Ten Differences Between Odinism and Asatru by Wyatt Kaldenberg
Many people new to Heathenism have asked me what’s the difference between Odinism and Asatru. Many people think the words are interchangeable. They are not.
First, there are many more difference between Odinism and Asatru than just ten, but top ten lists are very popular today. I could have written 100 difference, but I want to get this list out before next year. Also, I don’t mean this as a put down of Asatru in anyway. This is just to show folks a few of the differences between these two religions.
To really get a clear picture, read Sigi Harrbard’s book, The New Odinism, 1982, published by Asgard Press, or Odinism: Past, Present, and Future by Osred, 2010, published by LuLu, and compare these two books to anything that the Troth has publish and you will see the differences between Odinism and Asatru.
First, Asatru and Odinism seem to be the same thing to outsiders just as Christianity and Islam seem to be the same religion to many Heathens. But people on the inside see great differences. Here are ten differences I will just pull off the top of my head. I have no idea what the ten will be. They will be in no order I am guessing, but who knows. They will be merely the first ten differences to come to mind. Some really big differences may not make my top ten list. Well, here are ten differences between Odinism and Asatru.
1. Modernism vs. reconstructionism. Asatru and other sects of Heathendom wish to reconstruct the old Heathen religion, so they can practice it like our ancestors did and bring it into the modern world by studying the Eddas, Sagas, folklore, and books on Norse Myths. Odinists believe that the past is a good place to do research, but Odinism is a religion of the here and now. We do not put as much importance in studying and reconstructing the past. The Gods are living being that are alive today. We can contact the Gods here today, so if we can contact our Gods directly and find out from them what they want today; how is studying books on myths more important than direct contact? So, studying the Vikings, Goths, etc. is more important to Asatru people than to Odinists, albeit Odinists read the Eddas and Sagas too. The Eddas and Sagas are not a Heathen Bible as some Asatru people think. They were written by Christians, not Heathens. This point was too long. The rest should be shorter I hope.
2. Asatru people often dress up like Vikings, Saxons etc. and learn dead languages. They try to make blottir look like something out of the middle ages. Odinists do blottir in modern dress and speak modern languages to the Gods. The Gods are Gods. They are smart enough to learn a new language.
3. Asatru is a catch all. Asatru can mean anything from a front to a homosexual pedophile sports club like Stephen Cox and the creepy Jarls of Balder tried to set up in the U.K. to new age Wiccan hippies in the Troth, practicing witchcraft to Neo-Nazis, goose-stepping in the showers of Pelican Bay prison. Asatru means too much to too many people to really mean anything. It is a catch-all word. Odinism, like Theodism, means something very defined. Odinism doesn’t mean everything in Heathendom.
4. Our relations with the Gods. Odinists put extreme importance on the God Odin and his wife Frigga. Asatru people put a lot less importance on Odin and Frigga.
5. Odinists believe Odin is the ultimate Godhead. Asatru people do not. Sigi Harrbard said in his book that all the Gods and Goddesses of the Folk are really just masks of Odin. Odinism can sound like monotheism, but it mostly is not. I don’t believe that, but I believe everything serves Odin and Frigga. Most Asatru either don’t believe this or believe it to a much lesser degree.
6. Odinism believes the Gods are living being that can be contacted here and now. Personal relationship with the Gods is more important than studying books. Odinists believe Odin is the God-King of our Folk. He always was and always will be King. Odin was the Alfather over 100 billion zillion big bangs and multi-verse creations and deaths before the big bang that created our own multi-verse, as well as, Odin will be the Alfather of every new multi-verse created and destroyed after ours ends: on to a billion eternities. Asatru people don’t believe this. Some Asatru people believe this atheist crap that some non-Heathen mythologist created without any proof that Tyr was the first Alfather. If this was true, it would mean the entire Heathen faith was untrue and nothing more than a collection of myths and folklore as some in Asatru teach. Odinism is a religion, not a study of Norse mythology. Odin is God eternal.
