Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

A new blog on European tradition and religion

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    A new blog on European tradition and religion

    Hi there, I'm new to these forums and wanted to drop off a bit of info. I've started a blog called Europeans Unite which will hopefully discuss European traditions and religion in depth.

    I've done 5 Articles so far and would be very happy if you could give them a read and provide any feedback. The writing style is not very refined as I've just been focusing on getting the quantity out there for now and building a base of readers.

    I'm not permitted to post links but the site is

    WEBSITE REMOVED

    I recommend starting from the first article as it will give you more of a foundation of what I'm about and what I write about.
    Last edited by volcaniclastic; 27 Apr 2018, 08:25.

    #2
    Re: A new blog on European tradition and religion

    First off, welcome to the forum!

    However, please be advised that you need to make 15 posts that are not in either Introductions or Lols, Quizzes and Games, and that spacing out the dots in your website to remove the link function is still the same as POSTING A LINK.

    We'd love to give you feedback on your website. But how about you introduce yourself properly, and contribute as a member of this community before we offer you free constructive criticism on your website?

    Thanks,
    Staff.
    Last edited by MaskedOne; 27 Apr 2018, 10:49.


    Mostly art.

    Comment


      #3
      Re: A new blog on European tradition and religion

      You are also more than welcome to ask questions or start discussions on any of the European traditions that interest you We have quite a few practitioners of various European traditions here and quite a few more with an interest in related traditions. Is there a particular tradition or religion that you have a focus in?

      Comment


        #4
        Re: A new blog on European tradition and religion

        I'm trying to write for a broad audience, so I'm writing about a lot of different native traditions. But even writing about one is the same as writing about all of them because European religion is the same no matter where you go, even if the names for the Gods are different and there is a few variations due to divergence over time from the pro Indo European culture.

        I'll probably mostly be focusing on Norse and Greek mythology as they are much more well documented, though I want to learn more about Celtic, Finnish and Iberian paganism, as they are probably the traditions I know the least about.
        Last edited by Knowledge Goblin; 28 Apr 2018, 04:21.

        Comment


          #5
          Re: A new blog on European tradition and religion

          Originally posted by Knowledge Goblin View Post
          ...But even writing about one is the same as writing about all of them because European religion is the same no matter where you go, even if the names for the Gods are different and there is a few variations due to divergence over time from the pro Indo European culture...
          That's a pretty bold statement - certainly something of a conversation-starter as we have practitioners of many faiths lurking about in this forum.

          Comment


            #6
            Re: A new blog on European tradition and religion

            Originally posted by Knowledge Goblin View Post
            But even writing about one is the same as writing about all of them because European religion is the same no matter where you go, even if the names for the Gods are different and there is a few variations due to divergence over time from the pro Indo European culture.
            I'm afraid that I have to disagree with you here. But it does bring up a good point about Archetypes and the way that human nature causes us to interpret deities in similar roles even when viewed through different cultural lenses.

            Originally posted by Knowledge Goblin View Post
            I'll probably mostly be focusing on Norse and Greek mythology as they are much more well documented, though I want to learn more about Celtic, Finnish and Iberian paganism, as they are probably the traditions I know the least about.
            We have a number of followers of Norse and Northern Traditions here, including myself . We also have many members who follow Hellenic paths, so there should be plenty of opportunities for discussion there. We have specific boards for certain traditions, to help keep things organised and gain the attention of the relevant people. Take a look here and feel free to post questions or discussion points.

