Nazis Archives - The Rational Heathen

More Conversations with Bob the Car Wight

October 6, 2017 Tyra Ulfdottir Comments 0 Comment

I was walking by the SUV the other day when I saw Bob the Car Wight sitting on the hood. This time, he had a very mismatched red and green plaid coat, orange hunting cap (which suspiciously looked like the one I had lost last season), and a fuchsia scarf striped with purple. He was rubbing his hands together and blowing on gardening gloves he was wearing that were way too big for his fingers. Now, imagine this all contrasting with his blue skin. Eeek. All in all, a sight to make sore eyes.

“Whoa, Bob! Are you trying to blind me with your fashion sense?” I quipped.

Bob rubbed his hands together and blew on the gloves’ fingertips as if he were trying to get warm. “Like you know anything about fashion, mismatched girl,” he snorted. He rubbed his hands some more. “These gloves suck.”

I let the jab slide. “What, are you cold?”

“What gave you the first hint, Einstein?” Bob glared at me.

“Well normally I’d say the blue skin, but seeing as that’s normal for you, I’d guess the weird get-up.” I grinned at him. “Don’t like our weather?”

“The weather was fine until it went from summer to winter in one day.”

“Well, that’s the Rockies for you. I’d thought you’d be used to it by now since you’ve lived up here for years.”

“I’m used to garages. You know, like indoors? When are you cleaning out the garage so I can have a decent place to live?”

“It’s a little cluttered,” I admitted. “But you’re a wight. You’re supposed to be able to live damn near anywhere. Well there’s no reason why you couldn’t stay there now.”

“Herman the roof rat doesn’t like me.” Bob held up his hands. “Do you have some spare mittens?”

I pondered that for a moment. “The roof rat has a name?”

“Of course he does. Everything does. You just might not know it yet.”

“And his name is Herman?”

“Well, that was his name in a previous life.” He wiggled his fingers at me. “Mittens?”

“I’ll see what I can do. I might be able to find some for you next time I go into town.” I paused. “But Herman?”

“Yeah, Hel decided she didn’t want him in Helheim so she sent him back to live as a rat. She does that a lot with people who she really hates.”

“You mean they don’t go to Nástrǫnd and get chewed on by Níðhöggr?”

“Well, some of the really bad ones were giving the dragon gas. You wouldn’t believe how much damage to Niflheim it was causing when those farts light off. One of those set fire to Hel’s hall some years back. She really wasn’t amused.”

I laughed.

“I’m not joking. You wouldn’t believe the cussing. I think Hel invented new words just for that.” Bob shuddered. “She’s scary when she’s angry.”

“I bet,” I said. I certainly had no desire to get on Hel’s bad side. “Okay, so Herman the roof rat is being punished for..?”

“I don’t know. He won’t tell me. But he tried to goosestep in your garage.”

“Great, I have a Nazi rat.” I sighed. “Guess Hel won’t be upset when I trap his ass.”

Bob shrugged. “She’ll just send him back as another rat.”

“Great, well maybe this time he’ll go to New York City instead of here.”

“Then you’ll have no excuse for cleaning out the garage,” Bob quipped.

“I’ll get right to it.” I said, walking back to the house.

“Oh, and don’t forget the mittens!” Bob called after me.

Understanding the Nazi Slogan “Blood and Soil” or “Blut und Boden”

September 7, 2017 Tyra Ulfdottir Comments 0 Comment

One of the folks on Facebook didn’t seem to understand the context of “Blut und Boden” which is often the Nazi battle-cry at various gatherings across America. The term, “Blood and Soil,” is a particular extremist term when it comes to nationalism, and of course, racism.

What Do They Mean When They Chant “Blood and Soil?”

Those who chant “Blood and Soil” may simply be idiots who don’t understand what they’re saying. Or, they may actually agree with the propaganda. Either way, the meaning of “Blut und Boden” appeared sometime around World War I and Hitler based his nationalism on Blood and Soil. What it means is that true Aryan came from the earth and tilled the soil, aka farmers, in Germany. He tied the Nazis to the land, thus making themselves “rooted” the land. Those who worked the land were infinitely superior to those who did not. And Hitler pointed to the Jews as the main oppressors of the farmers who worked the land. To add more bullshit on top of bullshit, they furthermore believed that eugenics was the way to create a master race that was free of disease.

via GIPHY

Why Blood and Soil is a Typically Moronic Idea

In the last 15,000 there have been three major migrations across Germany; two of the migrations actually came from the Middle East. There have been a bunch of “minor” migrations, where, if you were living in that time, probably didn’t seem so minor. Archaeology combined with genetic research has proven that Germany and other European countries were a melting pot of settlers and invaders from various lands. Likewise, the Germans went and settled across Europe and Russia. We know that Germanic tribes such as the Angles and the Saxons went to Britain. We know the Celtic tribes invaded darn near everywhere, but eventually settled in Spain and Britain.

