Kesh, or 'uncut hair' is one of the five religious requirements of. Some reference the law of the Gotlanders as proof positive of the sacral nature of beards. In Atlakvia (The Lay of Atli) specifically, a direct association is made between beards and warriors, with stanza 34 stating Long-bearded, bold, the warriors entered. Why not? Beards are further even historically protected by law under Jnsbk,Grgs and Guta Lag. 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. Observation Post articles reflect author observations or attempts at humor. If nice smelling soap is your deal, then get the nice smelling soap. Having website issues? There are many pagan religions that consider it important for one to have facial hair in order to express the person's religious identity. It is sometimes pointed out that there have been cases in the US military whereby Heathens have been allowed to wear beards. The beard is and has always been a defining feature of being Heathen, and a religious symbol of Forn Sir. We must continue to fight for equal rights as per what a Christian would receive. They are often either just a physical description of people in the sagas who have beards. Beards define the Heathen man. Introducing our new Environmental Policy Officer, Anne Edward.. Upon joining the military individuals swear an oath to the Monarch to follow the rules of the service they have joined. Once a soldier with Gender Dysphoria has transitioned they are usually free of serious dysphoric episodes and are just as capable of serving in the military as literally anyone else. The U.S. Army granted a religious accommodation to a soldier for his "Heathen; Norse Pagan faith" to be able to grow a beard. 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.". Sometimes those who are new to Heathenry read the arguments made by these groups and are convinced by them as they often claim to be based on historical sources. God, Country, Family, Self. forgot Some countries do not allow for a religious freedoms. 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. Copyright 1977 - 2023 Universal Life Church Ministries. She asks, is it the beardless carle?, Why doesn't he make them cart dung over his beard that he may be like other men? Kesh maintaining uncut hair all over their bodies is one of the five articles of faith for Sikhs, both men and women. And to be fair, there has been some method to the army's clean-cut madness. 12-13 yrs ago a Small city on the west side of the Puget sound with Scandinavian Heritage Chose a Mixed race Highschool girl for the Queen of their yearly Festival. 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. The already-growing list of religious exemption requests inflated earlier this year when Spc. It's a nice thing and it makes your beard look nice. Saying "Odin has one eye" or "Thor has a red beard" aren't statements of fact. Erik desires to be a Viking when he grows up and has worked in Outdoor Adventure leading hikes and rafting trips. Likewise, they would not be able to worship the old Gods, as these laws specifically forbid it. Check out our calendar! 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. The Gods are here for you, your ancestors are here for you, the spirits all around you are here for you regardless of whether you are struggling in life or you are feeling at the top of your game. What if Loki (yes there are loki devotees) demands something if me (I shudder to think what)? This isn't the Society for Creative Anachronisms. Author, Erik studied Anthropology in college and is currently completing an internship with the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Your own conscience. Whether to abide by confines of regulation vs. honor Thor in a way you feel called to do, even though Thor doesn't require it. This includes following dress regulations. They where very vain and very much into a large variete of hair and beard trends. Not so much. But can we take this as a universal rule? In fact, we do not pray or worship per say the sir, synjur, Vanir, Jtnar, Arir, Kindir, or Kynja. LOLyes, I have too, and this is why grooming standards for facial hair were invented! This is often cited in restaurants or other companies with food preparation. Section 20 (Concerning bald patches), clearly states that a man's beard incurs fines as for other hair pulling., As a matter of fact, apart from throwing ale in someone's face, insults included man handling a person riding or walking on the highway, making a minor attack on a man's beard or hair.. Lokiis the least favorite of all sir, and a Norse god typically associated with negative behavior as well as the dark side of humans. Any thought about what Loki looks like is only within the perception of people who claim to have "seen" them. Odin is the one-eyed God, the father figure. The beard is and has always been a defining feature of being Heathen, and a religious symbol of Forn Sir.In fact, the beard is a religious symbol of Forn Sir or Heathenry as much as the kippot is a religious symbol of Judaism, or the beard and the pagri are a religious symbol of Sikhism. You are about to delete your comment. We aren't trying to sell you on some kind of self-improvement course. What are your thoughts on that? Why would the army want manly looking soldiers? This isn't to say you shouldn't get those things if you enjoy them. ins.style.width = '100%'; They will protect us. They are descriptions of the people of the time. Ye are nicknamed dung-beardlings but my husband the beardless carle. Repetition of the above descriptions. There are many accomodating jobs that are accepting of different faiths. Our military needs to be wary of all forms of mental illness. Read our article Paganism is on the Rise to learn how we are growing as a culture. This is real, modern and vibrant religion with people who are genuinely passionate about our faith. This includes allowing employees to wear religious clothing or facial hair in the workplace. This time the Army declined, but only after Hoskins request made it