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Month: April 2017

Has Religion become Irrelevant?

Has Religion become Irrelevant?

Has religion become irrelevant? This is an odd question for a Heathen to ask others who believe in our gods, but it is a serious question.  Those of you who have read this blog for any length of time are probably rolling your eyes and sighing because I came from fairly agnostic to almost atheist beliefs, only to be yanked into Heathenry by a few gods.  Don’t get your panties in a wad; I still consider myself a Heathen.  But this question of Has religion become irrelevant? echoes this pronouncement by the National Geographic.  So, like most things that I write, I’m going to be trodding on some toes here.

The Fastest Growing “Religion”

The fastest growing religion in developed countries isn’t a religion at all. It’s what those wankers who compile statistics refer to as “nones.”  The “nones” are those without a religious affiliation, i.e., agnostics, atheists, and those who just don’t care. They’re such a growing force that they’re considered the second largest “religious” affiliation in half the nations around the world, including the United States, the bastion of Christianity.

It’s not surprising that some underdeveloped countries and former communist countries have had an increase in religion, but overall in developed countries, religion isn’t growing.  If there’s good news to be had by the pagan religions, the non-Christian faiths have grown 1.2 percent in the United States.  That’s pretty small in my book, when you consider all non-Christian faiths make up a little under 6 percent in this country.  However, we’re looking at nearly 71 percent of Americans consider themselves Christian in some way.

Why People Don’t Believe

I read through the article and it had some interesting points. People are quick to point to science as the reason more people are leaving the churches, and they’re not entirely wrong.  As science is able to provide answers, it becomes apparent that those things that people long ago thought were miracles or impossible are actually quite explainable.  But although science had a lot to do with secularism, the ability for the skeptic to meet with other skeptics online and in person helps solidify the feelings of there being no god or gods is probably a stronger pull. After all, people usually feel closer to their gods when they are together and praying than alone. (I said usually.) It helps to have people who believe the same things you do around to strengthen your beliefs (or lack thereof). The other reason for lack of belief has to do with education. The more educated you are, the less likely you’ll believe in a deity or deities. (This isn’t to say that highly educated people don’t believe in a god or gods.  This simple shows that there is a correlation between education and atheism.)

Science, Dammit!

I talk quite a bit about science, and quite honestly, I tend to accept scientific explanations over things that are often called supernatural.  Too often people make up stories about things and they’re retold as fact, but the reality is that without critical thinking and scientific proof, it’s just old wives’ tales and urban legends.

As science and technology continue to advance, less and less natural phenomena is ascribed to the supernatural. The Earth revolves around the sun.  We do not have a sun which has a tangible chariot being driven by Sunna across the sky, nor is the moon carried in a physical chariot across the sky driven by Mani.  The sun and moon appear to move across the sky because of the rotation of the Earth. But neither are fixed.  The moon rotates around the Earth, and the sun is moving and dragging us along in the Sagittarius Arm at 45,000 miles per hour.

Does Religion and Science Conflict?

It’s easy with the talk of science to discount religion in its entirety. Religion was often used to answer the tough questions of the universe: How did we get here? How was the earth made? In much earlier times, people told stories to explain how these things happened.  They weren’t accurate or factual, but they were satisfying stories and were told by people to others in a way to understand the world around them. 

Logic and reasoning gradually took hold.  As we searched for answers, we eventually came up with theories that fit the overall evidence that we found. As our methods and testing became more advanced, we could actually accept the theories as fact, or near fact.  Stories about Odin and his brothers forming humans from trees are interesting, but we know from archaeology that humans evolved over millions of years to what we are now.

Religion and science often clashed over dogma, especially when the Roman Catholic Church held power. Heretics were often excommunicated, or worse. But facts are facts. People can claim that the world is flat all they want, but because the world is really round, eventually the truth wins out.

Is Religion Relevant?

So, the question remains is if religion is still relevant when we have science to explain nature and the physical laws of the universe. More and more religion has taken to explaining what is in the gaps rather than coincide with what we know is true.  Known as the “god of the gaps” or divine fallacy among atheists, many religious types use that as a reason for why their god(s) exist. It goes something like, “well we don’t know what started the big bang, therefore the Christian God  (or name your favorite creator god, i.e., Yahweh, Odin, Atum, Vishnu, etc) must have created it.”  It’s a fallacy because it assumes that we won’t find an answer.