7. Folk, race, and politics. Asatru people debate Folkish Vs Universal. I have been an Odinist since 1978. I never met one single Odinist who was a universalist. All Odinists believe Odinism is not for export and is a uniquely Caucasian religion.
8. Odinism is like Islam; it is a total worldview. Odinism is a religious, spiritual, economic, social, and political movement, and Asatru is just a religion.
9. Odinism is not a hyper-ethnic centered religion of people of Germanic, Norse, Saxon, etc. ancestry as some see Asatru. Many Asatru people think Asatru is just for Germanic people. Odinism treats Norse, Germanics, Slavs, Basques, Celts, Baltics, Balkans, Greeks, Spaniards, Russians, etc. as all Children of Odin. Odinism is the religion of the Greater Northern Folk. Most Odinists see Odinsim as a Nation of Islam for White people. Odinism is a religion to bring our people together, but to divide them.
10. Odinists believe in the fall of the West and most pray for it. Once the West falls, the Gods can return and we can rebuild our homeland anew. Most Asatru people don’t believe in the fall and rebirth of the West. Oh, that’s ten differences. Time to go.
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Odinism is not about keeping other races out. Odin vali and Vi did not make separate races. they made one. that race spread all over the earth. and man adapted to its environment. we except all who wish to come, yet we do not ask people outside of our family and friends to join.
ReplyDeleteOther races do not belong in our native religion or any other people's ancestral religion which is why Nordic people until very recently were completely unmixed. If you believe in universalism you are a Christian. You certainly are no Odinist..
DeleteGreat post, Gentle.
DeleteIn my opinion a mixed-blooded can always only be a Thrall or "lesser brother or sister".
DeleteThe concept that all living humans are descended from 2 individuals and thus cinsequently there are no races is a false one and has more to do with the lie of the Abrahamic religions than our Germanic Weltanschauung.
DeleteIdiot
DeleteWe do not came from two primates. That's closing your eyes. We came from a race that was born in central Africa, mixed with other close races, like the Neanderthal, then overcame then. We spread around the world. Many ethnicities were born from this migration. The caucasians evolved in the climate of Europe, that's well know mostly cold. We had to use fur and pelts to warm ourselves, and, as our skin had too many melanine, we couldn't produce sufficient vitamine D. Our skin started to clear. There's no "pure race". I have portuguese ancestrality. But that's bs. No one is pure nordic, pure japanese, pure african or pure portuguese. When a group of beings live in an area, and only reproduce with themselves, starts a phenomenon called Galapagos syndrome. Not in the level of the island, a specie start to develop similar characteristics, such as skin colour, physical appearance (mostly facial), a culture and a particular language, though.
DeleteAll my point is: we do not have to prevent other people to enter the religion just because their "origins" or their skin colour. Let's don't commit this error again of judging the faith of a person based on his appearance. We have to take a religion as a point of view to improve our lifes, not let it blinds us.
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DeleteAsgard was not a place for all races, just our ancestors.. Most pagan faiths are ethnic based and while anyone can learn lots from our theology, it is an ethnic faith. Personally im not the type to get in a fit if a non white turned up to a blot, as long as they were respectful and sincere. But the faith is clearly an ethnic and racially connected religion. Its a bit cringy when people deny this... Like the same folks who get on bended knee and put up with derogatory terms like white privilege...
DeleteOhhh I see, so according to these idiots, there is no difference in say a beautiful Nordic woman, and a black man on the plains of Africa. They should be able to mate until nothing that resembles Nordic exist. Because were all the same goyim. This what muh Vikings did. Oy vey. Better have no culture and just have a multi cultural stew pot. Because that will create a strong nation. Look at Europe today. Much stronger. Anything else is racist talk. Dont think of the survival of your people, might hurt the people trying to destroy Europe's feelings.
DeleteI am Germanic in blood.
ReplyDeleteHey as long as you're in Germany good for you.
