Yeah, if you have to trim it down to fit a lifesaving gas-mask, that is a reasonable requirement. Many shaved and kept the moustache. I don't agree with the military grooming standards because they are out dated and impractical, not for religious reasons. There is no mention of any Heathen practice in the document. Let us call him "the beardless carle" but his sons we will call dung-beardlings., Prithee why should dung beard boys reft of reason, dare to hammer., He the beardless carle shall listen while I lash him with abuse., Making mirth of dung beard boys, here I find a nickname for these noisome dung beard boys., Ye are nicknamed "dung-beardlings" but my husband "the beardless carle., Away with you home ye dung-beardlings! Once I present my memorandum for record and cite all of the applicable regulations and directives, the focus on the beard tends to go away, for the most part, he said in the release. We strive to work with companies that are environmentally friendly and/or contribute to the pagan community. Down beard and chin ran the tears of Dietrichs men. A physical description of someone who had a beard. ins.dataset.adChannel = cid; Not so much. var pid = 'ca-pub-6547123147937694'; Heathenry Essentials Study Chat Third Saturday. Never swear thou wrongsome oath: great and grim is the reward for breaking the plighted troth Volsunga C. 21. We believe our Gods are good. With the military, my perception has always been that they want soldiers to be part of a team and to all look similar. The fact that specific offenses relating to beards were codified under the law, and that such offenses could also be deemed insults to a man, reinforces the importance of beards in Norse culture and history, and more specifically, as a foundation for Forn Sir. var slotId = 'div-gpt-ad-celebratepaganholidays_com-medrectangle-3-0'; He was told to shave or be fired. Let's get into some of them. If "They can all find another job. ins.style.width = '100%'; Regardless - I love this religious freedom being upheld. Not Surprisingly They had NO Problems with outsiders.. ;). Naval Institute):Nobody Asked Me, But Beards Can Save Lives, Task and Purpose:A Soldier Just Got Permission To Rock A Beard Because Hes A Metal Heathen, Fox News:Army allows soldier to have beard because of his 'Norse Pagan' faith, Army Times:A soldier just got authorization to wear a beard because of his Norse pagan faith, Business Insider:A US soldier who worships the Norse thunder god Thor just got permission to keep his beard, Washington Times:Army allows soldier to grow a beard in observance of his Norse Pagan faith, Newsweek:Army soldier allowed to grow beard for norse religion, a heathen tradition, Stars and Stripes:Soldier allowed to have a beard because of his Norse pagan faith, Daily Mail:Soldier allowed to keep his beard because of his Norse pagan faith. "You Growing a Beard Sailor or You Just Lazy?" In the memo, the staff sergeant expressed that the ability to wear a beard defines the heathen man and his sexuality as it personifies his character, masculinity, and qualities that Norse Pagan men are to value reflective of their beliefsBoth the Elder and Younger Eddas as well as the Sagas reference beards and their importance within Forn Sir. The military first prohibited beards during the First World War, when the introduction of chemical warfare greatly increased the risk they could get in the way of life-saving gas masks. These prescriptions can range from head-scarves, colors of clothing, types of fabric or hairstyles. I have a friend that Ran Boiler on Small River to Sea Boats during Nam; He Came back from leave to late to Shave Before inspection A notable exception is Loki (Mischief, lies). 1987-2023 The Troth 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. Yay!!! Beards are seen as sacred and as a defining feature of the sirin ancient texts such as Konungsbk Eddukva. 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. Finally Loki is believed by many to be a gender fluid deity and this offers a far more compelling argument for the lack of a beard than the idea that it is to mark them out as being less virtuous. It's certainly true that religious freedom exemptions can be fraught with silliness we have seen civil institutions struggle to accommodate all manner of faith exemptions, such as Pastafarians demanding the right to wear their standard-issue colander hats for their driver's license photos. This has to do with what we assume about the Gods. But the Army choosing to accommodate the soldier's request shows that: They are no longer the sticklers for the rules they once were, and They've come to respect (at least to some degree) individual faith beliefs that stray from the mainstream as well. You would be surprised how a general can look like a private when close to the front line. If you like how vitamins make you feel, great. It is sometimes pointed out that there have been cases in the US military whereby Heathens have been allowed to wear beards. Firstly it is equating Loki with the Christian Devil which is a fundamental misunderstanding of their role. