Hellenic Reconstructionists, Asatru, CR, other recons- why do some recons say recon p

I recently learned that some re constructionist polytheists are against their religions being called earth-based, I was just wondering why. I thought earth-based just means the earth is sacred and should be treated respectfully, as opposed to religions like Christianity that believe in "dominion" and acting however they want to the earth because they are taught they are checking out of here by being "saved".

I think it's important to be historically accurate, and I am not a fan of soft polytheism (I certainly don't think all the Goddesses are part of one Goddess nor that all Gods are part of one God, I believe the deities are individuals), so I was pretty sure I was looking for a recon path, but I do think the earth is sacred. Are most recon religions against the idea of the earth being sacred? If not, then why are they opposed to being classified as earth-based?
Edit to add: If you do feel that your recon path does not believe the earth is sacred, please clarify with further explanation of why or how, as I haven't been able to find any reasons or explanations beyond people in forums simply stating their path is not earth-based. Thank you!
So basically- you all think earth-based means worship ping the earth. I didn't think that's what earth-based meant, I thought it just meant the opposite of religions like Christianity, Buddhism, etc. that think someplace else is better and are all about getting their souls out of the body and away from earth.
Apparently there are not many Hellenics or CR people on Yahoo Answers, I just noticed all the answers are Heathens and Asatruar. (And Wiccans, but they're not recons.)
Vinslave- Thank you for sharing the Buddhist perspective, I apologize for getting it wrong. If you get a chance, could you add an edit, I had a couple of follow-up questions about Buddhism but could not email you.
A. When you get away from the cycle of rebirth, where do you go?
B. Without a belief in a soul, as far as the karma and reincarnation, the getting out of a cycle, and so on, what is the being or object of those events? I do sometimes think I might believe in reincarnation, but I thought it was the soul that reincarnates?
Thank you!
Stella- thank you for broadening the point of view with a Hellenic perspective. All of the answers have helped but I think yours explains the most to help me understand your point of view and helps to clarify the others for me also.

As a Wiccan, (earth based), I wasn't sure what you are talking about, then you answered your own question and mine; (what is Hellenic and Asatru and what do they believe in? Why are they not considered Earth based?)
I look upon the Gods and the Goddesses as the earth I stand on, the Sea and Air, the Stars, the Sun and the Moon, tangible things that have an affect on the cosmic ether. And also as the masculine and feminine aspects of all things. I do not rigidly personify them.
But, if it works for you, enjoy. I always wanted to go to a Satyrnalia and some Asatru Viking type party. I imagine they're a lot of fun.

Blessed Be

Heathen (Asatru) here... though I cannot claim to speak for anyone other than myself.

I can see a possible objection to the term by some heathens because of the implication that our faith is centered on the Earth as the main focal point. It's not. In our main rituals (blot or faining) most heathens honor and seek connection with three things:

1. Our Gods
2. Our Ancestors
3. The Landvaettir ("land wights" or spirits of the land)

Nerthus is an earth goddess, but the Eddas say that Odin and his two brothers created the world from the body of a slain giant. It's a bit unclear, to say the least!

Heathens tend to be practical minded folk. It's all well and good to respect the natural world and its balance. But if it is winter and I'm cold then I'm damn well going to burn some wood. If I am wise, then I repay the tree's gift of warmth and light with true words of gratitude. I acknowledge that "earth must be fed" and that my time to die and feed her will surely come someday as well. I avoid waste, only using what I must, and try to plant new trees in the spring.

Treating the earth well is a matter of enlightened self-interest more than sacred obligation, in my view. Not sure if this really answers your question.

I'm sorry, but the term Earth-based is nonsense, and has always been.

And I say that as a Wiccan, one of the religions MISLABELED with that nonsense term.

Nothing wrong with being environmentally aware and respecting the earth, but our religions are gods-based, and lore-based.