So, the idea of having one true nationalistic blood is moronic. The idea that someone is pure “Norse” or pure “German” or pure “Aryan” is wrong. There is no purity. There is only a hodgepodge of genetics which includes DNA from all over the world.

Lastly, the concept of having the Jews oppress the farm workers seems bizarre. For one thing, Jews couldn’t own land in Germany, so the misfortune of the farmers occurred because of several factors which included the Treaty of Versailles.

via GIPHY

Why Blood and Soil?

Why are Americans chanting “Blood and Soil?” I mean, Americans. I’m sort of at a loss to address why these morons chant “Blood and Soil.” That slogan points to the German land. We know Americans of European descent have no prehistoric ties to North America, so shouting “Blood and Soil” is inherently stupid. Okay, maybe your ancestors arrived on the Mayflower, which puts your claim around 1620 (and they were English, not German). So, you have about 400 years of history in America? What about the Native Americans who have more than 10,000 years of history here?

Bad Ideas Heaped Upon Faulty Information

So, the Alt-Right are clearly wrong when it comes to their heritage and their claim to the land. Nobody is “racially pure.” Nobody. We’re all a bunch of mutts. Deal with it.

That being said, once you hear those idiots spout their ideology, you can smirk and know that they’re not just wrong, but fucking wrong.

When the Muse is a Bitch, or Asa-Popes and Nazi-Asshats

August 31, 2017 Tyra Ulfdottir Comments 0 Comment

I’m tired of writing about Nazis. I really am. I keep thinking I should stop, but the numbers don’t lie.
People want to hear and talk about them.

My case? Talking about Harvest and the upcoming seasons garnered half of the interest as the Nazi post. Sigh...READ MORE for just $1

Freedom of Speech Versus Dealing with Nazis

August 30, 2017 Tyra Ulfdottir Comments 0 Comment

Freedom of Speech versus dealing with the Nazi asshats:
I have a moral dilemma. The situation isn’t cut and dried or black and white. Like most things in a Heathen’s life, there are many shades of gray.

Let me explain.

Nazis and Antifa

I hate the Nazis. I really do. I’m against them 100 percent. As a writer, I am pro First Amendment. That means that I am all for freedom of speech. I believe that freedom of speech is necessary for a free society. So, when the Nazis hold a rally or are met with the Antifa forces, I go into cognitive dissonance. I really don’t know what to think.

The First Amendment

As a champion of the First Amendment, I believe that everyone has their right to say or write whatever they want. (I don’t have to read it or listen to it, mind you. And I sure don’t have to agree with it.) Now, obviously freedom of speech has even been limited in America, but for the most part, you can spout the most absurd rhetoric and no one from the Government is going to visit you in the dead of night and drag you from your home (yet). There are, of course, exceptions to this rule. Threats made against the president, for example. But overall, you can be as stupid as you care to on the Internet, in a paper, or out on the street corner.

Suppression of Freedom of Speech

This brings up Antifa. I agree that one needs to be anti-fascist. But I think they’re doing it wrong. Antifa is aimed at suppressing the Nazis’ freedom of speech with violence. They are a leftist group who are also anti-capitalist and socially leftist. Yes, they are pro-LGBT and anti-racist, but their leftist affiliations makes me wonder what their end game might be. Suppressing freedom of speech, even from Nazis–and you have NO IDEA how much this pains me to say it–is wrong, if the Nazis leave it to only speech and rhetoric. When someone eliminates freedom of speech, one eliminates it for all people.

When Do They Whittle Away Our Rights as Heathens?

Think of it this way: yes, we can ban fascist statements, but when does what you believe start disappearing as well because the prevailing view shifts? Right now, our right to worship our gods are tied to the First Amendment in the United States. That means we have the right to honor Thor, Odin, Freyja, Tyr, and even Loki, if we wish. We can also choose to worship nothing, worship the Christian god, or worship a snake in a bathtub. This is a basic right guaranteed by the First Amendment. What’s also guaranteed in the First Amendment is that the government will not prevent you from expressing your beliefs, AKA, the Freedom of Speech. It doesn’t stop individuals or corporations from trying to stop you from stating your beliefs. Other laws that deal with physical violence are supposed to prevent that.

While Antifa isn’t the government, I’m truly wondering what their intentions are. I’m as anti-Nazi as they come, but even I recognize the implications if we don’t uphold the freedom of assembly and freedom of speech, even for Nazi assholes.

Are the Nazis a Clear Threat Yet?

Obviously the Nazis can’t handle peaceful demonstrations–are we all that surprised?–but the question of whether it’s right to attack Nazis shouting their bullshit is the question I’m going to ask. I mean, it’s one thing to claim you’re a Nazi, believe their propaganda, and demonstrate; it’s another when you start beating people.

