Research Paper On Asatu Religion

World Religion Project: Asatru In our society, there is a wide variety of religions and faiths. However, many people only recognize the most common few- Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and the other religions you hear of most often. As for the lesser known or very old religions, they are ignored or forgotten. One of these is Asatru, one of our world’s oldest religions originating in Iceland. It is a revival of the Old Norse and Germanic beliefs, dating back before the origins of Christianity and Islam. Since its origins are lost in prehistory, there is no known founder of Asatru. Over time, customs and celebrations have been shaped, like many other religions. After the rise of Christianity and its acceptance into many cultures,

The religion is based on ancient Norse mythology, but they don’t take the stories literally. Each tale represents a religious truth or idea to its followers. In addition, they don’t actually think gods and goddesses look the way they are depicted. Those are just representations. Prominent gods and goddesses include Thor, the thunderer; Odin, the allfather; Frey, god of peace, fertility, and prosperity of the land; Freya, goddess of love and beauty, as well as fierce battle; Frigg, Odin’s wife who oversees all married women and households; and Skadi, goddess of strong

Not everything is deemed “good” or “evil” by one divine figure. However, they do believe in an afterlife, much like these aforementioned religions, dependent on how one lives. Those who live meaningful, virtuous life will have an afterlife reflecting that, while the opposite is true as well. There is also a belief of rebirth in the family line, but followers aren’t too concerned with future lives. They want to live this life to the fullest, and by the nine noble virtues- courage, truth, honor, fidelity, discipline, hospitality, industriousness, self-reliance, and perseverance. Followers believe in leading productive, useful lives. They aim to live by these noble virtues and honor their gods and ancestors. The followers of Asatru have celebrations throughout the year, called blots. They take place four times a year, in January, March, April, June, July, September, October, and December. The ceremonies include a votive offering and ritual drinking. Several other ceremonies are held throughout the year, and people of any religion may participate. Unlike some religions, members of any social class, race, gender, sexuality, or nationality may become a follower of Asatru. They also have strong religious tolerance, and do not believe in forceful