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Published On: Apr 26, 2006 10:02 PM
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Published On: Apr 26, 2006 10:02 PM
Separating from Separatism
We are heathen. We are a minority. We
reconstruct a religion not practiced on a widespread basis in a thousand years.
We form independent kindreds, halls, hearths, etc. so that we can be together
with one another.
And yet, we're still part of society. So why don't we act like it for a change?
I was straining here for something to write about. I do like to do at least one entry every day, after all. Anyway, I began thinking about the entry I did a few days ago about Discipline and comparing it to 4-H; specifically, the part about pledging one's hands to larger service.
How do we as heathen individuals and groups give back to our community as a whole? Not just our religious community, but the whole town or neighborhood or suburb that surrounds us. So much of Asatru seems to be drawing away from those communities. Is this a good thing? We need to be able to have time away from the rest of society, certainly. How will we ever, however, receive any kind of widespread acceptance if the few in a community who know of us think we are seclusionist jerks who want nothing to do with the rest of society?
We don't really have any specifically heathen charities. Christianity has a bunch -- the Salvation Army, for example. If you don't like supporting one with obvious Christian overtones (and for me it varies. For example, I wouldn't sponsor a child through the Christian Children's Fund, but I have no problem dropping something in the Salvation Army's collection bucket) there are plenty of non-religious non-profits out there doing great stuff. It's not all about money. A lot of them need time just as much, if not more than cash
Maybe I'm mistaken and we're all doing our small part. Maybe we all dropped 10 bucks into the fireman's boot at Wal-Mart. I'm not saying that every act has to be a public one. But it would be nice to see, sometime, on some lonely highway, something like "This stretch of highway adopted by (local Asatru group)." Or a newspaper headline saying "after the apartment fire, members of a local Asatru group arrived to help the Red Cross in feeding the families." Good PR? Certainly. Correct action? Absolutely.
We're not all rich, and yeah, the economy stinks. Maybe you're in between jobs right now. But there is always something you can do to give back to your community, either as an individual or an organization. Hel, give to PBS if you want. You'll probably get a nice tote bag or coffee mug out of it. Or, you can take that coffee mug or tote bag and donate it and a lot of other stuff that's gotten in your way to Goodwill, or whatever your local used stuff store is. Result: you now have space for that small altar you've been wanting to set up in your home, you've helped ensure another year of Masterpiece Theater and Sesame Street, and Goodwill can sell your booty (in the pirate sense) and feed homeless people. Now, was that so hard?
We are a part of our society. This is just one small way we can begin to act like it.
And yet, we're still part of society. So why don't we act like it for a change?
I was straining here for something to write about. I do like to do at least one entry every day, after all. Anyway, I began thinking about the entry I did a few days ago about Discipline and comparing it to 4-H; specifically, the part about pledging one's hands to larger service.
How do we as heathen individuals and groups give back to our community as a whole? Not just our religious community, but the whole town or neighborhood or suburb that surrounds us. So much of Asatru seems to be drawing away from those communities. Is this a good thing? We need to be able to have time away from the rest of society, certainly. How will we ever, however, receive any kind of widespread acceptance if the few in a community who know of us think we are seclusionist jerks who want nothing to do with the rest of society?
We don't really have any specifically heathen charities. Christianity has a bunch -- the Salvation Army, for example. If you don't like supporting one with obvious Christian overtones (and for me it varies. For example, I wouldn't sponsor a child through the Christian Children's Fund, but I have no problem dropping something in the Salvation Army's collection bucket) there are plenty of non-religious non-profits out there doing great stuff. It's not all about money. A lot of them need time just as much, if not more than cash
Maybe I'm mistaken and we're all doing our small part. Maybe we all dropped 10 bucks into the fireman's boot at Wal-Mart. I'm not saying that every act has to be a public one. But it would be nice to see, sometime, on some lonely highway, something like "This stretch of highway adopted by (local Asatru group)." Or a newspaper headline saying "after the apartment fire, members of a local Asatru group arrived to help the Red Cross in feeding the families." Good PR? Certainly. Correct action? Absolutely.
We're not all rich, and yeah, the economy stinks. Maybe you're in between jobs right now. But there is always something you can do to give back to your community, either as an individual or an organization. Hel, give to PBS if you want. You'll probably get a nice tote bag or coffee mug out of it. Or, you can take that coffee mug or tote bag and donate it and a lot of other stuff that's gotten in your way to Goodwill, or whatever your local used stuff store is. Result: you now have space for that small altar you've been wanting to set up in your home, you've helped ensure another year of Masterpiece Theater and Sesame Street, and Goodwill can sell your booty (in the pirate sense) and feed homeless people. Now, was that so hard?
We are a part of our society. This is just one small way we can begin to act like it.
Posted: Mon - March 29, 2004 at 02:54 AM