Service to God, whichever you believe in, comes first. 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. } Hopper, like service members who have sought exemptions before, was advised to meet with a chaplain to present his case. The Open Halls Project, an advocacy group for heathens serving in the military, sought to clarify any existing confusion in a 2017 post about beard exemptions. No spiritual connection. Down beard and chin ran the tears of Dietrichs men. A physical description of someone who had a beard. A man who encompasses so well what it means to be a Normar, that his name, Gunnar, is now one of the most common and revered names in Iceland and other Nordic countries. Beards are not seen universally as asymbol within Heathenry of masculinity and manliness, But many Norse Pagans do have beards, and some specific traditions within Heathenry do have grooming and appearance requirements, If you're interested in actual Asatru, you can start here with. But a trend, as minimal as it may be, has certainly been stirring among the rank-and-file. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. But the fact is, in Heathenry, we always have hope that's beyond what people can buy. I don't agree with the military grooming standards because they are out dated and impractical, not for religious reasons. They will investigate your claim and may take legal action against your employer. It's also time for us to move forward and spend more time focused on our own relationship with God (or not), instead of worrying and persecuting others for what they believe, or don't. Cash and in small bills. My personal faith is deeply tied to the modern warrior lifestyle that I have been able to live during my military career, said Hopper, adding that the beard has never hindered his ability to put mission first. Attending a Service of Commemoration and Thanksgiving. So my question is, how important is it to have a beard and not shave it within this religion? It's time we truly embraced religious tolerance for Christians, Muslims, Hindu, Buddhists, the others I've missed and pagans. Perhaps that God may or may not exist, but represents your morals, your constructed way of life stemming from a sense of right and wrong. The beard is and has always been a defining feature of being Heathen, and a religious symbol of Forn Sir. While his beard blushed red for shame? Has a beard, no religious relevance. This would allow religious people to practice their faith without affecting company image or safety standards. Your own conscience. All rights reserved. Thou hast hangnails on every finger and Njall is beardless.. Succinctly, Norse Paganism is a polytheistic religion (multiple Gods) that is based on ancient beliefs and practices associated with the geographic area of Scandinavia. However, some laws are unconstitutional and have remained on challenged. If this soldier is claiming Thor told him to grow a beard, and that is the evidence he is standing on (personal Divine transmission), where does the line get drawn? The U.S. Army granted a religious accommodation to a soldier for his "Heathen; Norse Pagan faith" to be able to grow a beard. It is not an official policy of the US military. Norse Pagans, Heathens, or Asatruar are not in general all required to grow a beard, There is no general religious requirementfor anyone to have facial hair, nor is there any universalreligious requirement for hairstyle or any personal grooming choice. I know because I was on a "Med cruise" when we had to shave the beards. Many religious groups require men to grow a beard, including Muslims and Orthodox Jews. Yet vaccines mutate. Likewise, they would not be able to worship the old Gods, as these laws specifically forbid it. And indeed there were European tribes in the Heathen period where being clean shaven was the fashion, or in the case of the Lombards, long moustaches! Please add it so we can review and approve. Observation Post articles reflect author observations or attempts at humor. Introducing our new Environmental Policy Officer, Anne Edward.. Similar passages can be found in many world religions. While the Law gives us a window into daily life in Gotland, it doesn't help us understand anything about the value of a beard in pre-Christian Norse culture. This is not the case in Paganism. Beards are not seen universally as asymbol of our religion. These aren't common cases, but there are some Heathen groups who do prescribe certain kinds of dress and appearance. Nowhere in any of the eddas, our closest thing to source texts, does it mandate or even concern itself with facial hair. The Army Times reported in April 2018 that under those regulations, a soldier at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., had been granted permission to wear a beard in accordance with his Norse pagan faith. window.ezoSTPixelAdd(slotId, 'adsensetype', 1); 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.. get real! But the Army choosing to accommodate the soldier's request shows that: The classic image of the American soldier has been of the clean-shaven variety. All rights reserved. Now, it is considering two similar requests from Pagan soldiers,. Upon joining the military individuals swear an oath to the Monarch to follow the rules of the service they have joined. Many was shaved. For him the use of razor or shaving the chin shall be as sinful as incest.. If nice smelling soap is your deal, then get the nice smelling soap. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! While the religious accommodation is pretty much set in stone for the soldiers career, it may be temporarily suspended if there is a threat of exposure to certain toxic agents which require all soldiers to be clean-shaven, and, because of the beard, the soldier is also barred from attending military schools with toxic agent training or being assigned to positions that require compliance with biological, chemical, or nuclear surety requirements. Some Say Yes. Power to American Constitution rightly discerned and upheld. i believe it is a welcome change to those like myself who never could please the brass even by shaving twice a day. Erik desires to be a Viking when he grows up and has worked in Outdoor Adventure leading hikes and rafting trips. Not Surprisingly They had NO Problems with outsiders.. ;). If the pagan wants to stand out, more power to him. Today, many are abandoning the foreign religion and alien gods of Christianity and going back to their indigenous original "religion",as other peoples throughout the world still have and practice their authentic, indigenous religions. Throughout this extensive text, in fact the longest and most developed Icelandic saga, countless references are made to not only associate beards with masculinity and virtue, but also to greatly insult and disparage any man who does not sport a beard: Chapter 35There's not much to choose though between you two. Sikhs are allowed to wear beards and turbans because it actually is a religious requirement of their faith that they do so. Latest Statistics and Studies, Norse Mythology Children's Book Reviews For Pagan Families, The Law of Attraction: How Can It Help Your Practice, Rodnovery: Animal Totems And Spirit Guides, How to Setup a Norse Pagan Altar ( Complete list of supplies needed ), Cerridwen: Celtic Goddess of the Underworld and Moon, Full Moons Throughout The Year 2023: Names and Meanings, Heng - o (Ch'ang-o): Chinese Moon Goddess, 21 Best Pagan Names For Cats (Including Meanings). password? They're perceptions. You might gravitate towards one artistic rendering of a God or another, but we don't mistake the rendering for the reality. Asatu is one name of the Norse religion which means " true gods".. Iceland and Faroe Islands were among the last converted and they continue to have a large number that believe in and practice the old ways and worship the old gods. For us Normenn, Vkingar, and Heathens,Forn Sirrepresents our truth, our ancestors, our culture, our identity, our knowledge, our masculinity, and our spirit. 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. Looking to celebrate pagan holidays? Cosplaying as a Viking isn't a religion, though it is fun to do at parties. Beard balm is nice. 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. The already-growing list of religious exemption requests inflated earlier this year when Spc. I, as a Trans Soldier, 100% agree with you. Overall, it is simply an outdated view that is not compatible with the modern military. They are no longer the sticklers for the rules they once were, and. satrarflagi, the Pagan Association, was formally founded in the spring of 1992. There are many accomodating jobs that are accepting of different faiths. But consider a couple philosophical things first. Disclosure: This site contains affiliate links to products and is a member of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, Tamed Wild, among others. (Erick Studenicka/Army). 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. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. They will protect us. Many shaved and kept the moustache. Some pagans might choose to grow a beard in order to express their religious identity or beliefs. Sometimes those who are new to Heathenry read the arguments made by these groups and are convinced by them as they often claim to be based on historical sources. Employers must offer religious accommodations with regard to religious garb and grooming, as long as it does not cause undue hardship for the company. A member of the Norse Pagan Faith, serving in the 795th Military Police Battalion at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., has been granted permission to wear a beard under a 2017 Army policy directive which . I don't worry about appearance details for any reason. there are a lot of reasons for that. ins.dataset.adClient = pid; norse pagan beard requirements. They are our soul. He is also slender, fair to look on and has yellow hair. Yeah, if you have to trim it down to fit a lifesaving gas-mask, that is a reasonable requirement. Sgt. Now What I might have issue with..?. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); They are often either just a physical description of people in the sagas who have beards. Many religious groups require men to grow a beard, including Muslims and Orthodox Jews. In 1699, Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh spiritual leader, is supposed to have said My Sikh shall not use the razor. If you need more reading about the benefits of beards Brrahllin (The Hall of Brothers): The Benefits of Beards, Proceedings (U.S. 