norse pagan beard requirements
Health and Safety. Some Christians such as Amish and Mennonite men, also wear beards as part of their religious practice or beliefs. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Thou hast hangnails on every finger and Njall is beardless.. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. if(ffid == 2){ What if Loki (yes there are loki devotees) demands something if me (I shudder to think what)? 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. Norse Pagans, Heathens, or Asatruar are not in general all required to grow a beard There is no general religious requirement for anyone to have facial hair, nor is there any universal religious requirement for hairstyle or any personal grooming choice that si the military if you want to join a club then do not join the us military weirdest. Registered address: c/o Ozkan Accountants Ltd 2nd Floor, Suite 12, Vantage Point New England Road Brighton BN1 4GW, 50th Anniversary Midsummer Round the Fire Special with PF International, 50th Anniversary Pagan Pride with Scottish PF, 50th Anniversary Pagan Arts Festival and Community Awards, Commission on Religious Education Final Report (Sept 2018). Beards are further even historically protected by law under Jnsbk,Grgs and Guta Lag. The Pagan Federation, Heathenry UK, Asatru UK, the Confederation of UK Heathen Kindreds as well as The Open Halls Project in the US and DPN in the UK all agree on this. Whenever you hear or read stuff like this, ask yourself what the motivation is for the people writing it. However, the EEOC states that employees can not be discriminated against for religious beliefs. Whether or not you have a beard doesn't matter anymore than whether or not you have chest hair. 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. But, it also brings up the debate about trans people. Check out our calendar! 1987-2023 The Troth There is no definitive account because there is no definitive perception of the Divine. Guta Lag, the laws of Gotland in Sweden were also written over a century after the Christianisation, and reflect a heavily Christianised version of the older laws. I have a friend that Ran Boiler on Small River to Sea Boats during Nam; He Came back from leave to late to Shave Before inspection Discrimination in the workplace is a very real threat for pagans - men, women, and non-binary. Norse Pagans may. We aren't trying to sell you on some kind of self-improvement course. The Telegraph:Facial hair's formative years: what the Vikings and Romans did for male grooming. There are many pagan religions that consider it important for one to have facial hair in order to express the person's religious identity. You should get some if that's something you're into. It is sometimes pointed out that there have been cases in the US military whereby Heathens have been allowed to wear beards. Any thought about what Loki looks like is only within the perception of people who claim to have "seen" them. 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. of all weirds ones. In Whitsels case his attorney Ashlie Case Sletvold, stated, America was founded on the principle of religious freedom. And the same principle as above applies here too. The Nevada Army Guard's first religious accommodation waiver granted a Norse Pagan soldier permission to grow a beard. The Sagas that are often quoted at no point describe a spiritual reason to wear a beard. Down beard and chin ran the tears of Dietrichs men. A physical description of someone who had a beard. They are no longer the sticklers for the rules they once were, and. Many of Our Community are Hunters, Loggers and Fisherman; and will Do Whatever it takes to Protect our Home 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. In this Grgs the very first chapter is Christian Law. The Law of the Gotlanders doesn't say why it's not cool to mess with someone's beard. Many shaved and kept the moustache. Employees should be prepared to provide this information if requested. Employers cannot question an employee's religious beliefs, but they can ask for reasonable documentation to support the religious accommodation request. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! When I was in the Marines in the late 1960's, black Marines were allowed "Afros" while the rest of us had crew cuts with white sidewalls. 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. In short, it is honoring the pillars of heathenism, our ancestors and ancient gods and way of life.. But let's be clear: these are exceptions. [Robert Heinlein, "Notebooks of Lazarus Long," from Time Enough for Love (1973).]. But can we take this as a universal rule? var lo = new MutationObserver(window.ezaslEvent); Its authenticity was later confirmed by a Missouri spokeswoman to the Army Times. There are three problems with using this as evidence. In observance of your Heathen, Norse Pagan faith, you may wear a beard, in accordance with Army uniform and grooming standards for soldiers with approved religious accommodations provided in Army Regulation (AR) 670-1, Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia, stated a memo, authenticated by an Army spokeswoman, that circulated on social media. It is admirable this soldier is showing his respect for Thor! I believe that Athena would smile upon this decision. If the above saga quotes can be used to argue that Heathens should be allowed a beard, then these Bible quotes could just as easily be used to argue that Christians should be allowed a beard. Erik desires to be a Viking when he grows up and has worked in Outdoor Adventure leading hikes and rafting trips. Perhaps then we don't need a military? They argue that religious facial hair could be hazardous to the health of other employees. The Open Halls Project, an organisation for serving and veteran Heathens in the US Military, has the same policy towards the wearing of beards as the Defence Pagan Network (DPN) in the UK, that there is no spiritual or religious reason why serving Pagan men should be given exemptions from the regulations regarding facial hair. We strive to work with companies that are environmentally friendly and/or contribute to the pagan community. Ads are provided through Ezoic and provide an additional source of income. 