Ásatrúaphobia
This is an edited version of an article that I originally wrote in May of 2019. My thoughts on the fractures within Ásatrú coalesced following a viewing of the Penny Lane documentary, Hail Satan? This 2019 film reminded me of the importance of educating people about our religion, reducing irrational fears, addressing defamation, and protecting the civil rights of Heathens. ********* Ásatrú has a public relations problem. Most people aren’t even aware that anyone practices the pre-Christian religion of Northern Europe. Those who have heard the news are likely to have a negative view since the vast majority of stories mentioning the subject do so in a pejorative way. Perhaps we Heathens should be used to it by now. The early Church persuaded many Europeans to adopt the new faith by recasting our gods as devils. Indeed polytheists have long been a persecuted minority –at least since the days of the witch trials and the obligatory burnings that followed. While such me...