Deity of the Month: Thor

Thor is a hammer-wielding god associated with thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, destruction, fertility, healing, and the protection of mankind. He is one of the most mentioned deities from pre-Christian Germany. In the Viking era, when Christianity was spreading, the Mjöllnir was worn in defiance and Norse pagan personal names containing the name of the God reveal his popularity. In modern days, Thor continues to be acknowledged in rural folklore throughout the Germanic region. He is also referenced in the day Thursday (Thor's Day).

In Norse mythology, numerous talkes and information about him are found. He is described as having red hair with fierce eyes. He has fourteen different names and is the husband of the Goddess Sif. His mistress is the jotunn jötunn Járnsaxa. With Sif he fathered Þrúðr, and possibly the valkyrie. With Járnsaxa he fathered Magni. With an unknown mother he fathered Móði, and is the step-father of hte God Ullr. His parents are Odin and Fjörgyn. He also has numerous brothers.

He has two servants, Þjálfi and Röskva, and rides in a chariot led by two goats named Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr (that he eats and resurrects). He is known to have three homes (Bilskirnir, Þrúðheimr, and Þrúðvangr). His weapon is the mountain-crushing hammer, Mjöllnir, wears the belt Megingjörð and the iron gloves Járngreipr, and owns the staff Gríðarvölr.

FYI

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Accidentally hit "Publish" instead of "Save" Earlier

So here's a consolation prize!

What are different types of beliefs?

Monotheism is the belief that there is only one deity.

Polydeism is the belief that multiple deities created the universe, but do not interact with the physical world.

Deism is the belief that only one deity exists, and it does not interact with the physical world.

Pandeism is the belief that a deity created the universe, but the two are indistinguishable.

Hard Polytheism is the belief that many deities exist.

Soft Polytheism is the belief that all Gods are representations of the same God, and all Goddesses are representations of the same Goddess.

Henotheism is the belief that there are multiple deities, but only one of them is worshiped.

Kathenotheism is the belief that there is more than one deity, and they rotate being the Supreme deity.

Monolatrism is the belief that there are multiple deities, but only one is worthy of worship.

Pantheism is the belief that the universe is deity

Panentheism is the belief that the universe is deity, but that a deity (or multiple deities) is greater than the physical universe

Autotheism is the belief that everyone has the potential for divinity within themselves, and has a duty to become divine.

Agnosticism is the belief in the possibility of deities, but that knowledge beyond that is unknowable.

Apatheism is the belief that the existence of deities are neither meaningful or relevant to his or her life.

Atheism is the belief that there are no deities.

Summer Solstice

The Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year, and the first day of summer. On this day the sun appears to stand still, before moving the opposite direction as the days grow shorter again.


Humans have placed a spiritual significance since they first noticed the sun standing still. Celts celebrated by starting bonfires to help the sun keep energy.  Chinese held the festival of Li, who was the Chinese Goddess of light. Some Wiccans believe that the Goddess is at the height of her power and fertility on this day. Other Wiccans believe this marks the marriage of the Goddess and God.


Personally, on this day, I sit on the porch or balcony on the building I live in, and just enjoy the warmth of the sun.

Pagan Values Month 2011

I didn't realize that June is "Pagan Values Month". Apparently bloggers, vloggers, podcasters and the like all write what being pagan means to them.

The dictionary definition of pagan is any religion non-Abrahamic in nature. In other words, Jews, Muslims, Christians and Satanists aren't pagan. However, within the non-Abrahamic communities, things get a little muddled. Not everyone calls themselves pagan. Some identify as witch. Some as reconstructionist. Others say they're heathens, not pagans.

I, personally, say that the Satanists are welcome to call themselves pagan because the other three religions see them as more evil than we are, even though most are not. I'm sure there are a few that commit crimes in the name of Satan, but there are many more that commit crimes in the name of Jesus.

Everyone wants to be accepted into a community. The one they should be part of doesn't want them. Why don't pagans be the better people and accept them as our own?

Now, onto my values as a polydeist pagan.

1) Deities do exist, but they no longer interact with us. That doesn't mean we should not worship them, or do good things in their names. They are still beings with feelings, after all. They can still hear and see us, even though they can no longer be seen or heard by us.

2) We all have the divine spark. We all have the potential to become deities ourselves. But, because we are only mortals, we fall well short of the divine mark. Only a handful have achieved this status in the last three thousand years: Buddha and Jesus are two. It should be noted that neither asked to be worshiped, and in fact discouraged the practice while they were alive.

