Oft times used as an insult by Christians against people who don’t worship their god. They tend to confuse Atheism, Paganism and Heathenism. Atheism is of course a lack of belief in any gods. Paganism is an umbrella term for many polytheistic non-Abrahamic religions. Whereas a heathen is one who practices the pre-Christian religion of the ancient Germanic people. They worship the Germanic and Norse gods and goddess’.
Heathens are hard polytheists, meaning they believe each god and goddess is a real and distinct individual not an aspect or archetype of a greater being. Besides the major gods spoken of in the lore, there are also local gods, ancestral spirits, and various sorts of wights. To a heathen reading and understanding one’s heritage is very important, this is why there is such a heavy emphasis placed on reading the sagas. Heathens take their religion very seriously.
Heathens have a very complex idea of the soul and of the afterlife (even though not much emphasis is placed on the here after as is in Christianity). In Norse Mythology humans were created from living and organic matter, not dead earth. The soul is made up of many parts, some that are passed down through the generations, all of which come together in a certain place and time to form a unique person. Some parts of the soul pre-exist this life, some parts continue to live on, and some perish upon death. There are nine worlds in Norse Mythology, Midgard which is Earth, Asgard which is were the Aesir dwell, Hel which is the realm of the dead (not to be confused with the Christian notion of fiery Hell), Ljossalheim (Means Light Elf Home), which is where the demigods and divinized ancestral spirits dwell (these would be the home of elves), Svartalfheim (meaning Dark Elf Home), similar in that ancestral spirits and demigods dwell here as well but has to do more with emotional than intellectual spirits (this would be the home of dwarves), Vanaheim which is where the Vanir dwell, Jotunheim this is where the giants live, and Muspellsheim and Nifelheim are the worlds of fire and ice respectively.
Another concept which makes Heathen’s unique is that of the Wyrd. Basically that you weave your own fate by the actions you take in life. Every action that you take or don’t take effects your wyrd. There is no forgiveness (or sin for that matter), if you wrong someone you must take action to make amends and set what is wrong right.
Many Heathens go by the Nine Noble Virtues which are Hospitality, Courage, Truth, Loyalty, Honor, Self Reliance, Perseverance, and Discipline.
Heathens are hard polytheists, meaning they believe each god and goddess is a real and distinct individual not an aspect or archetype of a greater being. Besides the major gods spoken of in the lore, there are also local gods, ancestral spirits, and various sorts of wights. To a heathen reading and understanding one’s heritage is very important, this is why there is such a heavy emphasis placed on reading the sagas. Heathens take their religion very seriously.
Heathens have a very complex idea of the soul and of the afterlife (even though not much emphasis is placed on the here after as is in Christianity). In Norse Mythology humans were created from living and organic matter, not dead earth. The soul is made up of many parts, some that are passed down through the generations, all of which come together in a certain place and time to form a unique person. Some parts of the soul pre-exist this life, some parts continue to live on, and some perish upon death. There are nine worlds in Norse Mythology, Midgard which is Earth, Asgard which is were the Aesir dwell, Hel which is the realm of the dead (not to be confused with the Christian notion of fiery Hell), Ljossalheim (Means Light Elf Home), which is where the demigods and divinized ancestral spirits dwell (these would be the home of elves), Svartalfheim (meaning Dark Elf Home), similar in that ancestral spirits and demigods dwell here as well but has to do more with emotional than intellectual spirits (this would be the home of dwarves), Vanaheim which is where the Vanir dwell, Jotunheim this is where the giants live, and Muspellsheim and Nifelheim are the worlds of fire and ice respectively.
Another concept which makes Heathen’s unique is that of the Wyrd. Basically that you weave your own fate by the actions you take in life. Every action that you take or don’t take effects your wyrd. There is no forgiveness (or sin for that matter), if you wrong someone you must take action to make amends and set what is wrong right.
Many Heathens go by the Nine Noble Virtues which are Hospitality, Courage, Truth, Loyalty, Honor, Self Reliance, Perseverance, and Discipline.
by OneBadAsp October 15, 2006
When the people in your life use fear, obligation, and guilt to manipulate you. It is a very powerful form of manipulation in which the person directly or indirectly threatens to punish you if you don't compile with how they want you to behave.
Some examples of things Emotional Blackmailers say are: "If you really loved me..." "After all I've done for you..." "How can you be so selfish..."
Some examples of things Emotional Blackmailers say are: "If you really loved me..." "After all I've done for you..." "How can you be so selfish..."
by OneBadAsp October 22, 2006
Mufflers that are packed with fiberglass to muffle the sound. They come in different lengths. The shorter the glasspacks, the louder the car.
by OneBadAsp October 24, 2006
A giclee (zhee-CLAY) is an individually produced, high-resolution, high-fidelity reproduction done on a special large format printer. Giclees are produced from digital scans of existing artwork, or a digital file.
by OneBadAsp October 21, 2006
The personification of Time and the more friendly version of the Grim Reaper. Typically pictured as an old man with a white beard doning a cloak and oft times carrying a scythe and hourglass. In ancient times he was known as Chronus or Saturn.
Father Time is married to Mother Earth; just as the Grim Reaper, the personification of Death, is married to Life who pictured as a young lady in artwork.
He symbolizes the flow of time and its effects. His old body is a reminder that time is the devourer of all things and that, like the sand in the hourglass he often carries, his life will run out, as all good things come to an end.
Father Time is married to Mother Earth; just as the Grim Reaper, the personification of Death, is married to Life who pictured as a young lady in artwork.
He symbolizes the flow of time and its effects. His old body is a reminder that time is the devourer of all things and that, like the sand in the hourglass he often carries, his life will run out, as all good things come to an end.
He turns the seasons around
And so she changes her gown
But they always look in their prime
They go on dancing their dance
Of every lasting romance
Mother Earth and Father Time
The summer larks return to sing
Oh what a gift they give
Then autumn days grow short and cold
Oh what a joy to live
How very special are we
For just a moment to be
Part of life’s eternal rhyme
How very special are we
To have on our family tree
Mother Earth and Father Time
And so she changes her gown
But they always look in their prime
They go on dancing their dance
Of every lasting romance
Mother Earth and Father Time
The summer larks return to sing
Oh what a gift they give
Then autumn days grow short and cold
Oh what a joy to live
How very special are we
For just a moment to be
Part of life’s eternal rhyme
How very special are we
To have on our family tree
Mother Earth and Father Time
by OneBadAsp October 28, 2006
Unless you listen to heavy metal, you have probably never heard of an album called The Book Of Truth.
by OneBadAsp October 28, 2006
A feeling often accompanied by sadness, shame, and guilt; regret is when you wish you had done things differently in your past.
by OneBadAsp November 04, 2006