At no point do they mention any spiritual or religious aspect of beard wear. For him the use of razor or shaving the chin shall be as sinful as incest.. The beard is and has always been a defining feature of being Heathen, and a religious symbol of Forn Sir.In fact, the beard is a religious symbol of Forn Sir or Heathenry as much as the kippot is a religious symbol of Judaism, or the beard and the pagri are a religious symbol of Sikhism. No spiritual connection. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Many religious groups require men to grow a beard, including Muslims and Orthodox Jews. 1st Class Benjamin Hopper, a 34-year-old Alabama native and member of the Nevada Army Guards 3665th Ordnance Company, was granted the waiver following a lengthy review process that concluded with the Armys acknowledgement of his sincerity as a heathen. If you were to apply these laws to Heathens, they would for example be able to avoid punishment for murder by paying werguild. Let us call him "the beardless carle" but his sons we will call "dung-beardlings." "Prithee why should dung beard boys reft of reason, dare to hammer." "He the beardless carle shall listen while I lash him with abuse." "Making mirth of dung beard boys, here I find a nickname for these noisome dung beard boys." ins.style.height = container.attributes.ezah.value + 'px'; Regardless - I love this religious freedom being upheld. we live in a society where trans people are discriminated against in the military and special accomidations are made for people with imaginary friends. The things we say about how the Gods "look" from mythology is more saying something about their character than about any kind of actual physical appearance. Odin is blood sworn to Loki, and stated that he will not drink unless one is offered to Loki as well. There is no mention of any Heathen practice in the document. Legal Statement. The word myth has been used out of context for so long that it's definition seems to mean untrue, comic NOT SO. An event greatly frown upon in a culture that emphasizes gender polarization and strongly stigmatizes feminization of men. ;( apparently due to the Racist attitudes of our "Commander in Chief" open White suppremacists have grown in our military.. Not GOOD! So, as a Norse Heathen, I find this whole thing upsetting. So companies do have arguments on why they may ask men to be cleanshaven or have short hair. More recently, some special operations soldiers serving in the Middle East have beenallowed to grow beardsso that they might better blend in with local populations. Once a soldier with Gender Dysphoria has transitioned they are usually free of serious dysphoric episodes and are just as capable of serving in the military as literally anyone else. Most Pagans do not believe their Gods to be perfect. Viking Warriors are Men. A religion, or even a set of religions under the umbrella terms of "Paganism" or "Heathenry," is a complex and surprising institution. He is also slender, fair to look on and has yellow hair. 1st Class Benjamin Hopper is the first guard soldier to receive a religious accommodation approval for a beard. Your neighbors of numerous cultures, your countless masses who came here for a real shot at life, all Americans like you. If you found this article useful and want to donate to support the educational work that we do, please consider making a contribution to our general funding or support our mission by joining The Troth today. Maybe they're hoping to make soldiers look like sailors. ;). if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'celebratepaganholidays_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_9',108,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-celebratepaganholidays_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0');This is a big grey area, as many pagans report harassment from Christain co-workers who belittle their belief system. Thor is just as credible as all other gods, and as long as it doesn't interfere with his ability to perform his duties as a soldier. Finally, some companies suggest allowing religious people to wear religious facial hair, but only if the beard is kept very short and trimmed. I have a question about Norse-Pagan and Beards. The issues of Followers of Assatru or Norse Beliefs having Similar attitudes to Aryan nation/Brotherhood Etc. Ah, the "tolerance" of the Christian majority. Kesh, or 'uncut hair' is one of the five religious requirements of. As a member, along with supporting our mission to promote our faith, you will also get access to more community resources, events and a vote in our elections. Especially not Thor, who is along other things the god of law. Proudly keeping the military connected since 1988. But, it also brings up the debate about trans people. You might agree with one view or the other or a different way altogether, but here are two of the popular views on the subject. He was told to shave or be fired. -Written by PF CSO and DPN Chair Dan Coultas with assistance from PF Publications manager and AUK chair Rich Blackett, PF President Sarah Kerr and further input from Heathenry UK, the Confederation of UK Heathen Kindreds and the Open Halls Project. This is just as much an argument that all Heathens should be slender with yellow hair as it is that they should wear beards. Ultimately, the kinds of content that makes you feel like crap is designed to get you to want to buy something to make you stop feeling like crap. Its authenticity was later confirmed by a Missouri spokeswoman to the Army Times. God, Country, Family, Self. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no cost to you. Trading activities are carried out by Pagan Federation, a not for profit company limited by guarantee and registered in England number 04056879 An observant Norse Pagan, Hopper has been allowed to wear a great, big, bushy beard under a religious accommodation to Army Regulation 670-1 Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms - which is not . 