3) Non-corporeal beings exist, and we all have the potential to interact with them. All it takes is a little faith, trust, and an open mind to see them.

4) All paths lead to the divine. It doesn't matter what you believe, only that you do believe.

5) Diversity is a natural occurrence, and should not be stifled. No two people are exactly alike, or believe exactly the same thing. There is no "one true" anything. To teach another to hate something, or someone, different from themselves is wrong. For a religious leader to do so is even more wrong. Religious leaders should teach tolerance, compassion, and forgiveness.

6) All living things have a right to exist, and to have a home. We do not have the right to continue to plow over forests for our own selfish gain.

7) The planet we live on is alive, and should be treated with reverence. Keep in mind that Gaea is our only home. If we destroy the air and water to the point She can no longer sustain us, or if She decides to get rid of us before that point of no return, where would we go? Our spaceships can only hold six people. If every spaceship we have went into space to escape destruction they're stuck. It would take generations to get to the nearest solar system, and there's no guarantee of a habitable planet or moon upon arrival. Not to mention there would not be enough genetic diversity to survive, even if the ships routinely swapped crew members around. Pass this thought on to those that don't care about saving the Earth.

These are some of my beliefs that I will pass down, should I start a family. If you want to add your values to the list, feel free to comment!

The symbol in my new banner

This object is called a Triskele. It has its origins in neolithic Europe, and is mainly accredited to the neolithic people of Ireland (pre-Celt). Its use spread to Macedonia (in modern-day Greece) and Sicily (part of modern-day Italy), and even Korea. Unfortunately, the original meaning of the symbol has been lost.

It's possible that the three sides represented three seasons: wet, dry, cold (or a variant on the theme). It may also have represented the three trimesters of human pregnancy. Given these two possibilities, it might have been an early form of a calendar, in my opinion.

In modern times the triskele symbolizes a group of three. The user may select whatever trio is special to them. Christians might select God, Jesus and the Holy Ghost. Wiccans might select the three stages of the Goddess (Maiden, Mother, Crone), which some refer to as the Triple Goddess. 

E3 2011

I'm not just a polydeist/pagan. I'm also a casual gamer. With that in mind, E3 is this week. For those not in the know, it's a convention where the companies that make games, and the devices you use to play said games, announce new features, upcoming games, and anything else related to gaming.

This morning, Microsoft announced their plans for the year. What games are going to debut, what programs are coming to X Box Live, and even air the occasional demo.

Here's an embedded copy of Microsoft's Press Conference provided by G4. I do have to warn you, though. This video will last about 1 1/2 hours.

Xbox 360 Games - E3 2011 - Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

Wizard's Rules

I have been reading a series of books collectively called "Sword of Truth" by Terry Goodkind. In the first eleven books of the series, Wizard's Rules are revealed. Although these books are entirely fictional, I believe the Wizard's Rules have a place in real life, and have incorporated them into my own belief system.

01) Given proper motivation, almost anyone will believe almost anything. Because people are stupid, they will believe a lie because they want to believe its true, or because they're afraid it might be true. Peoples' heads are full of knowledge, facts and beliefs, and most of it is false, yet they think it all true. People are stupid; they can only rarely tell the difference between a lie and the truth, and yet they are confident they can, and so are all the easier to fool.

02) Kindness and good intentions can be an insidious path to destruction. Sometimes doing what seems right is wrong, and can cause harm. The only counter to it is knowledge, wisdom, forethought, and understanding the First Rule. Even then, that is not always enough.

03) Letting your emotions control your reason may cause trouble for yourself and those around you.

04) There is magic in sincere forgiveness; in the forgiveness you give, but more so in the forgiveness you receive.

05) Mind what people do, not only what they say, for deeds will betray a lie.

06) The only sovereign you can allow to rule you is reason.

07) Life is the future, not the past.

08) Deserve Victory.

09) A contradiction can not exist in reality. Not in part, nor in whole.

10) Willfully turning aside from the truth is treason to one's self.

11) One must always seek the truth in life for themselves, rather than simply believing that which they are told without their own rational understanding and justification for that belief. Failure to do so can lead to a life of clinging to empty promises and following trails of false hope. The knowledge gained through seeking the truth, if used for the purposes of good, is the key to enjoying life to its fullest. Those who use the truth for hate however, only betray themselves.