DeleteI think this is more what you believe Odinist and Asatru is, it is not what I believe, we all have different paths, I believe the the gods and goddesses of the Vanir and Aesir are real, and that the saga's and edda's are stories and also lessons to follow, I do blots in my everyday clothes, I believe that what you do is more important than what you say, and our oaths and honour is important. I call myself Heathen, I also use asatru.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I am going to enlighten you a bit on this topic. This is a part of a write up I did on the "aryan nation" filth that has insulted our Northern European nations. Here is a link for you to read. After you have read the article in its entirety, read the comments by Glamslinky. That's me.
ReplyDeletehttps://thebluereview.org/most-say-aryan-nations/
I am half-Swedish and half-Norwegian, whose family moved from Oslo in the late 1930's. I would really like to know what your reasoning is behind all of this narcissistic rambling. Please enlighten me.
Thanks,
Aslaug
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ReplyDeleteYou should rename the title to "Ten Biased Differences Between Odinism and Asatru"
ReplyDeleteThe gods created ALL man and women not just a specific race .. Don't be biased nor racist for that is not the will of odin
ReplyDeleteAesir and Vanir gods, speak to us everyday...don't label it as Asatru or Odinism...it's a universal way of life under the watch of our gods
The Germanic peoples were formed in the image of their own Gods and conversely our Gods were formed in our image. The Gods of our ancestors were thus tribal deities as are the Gods of other peoples and races. It is only in the Abrahamic religions that we find the lie of a 'universal god': there is and can be no such thing.This concept of a 'universal god' feeds the group pschosis of judaism, islam and xtianity and is behind their murderous attempts at global submission and conformity.
DeleteIf you idiots would read the eddas and sagas you might begin to unserstand that non white poeple come from that which created trolls and other unbecoming creatures not in asgard or vanaheim. Educate yourselves or the white race shall parish due to brain rot.
ReplyDeletePerish*
DeleteJust saying.
The brain rot is strong with the guy above Eevee.
DeleteDoesn't Havamal specifically tell us something about not talking when we don't know what we're talking about, hmmmm?
Then why did you decide to pop off?
DeleteI was doing research on my family tree and saw my family on both sides had Scandinavian ancestry. But my father is not only Scandinavian American, he is also Native American Indian and Guatemalan. His last name is Copas which is Spanish. He is Scandinavian on his father's mother's side. My mother is just Scandinavian American and Irish. On the family tree, I saw on my mom's side we are related to Ragnar Lothbrok through Sigurd Snake in the Eye and on dad's side through Bjorn Iron Side. I have been doing research to see what path I should take, but I am married to a Hispanic man from Guatemala with some Mayan ancestry and I would like to join the path of my ancestors where my marriage to someone not white wouldn't be a problem. I thought this article would be helpful, but after reading it, I feel like I wouldn't belong in Odinism or Asatru.
ReplyDeleteYou do know that Sigurd and Bjorn were brothers and sons of Ragnar. So your mom and dad are related down through your family tree.
DeleteYou do know that Sigurd and Bjorn were brothers and sons of Ragnar. So your mom and dad are related down through your family tree.
DeleteBrittany, it appears that we are related via Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye! As such this makes you a descendant of Odin via the Volsungs. Don't be afraid to approach our Gods.They are living in your blood.
DeleteThere are hundreds of open-race religions and sects in this world, the second ONE of them caters to only Caucasians, everyone loses their mind.
ReplyDeleteLet Europeans have their religion. People shouldn't feel obliged to share the one thing that's holding their culture together these days.
Besides, it would make no sense for my white ass to join an African cult, would it? Oh, and people would be all up in arms about cultural appropriation.
I would have replaced "african cult" with "a tribal religion in Africa" but other than that well said lol. Not only would I not be butt hurt if the situation was turned around like that but would be surprised if I wasn't murdered for wjwh they would see as making a mockery of their ancestors and religion and rightfully so
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ReplyDeleteInteresting that you preface your list with a disclaimer clarifying you do not intend to offend Asatruar, in the next paragraph you make clear that this is a free-flowing list of points, and finally produce a list of ten differences that seem to lead directly into heated and venomous anti-asatru rants.
