“Deconverting and My Attitude About Women”- The Pagan Pulpit

February 2, 2020February 1, 2020 / Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Sol’s Day!

Announcements:

We don’t pray here – we figure God, the gods, goddesses, or whatever powers that be (if any) either know already, don’t give a fuck, or are busy with more important matters than our petty stuff. We also kind of assume that they expect us to do stuff that we can do for ourselves and that we will do them ourselves and not be lazy. We also believe in being good friends, so we don’t presume on our friendship with the powers that be by asking them all the time for stuff while giving them nothing in return.

We also don’t take an offering here. We figure the powers that be probably don’t need it. Let’s be honest, offerings are not given to the divine powers, they are given to an organization to support it. Just being honest. God, the gods or whatever never sees a dime, farthing or peso of that money; it all goes to the church, mosque or shrine.

Theme Song: Nordic/Viking Music – ‘Víðbláinn’

Meditation:

Text:

Sermon:

When I was a Christian minister I always had the dreaded sermons when going through certain books of the Bible where I had to talk about male and female roles, husband and wife roles and the status of women. It was so patently obvious that the Bible is patriarchal to the extreme it is ridiculous. Women have a status of somewhere above cattle but below men, Women are clearly seen as male property either of their father or their husband. The laws regarding rape and adultery in the Bible are much more about protecting a man’s investment and property than the woman’s right to her body and mind.

When I deconverted, one of the things I had to struggle with at first and deal with often was my own attitude about women. Not that my views as a Christian weren’t fairly liberal, it is that the environment of the church still tends to put women in their place. Even my last church which was very open, there was an almost unwritten rule that women could not be ushers for the offering. It actually caused some buzzing when one Sunday we had no choice but to use one of the female members of the church council to do this task because most of the men were gone that Sunday.

When I look at this issue now as a pagan atheist. the respect of the individual regardless of sex, sexual orientation or identity becomes paramount. I have no authority that tells me that women are subservient to men nor tells me that men and women have different roles in society. We tend certain natural directions if left to our own devices, but it is quite possible for women to be mechanics and men to be hairdressers and there is nothing wrong with that. It also possible for a woman to be the head of her house because she is the best suited to lead it.

I am very much attracted to the female form and feminity in general as a heterosexual masculine male. Our survival as a species has depended on this attraction for millions of years. I have no problem with the LGBTQ+ community but recognize my own attractions and desires that seem natural to myself are what most of society would classify as ‘normal’. I love women and I love femininity as a masculine male. I like pin-up girls (of all types and levels of nudity), the female form still lights my sexual fire and I find the wild pagan tattooed rebel girl attractive as fuck.

At the same time, my deconversion thoughts have taught me to respect women as their own individuals that have the right to be in charge of their own destiny. Their sexuality is their own and they make the decisions about it. If a woman makes love to you by her own choice, it means she chose it as much as you and that is the best type of making love. But that is also true of any time men and women work together to accomplish a goal or engage an issue. I want a partnership with women, not ones that are subservient simply because I have a dick.

I find though that my upbringing and former way of life have a way of intruding from time to time with old attitudes. Old ideas of how men and women are different’ spiritually’ come up from time to time. One by one I have to deal with them. I guess if something comes up where I notice it, I try to meditate on it and change my brain about it. My goal is to let women be what they want to be and enjoy the ride.

Parting Thought:

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“Women’s Nipples and the US Supreme Court” – Freya’s Chambers – Equality

January 17, 2020January 17, 2020 / Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Frigg and Freya’s Day!

Disclaimer: The topics covered in Freya’s Chambers include serious discussions of sex, sexuality and related issues. If it isn’t your thing; you can move along, otherwise enjoy and feel free to discuss. Given the nature of some subjects be prepared for nude images as there may be some. I avoid genitalia as a general rule but is not always possible.

Discussion:

While not surprising to me, the US Supreme Court decided to refuse to hear the case brought by two women from New Hampshire. The Court basically decided not to hear the case. The story from Reuters is below:

Reuters: US Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Topless Case

Why am I not surprised? Because the court is conservative and there is no way that they want to go on record as having to do something very obvious to most people from a plain reading of the 14th Amendment. If you have a rule that tells a woman she cannot do something a man can do freely, then it is sexual discrimination.

