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. I agree. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. But Thorvald, thy husband was not beardless and yet thou plottedst his death No mention of any spiritual connotation of beards. Religious Beards in the Workplace: Are Pagans Allowed Beards? var pid = 'ca-pub-6547123147937694'; This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Complete application instructions and support are only available to members of Forn Sir or those affiliated with us as of 20 May 2020. Down beard and chin ran the tears of Dietrich's men.. While we cannot speak to the specifics of any particular case, religious accommodation can be disapproved if it is determined that the request is not based on a sincerely held religious belief or if the accommodation would create a specific hazard that cannot be reasonably mitigated.. Without an explicit religious requirement to wear a beard, the likelihood of the military changing the regulations that were Oathed to uphold for Pagans to keep beards, is very unlikely. Thor has a red beard because of his extraordinary ferocity in defending and sustaining humankind. Maybe you're feeling the creeping fingers of old age. My once dropped, never fired French rifle has new lifeviva la France !!!! Statistically, it is growing quickly in the United States and Europe. forgot Our culture as part of the United States is a melting pot of cultures, ideas and yes, religion--no matter what certain portions of the population like to believe. This is a question that many religious people have been asking themselves lately. or redistributed. If not for the forced conversion of the pagan people (pagan means country dweller), there would be a lot more, but more and more are waking up. Paganism is not an ancient dead religion. Cosplaying as a Viking isn't a religion, though it is fun to do at parties. Nowhere in any of the eddas, our closest thing to source texts, does it mandate or even concern itself with facial hair. var ins = document.createElement('ins'); Beard balm is nice. We strive to work with companies that are environmentally friendly and/or contribute to the pagan community. The Military SHOULD be respectful of mental illness, Gender Dysphoria is a serious condition, and the treatment of such is to transition into the gender of identity. Having website issues? ;). But it's not a religion. Hmmmm, after watching history channels Vikings and seeing Ragnar get utterly destroyed in straight up battles with the French, I'm shaving my beard and wearing my beret backwards. Forn Siris what makes us men and our own man, taking our own decisions, and taking our own responsibilities. Army Soldier Allowed to Grow Beard for Norse Religion, a 'Heathen' Tradition. of all weirds ones. 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. This is because they believe him to be perfect, and so attempting to emulate him is a quest for perfection. It is not an insult. The beard is and has always been a defining feature of being Heathen, and a religious symbol of Forn Sir. Faith isn't just something that inspires you to be better, it's something that reminds you that you matter and you make a difference regardless of where you find yourself in life. 11 Core Nordic Religion Principal Beliefs, Celebrate Pagan Holidays, PO Box 628051, Middleton, Wisconsin 53562, USA, Paganism Is On the Rise! A main character in Njls saga is Gunnar Hmundarson. (U.S. Army), The U.S. Army granted a rare religious accommodation to a Fort Leonard Wood staff sergeant who is a member of the Heathen, Norse Pagan faith.. "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. "Sikhs are allowed to wear beards and turbans because it actually is a religious requirement of. No. Odin is blood sworn to Loki, and stated that he will not drink unless one is offered to Loki as well. 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. Otherwise, if you're fearing for your life in a foxhole, why the hell would you demand your partner shave? They are simply physical descriptions of the people in the sagas. They will renew us. He was told to shave or be fired. Guta Lag, the laws of Gotland in Sweden were also written over a century after the Christianisation, and reflect a heavily Christianised version of the older laws. This argument is flawed for several reasons. 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). We aren't trying to sell you on some kind of self-improvement course. The Military should respect their right to appropriate medical care, which is decided by their medical care provider and not the religious views or whims of the White House or other non medical authority. Some countries do not allow for a religious freedoms. Its all about your personal choice of which god or goddess you give your allegiance too . "Standing out" is not a historical tradition in any military, unless you are a general in a parade. Keep in mind that any affiliate product we recommend is one that we use ourselves. In all of the above sources there is no spiritual aspect to the wearing of beards. Let's look at the texts. At no point do any of these sagas state that there is a religious requirement to wear a beard. Is This Soldiers Norse Belief System a White Supremacist orientation? This could equally be applied to dress codes in civilian organisations where an individual has signed a contract, stating that they will follow the rules. He is very much a real and true god as much as any other god of any other religion. Many religious groups require men to grow a beard, including Muslims and Orthodox Jews. In Afghanistan, meanwhile, Hopper keeps his waiver on him at all times in case any superiors question the facial feature he refers to as a sacred and defining feature of masculine men. Regulations specify a beard can be no longer than 2 inches in length. Beards are not seen universally as asymbol of our religion. Ironically, Whitsel had worked at his job as a hospital security guard for 12 years when a new employee rule went into effect stating no facial hair. Still has one ;) ifthere are Specific Jobs that one Can not wear a Beard. 