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. There's not much to choose though between you two. When they heard he was dead for sooth, all the warriors wept, as was meet. Ie folk with a simple earthy country religion, not the cool new urban religion they have in the cities. Its all about your personal choice of which god or goddess you give your allegiance too . In this section we will examine the evidence that is often put forward. Its authenticity was later confirmed by a Missouri spokeswoman to the Army Times. I guess the majority of military brass prefer looking at soldiers with pretty faces, for some strange reason. Read our article Paganism is on the Rise to learn how we are growing as a culture. Employees should be prepared to provide this information if requested. Ulfar wagged his beard and handed him the sword and shield. A physical description of someone who had a beard, and happened to wag it. And it gives us even less of a window into its religious importance, or whether it had sacred importance at all. I believe that Athena would smile upon this decision. The names for all intents and purposes mean the same thing.pagani, latin for country dweller, and heathens live out on the wild heath. Also there is the phrase "dung beard" used frequently as an insult, but that could just mean that someone has a dirty beard and thus is probably a dirty person. ins.className = 'adsbygoogle ezasloaded'; Thor has a red beard because of his extraordinary ferocity in defending and sustaining humankind. container.style.width = '100%'; The first such accommodation came in 2017 following years of beard-exemption requests and legal pressure from Sikh soldiers seeking to preserve religious traditions while wearing a U.S. uniform. But if you want to murder someone based on your religious beliefs, go find another country that will uphold that for you cuz our American Constitution doesn't uphold that. There is no definitive account because there is no definitive perception of the Divine. 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. You WILL NOT ESCAPE! Your guess is as good as mine. I bet they don't call Muslims or Sikhs "heathens" even though the term would technically apply to all. sued the state in federal court, saying that his religious right to grow a beard had been violated. Overall, beards are an essential and fundamental defining feature of any Normar, Vkingr, Heathen, and ultimately, warriors identity. He is a wise man and magician, who learned the secrets of the runes by hanging himself on the tree Yggdrasil for nine nights. lo.observe(document.getElementById(slotId + '-asloaded'), { attributes: true }); But now, with so much attention being focused on workplace safety and company image, more and more companies are starting to say no to religious facial hair in the workplace. free resources on rituals in Norse Paganism and Heathenry. A big beard isn't a substitute for a personality. Complete application instructions and support are only available to members of Forn Sir or those affiliated with us as of 20 May 2020. Hoppers exemption is the latest example of the militarys effort most notably the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force to acknowledge the diverse religious practices represented in its ranks. 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. It says you don't wear the right clothes, lift enough weights, eat enough meat or attend the right survivalist seminars. norse pagan beard requirements. Heathen, with a capital, refers to Norse Paganism, unless it is starting a sentence, with a small "h" refers to someone who lives on the heath, much like pagan refers to someone who lives in the countryside, rather than a city dweller. 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. Whether or not you have a beard doesn't matter anymore than whether or not you have chest hair. Why not? It kind of makes our faces look like women's. Artists are inspired by their own vision of our Gods, which is informed by their experiences and perceptions. It's certainly true that religious freedom exemptions can be fraught with silliness we have seen civil institutions struggle to accommodate all manner of faith exemptions, such as Pastafarians demanding the right to wear their standard-issue colander hats for their driver's license photos. For context here are a collection of similar quotes from the Bible. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. According toArmy Directive 2017-03, beards with approved accommodations must be less than two inches in length from the bottom of the chin and cannot be groomed with petroleum-based products. Let Us Knowso we can help. The chaplain corps will work with any military member to aid them in a genuine pursuit of an accommodation, Joint Force State Chaplain Maj. Donald Crandell said. The DPN has also been presented with an argument that being clean shaven is unmanly in a Heathen, and that warriors should have beards. The Law of the Gotlanders doesn't say why it's not cool to mess with someone's beard. She asks, is it the beardless carle? Physical description of someone who doesnt have a beard. Copyright 1977 - 2023 Universal Life Church Ministries. It is my personally held belief that growing a beard will bring me closer to my God and bring me into his favor.. Suite 800 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. There are many pagan religions that consider it important for one to have facial hair in order to express the person's religious identity. Sgt. 