Happy Mani’s Day
Discussion:
Truth is painful but liberating. It is this commitment to truth that brought me where I am today so it could be argued whether truth as virtue is something more universal, but I don’t think certain forces are som much committed to truth as they are committed to creating beautiful comfortable lies that people would rather have in their lives than the painful truth.
The painful truth is there is no evidence whatsoever that there is an afterlife, cosmic justice after death or even karma. There is no evidence we are special or unique beyond our genetics and that means a whole lot of truth that people not only do not want face is painful to confront.
Asatru’s commitment to truth is one an atheist can resonate with but would state that Asatru believes in things that cannot be verified as truth. That said the idea of the virtue of truth is more about what to do with truth rather than discovering it. It is about standing for truth when there is a need and being silent in the presence of fools. It is about what to do with truth once you have discovered it.
To the Wolves and Ravens:
“Feed the Wolves, but Listen to the Ravens first.”
Needs (Geri):
We need truth to guide our lives effectively. The issue is acting on the truth rather than being passive. There is more to taking the red pill than just knowledge, there becomes a need to act on it or there is no point in knowing the truth. Truth is only effective when it is acted on.
Wants (Freki):
More than need I want the truth because it makes me stop wasting my time, energy and resources on lies. The issue for me with both religion and government is that the whole of both is based on a lot of lies. Things that not only cannot be proven but also can be demonstrated to be false. To continue to pour one’s life into a falsehood simply because it gives comfort is still wasting your life.
Reason (Huginn):
It is been said that regarding ‘belief’ that one still should believe in the chance that God is real and an afterlife, but this seems strange to me as wouldn’t an all-knowing god know this s my motivation and what is good about this motivation. No. I would rather live my life in truth no matter what fears it might cause. I don’t waste time, resources or energy anymore on things that are lies or based on lies.
Wisdom (Muninn):
Wisdom is hard on this one. But it comes down to that the truth should make your life efficient because you are not ordering your life on fantasy. Nothing wrong with science fiction or fantasy as entertainment, but not as a way to live life fully and completely. Wisdom is found in accepting the truth and then navigating through both the pain of it and the liberation of it. Pain is fuel for freedom is the wisdom here.
Conclusion:
My recognition that I was an atheist was the result of a long journey, but in the end, I feel the truth of it has caused me to recognize what is really important and not waste time energy or resources on something that is essentially organized deception. It was not going into darkness but rath facing the painful truth and coming out of my beautiful lie to being real and authentic. It has been an interesting combination of atheistic philosophy and Asatru in its virtue of Truth that has brought me to this place.
I remain,
The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.
Skaal!!!
The Grey Wayfarer 
I suppose, as an ex atheist, Asatru taught me some important questions which changed my own perspectives.
Why must a God be all-knowing, all-mighty? It’s an alien notion.
I also find, while agnostic myself on the eternity question, that atheism tends as much toward dogmatism as any other religion. It has its own Levitical caste and it’s own pastors. And, there is a truth that nihilism is very convenient for globalism. For this reason alone I am skeptical of atheism as a social construct.
Now. I don’t mean any of this as an insult, just I suppose an interesting exercise in how people arrive at different conclusions.
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Dogmatism is not necessarily a religious trait. You just have be determined in your viewpoint despite contrary evidence. 🙂
All movements and moral philosophies whether relgious or secular are going to have leaders and pundents whether relgious or not. I suppose one could, a as relgious person, project their religiousity on atheism seeing similar habits.
But atheism has no fables or personified beings. Faith does not exist because faith is beleif in something that cannot be demonstrably proven. Something atheism does not allow for. Are their still things unknown they have quesitons about? Certainly but humilty that one might be wrong is the order fo the day and a mystery is not cause to throw up ones hands or engage the fallicy that if it isn’t known it must be the divine.
That said, paganism causes me no worries as it seems closer to atheism than others. At least pagans are not tryingt o kill people over their faith or force the government to engage in proselitization. I also feel the virtues of Asatru are closest to my own, so their is a kinship there as well.
Skaal
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Skål, to you sir.
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