which earlier (985-936) had been sighted by another Viking,
Bjarni Herjolfson.
Bjarni
was on his way to Greenland when he was thrown off course in
bad weather. Three times he and his crew saw land in the West;
they did not want to land, but only went in so close that they
could give a description of the coast.
Not
until fifteen years later did Leif engage a crew of thirty-five
men and set out to explore the land Bjarni had told about.
Without
discrediting Columbus, -certainly recognition of this early
discovery of the North American continent is in order.
In
1964 the United States acted upon this and proclaimed October
the 9th of each year Leif Erikson's Day, to be observed "with
appropriate ceremonies and activities".
We
would suggest that it is not just a day for Americans in which
to display Old Glory but that 0dinists in other countries also
should observe this day in honour of one of our great ancestors.
[page 5]
OCTOBER THE 9TH.
The
Hon. Thomas W. Pelly (Wash. State) expressed precisely what
we mean when he said in his statement at the Hearings of the
88th Congress: "Leif Erikson's Day is no mere empty tribute
to the past. It is a living, dynamic challenge of the present
and the future. We are what our history has made us. We can
be what we have the will to make of ourselves, drawing upon
the finest traditions of the past and the present".
Cattle die, and kinsmen
die,
and so one's self must die;
One thing I know
will
never die,
Is the fame
of
a noble man's deeds.
Havamal.
Mightier than an army,
More powerful than money,
Is a spiritual idea
Whose time has come.
|
The Ynglinga Saga
The
Ynglinga Saga contains the earliest memories about Odin, from
whom most of the Royal families of Europe trace their descent.
After
giving a description of the world as known to the people at
that time, the Saga speaks of Odin, who was a great chief living
in Asaland, or Asaheim (Asia), the main city of which was Asgard.
Odin had great possessions in the regions we now know as Asia
Minor at the time when Imperial Rome went "wide around,
subduing to themselves all people".
Odin,
however, seemed to have realized that the original home of his
people had been in the Northern part of the world, from where
they were driven during the Ice Age. Having a natural longing
for the old home of his ancestors and leaving his possessions
to his two brothers, Odin and a group of Asir went forth on
a great odyssey, arriving first at Gardarike (European Russia)
and later Saxland (North-West Germany).
Odin
had many sons and, leaving them in charge of lands he conquered
on the way, he finally came to Denmark where he settled on one
of the islands and build a home in Odense.; He lived there for
many years, but later moved to Gamla-Sigtun, which is near Upsala
in Sweden.
Many
things are said about Odin -- he was handsome, wise, courageous
in battle, and a skillful weapon-smith. One of his most important
accomplishments was the establishment in the Northern lands
of the same laws which had been in force in Asaland. These dealt
with such matters as taxes, defense, burials, etc.
Odin
died in his bed in Upsala, but the Scandinavians believed that
he had gone to the ancient Asgaard and would live there eternally.
After
the death of Odin, the people began to build up a belief in
him. They called upon him before all great battles. All brave
warriors were dedicated to him. As time went on, the people
deified Odin when they were sitting around the fire or in drinking
halls, many sagas and. stories were told about his.
In
time, Odin became the Hero-God of the peoples of North Europe.
Men would try to mold their lives after him. They invoked Odin
before undertaking any adventure and they believed that he gave
victory and success to the brave and noble.
His
sons, as well as some of the Asir who had accompanied him on
the trek from Asaland, were also deified, and many stories were
told about them, especially Thor and Balder.
[Page 6]
ODINIST SOCIAL POLICES
by Scorpio
An
Odinist society should be based on spiritual values rather than
monetary or materialistic values. A man's worth, his social
rank, and his opportunity to contribute meaningfully to society
would not depend upon his ability to learn how to play the economic
game that lead to power and fortune today. Instead a man's esteem
and position would depend primarily upon the extent to which
he applies his natural abilities to the service of the people
and plays a socially valuable role.
Economic
freeloading and exploitation would not be permitted. There would
be no place for parasites who draw their sustenance from society
without contributing anything in return. Those who thrive on
speculation and monopoly form a special class today whose primary
interest is the maintenance of the system which allows their
form of parasitism to flourish in the first place. The economy
of an Odinist society would be based on the long-term needs
of the people and geared to the interests of the working man
-- not the chronic welfare loafer or the man who lives by renting
out his capital.
In
an Odinist society, the people would be able to live in their
homes and walk in the streets without fear. The government would
not only provide public order and safety, but would also maintain
eternal vigilance against both internal and ex:ternal enemies.