1 Samuel 21:13 So he disguised his sanity before them, and acted insanely in their hands, and scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva run down into his beard. Incidentally the Christian God, whose followers do believe to be perfect, is also generally believed to be bearded, particularly when he takes on human form as Jesus. Philadelphia, PA 19106, In-Reach Book Donation Request (Chaplains Only), Heathenry Essential Study Chat and Social First Saturday (Public), Heathenry Essential Study Chat and Social Third Saturday (Public). This is not only directly insulting to all servicemen who do not have beards, but also to all servicewomen. I'm talking murder for breaking religious beliefs, cutting off someone's hand for stealing, etc. Because there are no tenants in Asatru. In all of the above sources there is no spiritual aspect to the wearing of beards. Thor has a red beard because of his extraordinary ferocity in defending and sustaining humankind. There are many pagan religions that consider it important for one to have facial hair in order to express the person's religious identity. Folks On 19 April 2018, one of our bros made history by receiving a religious accommodation for a Norse Pagan beard from the U.S. Army. Judges 16:17 So he told her all that was in his heart and said to her, A razor has never come on my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mothers womb. Being known as an oath breaker is possibly the greatest insult to someone who holds Heathen values. And, no I'm not talking about what military does killing people. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'celebratepaganholidays_com-leader-1','ezslot_10',107,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-celebratepaganholidays_com-leader-1-0');If there are any concerns about health and safety, the employer can ask that the employee keep their religious attire or facial hair trimmed to a reasonable length. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. HUGE difference. A soldier serving in Afghanistan with the Nevada Army Guard has been granted a religious accommodation to grow a beard in accordance with a Norse pagan faith that traces its origins to Scandinavia. Any resemblance to news may be purely coincidental. Let's look at the texts. Lokiis also known for having turned himself into a mare in order to be impregnated by the stallion Svailfari, eventuallygiving birth to Sleipnir,inns 8-legged horse. The vikings didn't grow large beards very often. In Afghanistan, meanwhile, Hopper keeps his waiver on him at all times in case any superiors question the facial feature he refers to as a sacred and defining feature of masculine men. Regulations specify a beard can be no longer than 2 inches in length. get real! In order for religious beliefs to qualify as a religious belief under Title VII, an employee must believe that: The practice is required by his religion or mandated by his religious community and cannot be modified even if the result is discipline from their employer. In the memo, the staff sergeant expressed that the ability to wear a beard defines the heathen man and his sexuality as it personifies his character, masculinity, and qualities that Norse Pagan men are to value reflective of their beliefsBoth the Elder and Younger Eddas as well as the Sagas reference beards and their importance within Forn Sir. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: Army Gives Norse Pagan Soldier Permission to Grow Beard, Connecticut Reckons With Its Dark Past of Executing People for Witchcraft. Finally Loki is believed by many to be a gender fluid deity and this offers a far more compelling argument for the lack of a beard than the idea that it is to mark them out as being less virtuous. Lokiis is known to have wrecked havoc among the sir, even being responsible for the death of some of them, including Baldur. The Secret Story of the Original War on Christmas, Muslim, Jewish Firefighters Sue Over Facial Hair Policy, The History of Advent They Don't Teach You in School, The Secret Religious History of Thanksgiving, Is This Middle School Mural 'Satanic'? Says Hallgerda "and so we will call you always from this day forth, but your father we will call "the beardless carle., I think that thy father the beardless carle must have given it.. "Standing out" is not a historical tradition in any military, unless you are a general in a parade. It is purely societal, and even if it were spiritual, these are Christian laws, from a period where the practice of Heathenry was outlawed. If the pagan wants to stand out, more power to him. The Military should respect their right to appropriate medical care, which is decided by their medical care provider and not the religious views or whims of the White House or other non medical authority. This includes allowing employees to wear religious clothing or facial hair in the workplace. However, some laws are unconstitutional and have remained on challenged. We believe our Gods are good. But it's not a religion. Similar passages can be found in many world religions. I respect my servicemen, and I respect their God-given and American-given right to believe and practice. For many years there has been a recurring discussion regarding the right of Pagans, and in particular Heathens, in the armed forces and other uniformed organisations to grow a Beard. Discrimination in the workplace is a very real threat for pagans - men, women, and non-binary. They'll make you feel like you aren't man enough, like you aren't good enough or like you're just not enough in and of yourself. It is not an insult. What we do isn't a "lifestyle brand" either. Whenever you hear or read stuff like this, ask yourself what the motivation is for the people writing it. The fact that he is beardless is an easy way to identify someone in an era where most people had beards, but it doesnt imply any religious requirement to do so. But the Army choosing to accommodate the soldier's request shows that: They are no longer the sticklers for the rules they once were, and They've come to respect (at least to some degree) individual faith beliefs that stray from the mainstream as well. You are about to delete your comment. I was lucky to work as an intern with the Smithsonian during college. password? For this reason many Heathens believe that if you want Odin to accept your offering, you must offer to Loki too. Many Pagans today have beards, but this is a cultural rather than a religious phenomenon in exactly the same way it was in 10th century Europe. 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