            Comment


              #7
              Re: A new blog on European tradition and religion

              Originally posted by Knowledge Goblin View Post
              I'm trying to write for a broad audience, so I'm writing about a lot of different native traditions. But even writing about one is the same as writing about all of them because European religion is the same no matter where you go, even if the names for the Gods are different and there is a few variations due to divergence over time from the pro Indo European culture.
              So, yes, much of most European cultures (and some others) probably evolved from Proto-Indo-European cultures. And yes, there are many similarities between European traditions, likely homologous to one another from this common origin. However, to say they are the same ignores 1) the influence of the earlier culture that PIE traditions were incorporated over and 2) the evolution of those hybridized new cultures across unique ecosystems in the various regions of Europe. Its an incredibly trite dismissal of history at best, and downright offensive to some practitioners at worst.
              Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of HistoryPagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
              sigpic

              Comment


                #8
                Re: A new blog on European tradition and religion

                Originally posted by thalassa View Post

                Its an incredibly trite dismissal of history at best, and downright offensive to some practitioners at worst.
                Well, of course offence is not what I'm aiming at by any means. However, I don't see why me saying that our European traditions are at their root of the same nature should cause offence. I personally believe it is worthy of rejoice that our traditions and customs have remained as united and intact as they have for tens of thousands of years.

                Of course the names of Gods vary, there are changes to myths, some additions, subtractions and changes that i agree are deeply entwined with and personalized geographically and ethnically but nothing that takes away from the fundamental essence of what I, personally, hypothesise as being the root of all European paganism: Neanderthal religion.

                I believe, based on archaeological evidence, scant as it is, that Neanderthal religion largely continued as the paganism that was practiced up until the christianization of Europe (not Wicca), especially in northern Europe where there was less pollution with other mythologies.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: A new blog on European tradition and religion

                  Neanderthal Religion? Now that is a real stretch of things. I could see perhaps the Neanderthal's possibly having a holdover in early Nordic type lore as the Jotuns (Giants). Perhaps even to the concept of cross-breeding between the races as you also see in the lore as well as battles between them.

                  But a Neanderthal Religion that influences European Paganism, or specifically Northern Europe find it highly unlikely. Especially one that lasts until Christianization takes place.
                  I'm Only Responsible For What I Say Not For What Or How You Understand!

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: A new blog on European tradition and religion

                    LOL - umma gonna put my foot into this...

                    To say two things are the same is obviously false. Knowledge Goblin seems to have misspoke when using that word. The better wording, because of the acknowledgement of a long series of changes, would be "influenced."

                    That an "influence" can continue over an infinite length of time is not only possible, it is undeniable.

                    Consider:
                    Factor A influences factor B. Factor B influences factor C, as so on until you get to Z. Despite being seperated by a long series of iterations, It is still true that factor A influenced factor Z. If factor A had not existed, the outcome of Z would be different.

                    The belief that things exist without a series of past influences, and/or without future influences, is to fall into the illusion of seperate things.

                    - - - Updated - - -

                    LOL - umma gonna put my foot into this...

                    To say two things are the same is obviously false. Knowledge Goblin seems to have misspoke when using that word. The better wording, because of the acknowledgement of a long series of changes, would be "influenced."

                    That an "influence" can continue over an infinite length of time is not only possible, it is undeniable.

                    Consider:
                    Factor A influences factor B. Factor B influences factor C, as so on until you get to Z. Despite being seperated by a long series of iterations, It is still true that factor A influenced factor Z. If factor A had not existed, the outcome of Z would be different.

                    The belief that things exist without a series of past influences, and/or without future influences, is to fall into the illusion of seperate things.
                    Every moment of a life is a horrible tragedy, a slapstick comedy, dark nihilism, golden illumination, or nothing at all; depending on how we write the story we tell ourselves.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: A new blog on European tradition and religion

                      Originally posted by monsno_leedra View Post
                      Neanderthal Religion? Now that is a real stretch of things. I could see perhaps the Neanderthal's possibly having a holdover in early Nordic type lore as the Jotuns (Giants). Perhaps even to the concept of cross-breeding between the races as you also see in the lore as well as battles between them.
                      ...the Olympians vs. the Titans.

                      ...the Fromorians vs. the Tuatha de Danann

                      ...pretty much any old gods v. new gods mythos




                      But a Neanderthal Religion that influences European Paganism, or specifically Northern Europe find it highly unlikely. Especially one that lasts until Christianization takes place.
                      I agree.


