Norse cult gains among inmates:
A pagan religion that some experts say can be interpreted as encouraging violence is gaining popularity among prison inmates, one of whom is scheduled to be executed this week for killing a fellow prisoner at the foot of an altar.
Michael Lenz is scheduled to die Thursday for the death of Brent Parker, who was stabbed dozens of times at Augusta Correctional Center during a gathering of inmates devoted to Asatru, whose followers worship Norse gods.
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Asatru is often associated with white supremacy, although most Asatru leaders deny that.
Does anyone know more about this?
Comments
I think it all started with this fellow http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varg_Vikernes
Posted by: Brandon | July 25, 2006 4:50 AM
If I had to guess, I'd say it's probably tied up with white nationalists, some of whom advocate the worship of "strong" Aryan gods, rather than the "weak" God of Christianity. I learned this diving into the cesspit of Holocaust denial, where there is a fairly large white supremacist contingent.
Posted by: Orac | July 25, 2006 6:57 AM
WHAT? White supremacists in the Holocaust denial movement? Next you'll be telling us that the evolution denial movement is full of religious fundamentalists!
Oh. Wait......
Posted by: NJ | July 25, 2006 7:19 AM
Well, virtually without exception, all white supremacists are Holocaust deniers (except for the particularly noxious variety that believes that Hitler failed because he didn't "finish the job"), but most Holocaust deniers aren't white supremacists.
Posted by: Orac | July 25, 2006 9:10 AM
Asatru isn't inherently racist (in fact one of my old co-workers was a devotee), though like anything, it can blend in with or attract the wrong elements. From what I know, most practitioners of Asatru are against racism as it violates important principles of hospitality (and probably honesty as well). However, anything can be twisted.
Posted by: DragonScholar | July 25, 2006 11:27 AM
My goodness, Coturnix, this entry made me gasp. Thor, Odin, Norse and "scheduled to be executed" just didn't fit together as there is no such thing as a death penalty in Norway! OK, I read the article.
A new gasp. The first comment above sent me to the Wikipedia article about "Greven" who burned down a few modern churches and one (Fantoft) from 1150 which I dearly loved. That despicable fellow must (still) have a tremendous following to "deserve" such a write-up.
Posted by: nbm | July 26, 2006 6:08 AM