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. I don't worry about appearance details for any reason. 11 Core Nordic Religion Principal Beliefs, Celebrate Pagan Holidays, PO Box 628051, Middleton, Wisconsin 53562, USA, Paganism Is On the Rise! (Erick Studenicka/Army). Faith isn't just something that inspires you to be better, it's something that reminds you that you matter and you make a difference regardless of where you find yourself in life. has Long been a Problem.. We don't just talk about "the way things were" and argue about what kinds of fabric people may or may not have worn, we talk about the way things are now. 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. Suite 800 This includes allowing employees to wear religious clothing or facial hair in the workplace. Likewise, hair is part of Gods creation to Sikhs, and is therefore sacred. Ye are nicknamed dung-beardlings but my husband the beardless carle. Repetition of the above descriptions. As Heathens and members of The Troth, we want to help people create fulfilling relationships with The Gods, the people in their lives and the world around them. Anytime you try to make a rule, Pagans seem to delight in breaking it or bringing up exceptions to it. God is still at the top of that list, a construct in the early years in which this priority was created perhaps, but one that allows you to consider your own sense of wrong and right before accepting an outside source such as a nation or culture, but rather, your own beliefs. Beards are definitely manly. Your neighbors of numerous cultures, your countless masses who came here for a real shot at life, all Americans like you. Its just hair. It has been argued that the fact that Loki is often portrayed as being the only male deity without a beard in the Norse pantheon is another argument in favour of beard wearing. Down beard and chin ran the tears of Dietrich's men.. The military should change their grooming standards because it's 2019 and our gas masks work over facial hair now, not because of religious gerimandering. Most pagans I know, or know of, routinely refer to themselves as heathens as well as pagans. Answering questions about beard policy is a regular occurrence for the Pagan Federation, DPN, Open Halls Project and many other organisations, but to date there is no compelling evidence that Pagans of any path should be allowed to wear a beard in contravention of any organisations dress codes or uniform regulations. Most ancient depictions of gods have beards. I guess the majority of military brass prefer looking at soldiers with pretty faces, for some strange reason. Ie folk with a simple earthy country religion, not the cool new urban religion they have in the cities. They are symbols and signs (kennings) that hearken to stories about those Gods. It's not a faith. All Rights Reserved. Norse paganism is a polytheistic religion that is . 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. "Sikhs are allowed to wear beards and turbans because it actually is a religious requirement of their faith that they do so. Being known as an oath breaker is possibly the greatest insult to someone who holds Heathen values. we live in a society where trans people are discriminated against in the military and special accomidations are made for people with imaginary friends. Employers must offer religious accommodations with regard to religious garb and grooming, as long as it does not cause undue hardship for the company. 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. The Gods are here for you, your ancestors are here for you, the spirits all around you are here for you regardless of whether you are struggling in life or you are feeling at the top of your game. All rights reserved. And all you need to do is reach out and ask. But this does not stop Njall from becoming a major figure in Icelandic politics. Our culture as part of the United States is a melting pot of cultures, ideas and yes, religion--no matter what certain portions of the population like to believe. Many of the Gods are described as being bearded, but as we have seen this is no guarantee that having a beard is a Heathen quality. I'm a Pagan hippy,and go with the gods and goddesses of Greece, Rome, and Egypt, but if I joined the army, to save my beard, I wouldn't have a problem switching to the Norse pantheon during my enlistment. Because the 2017 directive is technically applicable to all religions, final judgement is often left to individual leadership to discern authentic exemption request from insincere. var pid = 'ca-pub-6547123147937694'; "Why are beards so important in Nordic paganism?" We don't have rules like the 10 Commandments. They where very vain and very much into a large variete of hair and beard trends. The process can take a long time and it often comes with negative attention that may effect your career. There is no mention of any Heathen practice in the document. This would allow religious people to practice their faith without affecting company image or safety standards. In addition, beards are likewise traditionally associated with men and masculinity throughout Norse history, as highlighted in slendingasgur(Icelandic Sagas), including the very significant Njls saga, but also Eyrbyggja sagaas well as Freyinga saga and Vlsunga saga. 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