If we take our myths at face value, we can say with certainty that they are wrong. The gods didn’t carve humans from trees; the Earth isn’t the bones and body of some frost giant named Ymir.  But if we take them at a metaphorical level, we begin to see the mindset and even the understanding of our ancestors and recognize certain elements in them that science postulates is true.

Let’s look at another religion, for the sake of argument. The number of miracles the Christian god has performed has decreased rapidly with the advent of cameras.  When multiple people can record video on their cellphones, it’s hard to claim supernatural occurrences.  Those who do are highly suspect due to clever video editing. They often use pseudo-science to back up claims. In other words, I suspect a large portion of their magic is just fallacy, wishful thinking, and outright falsehoods.

I use the Christian god as an example because so many in the United States call themselves Christian, but the statement holds true for pagans in general. I haven’t seen any of the M-word* that convinces me that it truly exists that can’t be rationally explained through science in some fashion.  (Granted it may be in areas such as quantum physics, but it may be able to be explained.)

That being said, I’ve experienced enough weird shit as a Heathen that hasn’t been captured on video because I don’t go around with a cellphone taking video of everything I see.  Even if I did, it happen so fleetingly that I couldn’t have picked up my phone fast enough to capture it. Some isn’t visual. Some happens in my head and my dreams.  

I suspect religion and our belief system will remain relevant largely because we’re human, and we may not be able to know everything there is out there. Even if science figures out everything about our universe, there are other dimensions and other universes out there, if one is to believe in the multiverse. If there is just one universe but it is infinite, then there is even more weirdness that we can’t possibly wrap our heads around because it is bigger than we can ever reach in billions of lifetimes.

The TL;DR Takeaway

Gods, if you’ve gotten this far on this post, I must thank you.  If you’ve skipped everything I said above, go back and read it.

So, what do I think?  I believe that the gods and probably religion will remain relevant as long as we are human. They may morph over time and may just become metaphors, or they may grow with our knowledge.

At this time, I’m willing to accept that there are other beings, more powerful than ourselves, who either set in motion the creation of our Universe, or are manifestations of the very forces they wield. We know that string theory insists that there are at least 10 dimensions, and maybe more.  Who knows what is hiding in those areas we can’t see?

Yeah, maybe it is the god of the gaps fallacy written large. But all I know was I was willing to stand by my agnosticism until Tyr and Thor pulled me into Heathenry.  At some point, you’ve got to make a decision about your beliefs.  I know I did.

*M-word = magic

Did you know that if you’re getting this free that you’re only getting HALF my posts?  It’s true. You’re missing out on some of my best work, including the series, When the Muse is a Bitch.  Now, did you know that you can get ALL of my paid content for just $1 a post?  It’s true. Which means you pay what it normally costs to buy a cup or two of Starbuck’s coffee a month.  And you get some amazingly good shit.  So, what are you waiting for?  Give a paid subscription to The Rational Heathen a try and you get some pretty cool perks. Wallpapers, reference material, a separate chat room, and more.  Sign up at Patreon now, and become a patron of the Rational Heathen!

Runecasting for Recons (not really)

Runecasting for Recons (not really)

Gods, I love alliteration.  So, I couldn’t help myself with the title.  But who knows?  Maybe the recons will learn something when they read this.

Or probably just talk smack on Reddit.  Just saying…

Anyway, I’ve decided to talk about how I do runecastings.  They’re not the only way.  In some heathen circles, they may not even be right.  But it works for me, and if it works for me, I go with it.  So, let’s go through the basic rune cast.

Equipment for Runecasters 101

I’m pretty simple when it comes to runecasting.  So, when it comes to your runecasting stuff, you need the following:

  • Runes (duh!) — I use Elder Futhark runes.  You can use whatever runes suit you, but I know the Elder Futhark best and I know the meanings (mostly).
  • A rune pouch to keep the runes in.  —  It can be something special or not.  Most people will probably go with special.  Most rune sets come with pouches anyway.  If you make your own, you’re going to want to sew your own rune pouch. Or have someone who sews make it for you.
  • A cloth to do your runecasting on. — It doesn’t have to be fancy.  Hel, I don’t think you need it.  But it is nice to have.  I use a wolf bandana that is a custom design by a woman in this area.  

That’s it, essentially.  You can have candles, incense, offerings, whatever, if you feel it is appropriate.  I don’t worry about such things.

Basic Runecasting

I don’t have a particular casting method, though others may.  Other people may shake runes out of the bag, or even dump the bag and pull out the runes that are face up, or select from those that are face down.  I’ve heard of gythias and godhis using sticks and tossing them down.  The rune patterns that they saw in the crossed sticks were the ones they read.

