have you ever wondered what it would have been like to be born into your faith? were any of you born into Heathenism? if not when did you convert and what lead you to your path?
Swain I have heard of you before and it's an honor to speak with you. you are the one who created Heathenplaces.com aren't you?
Yes. I believe my life would have been 110% better if I were born a Heathen.
I converted to Asatru from Russian Orthodoxy.
Short story is I began to realize that Christianity made no damn sense.
What attracted me to Asatru was the emphasis on ethics and morals, tribal/ancestral links, no extortion or hell to scare people into joining, respect for Nature and acceptance of ones humanity. I have a strong respect for freedom and personal responsibility and Asatru just seemed to call to my spirit.
I was born in a very catholic surrounding (about 95% of religious people here are catholic) so it wasn't an easy thing.
I never really believed in the stuff they were brainwashing us with. As far as I can remember, I was really a pagan since birth, I just didn't know that my beliefs had a name. When I was a toddler, I drew figures on the garden wall and I told my mum they were spirits who were protecting the place. When I was in my early teens, I modeled a green man out of clay without ever seeing it before or knowing what it was. I still keep that statue. And so on and on, throughout my childhood.
Then i went to university where I studied art and art history - and that made me research stone age art and standing stone pictures, which lead me on to discover the Norse gods. When I finally learned about those beliefs it felt like waking up, I finally knew what was missing all those years.
I often wonder what it would have been to have even ONE relative or ancestor with the faith similar to mine, let alone to be born into a family where they would have the same virtues and values as I do... sadly, I will never know.
well I was born Heathen(if you need a label). it like all things has it's pros's and cons. I tend to be more short tempered with recon Heathens and re constructionist Heathens. as my father would say "they are trying to rebuild what was never truly destroyed" yes I know I'm impatient but trust me it goes hand in hand with being born "Heathen" that and because there are so very few born "Heathens" you tend to feel more and more like a outcast. I was granted the gift many Heathens dream of yet I feel more and more like it is a burden.
I have considered it many times, and am glad to say at least my son was. I think I would have been a more rounded person at a much younger age. Christianity with its emphasis on sin stunted my experiences where Heathenry has not. I converted at age 19 primarily due to a fascination with things Norse and Anglo-Saxon. At the time I was very displeased with Christianity. I could not take the idea that people like child molesters could be forgiven. At the same time, I did not think everything you did was a sin. Heathenry was attractive because of its emphasis on honor, and its intolerance of wrong doers (and by wrong doers I mean people that really do wrong such as rapists, and not someone that decided to get a little drunk). Heathenry has changed a lot in the 25 years I have been Heathen. There is more emphasis on family and community. It has become more tribal and there is less emphasis on the individual. These changes have set well with me so I have remained Heathen.
I'm an eclectic pagan, and yes i have wondered that
but, to be honest, i learned i was pagan, didn't 'convert' it was a realization more than a conversion
and i could even go so far as to say i was always pagan but didn't, so MAYBE i was born 'into it' as i was born who i was
if you get me
i learned i was pagan not so long ago, about 7 years ago, but Ive been picaresque since i was about 12/13
and basically i learned who i was by living and learning
It would have indeed made things easier. I wasted ten years in Catholicism and lost five to apathy before I found Asatr?.
Finding out about Asatr? was what brought me to conversion. It made sense. It made perfect sense, I mean, a moral code that is about being honorable, strong and reliable instead of a whiny, emasculated moral code based on notions of "purity". Gods tat are our elder kin instead of slaveholders.
Well, I was raised with the 9 Nobel Virtues, but not in a religious sense. That's just how my family is. I wasn't born into any religion really. I attended church with my aunt till I was about 12 and from then on I have been Pagan. From my mid - late twenties I was Celtic Recon. For the past 4 yrs or so I have been Heathen. There isn't just one thing that lead me to it. There were a lot of different things...
Heathens/Asatru/Forn Sidr.?