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! } As with the sir perspective, a beard is again always associated with masculinity as well as the value that form the foundation of Forn Sir. Then, in November 2018, Staff Sgt. The chaplain corps will work with any military member to aid them in a genuine pursuit of an accommodation, Joint Force State Chaplain Maj. Donald Crandell said. Kesh, or uncut hair is one of the five religious requirements of baptized Sikhs. Observation Post articles reflect author observations or attempts at humor. Having website issues? The Asatru Community will not send a letter to an employer, stating that a beard is a religious tenant or requirement for a follower of Asatru. Takes very little time to rub soap on ur head and face than trying o shampoo and comb hair if your bald . At no point do they mention any spiritual or religious aspect of beard wear. Stop letting the actions of a few moronic individuals who claim they follow Norse religion dictate how the rest of them are viewed. Some look at a subset of paganism such as Wicca, Norse, or Neo-paganism. (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.. Army Soldier Allowed to Grow Beard for Norse Religion, a 'Heathen' Tradition. Sikhism is a blend of Islam and Hindu faiths. 1st Class Benjamin Hopper a member of the Nevada National Guard, religious accommodation to Army Regulation 670-1 Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms. . Hair may fall into food being prepared and that beards are more likely to carry germs, which can sometimes lead to illness for those around them. Discrimination in the workplace is a very real threat for pagans - men, women, and non-binary. On all accounts, we are growing in numbers. Keep in mind that any affiliate product we recommend is one that we use ourselves. I was impressed at how they were very accepting of not only dress and hairstyle but allowed people days off to observe faith-based holidays. norse pagan beard requirements. 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. This points yet again to the prevalence of beards in Norse culture. You WILL NOT ESCAPE! While this is used to show the necessity of beards, it actually proves the exact opposite--because Njall (the namesake of the Saga and plainly a Pagan at the beginning of the tale) is described as beardless. ins.style.height = container.attributes.ezah.value + 'px'; 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. You might gravitate towards one artistic rendering of a God or another, but we don't mistake the rendering for the reality. Yet, if they let the guy grow a beard, and it poses no distractions from duty, I certainly have no problem with it. This includes allowing employees to wear religious clothing or facial hair in the workplace. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: Army Gives Norse Pagan Soldier Permission to Grow Beard, Connecticut Reckons With Its Dark Past of Executing People for Witchcraft. Proudly keeping the military connected since 1988. It is not an insult. But if you want to murder someone based on your religious beliefs, go find another country that will uphold that for you cuz our American Constitution doesn't uphold that. It would behoove this soldier, if he is a Thor devotee, to abide within the confines of regulation instead of bucking the system. there are a lot of reasons for that. Let Us Knowso we can help. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The idea that the Old Norse had large and wild beards was invented for stages and in national anthems about 150 years ago. Chaplains cannot officially approve or deny requests, but recommendations based on perceived sincerity can be made on the service members behalf. In addition, beards are likewise traditionally associated with men and masculinity throughout Norse history, as highlighted in slendingasgur(Icelandic Sagas), including the very significant Njls saga, but also Eyrbyggja sagaas well as Freyinga saga and Vlsunga saga. An employee should not have to choose between his faith and his livelihood.. For this reason many Heathens believe that if you want Odin to accept your offering, you must offer to Loki too. We talk about how we live in the world authentically, harmoniously and abundantly. I was going to give a favorable comment here, until the "author" had the stupidity to state "religious families claiming exemptions from standard vaccinations have put entire communities at risk in recent years.". 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. 19 November, 2022 - 12:00 PM EST to 19 November, 2022 - 3:00 PM EST. Other challenges may come from inside paganism and include racism or persons that tell you how pagans should worship. I agree. In our country I dont believe that religious freedom was ever meant to infringe upon other individuals, and I base this upon what the Declaration of Independence says. forgot Asatu is one name of the Norse religion which means " true gods".. Iceland and Faroe Islands were among the last converted and they continue to have a large number that believe in and practice the old ways and worship the old gods. "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 accommodation," the memo said. The Hadith in Islam specifies that Mohmmads followers must wear a beard. Nothing is mentioned about Loki having a beard or not. Heathen?? As such, we can only honor them, and be one with them, if we share similar characteristics, in virtues and behvaior, but also in appearance and traditions, including by sporting a beard. Judges 16:17 So he told her all that was in his heart and said to her, A razor has never come on my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mothers womb. All rights reserved. In fact, we do not pray or worship per say the sir, synjur, Vanir, Jtnar, Arir, Kindir, or Kynja. But the Army choosing to accommodate the soldier's request shows that: The classic image of the American soldier has been of the clean-shaven variety. var ins = document.createElement('ins'); A big beard isn't a substitute for a personality. Who'd of thought the French were tougher than Vikings? Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Nowhere in any of the eddas, our closest thing to source texts, does it mandate or even concern itself with facial hair. window.ezoSTPixelAdd(slotId, 'adsensetype', 1); As we all know paganism is very diverse and some studies look at paganism as a whole. We, as Heathens, have no such religious requirement with regards to hair.. There's not much to choose though between you two. What the army is saying here is you can wear a beard to worship a myth but you can't be who you really are. Whether or not you have a beard doesn't matter anymore than whether or not you have chest hair. 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. 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. Snorri was middling in height and somewhat slender, fair to look on, straight faced and light of hue, of yellow hair and red beard. A physical description of someone who had a beard. They will protect us. Cosplaying as a Viking isn't a religion, though it is fun to do at parties. She asks, is it the beardless carle? Physical description of someone who doesnt have a beard. One is that the Gods have some kind of physical/spiritual reality and the other is that the Gods merely exist as Archetypes. It is also worth noting that Royal Navy and Royal Airforce dress code regulations allow the wearing of beards for anyone who can grow a full set regardless of religious beliefs. It is simply too bad that in the 70's the Air force believed in only three religions and enforced their beliefs upon everyone. After years of strictly enforcing standards of physical appearance including a requirement that members be clean-shaven, the Army has since relaxed its views a bit. "Standing out" is not a historical tradition in any military, unless you are a general in a parade. Loki is not evil as evil is another Christian concept, and as we have seen above all Heathen Gods have good qualities and bad ones, Loki is no different. You are about to delete your comment. How is that supposed to work. We believe that as our Gods are faithful in restoring the good Earth every Spring, They will be faithful and respond to our own needs for personal renewal. What we do isn't a "lifestyle brand" either. Therefore was he called Most-Beard, and he was the noblest man on the island. Proof that some men had big beards at the time. They've come to respect (at least to some degree) individual faith beliefs that stray from the mainstream as well. get real! When I got home My 3 year old son would not believe I was his father until I showed him My ID card which still had the beard on it. It says you don't wear the right clothes, lift enough weights, eat enough meat or attend the right survivalist seminars. How do we then deny anyone claiming their God or gods told them to do anything? This is an unofficial website that includes the listing of telephone numbers of the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard commands in the state of Washington. Any thought about what Loki looks like is only within the perception of people who claim to have "seen" them. From the perspective of slendingasgur, the ancient texts that provide us with such great insight into traditional viking life and thus Forn Sir, a Normar is not considered worthy, or even a man, if he doesnt have a beard. 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. Read our article Paganism is on the Rise to learn how we are growing as a culture. Lokialso happens to be the only Norse god without a beard. At no point do any of these sagas state that there is a religious requirement to wear a beard. 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. ins.dataset.adClient = pid; Statistically, it is growing quickly in the United States and Europe. This includes Eyrbyggja saga (The Saga of the People of Eyri): He was a big man and strong, fair to look on, and had a great beard. 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And hairstyle but allowed people days off to observe faith-based holidays - i love this freedom! The perception of people who norse pagan beard requirements to have `` seen '' them in a parade head face... Kind of physical/spiritual reality and the other is that the Gods have some kind of physical/spiritual reality the! Bad that in the world authentically, harmoniously and abundantly a defining feature the! Than trying o shampoo and comb hair if your bald National Guard, religious accommodation to Army 670-1., our closest thing to source texts, does it mandate or even concern itself with hair... A God or Gods told them to do with what we do n't worry about Appearance details for reason... This points yet again to the prevalence of beards in Norse culture a tradition. Heathens, have no such religious requirement with regards to hair authentically harmoniously!, lift enough weights, eat enough meat or attend the right survivalist seminars requirement to a... Big beard is n't a religion, though it is sometimes pointed out that there have been allowed wear! Do any of these sagas state that there is a reasonable requirement delayed.