Trú ?

As an asatruar, I'm often asked, what I believe in. I've not been really sure what to answer, but have felt that I ought to have an answer. But after long thoughts and deliberations, I've come to the conclusion, that the question itself is not only wrong, it's outright offensive!

The first step to rhetorical defeat, is accepting your opponents terminology. If your opponents succeed in defining the "ground rules", they've won half a victory. I won't elaborate on this subject here-and-now, but just point out, that the question above is a fine example of just that. By trying to come up with an answer for the question, you've implicitly accepted the fact, that Ásatrú is something you "believe" in. But is it so? I think not!

Ásatrú contains the word "trú". This is usually translated into the English word "faith". But while "trú" do mean "faith", it also has another meaning. I.e., there are two separate meanings to the word "trú", and I believe that "faith" is not the right interpretation in the case of Ásatrú.

Trú also means loyal. I believe that this is the alternate meaning that's embedded in the word "true", as used in such expressions as "true hearted", "true love", and "true blue". I.e. virtues such as honesty, loyalty, and steadfastness.

In this meaning, "Ásatrú" means loyal to the Gods, the Aesir and Vanir. And isn't this precisely what we are, loyal ? We are not "believers", that follow our Gods with "blind faith". We follow the Gods, and blót in their honour, because we want to. And we're loyal to the Gods, not because they demand it from us, but because we want to be. We're simply "trú"!

So why do non-asatruars ask this question the way they do?

It's not because they're spiteful or show disrespect, they simply don't know any better. They've been brought up in a pervasive monotheistic society, and monotheism in all it's guises, christianity, judaism, islam, communism, etc., all require "faith" from their followers. Monotheism is so pervasive, that normal people can't even imagine that there is a different approach to religion and spirituality than monotheism.

It's simply a question of ignorance.

But an ignorance that can be enlightened. I hope that this small piece will help readers to start in the own contemplations, recognizing the web of misinformation. Sadly, also many asatruar also suffer from this particular ignorance, and fail to see that as long as they continue to play by monotheistic rules, they'll never shed the monotheistic yoke.