Foreign policy would be based solely on the long-term interests
of the people, not on economic or any other considerations.
Organized crime and subversive elements would be quickly weeded
out.
The
government of an Odinist society would be led by responsible
leaders -- not demagogues or political opportunists. The catastrophic
system of irresponsible mis-government, incompetent leadership,
and self-serving party politics which rules today - a system
in which none but the hypocritical and the unscrupulous can
rise to the top -- would be ended.
The
people, inspired by the Odinist faith, would turn from their
present path of materialism, cynicism, and egoism. The alienation
and isolation of the individual which exists today would be
no more. Only through a spiritual rebirth of the people can
we achieve the reorientation of our values and goals, a prerequisite
for building a healthy community.
An
Odinist society would encourage and promote every form of genuine
endeavor. The monopoly which presently controls the mass media
would be broken. Youth would be taught to appreciate the beauty
and order that characterize a genuine culture. A new understanding
of our cultural heritage would come about, enabling the creative
instincts of the people to once again find expression in a direction
that would continually renew and enrich that heritage, instead
of degrading and debasing it.
An
imperative duty of an Odinist administration would be to protect
the gifts which nature has bestowed on us and to ensure the
maintenance of a clean, wholesome, and healthy environment for
the people. Not only would :pollution be curbed and resources
conserved, but a whole new mode of living would be brought about
-- a mode with less emphasis on forcing man into a mold determined
by the necessities of a congested, industrialized, neon-and-asphalt,
urban rat race and greater emphasis on changing that mold to
utilize the full creative potential of man.
* * *
A measure of wisdom
shall
each man have,
but never too much
let
him know;
The fairest lives
do
those men live
Whose wisdom wide
has
grown
Havamal.
|
Economic Quagmire
In
primitive societies, only two factors are needed to produce
something of value: Raw materials and labour. A third factor
came into the picture when man began to fashion tools to help
him create goods.
From
that humble beginning, the production of goods has grown into
a massive complex ruling the Western world and playing havoc
with the working man arid his family.
In
the economic system we have to day, goods are not produced to
satisfy man's needs, although it might look that way on the
surface. Goods are, in reality produced for one purpose only:
To make a profit.
In
order to keep production profitable, particularly in view of
the current sophisticated production processes and the increasing
struggle for world markets, the industrialists have had to go
to financial institutions in order to obtain the necessary capital
needed for expansion and for even more sophisticated means of
production.
The
industrialists, of course, not only have to pay interests on
these huge sums, but also have to conform to the wishes of these
financial corporations. It is therefore not just the ordinary
wage earner who is under the influence of these financiers The
entire production system is under the control of those who control
the currency.
To
ensure the man in the street does not understand the degree
to which he is being exploited, the science of economics was
developed. The economists try to explain to the working man
why there is over-production when prices are sky high, why farmers
are paid not to grow wheat when people are starving, and so
forth.
The
terminology used to explain away the inexplicable is kept at
such a. high level that many become too scared to question the
economic policies of the day. The whole subject is made to look
so difficult that most people do not even try to understand
economic problems, taking for granted that because the system
has existed for so many years, it has to be that way and there
is nothing they can do about it.
It
is of great importance that more people try to understand how
the financial system operates. Only then can we ever hope to
return to a sound economy, with the producer receiving his fair
share of the wealth he has created.
* * *
HAVAMAL
Havamal
is a collection of proverbs and a code of conduct which has
existed from the very early times. It was attributed to Odin
and is known as the "Song of The High One".
From
time to time, additional verses have been added so that besides
Havamal proper, there are other parts telling tales about, for
instance, how Odin got the mead of poetry.
The
admonitions of Havamal hold true today as they did in the past.
Consider, for example, the following:
The knowing guest
who
goes to the feast
In silent attention sits;
With his ears he hears,
with
his eyes he watches,
Thus wary are wise men all.
Less good there lies
than
most believe
In ale for mortal men;
For the more he drinks
the
less does man
Of his mind the mastery hold.
One
of the characteristics of our early ancestors was the dignity
with which they behaved. They disdained making fools of themselves,
thus losing their self-respect. One who lacked knowledge kept
quiet so as not to demonstrate his ignorance These are attitudes
which are at present all too rare.
[Page 8]
HAVAMAL
The
feeling of pride and self-respect show through in verses such
as this:
Better a house
though
a hut it be
A man is master at home;
A pair of goats
and
a patched-up roof
Are better far than begging.