                      I think the closest someone can get to this is a hypothetical PIE religion. And, someone has actually done the work on this. Its not something I would practice, but I found the ideas pretty interesting.
                      Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of HistoryPagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
                      sigpic

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Re: A new blog on European tradition and religion

                        I don't think attention is being paid to my clarification of "the same". I don't at all mean "influenced by"; I mean the metaphysical concepts behind each "school" of paganism can be understood to be of the same nature, and that is not a bad thing.

                        Unless someone can correct me on this, from my rather extensive research the idea of reincarnation, for example, is a central tenet within all European religion, though in the Norse religion it appears there may have been some Christianizing of ideas by the time Stirluson recorded the Eddas (an oversimplification a Heaven and Hell idea).

                        Neanderthal and paleolithic man also had this belief. Especially in finds in France, many Neanderthal are missing the bone of the left thigh and the skull. This is because of a ceremonial ritual that would take place at the coming of age, typically 13 years old, the reason for the choice 13 and how we know is rather complex but is it essentially comes down to there being thirteen moons in a year, 13 menstrual cycles and 12 star signs plus a choice of one other celestial body .

                        The soon to be adult's ancestor would be exhumed, the thigh bone turned into a flute (human thigh flutes are rather common) and the skull's cranium would become a drinking and eating vessel for the adult whilst the rest of the head was either displayed or worn as jewellry. The ancestor's belongings would be "recovered" and the essential self of the deceased was believed to come back to life into the adolescent.

                        An example of this within the paleolithic era can be found in Cheddar Gorge, modern day England where the skull of one skeleton has been found fashioned into a kind of "cup". If I remember correctly two of the finds were genetically related.

                        This is, of course the same in more modern pagan practices such as Iron Age burial mounds in Scandinavia and Saxon territories. In addition, some Hindus such as Aghori practice a similair thing.

                        I could go into more depth here but I'm going to write a full essay on Neanderthal religion in the near future. This is what I meant when I said that European paganism is all, at its heart, the same. It is about the continuation of one's essence over an indefinite time through spiritual excellence, adherance and interpretation of allegory (myths) and eventual perfection.

                        Myths are not meant to be believed, they are and were meant to be interpreted for their deeper meaning. The reason that on the face of it they all seem disconnected and stupid is so that those who were not worthy could not gain undesserved knowledge.

                        As Hesiod said, the goods have laid out a path in toil.
                        Last edited by Knowledge Goblin; 10 May 2018, 07:28.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Re: A new blog on European tradition and religion

                          just in the corner with the peanut gallery.
                          MAGIC is MAGIC,black OR white or even blood RED

                          all i ever wanted was a normal life and love.
                          NO TERF EVER WE belong Too.
                          don't stop the tears.let them flood your soul.




                          sigpic

                          my new page here,let me know what you think.


                          nothing but the shadow of what was

                          witchvox
                          http://www.witchvox.com/vu/vxposts.html

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Re: A new blog on European tradition and religion

                            Ok - well, when you get into "the same nature," you are going to run into difficulties with discussion because you have to be able to explain what "the nature of a thing is."

                            For some, the nature is in the rituals, for others, it is in the documentation (Bible, Koran, etc.), for others, it is a difficult to define spiritual thing.

                            To avoid difficulties...

                            ... when you discuss the nature of a religion, what are you talking about?
                            Every moment of a life is a horrible tragedy, a slapstick comedy, dark nihilism, golden illumination, or nothing at all; depending on how we write the story we tell ourselves.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Re: A new blog on European tradition and religion

                              Myths are not meant to be believed, they are and were meant to be interpreted for their deeper meaning. The reason that on the face of it they all seem disconnected and stupid is so that those who were not worthy could not gain undesserved knowledge.

                              Wondering about the highlighted line
                              MAGIC is MAGIC,black OR white or even blood RED

                              all i ever wanted was a normal life and love.
                              NO TERF EVER WE belong Too.
                              don't stop the tears.let them flood your soul.




                              sigpic

                              my new page here,let me know what you think.


                              nothing but the shadow of what was

                              witchvox
                              http://www.witchvox.com/vu/vxposts.html

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X