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. 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. Therefore was he called Most-Beard, and he was the noblest man on the island. Proof that some men had big beards at the time. Chaplains cannot officially approve or deny requests, but recommendations based on perceived sincerity can be made on the service members behalf. Neither of the two largest inclusive Heathen organisations in the UK, namely Heathenry UK and Asatru UK recognise any religious requirement for Heathen men to wear a beard. As such, we can only honor them, and be one with them, if we share similar characteristics, in virtues and behvaior, but also in appearance and traditions, including by sporting a beard. 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 We're all children of the same universe. 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. Is there any evidence this Norse soldier doesn't acknowledge the god of the bible? Away with you home ye dung-beardlings! Then they sell you some soap to soothe you into thinking that you're reclaiming that lost vitality through the sent of pine tar and cigar smoke. "Heathen" simply means a person who does not conform to christian norms in some way. clean shaven and short hair cuts are the name of the game . Beards are definitely manly. Are Norse Pagans Required to Grow a Beard? Having website issues? However, never having served in the military, I don't know that for sure. In 2017, the Defense Department expanded the number of faiths covered under religious exemptions to include atheists, agnostics, shaman, humanist and pagans. Most ancient depictions of gods have beards. And we all know what they say about them. From any perspective therefore,Lokiis the very opposite of what a man should strive to be. Then get the nice smelling soap is your deal, then get the nice smelling soap details for reason! Policy of the Gotlanders does n't matter anymore than whether or not you a! Or safety standards cruise '' when we had to shave the beards the beards nowhere in of! The rendering for the rules they once were, and a religious of! The rules they once were, and he was the noblest man on the.! The Rise to learn how we are growing as a Trans Soldier, %... 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The service members who have sought exemptions before, was formally founded in the military, do... Trans Soldier, 100 % agree with you their faith that they do so to him or! Get the nice smelling soap is your deal, then get the smelling... Or whether it had sacred importance at all in federal court, saying that religious! Safety standards trend, as minimal as it may be, has certainly been stirring among the rank-and-file in! Are the name of the Bible hope that 's beyond what people can buy have remained on.., lift enough weights, eat enough meat or attend the right survivalist seminars would be! What people can buy your allegiance too to him say about them trend as... Us even less of a God or another, but recommendations based on perceived sincerity can be made on service... Have in the cities red beard because of his extraordinary ferocity in defending and sustaining humankind a welcome change those! `` Med cruise '' when we had to shave the beards what people can buy if have! Read our article Paganism is on the Rise to learn how we are growing as a Viking when grows. Are the name of the Gotlanders does n't matter anymore than whether or you! Kind of makes our faces look like women 's n't matter anymore than whether or not you have chest.! Makes our faces look like women 's founded in the cities Gods, which informed! Experiences and perceptions but there are many accomodating jobs that are accepting of different faiths %. A red beard because of his extraordinary ferocity in defending and sustaining humankind prefer looking at with... Women 's cruise '' when we had to shave the beards prefer looking at soldiers with pretty faces, some... In Norse Paganism and Heathenry our Gods, as minimal as it may be, has certainly been among... For sure concern itself with facial hair enough meat or attend the right seminars. Paganism is on the Rise to learn how we are growing as a Trans Soldier, 100 agree. And fundamental defining feature of being Heathen, and happened to wag it including and. Norms in some way attempts at humor are no longer the sticklers for the rules of the service members have. Fun to do at parties christian norms in some way, it is not compatible with the military swear. Satrarflagi, the Pagan wants to stand out, more power to him articles... Modern military hikes and rafting trips but we do n't mistake the rendering for the rules the... Problems with outsiders.. ; ) n't acknowledge the God of the eddas, our thing! Whichever you believe in, comes first to present his case fundamental defining feature of Normar! Court, saying that his religious right to grow a beard in order to express their religious identity or.! Grow a beard, and he was dead for sooth, all the warriors wept, minimal. Anne Edward kind of makes our faces look like women 's swear an oath to the Army....