The best thing for a conservative court with many of its members appointed by conservative presidents to do is to avoid the whole issue. So that is what they did. And it shows how the court, while in many ways has always been political, is even more political. The issue for most court members is legacy, not justice and it shows particularly when they don’t take cases of obvious implications for the constitution and the bill of rights. Most notably to me, the court could define 2nd amendment rights for the nation as a whole and in this case, would start to allow women to do what men have been allowed to do for years which is take off their shirt and bare the chest on hot summer days or whenever they wish.

This case involved two women who did a normal activity on a hot summer day and were fined 100$ for it each. The simple question of whether a man would be fined the same way is an obvious ‘no’. It is clear sexism that was justified by ‘traditional understandings of nudity”. One thing is clear though that men and women can do the same activity but one of them is fined and the other is not. That is sexism no matter how hard you try to make it something else.

Probably the most disappointing thing is the fact this case came from one of the most libertarian states in the union – Hew Hampshire. That’s right “Live Free or Die”. Except, in this case, freedom doesn’t extend to women as much as men and it has been noted. Sorry, a little hypocrisy there as tradition apparently trumps freedom.

What needs to happen is that women have full equal rights in this issue. The issue of toplessness in public should not be made by government, nor men, but each individual woman involved. This is really a female choice issue. It also has an interest in the growing trans community because what constitutes male and female is getting blurry and so the best thing to do is have a uniform standard of ‘if a person for ant reason is allowed to go topless here, then all people are allowed to go topless’.

From a sexualization point of view, as the idea of men going topless becomes more normal, sexualization of female breasts, much like legs, backsides and other aspects that have been normalized. We will become as used to it as we have to those others. Not to say that those attracted to the female form such as my heterosexual male self won’t take note and admire, but I already do that with the rest of the female body as it is. I do find women’s breasts attractive and in some regard ‘magical’.

Biology has kept us being attracted to each other’s physical bodies regardless of dress. Ultimately this has led to our survival as a species. Every picture I have used in this article is women doing some of the same activities a man can do while topless. Only if they do it in some states – they get fined or jailed. I could have easily substituted men in all of these pictures and no one would bat an eye as this is acceptable culturally for men. But somehow it becomes morally wrong if a woman does it. Yeah, right.

The women of New Hampshire are now left with the arduous task of changing the laws of their home state. A process that will take time and should be unnecessary given the plain wording of the 14th amendment: A liberty is being denied to women and given only to men. So much for equal protection under the law and the US Supreme Court is too political and thus to cowardly to correct it.

My two cents.

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“Playboy’s Christmas Cartoons” – Freya’s Chambers – Sensual Art

December 13, 2019December 13, 2019 / Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Frigg and Freya’s Day!

Discussion:

As I head into the holiday season, I am a little more pressed for time these days so my more serious discussions here in Freya’s Chambers are going to give way to a more lighthearted look at sex and sexuality with the festive nature of the holiday.

I will probably do a more serious discussion of Playboy as both a shaper of sexual discussion and Hugh Hefner’s legacy someday. I mean it had a lot of influence on my thoughts as a teen and young adult male. In truth though probably the magazine gets its props for 1) Gorgeous women in the buff, 2) Some interviews that were groundbreaking and 3) Its art including the cartoons which made a lighthearted jab at sexual mores, sexual culture, and hypocrisy. For me the cartoons were not just entertainment, they had a message of pointing out how traditional views on sexuality were not normal but forced. Humor has a way of doing that.

Of course, culture changes so at first playboy cartoons poked at the notion that everyone was celibate and waiting for marriage for sex. The sexual revolution of the 1960s and 1970s was largely spawned by effective birth control and if I may be very bold magazines like Playboy who made fun of the notion that women, in particular, were sweet innocent things that just wanted a good husband when it came to sex. As research came in, it became clear that women liked to fuck just as much as men. The only difference was they had to worry about pregnancy and stigma more.

Cartoons back then were an avenue of using humor to point this out and Playboy’s cartoons were legendary for doing just that. One of the ideas was that women didn’t need as much coxing to engage in casual sex as people thought and that their appetite was not as high as men. Playboy tried to shatter that with a lot of forms but their cartoons often had women having sexual desire and the guy was about to get a gift from them – a sexual encounter with them.