I don’t do that. I pull each rune from the pouch and place it in its spot where the cast will go. Other runecasters do that too.  If I accidentally pull out extra stones or some other stones come out, I read them as well.  I figure if the stone wants to be read, who am I to put it back?  It might be an extra message.  Or it might be garbage.  Whatever.

I’ve had my cat suddenly take an interest in my reading occasionally and move the pieces.  Apparently I had the runes in the wrong spots, or so she thought.  I don’t argue. When you have a cat name Freyja, you listen to her.

I read my runes right to left, not left to right. I’ve heard that others do it that way, but I’ve seen it done left to right too.  I don’t use blank runes, nor do I read reverse or merkstave.  Those are obvious later inventions, one by Ralph Blum (or someone he knew) and one is too close to tarot.  Runes are not tarot.  Thank you.

The Patterns

There are plenty of patterns to cast and read your stones. I tend to stick with the simpler casts.  The reason is straightforward.  I don’t have to worry or pay attention to complex readings.

The pattern I tend to rely on is the three stone pattern.  It’s a good pattern and on and you can decide which one works for you.

  • Single Rune — This is the easiest cast of all.  Basically it’s the response to the matter under consideration.  Good or bad. It just is.
  • Three Rune Spread — This is a cast that is flexible enough to gain insight while still simple enough to not have a lot of convoluted mumbo-jumbo.  You can cast it the way I do as 1. matter under consideration 2. Problems or situations that may arise 3. Possible outcome. Or you can do the 1. Past 2. Present 3. Future
  •  Five Rune Layout, Seven Rune Layout, etc.  This webpage seems to have the basics of these larger layouts.
  • Tiwaz Shoat — There’s a pattern called the Tiwaz shoat that is in the form of an arrow.  For the life of me, I can’t remember the reading directly and I need to dig out my books on it.  Let’s just say it’s out there and if I find my books, I’ll try to tell you about it.
  • Extra Runestones — Occasionally you’ll have some runes spill out.  If this happens, look at the stones and see if they have some bearing on the situation at hand.  You may find that they do.

Sample Runecast 

Okay, you have your runes, your bag, your rune casting cloth, and whatever else you feel is necessary to get yourself in the right frame of mind to do a cast. For the sake of argument, let’s say you’re doing a Three Rune Spread.  In this case, start by pulling the first runestone out of the bag and look at it.

I pulled: ᚠ ᛒ  ᚱ

Now, don’t forget I read right to left (I pulled the ᚱ first).  So I start with ᚱ which is Raidho, which generally means travel, but can mean movement, journey, or a change. The matter under consideration is travel, for the sake of argument.  Okay. 

The problem or situation that may arise: Berkana or ᛒ.  This is the rune of growth, nurturing, fertility, etc.  Not necessarily a problem, unless it is growth due to pain or loss.  I’m not seeing that in the runes just yet, because

Fehu or ᚠ means wealth or cattle. This rune is associated with fortune and positive outcomes. Usually requires work to achieve them, but what doesn’t?

What the Runecast Might Mean

Here comes the million dollar question: What does the runecast mean?  I wasn’t really asking any questions, I just did a general cast.  What it suggests is that the travel I take in the future gives me an opportunity for growth and a chance at achieving good fortune or wealth, if I choose to take advantage of it.  Overall, it’s a positive spread and I’d be glad to have such outcomes.

I hope this gives you some ideas as to how you can do runecasting for yourself.  Let me know about your own castings.  I’d be curious to hear about them.

    Runecasting and the M- Word

    Runecasting and the M- Word

    I really hate the M- word.  It suddenly puts Heathenry into the realm of Wiccan and other m(agic) based beliefs. It suggests that there isn’t a good reason why something happened.  And for the Rational Heathen, that drives me batty.

    I’ve been accused in the past of being atheistic because I waffle on certain elements of our beliefs.  And yet, there are plenty of nonbelievers in the ranks of heathens, who don’t necessarily believe in the gods as people, but still wish to preserve the old ways.  And yet, I have had more encounters with our gods, and even the wights, than some of the staunch believers have.

    Go figure.

    About Runecasting

    So, when I talk about runecasting, understand that this is my interpretation of it.  It isn’t necessarily the only way to do it.  It’s not even the right way.  But it is my way and if you can learn some things from my methods, then terrific.