ReplyDeleteThe main difference I can see is that your personal ideology and mindset is just as inflexible as many fundamentalist Christians. I hope this intolerance is not meant to be indicative of Odinism. If so, this might ought to be first on your list of differences....just saying...
Well said
DeleteYeah
ReplyDeleteThe basic issue with our people and our ancestral faith is that too many of us have been poisoned with the lies of the left and those of the Abrahamic faiths. Christianity and Islam are the most poisonous anti-white, anti free thought religions/world views in history with the exception of their parent religion; Judaism. The Jewish people and their faiths are a weapon to first enslave all goyim spiritually and through that first step they want to enslave us all physically.
ReplyDeleteWe as the descendants of the strongest and brightest of all the worlds people have become so weak and lazy that we constantly look inwards to fight instead of banding together and destroying our enemies without. The difference between Odinism and Folkish Asatru is so minute it isn’t even worth mentioning. The only part of Asatru that is different and foreign is universalist Asatru which is truly an insult to the Gods and Goddesses as well as our ancestors. Universalism is the enemy of our people using our Gods and Goddesses to destroy the truths and replacing them with lies in order to keep us weak and by doing so we are not a threat to the globalist plan. We are not superior simply bc we are white but that also doesn’t mean that we belong to mix. EVERY race should take pride in their own people and keep themselves as pure as possible. It was the norm in every culture to stay with ones own kind because each culture understood that while we are all human that we all have differences with some minor and many major and to mix was considered an abomination (ironically the African and Asians were the strictest when it came to this subject until the latter part of the 19th century). Our Gods are just for us much like Allah is the god of a majority of the Middle Eastern peoples. It wasn’t until Christianity’s universalist idealism that people worshipped someone else’s god over their own and most were forced at the end of a sword. We MUST stop infighting and band together and fight the enemies without or we will surly perish, as things are going now it will happen within a century.
I was never one to judge a person on the colour of there skin, but rather there strength of character. Maibie I might be a thrawl, but I don't care; I embraced heathenry 2 years ago and it slowly shifted to Odinism, since my whole life revolves around excelling in the army, I made an oath to follow the example of Odin (even tattooing a Valknut on my chest so I can't go back), I am Ukranian, but I'm also half native American and I realy don't think the gods could care less; because honestly; I could never have gotten as far as I have if Odin hasn't favoured my path, or if Thor didn't lend me his strength & protection, Loki didn't show me my denials or if Eir didn't help me with a speedy recovery (like crazy speedy) from my back injury.
ReplyDeleteI found myself attracted to the old gods because they actually helped me when I asked for it, unlike the Christian god that rejected me my whole life, but also because I noticed how much in common the ancient Germanic people had with my own ancestry on North America (lifestyle, traditions, virtues, morals, warrior spirit, culture.) It brought me closer to those ancestors and I've even starting growing my hair again to honour them.
Odin has shown me a much wider perspective to the world and myself, I know now that my life is fated & sometimes all you can do is accept the outcome of that life event because that's just how it is,h that good and evil are just another christianism in this world to distort people's belief system, now I just see things in chaos & order, because although both are not coherently good or bad, but rather the natural process of thing. That perspective showed that being saint isn't the only path to enlightenment and wisdom, to me; the gods & what they stand for make sense to me.
As such completely changed me from how I used to be. (Like you said, Odinism isn't just a religion) The only thing I care about is being better than I was yesterday, and I have become alot more selfish to achieve those goals, I've become much more indifferent to alot of things moved past from because they would infring on how I go about to succeed. But I've learned that any hardship I encounter in life might be fated or it might be by my own doing, but I will keep take responsibility for it and perciver, to move forward & grow from it, sacrificing as even as much as my recovery to the all-father, so I could feel less restrict on my lifestyle and so I could embrace the darker aspects of who I am (which does come with more risk, but I acknowledge that & believe everything has its uses) because the reward for hardship is so much more satisfying when you persivere through the darker chapters of your life, and I do this all for the purpose of self-growth, to be worthy of the valkeries judgment when my time comes, and I don't know when that will be, but Until then, I just keep trying to build myself.