During Christmas, of course, this idea of gifts and traditions was employed as a central theme and the idea of women presenting themselves as gifts to men is present, I am fairly sure I remember Hugh himself saying in response to the early politically correct crowd that was critical of his objectification of women something to the effect of “women will always be objects of desire to men, that’s how babies are made” or something similar. I am not sure what his psychological knowledge was but he read every interview with every playmate and all of them pointed out what they wanted in a man and many of them engaged the sex questions with responses that would have caused a ‘good girl’ to blush.

The traditions becoming sexualized were often done with the idea that traditions were different in other countries and that often had sexual connotations. Santa Claus, the Christmas party and mistletoe being obvious choices as well. Playboy’s cartoons at Christmas were shall we say sexually festive. Santa being a horny man who gives another gift to the lonely woman is also one that has humor that was present.

Looking back at the playboys under my bed as a teen, I would say the Christmas ones were my favorite. Now I would say they were fond memories of the festive and fun part of the holidays that was sensual. There is playfully sexual side to this holiday and playboy through their cartoons saught to point that out.

My two cents.

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“Marriage Rights” – Freya’s Chambers – Equality

November 22, 2019November 22, 2019 / Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Frigg and Freya’s Day!

Discussion:

Now, this is a pretty large umbrella and I first want to begin with the issue of what marriage is. While religious pundits would argue that it is an institution from God, I would argue that all religions seem to have it or something like it and some of these relationships predate some religions if archeology and scholarship are to be believed.

Marriage itself had always been a cultural l institution and it can be argued whether it is even a good one. As a libertarian, I question why it even needs to exist. There is nothing done in a marriage relationship that cannot be done without the marriage. In the end, it is about legal obligation and people want to put a romantic spin on it using either religion or calling it an expression of love. As if somehow by getting married you create some more love than already existed. I think there is a lot of nice touchy-feely to the idea of marriage that keeps wedding planners and officiants making money.

In any case, if we are going to have it I don’t know why the government is involved in the first place. Yes, it makes it legal but that could also be accomplished by two people going to a lawyer and hashing out a relationship contract. Does the marriage license simply do this in a faster convenient way? If so, I doubt the legalities would be considered equality from a sex point of view, particular in dower states where a woman basically gets half the guys stuff simply by saying ‘I do’ and not such condition exists the other way. The point is those that get married under a license, at least in the United States have conditions of that marriage that they would probably not like if they knew them.

Mostly though marriage survives because of shame and stigma when you are not in certain situations. The two biggest ones being that not being married is somehow odd and if a woman has a child out of wedlock. Practically, neither of these stigmas make any sense. As people recognize the bullshit of these stigmas, marriage is indeed taking a hit. I can speak from personal experience that no legal contract, rings or vows will keep you faithful and true nor does an increased level of love result from getting married.

But until marriage is seen for what it is we are going to have it and the state is going to get involved so how should they act when people who normally don’t get married want to do so. The secular answer is ‘equal protection’ not a restriction of rights. Justice is supposed to be blind, so she should not be able to judge through the lens of religious bias or social convention. She should not see that it is a couple of men or a couple of women or two men and one woman or one man and two women or any other relationship that people want to enter into. The issue is the protection of rights, not to control what marriage is defined as. That should be left to the people in that relationship; not the state, or even the church. Of course, if it were up to me, I would abolish marriage licenses and leave the definition of it to the people involved and if they want it to be a legal relationship – go see an attorney and draw up the contract. If you want a religious ceremony go see the officiant but the state in no way should be involved in the first place. In my mind, this is the only way to achieve equality. As long as the government is involved people can gain control and determine the definition of what marriage is. This is what causes inequality.

People will always try to control the government so they can control the agenda of marriage. The best way to avoid this is to give the government no power at all other than to enforce contracts, which it already has through the courts, and provide protection for the people who enter those relationships of their own free will in their own way.

My two cents.

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“Topic: Sensual Art” – Freya’s Chambers – Sensual Art

November 15, 2019November 15, 2019 / Ed Raby Sr / 3 Comments

Happy Frigg and Freya’s Day!

Discussion:

I debated with myself a long time on what to call this topic and in the end, I decided to go with Sensual Art. Although much in this topic could be considered in sex or nudism’s vein, I will point out that such art does not always have to be about sex, it can also be about freedom and beauty combined. The issue for me is how art expresses sex, sexuality, and nudity I don’t see as something dirty per se, but as something very human. As an integral part of being a human being.