    Before I get started on this, I don’t consider myself an expert in the runes. I know the Elder Futhark and I cast those runes. There are other runes that are equally valuable such as the Younger Futhark, the Anglo Saxon runes, and others.  None of them are inferior.  But unless you make yourself a set, or find someone who makes these runes, chances are the runes you’ll pick up are Elder Futhark.  Which is okay.  There’s a lot more written about them than the other runes, anyway.

    How I Got into Runecasting

    My sister (who, weirdly enough is a devout Christian), gave me Ralph Blum’s Book on runes when it first came out when I was in junior high or high school (yeah, it was that long ago).  I dinked around with them throughout high school and college, not knowing what the Hel I was doing.  Even so, the runes had a tendency to give me consistent, true readings. As I started reading other rune material, I outlined the rules in my own mind, what the runes meant, and how to runecast.  Even now, I follow these rules when I do a runecast.

    It works for me.  It may not work for you.

    My Rules to Runecasting

    These are my rules when it comes to runecasting.  Your Mileage May Vary (YMMV), and you probably have a method that suits you.

    Choose Runes that Speak to You

    I’m not talking about actual speech here.  I’m talking about what feels right in your hands.  I have probably around 10 rune sets, some which I do not like or connect with.  There’s one runeset, a runeset made from hematite, that feels right in my hands. I have one runeset I totally despise that is a card runeset (similar to Tarot) that I picked up because I thought it would be different.  (Boy howdy, it was.)  I’ve been ambivalent on some wooden runes I bought. I don’t know the wood and they don’t seem to have a connection to me.  So, I don’t use them.  YMMV.  Again.

    Abandon Conventional Tarot Wisdom

    Don’t treat the runes as though they were Tarot cards (they’re not).  That means there is no merkstave (upside down) readings.  We have enough negative implications with some of the runes, depending on how you read them. The rune, whether you pull it out upside down or sideways, or whatever, is the rune.  However, can you read a different interpretation with an upside down rune?  You can do what you like.  I think it’s incorrect, but hey, that’s my interpretation.  Again, YMMV.

    Abandon the Blank Rune

    This is clearly a Ralph Blum invention, although someone might call me on this and tell me somewhere in yada…yada… lore someone used one.  Pertho is more the unknown rune, so we use that.  Someone always says to use it as a spare.  For the life of me, I don’t know how I would cut into the hematite to replace a lost stone.  I’d probably just rob a stone from another set.

    Read Right to Left

    Okay, I’m sure there’s no real cause for this other than learning it this way.  You can read anyway you want, as long as you have the rules settled in your mind and with the runes.

    Read as Much as You can on Interpretations

    This seems a no-brainer, but I would argue that you need to read as much as you can on the various interpretations of a particular rune. Even when I think I’m settled on an interpretation, I’ll get an odd reading that causes me to go back to the books.

    How I Believe the Runes Work

    I’m avoiding the M-word when it comes to runes, because I sincerely don’t believe in magic.  I suspect how they work is that they tap into our subconscious which pays far more attention to the world than our conscious selves. I remember having the runes come up with a positive outcome to a particularly difficult time in my life and later discussing them with a physicist friend of mine. He thought they worked because they offered only general interpretation that could fit any circumstance, and yet, I’ve hit the nail on the head more times with runes than not. So, if there’s something else going on, I suspect it’s largely subconscious.  But occasionally I’ve seen the gods intervene in the runes, which suggest maybe they have a hand in tipping the scales, subconsciously, or through quantum means.

    Remember what I’ve quoted Arthur C. Clarke so many times about technology being indistinguishable from magic?

    Next week, I’ll do a sample rune reading…

    Conversation with Bob the Car Wight

    Conversation with Bob the Car Wight

    The other day, I stumbled onto a smallish fellow sitting on the hood of my Dodge, smoking what appeared to be hand-rolled cigarette.  His skin was bluish and he wore a stained blue jumpsuit, smudged with grease. It had a name tag which said Bob. He also wore a pink hat.

    Normally if I saw someone sitting on my car and smoking, I’d be upset, but this guy was maybe a foot tall, if that.  Blue eyes squinted at me from an impossibly wrinkled face as I walked toward him.

    “You’re 1000 miles late on your oil change.”  His voice sounded like gravel crunching under tires.

    I halted and stared at him, taking him all in.   A car wight?  Good gods.  And a petulant one, too. Well, at least he spoke English. “Those are guidelines.  The three to five thousand miles are guidelines.”

    He glared at me with some disdain. “And when was the last time you vacuumed your car? It’s not intended to haul hay.”