I'm Astra, and i don't think I'm earth based, I'm easier and vainer based, with a deep respect for the earth, i worship the gods and goddesses first, and try to respect the earth, as much as possible. but i wouldn't reject the term earth based. just as long as it's mentioned that it's the gods and goddesses that i worship.

Because we aren't. We practice ancestor worship. And worship the gods. And we honor the wights.

We respect the earth, but we don't worship it and we aren't centered around it either.

It's not that recon paths are "against" showing respect for the earth or any idea as such - the old peoples were very, very closely tied to the earth (soil) - their very survival depended on it.
It's just that the recon paths don't deify earth (or some do, but not as a very important goddess). Instead, they're more society-oriented, as the answerer's before me already stated.
This, however, doesn't mean that the earth isn't respected. It's just not the main focal point of worship.

Because in Asatru, it's more about honoring your ancestors, not worshiping the Earth.

As a Buddhist replying to your claim that Buddhism is "thinking someplace else is better..." Our philosophy is being here, and now and we're not concerned about the "future" except that it exists conventionally. The future is every next moment and becomes "now" and we don't believe in a "soul", let alone getting it out of the body and away from earth.

We believe that we take rebirth according to our karma, etc. but it has nothing to do with souls... if we do virtuous deeds then we reap the consequence of perceiving virtue and take rebirths accordingly. Non-virtuous, as you know, is the opposite.

So "now" is best. You can't rewrite the past and the future is not important unless you're needing to change behaviors that will keep you in the cycle of rebirths where one suffers, like this life.

_()_

While I personally believe the Earth is sacred and should be treated respectfully and used sustainably, that's not by any means a main focal point in my religion. I'm not "against" such a concept at all, however, calling a religion "earth-based" or "nature-based" would imply a greater importance on that concept than my religion actually has.

For one thing, I do not worship nature. I worship a few gods who may be associated with it, but not nature itself. And while some of my holidays may be set around seasonal changes, etc. most are centered around honoring the gods, regardless of when in the seasonal cycle they fall.

When I hear the term earth-based I immediately think of nature worship in the sense that some people feel their deities are physically manifest in nature, for example, the Earth is a goddess. While that type of personification may take place in the myths of my religion, I see such myths as symbolic, not literal accounts of the nature of the world, or the nature of my gods.

The other thing that pops into my head are the ignoramus who accuse all Pagans of "worship ping the creation" rather than their creator when most Pagans actually aren't worship ping nature at all. Or those who insist our gods were just "made up to explain natural phenomena" when that isn't the case. It may work for some gods to an extent, but to date, no one can tell me what "natural phenomena" Hermes is supposed to explain. LOL

At the very least, it implies some sort of "enrollment" of nature that is not part of my beliefs. I worship gods who have ties to nature, but do not believe that nature itself is sentient or divine.

Earth-based means that their religion revolves around the agricultural calendar, and the relationship between man and the numinous (Gods, Goddesses, land spirits, ancestors, etc.) giving thanks for the harvest, and also placating or asking for help during troubling times. If we look to the major holidays, they all tie into the agricultural cycle (till the land, planting, harvesting of various crops, the slaughtering of animals) and these events are tied to religious celebrations linked to various Gods as part of maintain a balanced and healthy relationship giving thanks where due, asking for help when needed, and placating if you'd offended. The religion has the numinous beings connected to natural phenomenon (sun, moon, the ocean seas, the land, thunder and lighting, etc.).

The problem is with at least my own religion (Asatru/Heathenry), many operate under the misinterpretation that we are a warrior religion. While warrior cult uses did exist as subcategories of this religion in ancient times... first and foremost we were an earth-based religion. I think many people simply don't know the history of their religion, or are under the impression that 'earth-based' means they're stereotypical tree-hugging hippies.

While I can't authoritatively speak for these other religions... I can say that to my knowledge they are earth-based, and if they don't think they are, they merely haven't been properly educated. For I certainly would consider the ancient Greeks, ancient Celtcs, and Ancient Teutonic peoples to be earth-based.