My personal tastes in the art of this type are guided by the expression of beauty, intimacy and subtle sensuality. I like the over the top expression from time to time but it is the sensuality of the regular and serene moments of life that interest me the most. There is also in me an interest in the true erotic of the kind of art that portrays intimate lovers. This makes this topic very interesting to me from a personal point of view, but I think a discussion on these topics is always at least interesting and sometimes enlightening.

The Nude:

Probably the most basic subject of any consideration of sensual art is the nude painting which has been around for centuries if not longer when we consider all the art of the world through time. Naked figures have been the subject of artists for a long time and the way human beings are portrayed in the nude is equally as versatile. From my perspective, the issue of art and its dividing line with pornography is; that no honest portrayal of the human nude as it is is pornography with me. When there is a beauty to be admired in the human naked form – that is art.

Erotica:

This, of course, switches gears to the sexual side of art. Sensual art in written form is what good erotica is. I have tried my hand at erotica several times over the years and the problem for me is that I want a story around it. A sex scene for me is a plot device, not the main plot itself. Better erotica to me recognizes this idea and the story means as much as the sex. Why two people (or more) are making love and how they came in that situation is just as important as what they specifically do and feel while having sex.

Pin-Ups:

Pin-Up area combination of the ‘nude’ and erotica in the sense of being teasing. They can often tell a story. The pin-up above’s is a more simple story: a woman who has just taken a bath and is drying herself off only to be surprised by someone who sees her. Her smile indicates the fact she has been seen either is a nice surprise because she likes the person who sees her or she doesn’t mind being seen. Perhaps a little bit of an exhibitionist or is she just comfortable in her skin? It is this combination between telling a story and art in painting or drawing form that makes pin-up more than just pin-ups to me. Vintage pin-ups often have a story of how they were created and why as well.

Lovers:

The portrayal of lovers is either as old or as nearly as old as the nude. A good painting of this or other art form captures the passion, lust or love the couple has for one another. The sexual energy has to be captured in the art and not just the embrace. What each person is feeling and experiencing should be evident in the art form.

A Word About Forms of Art:

I really and not going to discriminate between art forms if I can help it. Also one could list, erotic dancing, dramas, photography, painting drawing, sculpting, etc. I am not going to limit myself in that way. If there is any limitation on this it is what I think is good sensual art.

Conclusion:

I think my list of topics for Freya’s Chambers is complete. I know it seems like a lot, but I don’t think The Grey Wayfarer as a blog is going anywhere for a while and after a year with eight topics, you are talking about hitting every topic at least 6-7 times. That should cover a lot of ground long term.

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“A ‘Dirty’ Mind”- Freya’s Chambers – Sexual Imagination

October 25, 2019October 25, 2019 / Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Frigg and Freya’s Day:

Disclaimer: The topics covered in Freya’s Chambers include serious discussions of sex, sexuality and related issues. If it isn’t your thing; you can move along, otherwise enjoy and feel free to discuss. Given the nature of some subjects be prepared for nude images as there may be some. I avoid genitalia as a general rule but is not always possible.

Discussion:

I am introducing a new topic subheading called Sexual Imagination. Basically, how the mind and sex are connected. I am going to start with a simple concept – having a ‘dirty mind’. Does this really exist? Is it normal or bad?

Back when I was a Christian, the ‘sin’ I struggled with the most was lust. No getting around it. I eventually dealt with it by simply being real about it and changing my viewpoints on a lot of things. It probably had something to do with my deconversion as I began to realize what made sin such a made-up concept was that it involved such impossible tasks as not ‘lusting’

I would now say that humans have developed a high desire to procreate so that the biological needs to be sensually drawn to another person is normal. That does change your definition of what it means to be ‘dirty-minded’. I mean there is little actual dirt to having sexual thoughts and only religion with its cultic desire to control others through sexuality would try to defy that.

Without Sin:

Boiling things down to biology helps in taking the dirty out of dirty-minded for yourself. Without sin what you have is thoughts that cross your brain when you see, hear or feel something that causes you suddenly think and feel sensual. Not sin, just normal sexual desire.

Well, I should define normal as best I can. I am not sure having a desire for sex with children is normal or a desire for rape. It might be normal in the sense scientifically it can be proved statistically normal, but whether or not culture or society or basic decent humanity at times defines a sexual thought as ‘normal’ might be another issue.