To me the God's are as real as you or me, and I truly believe in this, after all I have offered many gifts to Odin, Thor, Freyhr, Tyr, Loki, Freyha, Vidarr & Eir for the support they lent, after all it only makes sense to keep building that relationship since I did invite them into my life; they are my kin now. Odin gave me something to believe in again, and has showed me new purpose in life, before, everything; even getting stronger didn't have much meaning, besides being a soldier, but still my life lacked essence I guess, now, I seek knowledge and wisdom, I seek strength, I seek Valhalla; that when I do die, I can dine with the gods who have helped me so much.
Desregard my perspective, or take it with a grain of salt if you want; I'm not hear to argue, as a matter of fact I just stumbled upon this thread while just trying to expand my knowledge. And I did enjoy reading it and the big things that seperate Odinism from Asatru.
Just wanted to offer my perspective is all
I am not really here to argue I would just like to make a few mentions on your post. I am glad you have found your way to the old gods and I hope you continue down the path of knowledge as that is something that Odin does want of us as is said in the Havamal. With that being said your statement of being more selfish to attain the succession that you want in life is not a Norse Pagan way of doing things. Odin the Allfather has stated in the Havamal that we are to care for people and their needs. To become selfish is actually against one of the basic teachings of Odin. Not trying to rag on you or anything I just want to clear that up if you are on the road to knowledge then give the Havamal a read before you go any further. Havamal is the word of Odin and probably is the closest thing to a bible that we Norse Pagans have.
DeleteBalderdash!
ReplyDeleteThe two terms can be used interchangeably.
There have been trends amongst those who call themselves Odinist, and there have been trends amongst those who identify as Asatruar. These trends have over time been common to both camps. Yet there are white supremacists and radical leftists in both camps. Just as there have been unaversalists, tribalists, and folkists in both camps.
I don't mind being referred to as an Odinist, although if I had to opt for one of the two terms I would probably opt for the term 'Asatruar' and for the simple reason that for me the term Odinist places a little too much emphasis on one single deity. I personally wouldn't say that my faith is all about Odinn anymore than I would say that The Magnificent Seven is all about the character who was played by Yul Brynner.
I worship more than one God and it is for this reason alone that I prefer the term Asatru over Odinism, though I recognise both terms as valid.
Briain Campbell-Hart
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ReplyDeleteThis article is utter flapdoodle
ReplyDeleteNever hate only heritage. Call me either one . I stand with my gods not kneel . For the record there were no other race's but aryan we are a nordic tribe not from anywhere else.
ReplyDeleteSo why do we have title and subtitle everypart of a "religion "...odinist asatru, heathen this that and another ...I believe in the old Gods , and I do study culture and I live as I am always learning more.... I thought it was kinda stupid to say dead language cause they only die if u let them.... Hail Odin and all the gods and goddeses
ReplyDeleteVery good article. It is about time we take our heritage and what was taken from us. Odin is our AllFather, that he shall be. Odinism is for whites and by whites. Other races have their own beliefs. They can keep them and we can keep ours.
ReplyDeleteThere are more disagreements with this article than agreements. 1st. My own personal opinion is that Asatru is a more Neo-Pagan form of norse paganism than Odinism is. 2nd. I very very strongly disagree with the whole Odinism is for the white race. It is views and practices like that, that give us Norse Pagans (Whether you are Asatru or Odinistic) a bad name to the public as Neo-Nazis and White hate. 3rd. I do not believe that the key to rebuilding our world with the true gods is up to the destruction of the west. It will be done in the same way that the christian conversion happened. 4th. I do not believe you can contact the gods and they will tell you how to worship them. Reading the stories of old (even though it may not have been written by believers) is an important way of learning the history of the people and how they worshiped the gods and goddesses. Not only does this show the commitment and dedication to them, doing this also signifies a unity of people throughout time.
ReplyDelete