all the way to the desk of a deputy chief of staff. An observant Norse Pagan, Hopper has been allowed to wear a great, big, bushy beard under a religious accommodation to Army Regulation 670-1 Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms - which is not . These laws also specifically outlaw the practice of Heathenry. This is not a matter of religious rights, rather a matter of attempting to get the authority you swore the Oath to, to change the conditions of the Oath. 1st Class Benjamin Hopper. Beards are definitely manly. In fact, the beard is a religious symbol of Forn Sir or Heathenry as much as the kippot is a religious symbol of Judaism, or the beard and the pagri are a religious symbol of Sikhism. It is not an official policy of the US military. Takes very little time to rub soap on ur head and face than trying o shampoo and comb hair if your bald . The idea that the Old Norse had large and wild beards was invented for stages and in national anthems about 150 years ago. It's complicated, and as far as getting a waiver for a beard it's not as easy as just saying you are a norse pagan. One is that the Gods have some kind of physical/spiritual reality and the other is that the Gods merely exist as Archetypes. According toArmy Directive 2017-03, beards with approved accommodations must be less than two inches in length from the bottom of the chin and cannot be groomed with petroleum-based products. Whether we go to Heaven, Nirvana, Valhalla, or wherever, when we DIE IN SERVICE TO THIS COUNTRY, in this life we protect the American ideal and in fact, part of that ideal is respecting the diversity this country defends! Some Say Yes. 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. From an sirand traditional Norse god perspective, a beard is therefore always associated with masculinity and virtue, including moral strength, manliness, valor, excellence, and worth, while the absence of a beard expresses feminization as well as depravity and immorality. norse pagan beard requirements. The Sagas that are often quoted at no point describe a spiritual reason to wear a beard. Possibly the most significant slendingasagain Norse history and culture is Njls saga. Sikhs are allowed to wear beards and turbans because it actually is a religious requirement of their faith that they do so. I don't really see an issue with this, Religious views aside. We proudly posted in short order a copy of the memo issued by his command on our various social media platforms, with a reach of over 750,000 users on one Facebook account only. And it gives us even less of a window into its religious importance, or whether it had sacred importance at all. This sort of thing creates a false image of our religion and sets a poor precedent. All Rights Reserved. Whenever you hear or read stuff like this, ask yourself what the motivation is for the people writing it. Being known as an oath breaker is possibly the greatest insult to someone who holds Heathen values. } 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. The vikings didn't grow large beards very often. The followers of Christianity are encouraged to emulate their God. A main character in Njls saga is Gunnar Hmundarson. 19 November, 2022 - 12:00 PM EST to 19 November, 2022 - 3:00 PM EST. 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. It has been argued that the fact that Loki is often portrayed as being the only male deity without a beard in the Norse pantheon is another argument in favour of beard wearing. The Navy did away with the beards in 1985. Its authenticity was later confirmed by a Missouri spokeswoman to the Army Times. 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. It doesnt get in the way and isnt a health hazard, so its fine with me. 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! On all accounts, we are growing in numbers. 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. Paganism is not an ancient dead religion. If the army approves of this guy wearing a beard into battle, then so be it. get real! When they heard he was dead for sooth, all the warriors wept, as was meet. ;). We, as Heathens, have no such religious requirement with regards to hair.. Otherwise, if you're fearing for your life in a foxhole, why the hell would you demand your partner shave? I know because I was on a "Med cruise" when we had to shave the beards. There's not much to choose though between you two. ins.style.minWidth = container.attributes.ezaw.value + 'px'; American soldiers and Peace Officers didn't even adopt the custom until around the American Revolution, if not after. 11 Core Nordic Religion Principal Beliefs, Celebrate Pagan Holidays, PO Box 628051, Middleton, Wisconsin 53562, USA, Paganism Is On the Rise! 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. Employers must offer religious accommodations with regard to religious garb and grooming, as long as it does not cause undue hardship for the company. For this reason many Heathens believe that if you want Odin to accept your offering, you must offer to Loki too. Many religious groups require men to grow a beard, including Muslims and Orthodox Jews. that si the military if you want to join a club then do not join the us military weirdest. By Elana Glowatz On 4/26/18 at 5:12 PM EDT. statehood and recognition; 3m respirator cartridges; witch vs sorceress vs enchantress; plymouth wrestling club. This is not only directly insulting to all servicemen who do not have beards, but also to all servicewomen. The U.S. Army has reportedly granted permission to a soldier in Missouri . In fact, Command Sgt. I, as a Trans Soldier, 100% agree with you. These requirements may in fact require men to wear beards or have a certain length and style facial hair. As the Gods are faithful in providing us the fruits of the bough, the vine and the earth, we can hope in Them giving us what we need to restore ourselves. The Telegraph:Facial hair's formative years: what the Vikings and Romans did for male grooming. 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