The Big O and Thor making a comeback! Since our substitute god myths now seem to be Superheroes and characters like Yoda with The Force, maybe Norse gods are now campy enough to be cool.

The Norse gods are making a strong comeback after a thousand years in the shadows-
https://nordic.businessinsider.com/icelands-fastest-growing-religion-will-soon-complete-the-first-temple-to-thor-and-odin-in-a-1000-years--/

Fixed the link



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 07/10/2018 03:21PM by Brother Of Jerry.

The link does not relate to the subject of this thread.

Works for me

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The Norse gods are making a strong comeback after a thousand years in the shadows. Outmaneuvered by Christianity around year 1000, Nordic paganism is now Iceland’s fastest growing religion. From 570 members in 2002, the ‘association of the faith of the Æsir’ – Ásatrúarfélagið – now numbers 3900 Icelanders, making it the largest non-Christian religion in the country.

“I don’t believe anyone believes in a one-eyed man who is riding about on a horse with eight feet,” High priest Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson told the Guardian. “We see the stories as poetic metaphors and a manifestation of the forces of nature and human psychology.”

The pantheistic religion appeals to modern individualism while upholding traditional Icelandic values like honesty, tolerance and respect towards the environment.


Although long in the making, the Ásatrúarfélagið’s first temple is finally expected to stand ready by the end of 2018. It is designed by Icelandic architect and member of the association Magnús Jensson and given a form to underscore a close relationship to earth, sky and sun. The temple will hold a maximum of 250 people for religious ceremonies and concerts.

Although the temple, called Hof Ásatrúarfélagsins, will be Iceland’s first in 1000 years it is likely not to be the last. The land was donated by the city of Reykjavik, and other municipalities have shown interest in having temples built, seeing perhaps the potential allure of tourism. Similarly, Denmark consecrated a temple called Valheim Hof to Odin for the first time in a millennium in 2016.

Funny, it's not boxy and ugly, and it doesn't have a big huge gold Moronic (pun intended) statue on the top...

What kind of temple is *that*? :)

Needs a steeple with a gold-plated Thor on top

One of the joys of being openly EXMO in Utah is that one makes friends with all sorts of wonderful people. I’ve got a close friend, of about 5 years, who is a true Pagan follower of the old Norse Gods. To him, the stories are more figurative than literal. We converse about the symbols and how he interprets and uses his runes. In December, we share Yuletide together.

Does this understanding take away from my Christian faith? No. Has he converted me to being a Pagan, no. Does my faith seem silly to him, probably. Does his faith seem silly to me, initially, but I see how it works for him.

When I am sick, I ask for him to “pray” for me the way his faith informs him, he asks me for Christian prayers when he’s down.

Will we ever come to agreement on the details of religion? Probably not. Is he my brother, absolutely!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/10/2018 05:29PM by BYU Boner.

He is not going to like that.

Loki - the god of mischief, confounding and WTF - is a god I can believe in.

Let’s just say that everyone gets consumed by Loki in the end, including Boners.

I very much like the idea of religions that closely hew to the cultures from which they sprang, and vice-versa.

Can you say Tezcatlipoca fast three times? He's my favorite Aztec ghawd. He set up and started the machinery that operates The Bell Shaped Curve!

Who you gonna believe? Me, or your lying eyes reading Wikipedia?

Do they have a visitor center with statues of Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston? Perhaps on bended knee and with Moronis hand on each head?

Whoops, I think I’m conflating religions here.

Does Iceland think that tourists will come to see this bullshit ?

Much better than a ugly Mormon temple,

It's about time! :-D

I’ll bet you don’t need a permission slip to get in.

At least they are more honest than Mormonism.