Our
early ancestors also had a generous way of looking at life and
an understanding of people and their weaknesses. This is shown
in stanzas such as the one given here:
Give praise to the day
at
evening,
To a woman on her pyre,
To a weapon which is tried,
To a maid at wedlock,
To ice when it is crossed,
And to ale when it is drunk.
Most
of Havamal proper can be taken and directly applied to a code
of conduct for Odinists today. It is well worth remembering
that our early ancestors, whom we have been led to believe were
uncouth barbarians, looked on life with a studied eye, with
Havamal serving as the intellectual guideline for how men should
behave if they wanted to be reckoned as men.
To a friend a man
a
friend shall prove,
To him and the friend
of
his friend;
But never a man
shall
friendship make,
With one of his
foemen's
friends.
The white world is governed
primarily by idiots -
if it is governed at all,
which one is entitled
to doubt.
Spengler.
|
Viking Navigation
In
Scandinavia the geographical nature of the land is such that
communication by water in many cases is the most. convenient,
in some areas an absolute necessity. As the waters are rather
rough, the boats have to be sturdy and our Norse forefathers
thus became accomplished ship builders.
When
the keel was introduced into ship building, the boats gained
the stability they needed for longer sea travels, and our Viking
ancestors were able to take to the open waters.
To
sail far away from landmarks called for ways and means of knowing
where one was going. Of course, even when landmarks were left
behind, experienced seamen would observe the sea birds and thereby
tell the general direction of land. However, for regular navigation
the birds could not be depended upon.
In
clear weather these seafarers found their way by use of the
sun and being keen students of nature took over the years innumerable
observations of the moon and stars, which made sailing by night
feasible.
An
Icelander -- Star-Oddi -- made notes of the light on the horizon
at sunrise and sunset for a full year thus compiling long tables
showing the altitudes of the sun during that period. Also known
to every skipper at that time was the "half-wheel",
a devise very similar to a sun-dial, showing relative angles
to the sun at all times.
By
using the "half-wheel" it was possible to find the
four corners of the world and keep the correct latitude. Then
using what was called a "sun-board" the course could
be checked each day at high noon; if according to the "sun-board'
the angle to the sun had become too large, the boat had drifted
to the South, if the angle was smaller, they had slipped too
far north.
To
know how far they had traveled, the skipper had to guess the
speed of his boat either from the size of the bow-wave or from
the ship's heeling in relation to the
[Page 9]
NAVIGATION
wind. There were no other means.
Of
course this way of navigating was only possible in fair weather
and long distance sailing was still a pretty risky undertaking.
If the clouds were too heavy, not to mention the thick fog rolling
in from the North, or if a brisk storm came up, a very dangerous
situation would ensue.
In
the sagas however is mentioned an instrument which seems to
have lessened the danger somewhat, so that even in poor visibility
the Norsemen were able to find their way over the seas. The
instrument is called a "sun-stone"; no such stone
has ever been found and it is not known exactly how it worked.
It seems to have been a primitive form of a compass, so that
even in cloudy weather our hardy ancestors had a fair chance
of keeping a straight course.
The
ability to navigate their swift and sturdy longboats over open
waters was the beginning of a period in the history of our people.
which have risen to many sagas and stories about daring adventures,
bold deeds and fearless battles. To be sure, rough, fierce and
violent were our Viking forefathers, but they were also brave,
resolute and courageous. May we live up to their memory!
Men find, in the greatness
Of their past,
Courage and confidence
For the future.
The violation of moral Order
Must inevitably bring
Upon the transgressor,
Tragedy and destruction.
He must early go forth
whose
workers are few,
Himself his work to seek;
Much remains undone
for
the morning-sleeper,
For the swift is wealth
half won.
Havamal.
|
ORIGINS
When
people of the Western world look back to the history of their
ancestors, they often are at a loss as to where they actually
from and who their early ancestor's were.
This
is no wonder as our peoples for many years have been taught
much more about the early Christians as portrayed in the New
Testament and the history of the Jewish people as told through
the Old Testament,* than they have about their own forefathers.
When
we go about 6,000 years back in time we find groups of people
spread over large areas of Asia and Europe, all speaking almost
identical languages, and known to us as the Indo-European peoples.
Indo-European not being a racial division, but a linguistic
one.
Those
peoples already at that time had created a flourishing civilization
in Sumeria, maybe even an earlier one in Dilmun, and at that
time -- about 4,000 B.C.E. (before our common era) -- had reached
a general level of culture "Later Stone Age."
