Asatru is the modern, structured revival of the ancient Germanic Heathen beliefs.
We believe in our tribal Gods, the same Gods our ancestors called upon before plundering the whole world, settling in Vinland and Greenland, setting Rome ablaze, establishing the Rus, opening new trade routes and overall achieving the highest peaks of glory man can imagine.
We believe in the same warrior code, honor-bound, geared towards being just but stern with outsiders, and warm and loyal to our friends. We uphold an honor code that is meant mainly for keeping our kin, our tribe, our comrades and friends, and our traditions alive.
While we believe in individual freedom, choice and responsibility, our freedom doesn't allow for betrayal or dishonor.
We observe the holy tides in the seasonal changes, and we also have our rites in other, magical nights like Walpurgisnacht, Winter Nights, or Th?rrablot.
Asatru is all that, and more. Feel free to E-mail me if you want to learn about it.
?satr? is a form of Germanic/Nordic Heathenism along with Forn Se?r, Nordisk Sed, Theodism and a whole host of other paths. It is basically the Prue-christian religion of the original Germanic tribes which includes the Germans (obviously), Scandinavians, some tribes of Celts and other groups that have since intermarried or died out.
?satr?ar honor the Nordic pantheon, to put it simply.
Edit: Alorer, the Giants in Northern traditions are called Jotunn. My patron deity, Loki, is a Jotunn. The Vanir would be deities such as Freya and her twin brother Frey, Nerthus and Njord, among others. Some Vanatruar honor the Aesir (O?inn, ?orr, Frigg, Baldr, etc.) and some do not, just as some ?satr?ar honor the Vanir and some do not. They are merely two "households" of deities and there are numerous tales of intermarriages between them (and occasionally the Jotunn as well). They also went to war at one point but now are at peace with one another.
Short version of one that is not very knowledgeable about it:
The Neo-Pagan religion of the old Norse Gods, specifically the Aesir (like Odin or Thor). I have also heard of Vanatru which is a "cousin" of Asatru. It is the religion of the Vanir (I think they are the giant Gods of the Norse civilization? - not sure).
Asatru is a native European faith, comparable to Native American religion, native African religion, and other indigenous beliefs around the world. It?s what my ancestors did for the thousands of years before they were converted to Christianity.
Asatru is a tradition with in Heathenry.
Heathenry is the practice of reconstructing the worldview and folkway of the Germanic/Norse/Icelandic Prue-Christian culture and society.
side note: We do not see ourselves as part of the Neo-pagan movement. Asatru and Heathenry were "re found" far before the Noe-pagan movement and evolved completely separately in the 1700's I think and again in the 1970's in both Iceland and then Texas respectively.
Most of us prefer not to use the term "pagan" at all in an effort to distance ourselves from the more eclectic practices that most people equate with modern paganism.
Also part of the recon movement would be Hellenisismo, Romano, Celtic Recon and Khemetic which also prefer not to be refered to as pagan for the same reasons.
What is Asatru.......?