Psychology aside most of us have sensual thoughts that range on the normal side of seeing or hearing something and translating it into a sensual or sex-related situation. Whether it is seeing a picture that you first think is someone doing something naughty or you hear someone say something and immediately think to yourself some sort of sexually related joke, it is all signs of a healthy but perhaps overactive sensual imagination.

Sensual Imagination:

I have had all my life and overactive sensual imagination. This is particularly when someone says something that could be taken into the sexual realm with a minor change in the way of looking at it. A woman says: “I will leave you to put that thing in there.” and my mind goes: “That’s what she said.” Easy as that and sometimes far worse. Ok. many times far worse. I keep a lot of it to myself but it keeps me entertained where my mind goes these days. If there is any change, I am no longer mortified by some of the things I think unless they truly cross a line and I think to myself. “No way you’re telling anyone that one.”

Visually I am probably pretty typically male. I see a nice feature on a female and you bet that leads to some ‘sensually imaginative’ thoughts. I think I can say, with a lot of high probability, the following 1) If I don’t notice and nice ass, 2) If I don’t notice a nice pair of boobs and/or 3) If I don’t notice a woman’s curvy figure and such a thing is absent dirty-minded thoughts; then it is time to call the morgue and tell them to send a truck for my body. I have obviously died and haven’t fallen over yet.

Filters:

I do have my filters:

I never say anything dirty in mixed company unless know the people first
Most of the time I never lead with sensually imaginative comments, I wait for others to do so or for it to come out in regular conversation from someone else.
Never around kids, although kids do say some funny things that if you are not careful you could go there.
I double think everything when alone and out of sight with the opposite sex who is not my wife. My wife, however, has to endure. 🙂
People easily offended? – Nope, not going to go there with people with a stick up their ass.

Of course, filters don’t always work when the situation is such that the environment just invites sensual thoughts. Some thoughts, however, are Not Safe For Work and so I keep them to myself.

Conclusion:

Basically, I am saying I don’t fight this anymore, I just try to make sure that it is in good fun and not being hurtful. Knowing your surroundings and who is around you is a good way to avoid the consequences in our society, which is hypersensitive these days. Mostly though you are pretty much a normal person in my opinion even if your imagination is overly sensual. Just be careful out there.

Honestly and seriously though, we are sexual beings as human beings, which means our mind is going to head down that path from time to time. Some of us just like going down it a lot. Nothing wrong with it just make sure you have some filters and sometimes remember this is about your own entertainment far more than not. It makes you walk the path with a few more smiles on your face.

So, how ‘dirty’ is your mind?

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“Freyr – God of Fertility and Prosperity” (Asatru – Part 15) – The Pagan Pulpit

October 20, 2019October 20, 2019 / Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Sol’s Day

Announcements:

We don’t pray here – we figure God, the gods, goddesses, or whatever powers that be either know already, don’t give a fuck, or are busy with more important matters than our petty stuff. We also kind of assume that they expect us to do stuff that we can do for ourselves and that we will do them ourselves and not be lazy. We also believe in being good friends, so we don’t presume on our friendship with the powers that be by asking them all the time for stuff while giving them nothing in return.

Theme Song: Norse Viking Music – ‘Álfadróttinn’

Meditation:

Text:

If you want more details about Asatru, I can’t recommend this book enough.

Sermon:

I suppose I should honestly say that Freyr is not a god that I am drawn to in high respect. Odin and Thor definitely still appeal to me more. That said, Freya’s brother and fellow Vanir appears quite prominently in the stories and was probably second in popularity to only Thor. You kind of see the dynamic of masculinity in Thor and Freyr as Thor is a warrior and Freyr probably exemplifies everything else masculine from industriousness to sexual prowess and potency. He is a fertility deity much like his sister Freya.

Historically speaking though the ancestrial line of many of the Swedish kings has its roots in Freyr. It should be noted that fertility and sovereignty are very much linked in Norse mythology. so the fact he was the god of sovereignty, as well as Odin, is indicative of that. This points out that Odin is the ruler of the gods but his role is more chairman of the group. He doesn’t lord it over with decree so much as he leads the discussion and gets concession and compromise. Freyr’s presence points this out as he is more of a Vanir ‘hostage’ than Odin’s subject, but there he is being worshiped with the rest of them.

