"Paganism"
 
(by Kai Mathias Stalhammar)
 

This text is a continuation of the article devoted to world religions, which (due to some reasons) will be published only in the next issue.
 

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And finally we've come to paganism - perhaps, the only Faith I am in sympathy with.
Let me assume that most of narrow-minded persons consider it to be nothing but pure barbarism and sacrificing infants to ancient gods, few others associate heathendom with the words spreaded by various nazi preachers… However, both ways of this Faith's perception are absolutely wrong. At least, that's my opinion. Because paganism, first and foremost, doesn't appear as something in the shape of worshipping certain mythological deities, but worshipping Mother Nature, it's bright and darker sides. How could all these people, talking about saving our environment and sympathizing with Greenpeace, consider themselves christians and attend church?! What does Church have to do with Nature? During all the years (centuries) of it's existence it didn't do anything else except harming our common Mother.
In the past days, each nation had it's own Faith, it's own view on the world surrounding them, and no one didn't even try to meddle in their life with his vision of the world. Of course, there were wars, but there were NO religious ones among them. People didn't die because of non-existent gods, simply because no one didn't prevent them from believing what they wanted to believe in. Pick up and read few ancient myths - they're much more humane and just than modern 'world religions'! Back then, father didn't kill his son only because of the fact that one of them is muslin and another one is christ-addict… There were no Eunuchs in paganism, Eunuchs who thrust people what to do and told how to live. There was only one single law - live freely, in peace with  yourself and Mother Nature and let the others live the same way. Is that so bad?
Of course, you may object to me and say that people sacrificed animals as well as homo sapiens… But who told you that I suggest to go back to heathendom circa 950 B. C.??? I'm talking about contemporary paganism, about the way it should develop nowadays, in the loathsome times we live in…
No doubts that now, at the border of the centuries, this Faith endures some kind of revival and people get back to what christianity took from them. This so-called 'humane' religion, this christian Church killed our ancestors, the ones who declined worshipping repulsive Jew and his father, the Great Eunuch. Pagan temples were burnt down… they even made an attempt to eliminate any reminiscences regarding our fathers' Faith. Heathens were said to be in spite of law (christian law), they were pursued and killed during many centuries. Our Faith, our TRUE FAITH, was taken away, while certain alien abomination was offered instead!
Well, Church reached it's goal - unfortunately, 'heathen' still is nearly an abusive word, designating something primitive and barbaric.
Unfortunately, lotsa people perceive paganism in an utterly wrong way, going from one extreme to another. Take early statements (1992 - 1994 are the years I'm talking about) by Rob Darken, Capricornus or Anextiomarius. They were babbling something about neo-nazism, worshipping Wotan (well, Slavonic tribes had their own gods, don't you remember that?!), while it sounds extremely childish.
"I think Slavonic tribes should be enslaved and create Federation of The Eastern Reich. 90% of population will work as the servants and the rest will be social aristocracy…" (Holocaust 'zine #8, 1994) - such are the words of Capricornus, and Rob Darken - his closest friend and comrade, agrees with the afore-cited assertion, in the same time denying any charges in nazism or fascism in another interview by Morbid Noizz, saying that he's just a heathen and nothing else. Hmm, interesting… interesting what kind of role did they conceive from themselves in this new world order's model… Don't get me wrong, I really like GRAVELAND and THOR'S HAMMER as well as INFERNUM, however Capricornus' and Darken's views were too primitive back then. Their minds progressed a lot as time passed, though.
How could we connect heathendom and neo-nazism?! Yes, both are rather popular in Europe nowadays, but that which is popular shouldn't be necessary right. Nationalism (as well as racism) appear as inalienable part of heathenism, however you should understand that nationalism and fascism are quite diffirent things.
But unfortunately, not only Polish are known thanks to suchlike statements. A lot of Norwegians (mostly very young) unceasingly babble various incomprehensible crap 'bout vikings, while some of them seriously consider themselves to be the same. Funny. Why? There're two reasons. First of all, Viking (i.e. 'warrior') must be trained physically, while aforementioned individuals (intellectually being 5-year old children) are notable for extremely cachectic figures. And secondly, a cite from one of the interviews answered by Quorthon fits here perfectly: "Zimbabwe's indigenous population are no less vikings than modern Norwegians. These people died out long, long time ago, and modern man cannot live according to their rules, laws and ideals…"
Besides that, heathendom is religion anyway, and that's what makes me watchful. Ancient Slavs, of course, had their Pantheon, and I don't believe in any gods, even pagan ones.
HEATHENISM CONSISTS IN WORSHIPPING MOTHER NATURE ITSELF, not gods identified with it. Who needs god if there's man? Each of us appears as his own god and master. Gods demand victims, and any man of sound mind knows that you won't subdue the raging element by sacrificing animal!
You want God? Take a look at the woods, trees, rivers and streams - don't they personify a beauty divine? Listen to the nightingale - isn't it a divine music? Want Devil? Listen attentively to the wolves' howling, look at them, eternally hungry for blood, the ideal predators. Cast a glance at fire, meditate upon it's hidden powers. Look at the demolition it leaves…
Nature appears as God and Devil, Light and Darkness, in the same time. Ah, deep forest is tremendous when lit by the sunlight, filled with birds' singing! But it's as grim and frightening at night, when thunder roars and lightning strikes!
I don't consider those who believe and worship Ancient Gods to be heathens (although they may have different point of view). However, those who kneel before Mother Nature and everything she created, ARE the TRUE pagan souls. Those who admire with her beauty and perfection, everything we destroy with such pleasure.
But, unfortunately, there's quite a few Personalities (yes, exactly "Personalities" with capital "P"!) who think the same way and call themselves heathens…
In fact, even the afore-cited words don't appear as reason why I don't call myself pagan. Everything is much more simple. There're too much teen-nazis, who, despite their very young age, already consider themselves to be "Great Warriors" or "Vikings". I don't want to be reckoned to such non-entities.
I am I.  Not a christian, not a muslim, not a satanist, not a heathen. Only me alone.
 
Don't look for idols around you.
They're inside you, simply because
YOU are the idol yourself.