So I'm thinking about doing something else now. I guess it just doesn't speak to me that much in the long term. I've tried LaVeyan Satanism and Theistic Satanism. The concept of the Adversary makes great sense to me but ultimately I view it as too tied to the Abrahamic religions. I used to be Catholic and I ended up rejecting that. So I went to Satanism because, at its root, it's a rebellion against the culture at large. But it still makes me think about Christianity because when I talk to other Satanists, much of what they talk about is blaspheming Christianity. I can understand the need for blasphemy but it gets old after awhile. Also, another big problem for me is the lack of historical sources. There's really not much grounding outside of medieval rumors and bits and pieces of occultism (which I am also somewhat bored with). Also, Theistic Satanists tend to have to tie their idea of Satan to pre-Christian deities in order to make it "work". A lot of us tend to end up looking to Prometheus, Set, Enki, Tiamat and other figures to ground our beliefs in. Otherwise, they tend to honor a reinterpreted form of the Christian or Islamic Satan. One criticism of that is why bother with Satanism when you feel drawn to pre-Christian deities in the first place?
So it seems that there is really not much to go on after awhile. There's other issues, too. Satanism seems to draw in a lot of people who are rather broken and some that are more shallow. There's a lot of in-fighting and people just can't agree with each other. In the beginning, it was empowering to liberate myself from dogma and other people's opinions. So Satanism does have its uses, such as freeing the psyche and focusing on your own growth.
Anyway, so I think I'm starting to move away from that. At this point in time, I'm very interested in Germanic Paganism. There's many things I admire about it. I love how the Gods are viewed more like family rather than ultimate authorities that you must humble yourself towards. I admire the emphasis on courage, honor and pride. I also love the shamanistic and animistic aspects of it. The reverence for Nature and the land is very inspiring. I love how the cosomology is illustrated through Yggdrasil.
One draw back, though, is that I'm not too familiar with the lore. Also, the language barrier makes things hard, as well. I also have a liking for Hellenic Paganism. I'm much more familiar with the stories and the language is easier to comprehend and pronounce. But the Greek deities seem to be less approachable. There also seems to be missing a shamanistic aspect. They don't have things like the Runes. It's also not tied to the beautiful Northern European landscape, as with Norse religion.
So, at this point, I'm really interested in Asatru. I'm trying to learn more about it. I also need to read the Eddas. That's what I'm drawn to now, but I have a habit of jumping into things, declaring my beliefs as such and then getting "bored" with it. I'm a pretty restless person and change my views often. But for now, this where my interests lie.
Advice? Opinions?
So it seems that there is really not much to go on after awhile. There's other issues, too. Satanism seems to draw in a lot of people who are rather broken and some that are more shallow. There's a lot of in-fighting and people just can't agree with each other. In the beginning, it was empowering to liberate myself from dogma and other people's opinions. So Satanism does have its uses, such as freeing the psyche and focusing on your own growth.
Anyway, so I think I'm starting to move away from that. At this point in time, I'm very interested in Germanic Paganism. There's many things I admire about it. I love how the Gods are viewed more like family rather than ultimate authorities that you must humble yourself towards. I admire the emphasis on courage, honor and pride. I also love the shamanistic and animistic aspects of it. The reverence for Nature and the land is very inspiring. I love how the cosomology is illustrated through Yggdrasil.
One draw back, though, is that I'm not too familiar with the lore. Also, the language barrier makes things hard, as well. I also have a liking for Hellenic Paganism. I'm much more familiar with the stories and the language is easier to comprehend and pronounce. But the Greek deities seem to be less approachable. There also seems to be missing a shamanistic aspect. They don't have things like the Runes. It's also not tied to the beautiful Northern European landscape, as with Norse religion.
So, at this point, I'm really interested in Asatru. I'm trying to learn more about it. I also need to read the Eddas. That's what I'm drawn to now, but I have a habit of jumping into things, declaring my beliefs as such and then getting "bored" with it. I'm a pretty restless person and change my views often. But for now, this where my interests lie.
Advice? Opinions?