He rides a boar or stallion both indicative of male potency and fertility. His statues often have him represented with a rather large phallus. He will wield a stag’s antler in the final battle at Ragnarok indicating his close association to nature both cultivated and wild. There is somewhat of a similar attitude. to him as Freya when it comes to being the wild untamable side of masculinity that she is with femininity. He would be the kind of man that most feminists would recoil from what he represents but at the same time in his presence their panties would be getting damp because their sexual fantasies would be running wild.

However, he is only known to have had one romance. Gerd takes a lot of convincing but she marries Freyr and he was forever faithful as far as anyone knows despite his association with fertility.

The modern followers of Asatru envoke Freyr for fertility, potency, and prosperity which is his sphere. He is very popular among them. His feasts are the most celebrated and of course feature a boar as the main course. Those close to the earth – farmers – rever him.

For me as a character, Freyr seems to have the kind of feeling that every male protagonist has in every romance story. Strong, hard-working, handsome. Having the effect on women of even the most ardent virgin wanting to give it up for him. That said his faithfulness to his wife gives this it counter this, where he might be the kind of man every woman wants, but he is devoted to only one, so all they can do is fantasize.

Parting Thought:

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“Own Your Role” – Freya’s Chambers – Sexual Roles

October 18, 2019October 18, 2019 / Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Frigg and Freya’s Day:

Discussion:

Referring to the cartoon above: it should be noted that sticking a man’s wifi antenna into a woman USB port is dangerous in many ways.

Now as a guy with a political science degree, I had to sit in on a lot of classes that involved a discussion of gender roles, patriarchy, women’s issues, equality, etc. I am going to tell you upfront that none of it takes into account hard science like biology and neurology. The closest I got to that in my studies were two classes – social psychology where the female instructor was honest in demonstrating how men and women are treated differently by society in certain situations and noted that it was not always good for the guy. This video is pretty interesting and reflects this:

The other class was genetics where the female instructor basically said – the XX and XY chromosome combination makes a world of difference in everything about a person. Simple genetic truth. Boys and girls are different and they demonstrate this in everything scientific that science can measure and some differences are evident right from birth. Another Video, definitely worth a watch as this woman did her homework:

Gender:

When it comes to gender, I am going to say part of it is nature in that we are male and female and part of it is societal expectations. You might say gender is where the hard wiring of our sex meets societal expectations. It is a mixed bag of our differences as expressed by our sex gets mashed together with society’s expectations. That is why some see it as fluid but others may see it as masculine and feminine having multiple ways to express themselves. I fall on the side of the second option. I have simply never found a compelling argument that gender was more than male or female and certainly not that it could be fluid.

In any case, I have noticed that while feminists bitch about equality, I don’t see them encouraging women to become sewer workers, coal miners or any other dirty job. They want the social construct version to bitch when it comes to the CEO professional office job, but then cling to their own gender’s nature and avoid the dirty nasty jobs that if men stopped doing would dramatically have a negative impact on life. The feminists when it comes to gender as social constructs seem to have a selective compliant switch and seem to prefer their gender over the alternative.

This is why I stopped supporting them after the third wave of feminism began and became pure egalitarian. Things are not always right for men and how they are treated in this mix of nature and society and I should not be browbeaten to silence because I point it out.

In the United States the draft, child custody, men’s mental health. longer sentences for the same crime. and the lack of a support structure with any semblance of equality compared to women in the areas of abuse and health are just the tip of the iceberg. There is simply a lot of issues where one sex or the other is being shafted and you don’t do anything but show your sexism when you want to point out yours at the exclusion of the other side.

Gender Roles:

Gender roles and expectations of society are purely social constructs and form in my mind a form of tribalism which I think needs to be regularly challenged. In my country, this traditional gender role thing started a long time ago and probably saw its height in the 1940s and 1950s. I am glad they have been challenged but interestingly enough some women prefer their traditional role and so do some men. If this is truly and genuinely their free choice, then they shouldn’t be condemned for it. The real problem with gender roles is not that they exist, but when they are forced or people are shamed into doing them.