    I frowned. “You know, it’s my car, and the goats need hay.  And anyway, you’re not supposed to be smoking, you know.”

    Bob, the car wight, grimaced. “Bad habit, I know. Picked it up from my Model-T days. Mike used to keep a pack or two in the old girl and I picked up the habit.”  He glared at me. “You never buy cigarettes, you know.”

    “Wait a second.  You were the car wight to a Model-T?”  I considered the little guy.  Did car wights get reincarnated when their machines were crushed and melted?  I never considered the possibilities.

    He seemed to follow my train of thought. “Yeah, I hate switching brands, but that’s what you’ve got to do when the cars get crushed.  Then, you don’t have much choice when it comes to recycling.  I mean, you can hang out at the local junkyard for a while, but it gets kinda crowded with car wights, and it’s a rough neighborhood.”

    “Rough?”

    “Yeah, we get a lot of trolls around there.” He looked sidelongs at me.  “You don’t think all the trolls ended up on the Internet, do you?”

    “So you don’t hang around the junkyard with your car?”

    “They crush them into these really flat pieces.  A lot of car wights don’t bother with them then.  So they hang out and join gangs.  They really like giving junkies and other drug users bad trips.”  He paused and took another drag on the cig. “But they have nothing to do, really.  I’d rather follow my car and see where the pieces ended up.  They recycle the metal, which often means it goes into other things. I lucked out and got a Jeep, a Chevrolet Camaro, and a Dodge.  Poor Jenny got her car recycled into a building support.  Tough luck.”

    “Hmm,” I said.  “Couldn’t she just find something else?”

    “I suppose, but it was the frame for a Starbucks, and she’s now wired all the time.  She doesn’t want to leave. The manager keeps accusing the employees of drinking all the coffee.”

    “I can see that,” I said.  “So, why have you decided to grace me with your presence?  Certainly not to tell me about changing the oil, or to stop me from picking up a few bales of hay every few days?”

    “Well, those are valid reasons,” Bob said.  “And don’t forget the cigs.  But I thought I’d show up since you’ve written two pieces about us.”

    “About you?  You mean the car wights?”

    “Yeah.”  He smiled impishly.  “You got it wrong.”

    “What wrong?”

    “Car wights.  We really don’t exist.  Just ask the recons. Their arch-heathens wouldn’t have believed in us, so therefore we can’t exist.”

    “Then how do I explain you?”

    He shrugged and took another drag on the cigarette.  “Hey, you claim you’re the rational one.  You tell me.”

    “Good point.”  I considered the little guy. “Suppose I said I don’t believe in you?”

    “Are you trying to prove a negative?”  Bob chuckled. “You could say you’re delusional, and in which case, you might be right.”  He paused.  “But no.  Try again.”

    “Well, lack of evidence…”

    “Absence of evidence isn’t evidence of absence.”

    “But the burden of proof is on the person who asserts it as truth,” I replied.

    “But you see me.  You talk to me.  That means I’m here.” Bob flicked the ash away from his cigarette.

    “Hey,” I said. “You don’t need to start a fire, imaginary or not.”

    “Good point,” Bob said.  “Got an ashtray?”

    It was my turn to look askance at him.  “I don’t smoke.  Remember?”

    “Good for you. Don’t start.  It’s a nasty habit.” He pinched the cigarette out with his fingers. “So, since you can see me, you can tell the naysayers out there that there are car wights.”

    “They won’t believe me.”

    He shrugged.  “I’ll talk to my buddy, Guido.”

    “Guido?  A car wight named Guido?”

    “Who else would hang out with a Ferrari?”

    He had a point.  I had to concede that.  “What about?”

    Bob’s eyes held a wicked gleam.  “Guido can talk to their wights. We have a nasty habit of causing break downs at the most inopportune times. Especially when people dis the car wights.” He paused. “Which reminds me, when are you getting the oil changed again?”

    I sighed.  “Okay, I’ll make an appointment.”

    Did you know that if you’re getting this free that you’re only getting HALF my posts?  It’s true. You’re missing out on some of my best work, including the series, When the Muse is a Bitch.  Now, did you know that you can get ALL of my paid content for just $1 a post?  It’s true. Which means you pay what it normally costs to buy a cup or two of Starbuck’s coffee a month.  And you get some amazingly good shit.  So, what are you waiting for?  Give a paid subscription to The Rational Heathen and try, and you get some pretty cool perks. Wallpapers, reference material, a separate chat room, and more.  Sign up at Patreon now, and become a patron of the Rational Heathen!