You could claim that every single Nazi gathering has been violent. I haven’t paid that much attention to the Nazis until recently, but I’d imagine that is probably true. In which case, yes, cancel them on the grounds of violence. But our Constitution and its Amendments guarantee that they are entitled to their opinions and beliefs, however awful they are.

I’m not sure if they’re a clear threat yet, but they could be. As a Heathen, I recognize violence against evil as being sometimes necessary. For example, during war or when one is attacked. But to instigate violence against a violent group seems to just incite them further. I learned this training animals. You don’t punish the dog when it does something bad. You ignore it. Eventually the behavior stops if you reinforce the behaviors you want. It’s basic training techniques, and one that work exceptionally well, even with human animals. If we enforce the right behavior, i.e. tolerance, and ignore the bullshit rallies (and have an armed police presence that keeps them in their own little spot where they can’t harm civilians), fewer and fewer people are going to want to join up.

Han Shot First

We all know the argument in Star Wars that Han shot first in the original version. Lucas edited later editions to have Greedo shoot first and miss. In the first Star Wars, Han shot Greedo before he could shoot because we all knew what was going to happen if he didn’t. We cheered over it, because not only Greedo was a debt collector, but he also was an assassin. Han acted in self defense over a clear threat.

I’m not saying that we should shoot first when it comes to Nazis, but there is such a thing as self defense given that someone is armed the same as you (or better) and makes a credible threat. Still many states don’t recognize this as defense and consider it murder. Also, there’s a matter of showing up ready to fight. Legally, one could, I suppose, say you were there to incite more trouble. (We Heathens are great at that, by the way.)

So, What Should We Do?

The violence is Charlottesville ended in a death of a woman and the Nazi is being tried for murder and attempted murder. (As he should be.) I am saddened by the woman’s death and the injuries of people who were protesting these evil people. I saw the video of the attack and was appalled, because it was apparent the injured and killed people weren’t doing anything violent. That woman should not have died, nor should the people who were protesting peacefully been injured.

Right now, I know that it isn’t in human nature to belittle and ignore Nazi rallies. It’s in our DNA to want to fight the injustice and insanity. I can’t tell you what to do, but by giving these Nazi morons someone to fight against, it validates their threat. Let me ask you one question: which is more insulting to an aggressor: acting like they’re not worth your time or fighting them on their terms? Yes, you will get bigger noise, and even more outrageous behavior, because they want to call attention to themselves, but eventually, they’ll find it not worth their while if they aren’t given center stage all the time.

Just a thought. Your mileage may vary.

Should We Tear Down Confederate Statues?

August 18, 2017 Tyra Ulfdottir Comments 0 Comment

As usual, the Rational Heathen goes right at controversy head-on. Which will probably get
someone’s panties in a wad. My opinions may surprise you. Furthermore, the reasons for my opinions probably aren’t what you would expect. So, let’s get to the post and see how many hate letters I get, huh?

Nazis and Charlottesville

The Alt-Right, AKA the Nazis, KKK, and white supremacists, are evil. Period. If you’ve read any of my posts, this statement comes as no surprise to you. I abhor that we’ve attracted those elements in Heathenry and I really wish they would go back to their Christian roots and have those people deal with them (instead of us). My dad helped liberate Jews right after WWII — he saw the concentration camps. I don’t mince words about what I think about Nazis. They are horrendous.

Charlottesville was a terrible tragedy because three people died, including one civilian who was protesting the evil when an Alt-Right drove his car into a crowd of protesters. The other two were police officers whose helicopter crashed. Nineteen people were injured when that car ran through the crowd. The sad part is that none of this should have happened. All this was allegedly over a damn statue. A hunk of metal.

Over a Damn Statue

Of course, it wasn’t just the statue that people were protesting. It’s the ideology behind what the statue is. Robert E. Lee was a famous southern general, which makes his statue a natural lightning rod for those who want to make him the poster boy for the Alt-Right bigots. (As an aside, Lee wasn’t pro-slavery, but he wasn’t outspoken against it. He turned down serving in the Union against the South because of his loyalty to Virginia. I think he would probably be horrified over his legacy as an Alt-Right poster boy. Furthermore, he was against Civil War statues.) The statue in question is still to be removed, just as there have been other statues removed. The descendants of Lee, Davis, and Jackson have already said they want them removed.

Oddly enough, I don’t think removing the statues are a good idea. Let me explain…

The Problem with Removing the Statues

It seems like a great idea to remove signs of hatred from public viewing. The problem is that you don’t get at the root cause of the problem: the hatred, itself. Instead, you remove a piece of history that could be used as an object lesson for those generations that follow. It’s rather Soviet-esque to remove the existence of statues because you don’t like the person or ideology it represented. After all, if no one talks about it openly, surely it goes away, doesn’t it? (That was sarcasm, for those who don’t get it.) That really worked for the Balkan states (sarcasm, again). When the threat of the Soviet fist was lifted, fighting resumed. Gee, I guess that’s one for the USSR, huh? Never mind all the oppression there. (Sarcasm, folks)

Imagine, if you would, that everything anyone found offensive were to be removed. We would have few historical monuments. People, both past and present, are incredibly flawed. What would happen if Auschwitz and all the other concentration camps were destroyed instead of preserved? We already have holocaust deniers–how many more would we have? What about Nazi buildings? What about the Custard memorial at Little Big Horn? What about the Battle of Culloden? What about the Trail of Tears? What about Columbus? Should we remove those statues and memorials because they’re incredibly painful to someone?