Once again I come back to the power of liberty. Of letting people chose for themselves what role they want to play in society as being the only fair way to do things. Society needs to stop imposing and start granting liberty. No opportunity should be denied, but don’t be surprised when sexual preferences as far as a role are seen in people’s choices. Don’t yell if a woman freely chooses to forgo a career to have children and raise them so her husband has to go and work to support them. If it is their free choice, that’s their business. On the flip side if a man decided to be the one to stay home and raise the kids because his wife has a better job, don’t call him a lazy deadbeat either. Let people define themselves and this includes their role in society and how their sex/gender expresses itself in that role.

Conclusion:

Probably the best thing we can do is let people own their own role as far as sex and gender and follow our own desires as far as our own. Own your role, not someone else’s. Take it on as an individual, not as a collective group. In the end, we do want similar things and we need each other to have that happen. But we are not going to get what we want by forcing roles on others or denying the natural propensities of our own sex. Both are avoiding reality. What really is needed is just letting each of us be free to pursue what we want. Liberty is always a better answer than control or dogmatic expectations.

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“Freya – If You Can’t Lay ‘Em, Slay ‘Em” (Asatru – Part 14) – The Pagan Pulpit

October 13, 2019October 13, 2019 / Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Sol’s Day

Announcements:

Theme Song: “Freya Song” – Sascha Ravendark

Meditation:

Text:

If you want more details about Asatru, I can’t recommend this book enough.

Sermon:

Now there is a historical debate as far as the development of Norse religion regarding Frigg and Freya being the same goddess that at some point split in two with one aspect of this goddess being Odin’s wife (Frigg) and the other becoming the hostage of the Vanir along with her brother Freyr being the other, but even if they were once the same they become very different in the mythological stories later.

Freya and Frigg have many of the same spheres: Love, Fertility and prophetic magic. But they diverge as Frigg seems more of a homebody of hearth and home. Frigg seems to be the aspect of the woman and man would want to settle down with as a wife. Freya, on the other hand, is the girl you want to party with, fight alongside, and fuck. Or rather given her far more aggressive nature – let her fuck you. She is very independent and self-reliant much like the cats who are her symbol.

Freya is actually associated with the spheres of beauty, sex and war, things Frigg is far less associated with. She is a far more aggressive female than Frigg and far more passionate and warlike being also a goddess associated with death. It is, after all, the goddess who gets to take half the slain in battle to her hall. Captian of the Valkyrie, she is one of the choosers of the slain giving half to Odin for Valhalla and keeping the other half for herself. I don’t remember where I read this, but one commenter said she really had the motto of = “if you can’t lay ’em, slay ’em”. She was either going to fuck you or fight you and kill you.

For the followers of Asatru, she represents fertility much like her brother Freyr and is involved in all things productive. But she is also invoked in matters of the heart whether love or conflict. It is said that her worshipers have evidence of their existence long before any others except Odin and her worship was the last to die out when the Christians came. A large testimony to her veneration. She would make a very good goddess for any shieldmaiden.

For me, this splitting of feminine nature seems very necessary. Frigg being the quiet passionate strength behind the throne of Odin. But Freya, well she is the openly passionate side of women. That raw animalistic love and anger that they can be quite famous for. I love both sides and it leads me to believe that this split (if a split actually occurred) might very well simply be a reflection of this understanding. That man at some point in his life needs a Freya to inspire him with passionate side of women and then needs a Frigg to give him strength as a father and husband. Perhaps it is reflective that no woman can be both of those, or such a woman is incredibly rare even among the goddesses.

Parting Thought:

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“My Sexual Identity” – Freya’s Chambers – Sexual Identity

October 11, 2019October 11, 2019 / Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Frigg and Freya’s Day!!!

Introduction:

I have been writing for about a month on the topic of sex and sexuality and their various issues and the one thing it is high time I do is to write about my own sexual identity. How do I view myself in regards to my sex and my sexual desires I think will help people understand where I am coming from as far as my own sexual perspective. A few things up front.

I tend to be very science-oriented about these things. At least that is where I start. Much of academia these days listen to the social sciences on these issues but I know as someone who has a social sciences degree in political science that much of what is believed there is indeed political posturing and belief, not actual science. For me, genetics and clinical psychology count a lot; and so, if an opinion does not line up with those, it is probably destined for the scrap heap. I live in the real world using real-world observations, not fanciful fantasy.
That said, part of this is my opinion about said evidence. Sex and sexuality have fuzzy edges because human beings are not black and white when it comes to these issues.
I am a strong proponent of freedom of choice and liberty regarding these issues.

