River

I remember Tyr, Grambane asking this once before, but now I can't find the question. So I'm asking for some bands/singers that do Heathen music. It can be Folk all the way to Death Metal type music (I listen to anything but Disco - that crap makes me scream). =) Preferrably along the lines of the religion itself... songs of Odin, Thor, etc... Thanks.

What do you consider sacred?

I've been reading up on this online (something I normally don't like to do with this sort of thing), but I've come across a couple of websites that place Loki as, no less, Head of the Vanir. Now when I read the Eddas, it seems he is Aesir. I'm just wondering if maybe I'm missing something here?

http://altreligion.about.com/library/glossary/blde...

I've seen the arguments that Morality is relative... on this I have to agree. Even within Christianity we see Christians claim that Morals are Absolute, yet they will say that slavery is definitely immoral. Yet! The Bible supports slavery, among other things.

My main question is, do people who see morality as relative (to enviroment, situations, etc)... do they also see Reality as relative to the person speaking about "Reality"?

Exodus 32:14 And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.

Seems he did indeed repent of an evil he was thinking about doing to his people.

Why would Jesus, supposedly God himself, tell people to be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect if he KNEW, without a doubt, that it was impossible for you to be perfect?

Repent meaning to turn away from doing "evil", in a Biblical sense.

Is this something Jesus said in the Bible? If so, what does this imply about the laws given?

Out of curiosity, are there any other Pagans/Heathens that hunt? And when you do, do you "Offer" any part of the hunt itself to your respective Gods/Goddess'?

How is this a valid argument when debating religion? I have seen this used several times to try to make it seem one religion is Right and all others are wrong. The problem I see with this is - People die all the time for what they believe in. How does dying for it make it RIGHT?

I am going to make my own... finally. I have a couple of sets, but like with most things of this nature, I prefer to make my own to make them more personal to me (rather than deal with stones or those annoying plastic "runes"). Which wood is better to use to make them? Oak? Ash? Cedar? And do you apply anything to them, such as polyurethane? I would rather NOT use any chemicals, but I would like them to last a while.

How many went through the Christian "motions" to appease parents and/or others during their younger years or during their first walks upon the Pagan Path(s) because they were unsure of how they would be accepted (or not)?

I've seen a couple of remarks this weekend that claimed those in Paganism were doing so simply to be "trendy". I wonder... how long have the Pagans been Pagan?

I'll start. I've been a Pagan for 24 years. I am 36 (might as well say 37 - one more month and I'm there). Do the math. That's some "Trend".

I have noticed that some Christians (notice - I did say SOME) use the Bible as if Jesus died and left them this book to use against other people. Does anyone else notice just how much like the Pharisees those people really are? The Pharisees.... the ones Jesus himself called "vipers"... ones who use the "Law"/Bible to try to get other people to follow what they believe is Absolute.

One last try - last try, I promise. Well, for tonight anyway. How many actually believe it's impossible to be a Jew and an Atheist? And Why?

If you are curious as to why I'm asking this, look at the following -

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AgSNP...

And -

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ApS7q...

Now maybe you can understand what is going on with the question I asked earlier..... and why I ask this now. Guess I'm just irked that anyone can honestly believe it is impossible to be an Atheist AND a Jew.

At the request of another regular here (I'm An Atheist), I will try to first find out what people think a Jew is (as it seems soooo many here don't really know) and then maybe we can figure out where you are getting the idea that a Jew can NOT be an Atheist? And just how you came to that idea to begin with?

To help, I'll show what I have learned a Jew to be - first and foremost, they are an Ethnic group... much like Celts or African. Secondly, it is also considered a Religion... a Religion which is of the ethnic group originally, but others outside of the ethnic group can convert to (but this in no way makes them an Ethnic Jew). From what I have learned FROM Jews I know, you are Jewish only according to your Mothers Heritage. If your Mother is a Jew, then You are a Jew. If not, then you will not be considered a Jew (The Ethnic Group, not the Religion).

Do people realize that there is a difference between the Ethnic and the Religion?

I had just answered another question concerning how Pagans celebrate Christmas and something did occur to me. I know Celts use the Mistletoe during this time... it was considered a Sacred plant to the Druids... but according to the Northern Traditions I am not sure. Considering the story of Loki aiming the arrow that killed Baldr (spelling? I see these names spelled so many different ways I'm still unsure of them), is mistletoe left out during Yule because of this? Or did it transfer from the Celts (as their cultures mingle greatly in several different areas)?

Now I know, in some references, mistletoe isn't considered Sacred even to some Celts. I am using this more in the modern sense, since many do include it as a sacred plant.

How is it that so many use this without ever putting themselves in the other persons shoes? Can they stop for a second and say "What if a Pagan were to present me with this?"

Ok, NOW I'm ready for the game.

I found a couple of articles that state Ostara, the Goddess of Spring (in general) has the rabbit as her symbol. But when I look into it further, I can't find any actual historical reference for this other than it was attached to Easter later because of the general idea of rabbits and breeding (bringing new life). Which is consistent with the idea of Spring and many of the Pagan Holidays attributed to it, but is there any actual reference to this being the symbol of Ostara herself? (There's really not much in the way of Historical reference for Ostara... nothing in depth, that I have found, anyway.)