Most of the founding fathers of our country owned slaves. Our Viking ancestors owned slaves. Europeans owned slaves. Africans owned slaves. It has been a blight on humanity since the beginning of agriculture–and possibly before. Do we censor Mark Twain because he used the N-word (when he was incredibly anti-racist)? Do we tear down those things that symbolize slavery? Just because we remove something, doesn’t mean it no longer existed, or exists now.

I believe they need to be there. Not as a place for the Alt-Right to congregate, but one that we can use as a way to educate people as to the atrocities of the past.

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. — George Santayana

Where the Problem Lies

The problem isn’t the statues. They’re chunks of metal and stone. The problem is the underlying hatred and bigotry that exists. Destroying monuments won’t eliminate the issue–in fact, as we’ve seen in Charlottesville, it actually adds fuel to the fire. The problem is the way that our society treats minorities to this day. Somehow because of genetic variations, some people are convinced that they’re better or superior to those without those variations. Those in the Alt-Right are convinced that they’re “pure,” when in fact, they just aren’t. Genetics do not lie. History and archaeology has further demonstrated that there have been incursions into Europe since humans first arrived. Our ancient ancestors didn’t care about “racial purity” — they only cared about whether or not the invaders were going to kill them. And the invaders were more into acquisition of wealth: land, gold, food, and slaves.

Somehow, as a society we’ve become fucked up to the point where statues mean more than human beings. (And Christians accuse Heathens of idolatry?) I believe we’re at a turning point in history where we can either stand up for the equality of all humans regardless of their ethnicity or skin color, or we can let the thugs take over. I do not advocate violence while there is still some shred of the rule of law. Right now we need to work on fixing the inequity and protecting our fellow human beings, Because, we’re all in this together now.

Chickens and Nazis, or maybe, Chicken Nazis

May 22, 2017 Tyra Ulfdottir Comments 0 Comment

Lately I’ve been reading about how the Nazis and the White Supremacists have been joining and

changing Heathen and Asatru groups. Quite frankly, I just don’t get it.

Let’s Talk Chickens

Apparently folks here like to hear about the cluckers, so let me tell you a story. My mom would only eat white eggs (true story). She thought the brown eggs tasted funny. She was pretty sure there was something wrong with the brown eggs, because they were brown and not white. Try as I might to convince her otherwise, she hated brown eggs.

When my coworker sold chicken eggs from his farm, the eggs were brown. I bought the eggs and enjoyed them. My mom wanted fresh eggs, but I told her he only had brown eggs. She was disappointed. She actually told me to tell him to get chickens that laid white eggs.

My coworker told me that egg color had to do with the breed of chicken (back before I had my own flock). He explained that most white egg layers were leghorns. He considered leghorns to be flighty and aggressive, so he didn’t have them. Instead, I believe he had Rhode Island reds, which he thought were more docile. (I actually think they can be a pain, too, but that’s my opinion.)

I told my mom this, but she never ate a brown egg if she could help it. As a result, she didn’t get farm fresh eggs.

People versus Chickens

Obviously people aren’t chickens, but there’s a good point here. Whether you eat brown eggs, white eggs, green eggs, or blue eggs, they’re all from chickens and they all taste good if they’re fresh. I tend to like the blue/green eggs because they’re cool looking, but I’ll eat brown and white eggs too. Oh, and I have chickens that lay chocolate colored eggs. Those are the coolest to see.

Now, granted people aren’t chicken eggs, but the prejudice is similar enough to talk about. It’s about judging by the outside wrapping. You can’t look at an egg by the color and say it is a great tasting egg. You can’t point to a brown egg and say it is better than a white egg because it it brown. Likewise, you can’t point to a white person and say he or she is better than a black person just by the color of their skin.

Apparently, Some People Don’t Get It

Race is a construct. We’re all humans under the skin. We’re mostly Homo Sapiens mixed with Neanderthal and Denisovian. We may have genetics from a third race (race in the true sense) running around in us. And you know what? Only those who are purely from African roots are pure Homo Sapiens. Surprise!

So, if you’re a white person, you’ll find you are not only not a race, but you’re a mutt as well. There isn’t anything special about that white skin, except that those of us with lighter pigment needed it to absorb more of the sun’s rays to produce enough Vitamin D to avoid rickets. Gee, using color is really a great way to determine worthiness of an individual. NOT!

