What is Asatru and Heathenism?

Tell me some info please. And don't be rude please (or preach to me).
Thanks and Merry Christmas!

Asatru and Heathenism are terms for Norse Neo-Pagans. They perform updated rituals in accordance with Norse tradition.

They also do rune work.

?satr? is a form of Germanic/Nordic Heathenism that simply means "true to the Gods". It is the traditional Prue-christian faith of the Northern European peoples. While ?satr? is synonymous with Nordisk Sed, Heathen, Forn Se?r, Odinism and many other forms of Heathenism in the US, those of us originally from Nordic countries do distinguish between the various faith paths. I lean more toward the Forn Se?r side of things, but since I immigrated to the US, I've merely started referring to myself as a "Nordic Heathen" or just "Heathen".

You can learn more about ?satr? and general Heathenism here -----> http://asatru-u.org/ Some of the links are dead, but most are still up and quite useful for those unfamiliar with our faith path.

Asatru is a modern religion based on Norse mythology. Heathenism could mean a number of things. It is a broader term, encompassing Asatru as well as other paganGanligions.

I've understood from people who practice these paths that Heathenism is more of the Anglo-Saxon/Germanic pagan belief system and Asatru the more Norse pagan belief system. They are very similar, just as the Celtic pagan paths (at least the re constructionist Celtic) is similar.

Asatru falls under the Heathenism umbrella. Asatru tends to be Norse/Icelandic focused while other traditions such a Theodism focuses on other cultural concentrations and histories. Asatru itself is only about 40 years old, but the traditions and worldview, if actually studied critically and applied are obviously much older.
Reconstructionalism is an approach to Heathenry (one I am biased in believing is the only correct way) in which we take literature and cross compare it to archaeological, anthropological and philological analysis to rebuild the WORLDVIEW of the Germanic people. The idea of it being a religion is distasteful to me because its not.
Still there are those who choose to approach Heathenism and its sub sects as a religion and tend to be me more inclined to the romanticized and Christian glossed ideas of Noe-Heathenry instead of reconstruction. Hey what ever works for them.

Heathenism is very broad and covers everything from Asatru to Theodism, from Universal to Folkish, from neo to recon. Its actually a very complex folkway that is hard to explain in a simple Y!A answer box.