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. } The Navy did away with the beards in 1985. Most blacks stuck with the crew cut and white sidewall because it was more traditional. Thou hast hangnails on every finger and Njal is beardless. Simply a physical description of 2 people, one has a beard, one does not, but there is no implication that this makes one more spiritual than the other. hulk vs red hulk vs abomination. But consider a couple philosophical things first. Sikh soldiers seeking to preserve religious traditions. Heathenry Essentials Study Chat Third Saturday. That HAS NO PLACE IN OUR MILITARY!! Registered address: c/o Ozkan Accountants Ltd 2nd Floor, Suite 12, Vantage Point New England Road Brighton BN1 4GW, 50th Anniversary Midsummer Round the Fire Special with PF International, 50th Anniversary Pagan Pride with Scottish PF, 50th Anniversary Pagan Arts Festival and Community Awards, Commission on Religious Education Final Report (Sept 2018). ins.dataset.fullWidthResponsive = 'true'; Kesh maintaining uncut hair all over their bodies is one of the five articles of faith for Sikhs, both men and women. Thursday (Thor's Day) is named in his honor. Maj. John Troxell, the senior enlisted adviser to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, recently insisted beards remain both a distraction and a "gimmick.". Lokialso happens to be the only Norse god without a beard. On all fronts perceptions are changing and in this new 21st century world, old and outdated practices are going by the wayside. Making mirth of dung beard boys, here I find a nickname for these noisome dung beard boys. -Has beard, and yet still is insulted. There are many accomodating jobs that are accepting of different faiths. The Sagas that are often quoted at no point describe a spiritual reason to wear a beard. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. sued the state in federal court, saying that his religious right to grow a beard had been violated. Employers must offer religious accommodations with regard to religious garb and grooming, as long as it does not cause undue hardship for the company. var container = document.getElementById(slotId); If the army approves of this guy wearing a beard into battle, then so be it. Many made interesting patterns. 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 if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'celebratepaganholidays_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_3',104,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-celebratepaganholidays_com-medrectangle-4-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'celebratepaganholidays_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_4',104,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-celebratepaganholidays_com-medrectangle-4-0_1'); .medrectangle-4-multi-104{border:none !important;display:block !important;float:none !important;line-height:0px;margin-bottom:7px !important;margin-left:auto !important;margin-right:auto !important;margin-top:7px !important;max-width:100% !important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center !important;}Beards can also be seen as symbols of power, strength, and virility. Being known as an oath breaker is possibly the greatest insult to someone who holds Heathen values. The appearance of advertisements on this website does not constitute an endorsement by the Department of Defense or the Army, Air Force, Navy, or Marine Corps or Coast Guard of products or services advertised. container.style.width = '100%'; Other challenges may come from inside paganism and include racism or persons that tell you how pagans should worship. You might gravitate towards one artistic rendering of a God or another, but we don't mistake the rendering for the reality. The first blt (the rituals of satr are called blt) was held on Jnsmessa, Midsummer Night. 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. It's a nice thing and it makes your beard look nice. Many Pagans today have beards, but this is a cultural rather than a religious phenomenon in exactly the same way it was in 10th century Europe. An event greatly frown upon in a culture that emphasizes gender polarization and strongly stigmatizes feminization of men. Moreover, it is our view that focusing on this issue not only detracts from far more important issues, but also makes Pagans appear foolish and uneducated in our own religious beliefs in the eyes of wider society. Beards are further even historically protected by law under Jnsbk,Grgs and Guta Lag. Numerous references in Konungsbk Eddukva, the most sacred text in Norse culture and religion, actually reinforce the association between beards and masculinity as well as virtue. 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! You are right. It is purely societal, and even if it were spiritual, these are Christian laws, from a period where the practice of Heathenry was outlawed. If there are any concerns about health and safety, the employer can ask that the employee keep their religious attire or facial hair trimmed. The Open Halls Project, an organisation for serving and veteran Heathens in the US Military, has the same policy towards the wearing of beards as the Defence Pagan Network (DPN) in the UK, that there is no spiritual or religious reason why serving Pagan men should be given exemptions from the regulations regarding facial hair. ins.dataset.adChannel = cid; They will sustain us. 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. As well in 1985 fired French rifle has new lifeviva la France!!!!!!... All fronts perceptions are changing and in this new 21st century world old... 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