My Experience with Nazis

When I was growing up, no one except the fringe lunatics would ever consider joining the Nazi cause. Hitler’s Germany was a totalitarian government. He oppressed people, including his own people. Hitler and his Nazis tortured and murdered millions. And he started an incredibly horrible and costly war that involved most of the civilized world.

I was born less than 20 years after that war, which probably puts me on the end of the Baby Boomer generation. My dad joined the Army when he was 17. He was in Germany after the war and got to see the horror of the concentration camps and the overall devastation. He was also in Japan in the late 50s.

I grew up knowing full well that Hitler and his Nazis were evil. It is no secret, which is why it puzzles me that anyone would be attracted to those beliefs.

Uh, You Weren’t Even Born Then

A lot of white supremacists weren’t even born during the time Hitler rose to power, let alone experienced the Third Reich for themselves. Hitler and the Nazi party rose to power because of the terms of surrender enforced on the Weinmar Republic after World War I. We could argue all day whether the Treaty of Versailles actually caused Hitler’s rise to power and World War II, but that’s not really the point of this piece. If you were born after 1945 and claim to be a Nazi, I’d asked with all sincerity, “What the fuck?” You weren’t affected by the war personally. Maybe your grandparents were, or great-grandparents, but seriously? It’s HISTORY. Most WWII veterans are dead. Most people who lived through it are either dead or in nursing homes.

Nobody has Held you Down

One of the things I really don’t get about white supremacists is the thought that other ethnicities (often called incorrectly, “races”) are inferior and that somehow they’ve held the white man down. Seriously? Let’s address the holding the white man down idea first.

According to the United States census, about 77.1 percent of Americans are “white,” and “whites” are expected to remain in the majority at 73.1 percent by 2050. Looking at the largest minority class, that being blacks/African Americans, they are around 12.4 percent in this country. Every other minority is a smaller percentage yet. As for businesses, guess who owns them? Yes, whites. According to US News and World Report, only 17.5 percent of businesses were owned by minorities.

Now, let’s look at the Jews, since the white supremacists and Nazis seem to have issues with them. In the United States, we have a 2.2 percent population (or 5.3 million people) of those who are Jewish out of a population that is more than 300 million. This includes those Jews who are atheist, those have a Jewish background who don’t practice, and those who only consider themselves partly Jewish.

Are there a lot of Jewish business owners? Yes. Why is that, you wonder. Could it be that they worked their asses off to get where they are today? Could it be that because they weren’t allowed to own land in the past due to discrimination during the Middle Ages, they were forced to become bankers (because Christians didn’t become moneylenders at the time) and business people? So, they have a legacy of working in those areas. Nowadays you have fewer people who identify as Jewish than back in the 1950s (I believe the number was around 4 to 5 percent), so those whom you consider Jewish don’t even consider themselves such.

If you feel that Jews or other ethnicities have caused some sort of wrong against you, I’ve got news for you. You’re wrong. Nobody has held you down. If you’d get off your ass and get a job, or at least move out of your parents’ basement, it would be a good start. You can still get educated, get a job, and be a productive member of society. Look, kid, nobody hands anything to anyone on a gold plate. You have to go out and work for it. Quit wasting your time with losers (the Nazis, by the way, were and still are, losers), and try working toward improving your life. You’d be amazed at what a change of attitude can do.

I hope I’ve at least given you some thoughts to consider. If you’re the bigoted type, maybe I’ve brought you a bit out of your comfort zone to start thinking about your worldview. Maybe you might quit blaming other people for your problems. Or maybe, at least, you won’t care what color your eggs are.

Is it Time to Abandon the Irminsul?

January 9, 2017 Tyra Ulfdottir Comments 0 Comment

Oh, boy howdy. I know I’m going to get flack for this post, but the question has been brewing in my mind for some time. Every time I see stylized depictions of the Irminsul, I feel uncomfortable. Not because of the original meaning of the Irminsul, but what it has grown to represent due to the blatant misappropriation by the neo-Nazis and the white supremacists.

So, before I get into the reasoning behind my question — and with all honesty, I do not have an answer to the question — let’s get into the history behind the Irminsul and why it is important to heathen beliefs.

Where the Irminsul Comes from

The Irminsul or Ermensul comes straight from the Saxons. Arguably it’s named after Irmin, a
presumably main Saxon god who is linked either with Tyr or Odin, according to early 20th century historians.This is a largely reconstructed god and may or may not have existed. Many later scholars do not think there was such a god, instead thinking that the Irminsul was more likely a representation of Yggdrasil or the World Tree.

Dr. Karl E. H. Seigfried mentions the destruction of the Irminsul in this post, and also notes that the author who writes about it wrote the account 88 years after the fact. He furthermore adds:

“The Saxon Poet writes that the Irminsul “was fashioned in the form of a huge column and contained a corresponding wealth of adornment,” but his account was written nearly 120 years after the destruction of the site. Such later sources must be treated with caution; sources contemporary with the Saxon war do not clarify whether the Irminsul was a carved column or a natural tree.”