So I would boil my own sexual identity and orientation down to the following words which I will explain in more depth below: masculine, heterosexual. gynephilic, and egalitarian.

Masculine:

I have a penis, so I am male. I also like being a man and masculine. I have no shame of any of this and anyone who says I am toxic, even in part, because of my masculinity can bite me, fuck off, etc. I find such statements ironic because they are sexist but trying to address sexism. So no apologies for being a man and acting in masculine manners.

I suppose being INFJ, my intuitive empathic side is a little feminine but it most definitely expresses itself in the form of masculine reason and logic. I fight to survive and thrive in life. I am protective of my own. I seek to be strong for those I love. I am loyal to family and principles I hold dear. I seek rational action. I can be patient with some things, but in the end, something has to be done and the man in me rises up to do it. I strive for peace but prepare for war. I am aggressive but strive to tailor that to the situation.

Heterosexual:

I have actually taken tests in this regard and have a few personal experiences in life and have found I don’t really have any attraction to men sexually speaking at all. I don’t trust the motives of most men for one and I don’t like how they always see the big guy and need to posture and thump their chests trying for dominance over me. Sorry there dude, – alpha male here. Save your insecurities for someone who wants to respond to them.

Sexual orientation wise I like girls and don’t like guys. I was kissed once by a homosexual man, and while I won’t say this is wrong morally, I found it personally distasteful. Not my thing. The tests I have taken on this issue say I am 90% to 95% heterosexual. Sorry gentlemen I like ladies. In fact, I love women.

Gynephilic:

While I have loved a few women very strongly in my life, I would have to say that I have been gynephilic since I hit puberty which for me happened early at about ten. I love women in general and have ever since. I am attracted to and admire femininity greatly. It has gotten me in trouble so many times, but you know I don’t care. It’s an addiction I will gladly keep because there is a lot of joy in it for me personally.

I love how women think, look, smell and act. I like the way they walk and talk. There is still something magical for me about the feminine and if that magic ever goes away, it is probably time for the dirt nap. I have no particular preferences either. I can usually find the beautiful side of any woman who accepts their femininity in some way.

That’s probably the only turn off for me personally – when a woman denies their femininity. Note I didn’t say tries to act like a man but denies who they really are. You can act like a man and I still can know you are a woman because you do it without denying you are a woman.

I love women and it will probably be the death of me, but I will go with a smile on my face.

Egalitarian:

I love women to the point I have no desire to dominate them or be dominated by them. I want to stands as equals with them and I have always loved those moments where I and any woman have worked together; and because it was a woman/man partnership, it seemed actually to work much better than otherwise.

I have come to see through these moments how much better life is when we work together with our male and female strengths coming together to cover our weaknesses as human beings. We need each other and I find the constant bickering and rivalry troubling. While we should be fighting side by side against the chaotic forces of this world, this sexual rivalry, however, seems to rob us of what we could achieve. Our survival and prosperity depend on us working with each other.

Conclusion:

I suppose as with all things INFJ, I am being idealistic here. But someone has to do it. It is probably this sexual identity that keeps me looking for the perfect relationship which does not and probably cannot exist for me. It is this idealism that explains why I go over the edge when I am in love. But when I look at issues like sex, sexuality and the issues that are related, I must admit I see them through the filter of my own sexual identity. So what you see written in Freya’s Chambers should be read in that light.

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

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The Grey Wayfarer

A Blog of Ed Raby, Sr. – The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard and Philosopher

Sexuality

“Deconverting and My Attitude About Women”- The Pagan Pulpit

“Women’s Nipples and the US Supreme Court” – Freya’s Chambers – Equality

“Playboy’s Christmas Cartoons” – Freya’s Chambers – Sensual Art

“Marriage Rights” – Freya’s Chambers – Equality

“Topic: Sensual Art” – Freya’s Chambers – Sensual Art

“A ‘Dirty’ Mind”- Freya’s Chambers – Sexual Imagination

“Freyr – God of Fertility and Prosperity” (Asatru – Part 15) – The Pagan Pulpit

“Own Your Role” – Freya’s Chambers – Sexual Roles

“Freya – If You Can’t Lay ‘Em, Slay ‘Em” (Asatru – Part 14) – The Pagan Pulpit

“My Sexual Identity” – Freya’s Chambers – Sexual Identity