Now, I've extensively been researching Asatru and Wicca for well over a year now, however, I STILL can't decide which path is right for me. Even though they are very different religions, basically everything from both Asatru and Wicca fit my beliefs almost spot on anyway, so how am I supposed to know which one to follow? I do very much like the ethics, morals, history and ideology of Asatru whereas I'm not too keen on the history of Wicca and how it developed.
I guess if I weighed it all up, Asatru seems to fit my beliefs better than Wicca, but there are some aspects of it I don't like, such as making offerings to the gods and the whole racist side of the religion. As for Wicca, I love the fact that it celebrates the natural cycle of the earth, life and death etc.
To be honest, I could go on for a while, but I'd just be picking the bits of the religion that I don't like out. Obviously, it's entirely possible to mix beliefs from both religions, however, I'm not too keen on that idea either.
Should I just give it time and let the right path "choose me"?
There are only some racist groups, and Asatru isn't racist. You said you don't like making offerings. Usually Asatruars just pour some mead on the ground as an offering.
I'd say you just kinda wait it out, research both paths some more and let the decision come naturally. And remember, just CZ *some* members of Asatru are racist, doesn't mean the entire religion is. Also, I think you may have to reconsider your dislike of offering to the gods. You have to do that in Wicca too, so you'll be doing it one way or another regardless of which path you choose. But anyways, if you're still confused, just wait and keep learning. You don't have to establish anything right away.
Possibly neither path is for you? Wicca's origin is... an issue. And when you say "the whole racist side of the religion"... well that's a good reason not to follow it.
Why don't you do some research on the original pagan beliefs (though not much is written down, you can get some information from folklore) and then write down your own beliefs and form that into your own spirituality.
Ultimately, you really need to be the one who makes this decision, but from what you describe, it sounds like Asatru is your path. You don't have to be racist to Asatru. That's a very small minority who are generally intensely disliked by the larger body. And certainly there's nothing in Asatru that forbids you from celebrating natural cycles.
How is Asatru racist? Simply because there is an emphasis on ones ancestry? You're going to find racists in any religion because that is part of the darker side human nature. And you don't like making offerings to the Gods? What's not to like about having a drink of mead and toasting the Norse deities? It's not required that you go out and hunt down an animal and sacrifice it you know. Most folks use mead for offerings... and in Wicca you honor Gods as well, so you aren't going to escape the making offerings to deities part.
You didn't really elaborate on what you weren't keen about in regards to Wicca. What specifically don't you like about its history?
My recommendation for you is to keep on studying and just be a eclectic pagan in the mean time.
We can't decide that for you. You have to choose for yourself.
Asatru/Heathenry is not racist, people can be Heathens and racist, but Heathenry itself isn't racist.
Wiccans also make offerings to the Gods (or God and Goddess), that is part of all Pagan and Heathen religions, so if you don't like giving offerings to Gods then you're in the wrong category of religions. I'm hoping you don't think that Offering = Animal Sacrifice because very few Heathens sacrifice animals... For Blot (rhymes with Boat) most Heathens will sacrifice their own blood, then you also have Votive offerings, which are inanimate objects, and the Husel, which is food/drink offerings.
I'm not a Wiccan so I can't help you there, but the Wiccans on here may be able to better help you if you elaborate on what about the History of Wicca you don't like.
As most everyone above has pointed out, ?satr? is not a racist religion. Neither is Wicca for that matter. Of course you will find racists and socialists in every religion probably, but what can we do? We cannot really kick somebody out of a 'religion' just because we do not like them.
Ultimately, every person has his of her own personal religion. (Follow me here.) We each comprehend the religion(s) around us based on our own precepts. Our parents, family members, friends, etc, all contribute to our understanding of the local dominate and alternate faiths. Even our atheist friends hold an understanding of the world based on input from the surroundings. But each person has a unique brain. Unique in time and space and experiences if in no other ways. So in that sense each person has a personal "religion".
What you want to do is adopt a version that is closest to what OTHER people say it is, and then call yourself that. Fine. Most of us do exactly that. But in the end, what you believe is your own; regardless of how you name it.
If you want to adopt both ?satr? and Wicca, who amongst us can say "no"? Proceed as you see fit. Det var faint.
Measure what is more important to you look at the aspects of each religion and decide I can list some aspects of Asatru for you however my opinion of Wicca is biased so I wont give my full opinion of it.
Asatru
Solid Polytheism is the predominant view
Respect for History
Strong sense of honor
General hostility to the use of magic to accomplish things
Heated arguments over beliefs
Disrespect of claims that have no evidence but are presented as fact
Ideals of personal freedom
Disrespect for butchering religions to make yourself feel better
Racist Minority cloaks itself in the faith.
We do not trust people who try to form a clergy
We do not give respect based on religious titles outside of our own group
Learning the concepts of the religion and the history is seen as VERY important
Bonds and friendships are very strong among heathen groups.
Wicca
Soft Polytheism or a sense of Archetypes representing aspects of a God or Gods
Reverence for everything natural
Questionable respect for history
Magic seems to be mandatory
Mix and match different religions to suit yourself
Respect is given to anyone who self publishes a book
Small and vocal minority of man haters
Large and vocal minority of teenagers and adults who see Wicca/Paganism as a fad
Respect is given to people who adopt a title in the religion with no regard to accomplishments
Learning the concepts behind Wicca and the ancient religions Wicca is based on are secondary to "spiritual growth"
Bonds within Wiccan groups seem to be far weaker and petty arguments seem to dissolve them on a whim I believe this is called bitch craft
I have never been Wicca and the information is from what I have seen of them and conversations I have had not personal experience I suggest finding a Wicca to give you a less biased opinion of the aspects of the religion. I will list a few comparative articles in the sources.
Asatru or Wicca, which is the right path for me?