So, not only do we have a questionable god, but also we don’t know if the Irminsul was a post or a tree. And while it had a huge temple surrounding it, we really don’t have any archaeological evidence determining what it was. While we do have one possible image of it, it is a Christian depiction and not pagan art. This piece of art appeared somewhere between the 9th and 12th centuries, most likely by an artist who had never seen an Irminsul.

The Axis Mundi, or Pillar of the World

The Irminsul, and Yggdrasil, for that matter, is a form of the axis mundi, or the pillar of the world. The concept appears time and again throughout most religions. The axis mundi is the link between the heavens and the earth, forming a bridge like the bifrost from the mundane to the supernatural. Too many religions to name have this conduit, and the Irminsul appears to be a representation of the conduit. I agree with later historians, (rightly or wrongly), that it was the Saxons’ form of the World Tree.

Corruption by the Nazis

It didn’t take long for the Nazis to point to Irminism and Wotanism as their own religions due to the evolution of Heathenry in northern Europe. A great deal of emphasis was placed on the site of Externsteine where, I kid you not, a psychic Nazi archaeologist, claimed there was an Irminsul, even though there is no physical proof of one. Look up Karl Maria Wiligut sometime. This guy created the SS logo and was a spiritual counselor for Himmler. Fun times.

The sign of the Irminsul and the meaning had been adopted by men such as Heinrich Himmler, who was big into the occult. During these dark days, heathens saw their images such as teiwaz, othala, algiz, and sowelu become part of the Nazi symbols. The Irminsul was offered as an alternative to the Christian cross.

Neo-Nazi and White Supremacist Symbols

If you check out the JDL’s hate symbol database, you’ll be dismayed to find images such as othala, teiwaz, and other heathen runes to be part of the neo-Nazi symbols. You also may see something that looks like a skinhead crucified on a teiwaz rune.

Oddly enough, it looks like an Irminsul. And I suspect it’s intentional, as is the crucified skinhead looking like a mockery of the White Christ. Although I have no love for Christianity, the blending of the two images from two different beliefs, combined with the overall hate message has left me uneasy. (Yes, I know Odin hung himself on the World Tree for nine days, but that was upside down. I really think this is a Heathen and Christian blending in a perverse way.) This combined with the obvious Nazi history of the Irminsul has corrupted it to the point where I’m not certain we can ever win it back without the soiled context. Look at the swastika and tell me that it is free from the Nazi taint, even though it was an ancient rune and symbol. It’s foolish to think otherwise.

If you don’t think it is still considered by the Nazis as part of the symbolism, I’ll point to the recent vandalism at Externsteine by the neo-Nazis. They consider it part of their beliefs in a big way.

So, Where Does that Leave Us with the Irminsul?

So, where does that leave us with the Irminsul? With all honesty, I haven’t a fucking clue. It’s the World Tree, the axis mundi, and a symbol of the Saxons. But do we use the stylized Christian depiction, or go with something else? Do we even bother with the term Irminsul and call it the World Tree? Given the shaky ground we’re already on historically, do we even bother with it? Or do we take it back somehow? Maybe others will have a better idea which way to go with it, I sure don’t.

My own instinct is to let it die and stick with the World Tree. It may not be the best solution, but it is one I am more comfortable with. Either that or come up with a better depiction of the Irminsul which may be more historically accurate, and less, well…, Nazi.

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The Morning After…

November 14, 2016 Tyra Ulfdottir Comments 0 Comment

Before I get started, I’ll state out and out that I am no way pro-Trump or pro-Clinton. I hated the choices presented because when it came down to it, we have more than 300 million people in this country, and we couldn’t get a decent candidate from either side.

Trump got elected. And that surprised me.

Unlike the untold number of pagans and heathens who pretty much decided this was Armageddon, I sat down and stared in amazement at the numbers. “Wow,” I thought. “This is weird.” And it was weird. And the blow ups that came were even more weird.

I get the disappointment. I get the anger. I get the worry. What I don’t get are the protests.

Maybe this is why he got elected?

Protesting…What Exactly?

People are protesting and rioting because Trump got elected. But what exactly are they protesting? Are they protesting the fact that people exercised their Constitutional rights and voted? That they didn’t agree with the liberals and voted the way the liberals didn’t want? Ummm, folks, that’s how representative democracy works here.

“But Hillary got the popular vote!” you may say.

And we’ve had the electoral college since 1787 to assure that states with large populations would not completely overrun states with smaller populations. This is not something that was dreamed up yesterday.

Basically, if you’re rioting and protesting, you’re against our form of democracy. You would prefer to live in a dictatorship as long as the dictator held your opinions and beliefs (good luck with that). I hate to break the news to you, but you do not accept diversity. If you did, you would consider that sometimes people have other viewpoints that must be considered, even if we believe that they are wrong.

