Author's Note: In order to Avoid a possible issue with the original image, I took down the original post and re-posted with a "better" picture. Thank you for your understanding. Terry Unger.
Our elder ancestors held to a code of
behavior that was as special as it was unique; the survival of the family, clan,
and tribe depended on it. Where is a common thread that runs
through that code, and in modern English, we call it Frith. Unfortunately
today we still have many referring to Frith simply as peace. It is more
than that.
I will not attempt an exhausting
definition/explanation on the meaning of Frith; that would take a small book.
But I will attempt a very brief thumbnail sketch. It could be said
that Frith demanded intensive cooperation.
Yes, intensive cooperation because the mere
survival of family/clan/tribe depended on it - I cannot emphasize this enough.
Tribal members cooperated/helped one another plant, harvest, and butcher
livestock. And, pasture land for that livestock was shared. Tribes
developed customs and thew (laws) that all lived under and obeyed. Frith then,
became the Innangard (civil society) and the Innangard was Frith in living
action. Frith/Innangard provided freedom from strife and violence, business
growth, family security, and allowed for friendship among tribal members to
develop. When someone within the Innangard broke Frith, they broke thew
or custom. Their action earned them a visit (or a life long visit
depending on the crime) to the Untangard - the out-lands or the badlands where
all outlaws belong. In other words, they were cast out of civil society.
That said, let us remember that our elders were also known for their
generosity and hospitality.
When a stranger came into their midst,
Frith was automatically extended to that person or persons. Long before
the Viking Age, the Germanic tribes on the continent were engaged in heavy
trading via sea and land routes with other peoples. Whether at home or
abroad, our elder kin may have thought that the strangers dressed and spoke
weirdly and even their beliefs a bit odd. But, our elders believed that
these strangers belonged to an Innangard in their homeland and therefore
extended their tribal Frith to them. This Frith was extended as long as
the strangers kept Frith; there is not an ounce of anything to prove the
contrary. So, what about today?
The Asatru/Heathen revival is still in
its' infancy. And in my opinion, maybe a "big tent" approach is
necessary. We have, on a daily basis, people leaving Christianity or
something like Wicca to find their Northern roots; this should be celebrated as
a good thing. But we have those who like to treat the newbies poorly.
There never was a "pan-Germanic
religion" just like there never was a pan-mother goddess religion.
Our ancestor's practice of what we think of religion varied from region to
region. Sorry, it just did. But the similarities outnumbered the
differences. When a person went from one region to the next, he found the
similarities and put up with the differences. As a strong
reconstructionist, I am avidly aware of these similarities and differences.
Jamming up newcomers to Heathenry with Orthodoxy is wrong when Orthopraxy
should be stressed.
As stated, we are in the infancy of
reviving our Elder Heathenry by trying to reconstruct the past into a modern
mode. But yet, there are those who insist that the past was a shame
culture and it should continue in the present. These folks have no
problem "shaming" newbies online when they make mistakes. In
my opinion, this shit may have its' proper moment, but this is the 21st century.
If we continue to piss off the newbies, they may just go off and become
good Buddhists. Where is the Frith?
In my opinion, a "big tent"
approach can work only and if only Frith is extended in the same manner as in
the elder heathen days; differences were respected and similarities were
embraced. Or we could follow, dare I say it, the progressive path of
Christianity.
Christianity has been on the books for
just over 2,000 years and it is not in any sort of Frith. Since day one,
there was bickering and backstabbing over who is "right," over what
is the true "religion." After an abysmal amount of bloodshed,
this infighting still goes on to this day. Many Protestants do not like
Roman Catholics, and many Orthodox Catholics do not like Roman Catholics, and
many Roman Catholics do not like so many more. Their ex-communications are still
in place and their declarations of anathemas still exist. Don't buy into
the recent media blitz of all those nice pictures; it is hard to find any
resemblance of Frith among the various Christian divisions. For Asatruar/
Heathens, this is not an acceptable model.
Yes, this is the 21st century, but
reconstructing the Elder Heathenry can succeed. It is my opinion that a
"big tent" approach and applying Frith as our ancestors did will
work. We know many of the "basics;" these will form the
"similarities" that our tribes will interpret. And the
differences, we tolerate, in a Frithfull manner. Let us not forget that
our ancestors did not have a "central" religious authority; family, clan,
and tribe was the mainstay and can work very well for us today. Newbies
need to be instructed, not shamed. Unless, of course you think Buddhism
is best for them.
Copyright @2016 Terry
Unger
