Viking mythology and all that goes with it

[Tyra]

Yes, there are less religious people per capita than in almost any country in the world, in Sweden, in any case. I think Norway is more religious, though, and I am not at all sure about the other Nordic countries. As for Swe., this is totally ingrained in the culture, all the way back to the Norse. If anything, the old Norse system lives on in the lore, and in how Swedes (including myself) raise our kids. I have spent many, many hours thinking about this, because I raise my kids differently than people do here in Canada, and I wanted to know why, especially since I am putting myself though university by running a daycare (i.e. I work all day with kids, so I notice the difference). It's really very interesting when you really get inte it, and it is something that I have had to really study as part of the archaeology curriculum.

 

[Wafthrudnir]

what's your favorite story in the "Edda"?

Well, Thrymskvidha is great, Oegisdrecka is genius, but theres nothing better than Hrafnagaldr Odhins, which is added later (not by Brynjolfur Sveinsson)

 

[TheLastWithPaganBlood]

No, we're just not very religious in Scnadinavia, that's all. The only people who go to church on sundays are probably old people.

 

[Blutaar]

No, we're just not very religious in Scnadinavia, that's all. The only people who go to church on sundays are probably old people.

....religion is often more important for old people....
I dont know if I will find to a "real" religion when I become old

 

[Tyra]

Religion is, to a large part, obsolete in this day and age. The things that it was supposed to make sense out of can largely be explained with science now. That is not to say that everything can be, however, but then again, those are things that religion doesn't explain a whole lot better than science... For me, asatru is, to a large extent, worship and respect of my ancestors and their belief. And asatru can be explained scientifically, too, if you perfer. The scandihoovian mind is very logic-oriented, so that makes sense, too, culturally.

 

[Necromortis]

I'm looking for some quality information on the Norse Runes. I have a sheet/printout that gives me the translations into basic English, but I'm more intrested in the Norse divining/holy runes, how they were used, that they where more than an alphabet, etc.

I'd like to add that I don't know a whole lot about Norse mythology, I've always liked it, but just now started getting into it. So if anyone referances to mythology, a short explanation on what you are talking about would be really great.

 

[Valkyre_28]

The old faith and gods almost forgotten in this faithless world, but still lives in an invisible empire. Without belief what you'r fihting? Just with your demons... The gods are waiting for the right time to shown their face,this is just a short period from their eternity.

 

[TheLastWithPaganBlood]

So what gods do you follow, Valkyre_28?

 

[Tyra]

I'm looking for some quality information on the Norse Runes. I have a sheet/printout that gives me the translations into basic English, but I'm more intrested in the Norse divining/holy runes, how they were used, that they where more than an alphabet, etc.

I'd like to add that I don't know a whole lot about Norse mythology, I've always liked it, but just now started getting into it. So if anyone referances to mythology, a short explanation on what you are talking about would be really great.

The net is full of good websites for this. Our own webpage, www.irminsul.org has some stuff on runes and divination. You can try to google "Nigel Pennick" and see if that gives you anything, if not, he's got some really good books on the subject of runes for divination and power et cetera in the library. Also, you have to remember that there are more runes than just the one set. There is the elder futhark and the younger, then there are bindrunes and stavrunes, and then there are runes from other cultures, that can also be used for divination, such as the celtic runes.

 

[Valkyre_28]

So what gods do you follow, Valkyre_28?

It was a long way to find and maybe sounds a little bit strange that from this part of Europe my faith is in the Northern mythology.
And as woman, Frigg is showing the way to follow. But another god gave me strenght and life who never shown his face....from the deep forest where I came from. But it's a long story... And what is your belief, dear TheLastWithPaganBlood?

 

[TheLastWithPaganBlood]

It was a long way to find and maybe sounds a little bit strange that from this part of Europe my faith is in the Northern mythology.
QUOTE]

It certainly does.


As for my believes, well, I try to follow the guidelines set by the gods my ancestors believed in (the Aesir and the Vanir).

 

[Blutaar]

So many friends of me are foreigners and so most of them are muslims.
And we often speak about religions and gods...
What we found out is that many parts of the believes of the muslims and the vikings are quite similar.
And I know that many viking tribes had trade connections to Bagdad.
One of my friends asked me to describe valhalla after I told him some more details he said that the describtion of the hall has similar parts too ( to the "hall of allah" sorry kadri.... )
And there are words in the arabic language like "wall" or "allah"
Now I'm searching in the i-net for more information...
I only find sites where I can read that the viking believes had taken the stories of valhalla from the muslim world.
So what do you know about that???

 

[TheLastWithPaganBlood]

I seriously doubt that there are any real connections between the two religions.

 

[Blutaar]

I'm not sure too, its only a speculation....

 

[Tyra]

Asatru existed before islam proper, though. The first mention of Odin and the other gods and goddesses are from the first century AD, whereas islam was "founded" (for lack of a better word) by Mohammed in the 600's AD. Hence, asatru cannot be founded on islamic ideas at the roots, as it preceeds it chronologically.The idea that religions borrow from oneanother is not a new one, though. Look at Mithraism vs Christianity, for example. A Norseman could, technically speaking, take on whatever god he'd have wanted to alongside of the aesir and vanir, whereas a muslim must stay true to the tenent that says "There is only one God. Allah is his name. Mohammed is his prophet", and so cannot even allow himself to think the thought of Norse gods existing. That would be heresy. The Norse fought in the varengian guard and such as soldiers of fortune, and would certainly have come into contact with muslims by way of trade.

 

[Blutaar]

Perhaps the muslims have taken valhalla.
Interesting, I will going on searching for information....
Thanks again Tyra!

 

[Necromortis]

Thanks forthe site Tyra, it was very helpful. Now I have another question. Are there any specific websites or books that you could point me to that teach me how to speak Norse (Old Norse preferably).

 

[Fimbul-Winter]

I don't think there are connections between the viking gods and the islam!!

And further i hate the islam as well as the christs......both religions want totally submissiveness of the people for the one god!

 

[Valkyre_28]

Strange idea to find any common between the Vikings and the Islam. The only thing could be, that both of them were against the christianity.... The two culture is too far from each other and people mentality absoluetly different. Islam was treating Hungary for 150 years and what they left here and what we know about them is not showing even the smalest sign of similarity. I couldn't imagine...

 

[TheLastWithPaganBlood]

Christianity = Perversion, Islam = Misinterpretation