A Bad Winner — Funny, but Rude

Not Destined for Nazi Germany

As much as I dislike Trump, I have to point out that a large number of Americans voted for him. His latest scandals as a womanizer came as little surprise to me (not that I condone it), but I have to point out the Democrats had their womanizers such as Bill Clinton and Ted Kennedy. Heck, even John F. Kennedy was a womanizer back in the day, but the Democrats give their chauvinists a pass.

The United States Constitution ensures that one person or one group of people can’t run roughshod over American liberties too badly. The First Amendment ensures that we have freedom of religion. Congress can’t establish one religion above another without violating the Constitution, which the courts are supposed to uphold.

Trump could not be Hitler, even if he wanted to. Pre-Nazi Germany was vastly different than America is. Americans elected Trump; Hitler was appointed chancellor by the parties. They had no checks and balances in place pre-Nazi Germany which would have prevented Hitler’s rise to power. We do have those checks and balances in place. What’s more, we have millions, of folks who exercise their Second Amendment rights on a daily basis. When a country has all it’s weapons in the hands of those in power, when the person in power is bent on absolute rule, basically there’s nothing to stop them. But we don’t. Part of being a heathen is to accept that free people own weapons and have a right to defend themselves. Slaves do not have weapons to defend themselves. Even so, our military is made up of a volunteer force. They’re our brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters. These are people who are sworn to defend the Constitution and who recognize Americans as our fellow brethren.

We Still Have Checks and Balances in Place

A friend of mine put a bunch of these ideas in a very good post. He is a history professor and makes a case that despite all the rhetoric, in the end, we’re unlikely to see anything that trods on rights because of our system of government. Even with the legislature being Republican, the Republicans can’t overturn a filibuster in the Senate, assuming the Republicans are even considering playing ball with this total outsider.

While the Constitutional strength has been eroded (in no small part due to George W. Bush and Barrack Obama), things such as executive orders can be struck down by the Supreme Court as unconstitutional. Someone was quick to ask my friend what will happen if all three branches of power collude. His response: we got Obamacare. Touche.

What Really Happened

Not surprisingly, some people really did hit the nail on the head when it came to why Trump won. It wasn’t racism or sexism that caused a large number of people to vote for Trump. It had to do with the plight of the rural areas. I know. I see it constantly. Oddly enough, a piece from Cracked.com is possibly one of the most cogent articles about this out there. (Yeah, I citing a Cracked article. Get over it.) It is because rural America is dying and nobody in the cities gives a shit. Prices are through the roof and good paying jobs are scarce. And going to the cities to work just impoverishes people further. I’d estimate that at one out of five to one out of four people in the area I live are on food stamps. And nobody really cares.

So What Does this Mean?

At this point, you’re probably wondering what The Rational Heathen thinks about all this. I remember
when I was younger and something shitty happened, I had a boss who used to put on his best Cecil B. DeMille voice and say “This too shall pass!”

After seeing no less than 13 presidential elections, and living through the Cold War, I’d like to point out that we had not seen the apocalypse with any administration so far. I remember when Reagan was elected, we were all expecting a nuclear war with Russia within six months. Oddly, I don’t seem to recall a WWIII.

Are there hate crimes? Sure. There are always those who will act against minorities. Will we see an uptick in hate crimes? I can’t predict that but I suspect we may. Elections such as these can bring out some loony tune behavior from people. Yes, we may have an uphill battle, but no one says change is easy.

What it does mean is that if you don’t like the way the country is going, it is time to step up and put on your big boy/girl britches and roll up your sleeves and get to work. The course of our country isn’t necessarily set in motion by the president. If you want change, be the change.

Or you can just sing There’s Got to be a Morning After backwards

When Did the AFA Join the Westboro Baptist Church?

September 3, 2016 Tyra Ulfdottir Comments 0 Comment

With all the Asatru Folk Assembly crap being flung around, you’re probably wondering what The Rational Heathen has to say. Well, if you haven’t read my posts before, now is the time. But I digress…

Before we get started, I must point out that I didn’t mean to insult the Westboro Baptist Church…Oh fuck, who am I kidding? I most certainly did. In a stunt that could only be pulled by people of that kind of caliber, the Asatru Folk Assembly, has determined that straight whites who uphold what I can only consider “traditional” Christian roles are allowed in their group. That means, my friends, that “blacks need not apply” and that LGBTs and other minorities aren’t allowed to join in their goosestepping sessions. Hel’s bells, I don’t fit the submissive, subservient woman, so you can betcha I am most certainly not welcome. But I may try to get in just for a laugh and to spy on them until they kick me out.

Can you imagine me on their boards?

We hates Nazis, precious. We hates it forever!

Tolerance: We’re Not Asking Them to Get Married to a Minority

Thanks to Huginn’s Heathen Hof for this clip.

