In fact, Command Sgt. Do you want to continue? If there are any concerns about health and safety, the employer can ask that the employee keep their religious attire or facial hair trimmed. Beards define the Heathen man. This is tricky because while there aren't rules about mandatory facial hair, there are hair and beard styles that we see throughout the heroic literature of the time. 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. HUGE difference. A solitary Wiccan, Erik writes about Wicca, Norse religion, and making altars. No. I'm a Pagan hippy,and go with the gods and goddesses of Greece, Rome, and Egypt, but if I joined the army, to save my beard, I wouldn't have a problem switching to the Norse pantheon during my enlistment. Perhaps that God may or may not exist, but represents your morals, your constructed way of life stemming from a sense of right and wrong. You would be surprised how a general can look like a private when close to the front line. Any resemblance to news may be purely coincidental. Introducing our new Environmental Policy Officer, Anne Edward.. Down beard and chin ran the tears of Dietrichs men. A physical description of someone who had a beard. Statistically, it is growing quickly in the United States and Europe. Read more in our article Challenges of Being a Pagan. 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. i believe it is a welcome change to those like myself who never could please the brass even by shaving twice a day. It is published by West Coast Publishing, a firm in no way connected with the Department of Defense, the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard. Who will avenge it? HUGE difference. The U.S. Army granted a religious accommodation to a soldier for his "Heathen; Norse Pagan faith" to be able to grow a beard. 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. While the Law gives us a window into daily life in Gotland, it doesn't help us understand anything about the value of a beard in pre-Christian Norse culture. This argument seems to be more rooted in Christian dogma than any form of Paganism. It's time we truly embraced religious tolerance for Christians, Muslims, Hindu, Buddhists, the others I've missed and pagans. ins.style.width = '100%'; As well as Freyinga saga (The Saga of the Faroe Islands): Thrond was a big man of growth, and red haired he was, and red bearded.. Employers must offer religious accommodations with regard to religious garb and grooming, as long as it does not cause undue hardship for the company. 19 November, 2022 - 12:00 PM EST to 19 November, 2022 - 3:00 PM EST. 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! Therefore emphasizing the association between beard and manly virtues in Norse culture. John Hoskins applied for a beard exemption as part of his proclaimed devotion to the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster a faith also known as Pastafarianism., This request is based on my deeply and sincerely held belief in the Pastafarian faith, Hoskins wrote in his request to the Army. As we all know paganism is very diverse and some studies look at paganism as a whole. Army Soldier Allowed to Grow Beard for Norse Religion, a 'Heathen' Tradition. ins.dataset.adChannel = cid; 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. Sgt. Now, it is considering two similar requests from Pagan soldiers,. Some countries do not allow for a religious freedoms. The Romans required short beards because it was too easy to grab the beard with one hand and cut off the opponent's head with the sword in the other hand. 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. ins.style.display = 'block'; "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. Nowhere in any of the eddas, our closest thing to source texts, does it mandate or even concern itself with facial hair. The Basics Introduction to Norse Heathenry The History of Norse Heathenry Our Sources Practice Formats Powers & Entities Deities Spirits Ancestors Cosmology Creation Yggdrasil The Worlds* The Norns Market data provided by Factset. If you have a mind capable of believing all three of these attributes simultaneously, I have a wonderful bargain for you. The Secret Story of the Original War on Christmas, Muslim, Jewish Firefighters Sue Over Facial Hair Policy, The History of Advent They Don't Teach You in School, The Secret Religious History of Thanksgiving, Is This Middle School Mural 'Satanic'? There are many pagan religions that consider it important for one to have facial hair in order to express the person's religious identity. Maj. John Troxell, the senior enlisted adviser to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, recently insisted beards remain both a distraction and a "gimmick.". All rights reserved. Many companies argue that allowing religious facial hair in the workplace could harm the company image. 1st Class Benjamin Hopper a member of the Nevada National Guard, religious accommodation to Army Regulation 670-1 Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms. If you think wilderness survival is neat, also neat. Some Racist; Supposedly Norse Group; Made Open threats To Appear and Disrupt the Fest if she was not replaced with one of "Pure Blood" The Police Chief Responded with All are Welcome to our Town and Fest; But if Yo come toDisrupt with Acts of Violence KNOW THIS: There are Limited Exits Off our peninsula! However, the EEOC states that employees can not be discriminated against for religious beliefs. What are your thoughts on that? Honestly, I find myself more in favor of hair and beards than spending so much wasted time primping. In Whitsels case his attorney Ashlie Case Sletvold, stated, America was founded on the principle of religious freedom. Thor is just as credible as all other gods, and as long as it doesn't interfere with his ability to perform his duties as a soldier. Theres not much to choose though between you two. Employees should be prepared to provide this information if requested. How is that supposed to work. 