This
linguistic unity was disrupted over a period of some two thousand
years and finally split about 1500 B.C.E., when the original
Indo-European father language was divided into two main sections,
defined by the pronunciation of the word for "one hundred."
On
the one side of the Slavonic, Baltic, Indic, Iranian and Armenian
languages formed related groups, pronouncing 100 "Satem",
and in the rest of the Western nations the word came to be pronounced
"Kontum".
Later
this last group of nations had another division which came about
when the "K" under certain rules, known as Grimm's
Lay (1822), was changed to "N" in the languages spoken
by the Northern Europeans, dividing those peoples from their
cousins, the CElts, Italians, Greek, Albanians and Tocharians.
By
adopting the sound "H" as the first letter in the
word for 100 the English, Dutch Germans, Frisians and Scandinavians
became closely linked to one another linguistically which proved
an important factor in their common origin.
*Editor's Note by William B. Fox; the original
text of The Odinist No. 1 read "about the early Christ-
[sic]* and and [sic] the history of the Jewish people as told
through the Old Testament..." where "Christi-"
is at the end of a line in a column, which wraps to the next
line with "and and..." I have taken it upon myself
to fill in for this error with my own interpretation.
WHY ODINISM?
(Based on an article, printed in VALKYRIE/65, printed a Rhodesian
Odinist publication)
What
is Odinism and why is it so significant in this day and age?
For
thousands of years, from the time when the last Ice Age finally
retreated and the subsiding flood-waters eventually made progress
possible, our forbears on the great Eurasian plain evolved and
practiced a faith which in one way or another has survived to
the present day.
This
belief centred on a Universal Creator, an omnipotent and all-pervading
Being, whose home was said to be the heavens and whose one eye
-- the Sun -- was the expression of his beneficent nature. He
was originally thought of as the Father of all things, the "All-Father"
and was called Tiwes or Dyaus, (Latin deus, Greek Zeus); in
the West he in later years came to be known as Woden or, as
the late Vikings rendered it, Odin.
Even
as late as the Viking Age, Odin was said to visit the world
in the guise of an old man with one eye, wearing a cloak and
a broad-rimmed hat. The story about how he lost his one eye,
is told in the Sagas, but the close connection between Odin
and the Sun is apparent.
Odinism
has never been a fanatical creed and has never sought to evangelise.
It was the religion of a group of peoples, wholly concerned
with the welfare and destiny of this particular group.
The
displacement of Odinism in the first millennium of the Christian
era by the new religion of Christianity was achieved largely
by force. It's triumph over the old faith was one of the tragedies
of the early Middle Ages.
We
shall not here concern ourselves with Christianity's glorification
of poverty, weakness and self-abnegation or the doctrine of
original sin. Rather we must consider the harsh realities of
this century for it is our unshakable belief that if Western
man is to survive the world crisis, which is now pending, a
re-birth of the old beliefs and ideals is essential.
It
is fortunate for us that, although our forbears were forced
into accepting Christianity, their conversion was so superficial.
Had they practiced Christianity in the spirit as well as in
the letter, we would not today have conquered diseases, accomplished
an industrial revolution and be able to reach the moon.
However,
not only did Odinist ideals survive during the dark ages of
Christianity but the old spiritual beliefs and sympathies have
continued down to the present day, if in a rather disjointed
and sketchy form. The days of the week are still named in honor
of the old gods. The Christian church, rather than fight the
old loyalties chose instead to follow the easier course by adopting
the great Odinist festivals as its own by giving them new interpretation,
altering the rites as far as it could and renaming the most
important of them "Christmas."
In
many parts of Great Britain, Holland, Germany and Scandinavia
the old customs and beliefs still find expression in Sunwheel
ceremonies, May Night and Midsummer Night festivals (such as
the Festival of Light in Sweden), and in the importance still
attached to the "Christmas" tree.
The
triumph of universal philosophies in recent years seemed at
one
time to obliterate the Odinist Faith and Ethic, but this is
far from being the case; the strength of the Odinist creed is
evident. Odinists of today will surely look to their own unity
and integrity and seize the initiative in the forging of destiny.
The only natural force which is truly elevated to the Western
interests is its own faith.
The
fates have turned the wheels of history and a new era lies before
us. It is up to us to realize and acknowledge the deep sources
of inspiration which carried our ancestors forward in the past.
-- they vomit their
bile
and call it a newspaper.
Nietzsche.
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1
at
the Battle of Cowpens, S. Carolina, 1781