In the words of the AFA states:

“…we believe gender is not a social construct, it is a beautiful gift from the holy powers and from our ancestors. The AFA celebrates our feminine ladies, our masculine gentlemen and, above all, our beautiful white children…”[emphasis mine]

Well, okay then. Whether or not you agree with the LGBT lifestyle, whether you believe gender is a social construct or nature, whether or not you choose to marry a person of the color of your skin, whether you prefer powerful or demur women or men, the reality is that we must live honorably. That means living to a moral code that honors our ancestors and our gods. We are not judged like Christians are with their god, but we ARE judged by our actions. Were they honorable? Did they uphold the heathen codes of conduct?

People are many things in this world. They are husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, Christians, Heathens, Jews, Catholics, Muslims, atheists, daughters, sons, soldiers, doctors, dentists, plumbers, scientists, unemployed, teachers, friends, volunteers, firefighters, EMTs…the list goes on and on. But the first thing every person is, is a human being. Judging a person by the color of their skin is a stupid, meaningless exercise since we’re so closely related, we’re basically a bunch of inbred primates. In fact, race is a construct. Judging the person by their sexual orientation is beyond idiotic. If you have cancer, you don’t tell the greatest cancer surgeon that you don’t want him to operate on you because he’s gay. You don’t ask the airlines about the pilots who fly you somewhere if they are your color or if they are straight. You don’t stop depositing money in your bank account because the teller is Muslim. Chances are you don’t even know those facts about those people. You just hope the doctor is good, the pilots will get you where you need to go safely, and the teller inputs the right information. Why is this so hard for some people?

Treat the people with respect that are trying to help you. Treat everyone as the human beings they are and if they prove not worthy of your respect by their actions, you can modify it. It’s that simple.

Thanks to Xan of HHH for this

The Dirty Laundry — or Toleration for Goosesteppers

It’s no secret that Heathenry has its share of dirty laundry. Most is in the form of white supremacists and Nazis who think that by worshiping our Northern gods, we automatically cut out other races and minorities. The truth, however, is far from what the goosestepping crowd wants people to believe. The Northern peoples didn’t care about the color of your skin. They were an inclusive group who married into other cultures and fought beside those who considered them allies, regardless of their perceived orientation. In fact, there were “black” Vikings. No, kids, we aren’t pure. Deal with it.

We have plenty of folks in Heathenry who dismiss the white supremacists as not being true heathens, and because they are not part of their kindred they aren’t a problem, but the reality is that if we have one group who tolerates bigoted behavior, it casts a bad light on all of us. You might as well be called a racist or intolerant bigot, yourself. No matter what you think or believe, if the AFA insists that unless you fit their bigoted criteria, you can’t join, you can bet the public and the media are going to color us all in that light.

It’s not enough to say you are against racism, bigotry, and chauvinism. The fact that AFA promotes those “values” is enough to make you look racist, bigoted, and chauvinistic to the rest of the world. Because our religion has such small numbers, we can’t afford to have these people among us.

Our Stories Do Not Support the AFA Stance

My good friends at the American Asatru Association drew up this little statement that brings our
religion into perspective. Throughout our stories, our gods and goddesses prove time and again that they don’t behave anything like what the AFA wants to see in terms of traditional gender roles. Our gods have had interracial relationships, have changed genders, and have crossdressed. If you need to look for goddesses who are not overly feminine, we can point to Skadi and Freyja. Any women who handle weapons are not “traditional.”

The gods have had children with Frost Giants, Humans, and even a horse. I am not saying that I approve of incest and bestiality (I most certainly do not), but we can’t point to our religion and claim that there is a basis for exclusion when it comes to people of other ethnicities and other sexual orientations.

Heathenry Should Be Open to All, Not Just White, Heterosexual Bigots

The reality is that Heathenry should be open to all except bigots, whether they are of a different ethnic background or have ancestry from Northern peoples, whether they are gay or straight, or whether they are crossdressers or dress according to whatever custom society expects. I have often said that we need to keep our doors open to everyone, and to make Heathenry a big tent, whether or not the person is of a different skin color or ethnicity, whether they are LGBT or heterosexual, and whether they have beliefs that shift toward Wiccan and Recon. There are places for these people within Heathenry. Opening our doors to those who are different, but are not Nazis or white supremacists, means that we allow our religion to thrive and grow. Staying in lock step with those who would exclude them makes absolutely no sense.

At this point, I applaud those groups who have taken a stance against bigotry and chauvinism. While I don’t necessarily agree with all their beliefs, I must say that they are awesome groups who are willing to stand up against what is obviously wrong. To the Asatru Folk Assembly, I would say that if you insist on being bigoted and upholding false, and ultimately Christian, beliefs by insisting on being racist, misogynistic, and homophobic, then I denounce you. You are not Heathens, even if you claim to worship our gods.