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. Many of Our Community are Hunters, Loggers and Fisherman; and will Do Whatever it takes to Protect our Home All products and services advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non-merit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. Let's look at the texts. Being known as an oath breaker is possibly the greatest insult to someone who holds Heathen values. They are our soul. "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 accommodations," the . I agree. God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent - it says so right here on the label. LOLyes, I have too, and this is why grooming standards for facial hair were invented! Guta Lag, the laws of Gotland in Sweden were also written over a century after the Christianisation, and reflect a heavily Christianised version of the older laws. Likewise, they would not be able to worship the old Gods, as these laws specifically forbid it. No. Firstly it is equating Loki with the Christian Devil which is a fundamental misunderstanding of their role. At no point do they mention any spiritual or religious aspect of beard wear. A big beard isn't a substitute for a personality. I see it as a phase very similar to when the Army authorized the wear of black socks during the fitness test. They've come to respect (at least to some degree) individual faith beliefs that stray from the mainstream as well. satrarflagi, the Pagan Association, was formally founded in the spring of 1992. This isn't to say you shouldn't get those things if you enjoy them. Many of the new "grooming standards" were laid out in a 2017 decision to accommodate religious requirements for facial hair. 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. 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. In all of the above sources there is no spiritual aspect to the wearing of beards. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is a government agency that enforces federal laws against workplace discrimination. He is very much a real and true god as much as any other god of any other religion. 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. If I am shaved, then my strength will leave me and I will become weak and be like any other man.. 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 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. Paganism is not an ancient dead religion. Religious Beards in the Workplace: Are Pagans Allowed Beards? The Open Halls Project, an advocacy group for heathens serving in the military, sought to clarify any existing confusion in a 2017 post about beard exemptions. norse pagan beard requirements. Have a question for us or an officer? "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 accommodations provided in. Your own conscience. The first such accommodation came in 2017 following years of beard-exemption requests and legal pressure from Sikh soldiers seeking to preserve religious traditions while wearing a U.S. uniform. But can we take this as a universal rule? 325 Chestnut Street What if Loki (yes there are loki devotees) demands something if me (I shudder to think what)? Latest Statistics and Studies, Norse Mythology Children's Book Reviews For Pagan Families, The Law of Attraction: How Can It Help Your Practice, Rodnovery: Animal Totems And Spirit Guides, How to Setup a Norse Pagan Altar ( Complete list of supplies needed ), Cerridwen: Celtic Goddess of the Underworld and Moon, Full Moons Throughout The Year 2023: Names and Meanings, Heng - o (Ch'ang-o): Chinese Moon Goddess, 21 Best Pagan Names For Cats (Including Meanings). So, as a Norse Heathen, I find this whole thing upsetting. Federal and state laws guarantee Mr. Whitsel the right to practice his faith without interference from his employer. Cosplaying as a Viking isn't a religion, though it is fun to do at parties. Throughout this extensive text, in fact the longest and most developed Icelandic saga, countless references are made to not only associate beards with masculinity and virtue, but also to greatly insult and disparage any man who does not sport a beard: Chapter 35There's not much to choose though between you two. of all weirds ones. What if Odin says I'm supposed to wear an eye patch to honor his sacrifice and shamanic journey? They where very vain and very much into a large variete of hair and beard trends. Saying "Odin has one eye" or "Thor has a red beard" aren't statements of fact. Raymond Whitsel, Norse Pagan Heathen, filed a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2014, saying that he was told to shave his religious beard or be fired from a job. Lokiis is known to have wrecked havoc among the sir, even being responsible for the death of some of them, including Baldur. It is for these reasons that we at the PF will not directly intervene, on the beard matter. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, 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. These laws are from medieval Scandanavia, and not relevant today. Odin is the one-eyed God, the father figure. This would allow religious people to practice their faith without affecting company image or safety standards. Employers must offer religious accommodations with regard to religious garb and grooming, as long as it does not cause undue hardship for the company. By Elana Glowatz On 4/26/18 at 5:12 PM EDT. , though it is growing quickly in the workplace: are pagans Allowed beards dogma. Who holds Heathen values shaved, then my strength will leave me and I will become and... 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