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-What is Raven Kindred North?
-Why a Kindred?
-Who is RKN?
-How did you form RKN?
-What is a Blot?
-Can I join you for a Blot?
-Do you guys believe in Magic?
-What do mean by Oaths?
-Why a membership oath for RKN?
-How do you define Asatru?
-So what does it take to be a member?
-What do you mean by "interested in the advancement of the Asatru community"?
-What do you mean by having a "bond with the members of RKN"?
-Ok...then what do I do if I want to become a member?
-Wait a minute. So I can be an Asatruar, be interested in the advancement of the community, attend lots of Blots, and be an all around good person and still not become a member??
-WTF, why are you such a-holes?
-Who leads RKN?
-What is a Gothi?
-Who is RKN's Gothi?
-You don't have requirements for being a Gothi???
What is Raven Kindred North?
Raven Kindred was originally organized as a probational Asatru Alliance kindred. Our affiliation with the Asatru Alliance never went further than the application and we have been a staunchly independent kindred ever since.
Why a Kindred?
We believe that the Asatru experience is diminished when practiced alone. It is only within a full, healthy and active Community that the place of the individual Asatruar is maximized. Individuals have needs in the form of social outlets, reality checking of ideas and forums for inspiration.
Who is RKN?
MEMBERS
How did you form RKN?
RKN was formed with lots and lots of work. We started with a core membership of three. We networked via the internet and by word of mouth. We held rituals in both rain and shine. If you worship the Gods, good luck will follow
What is a Blot?
Click Here
Can I join you for a Blot?
Hospitality is important to us. But because our Blots are at our homes, we need people to contact the householder. It is ultimately up to them. Drop us an email.
We do like to meet folks before a Blot. We do this for the comfort of both guest and host. Blots can be hectic events with 20 or 30 people. Meeting in a neutral setting helps foster a feeling of security for all parties.
Do you guys believe in Magic?
We believe that there are supernatural forces that act within this world of Midguard. We believe that a religion is one way of explaining such things. We believe that the Gods could walk the earth. The lore tells us that many other stranger things act on Midguard.
What do mean by Oaths?
An oath creates a spiritual debt. Glory and an increase in your luck is likely your benefit for completion.
What concerns most is the price of failure. The extent of that debt depends on what procedures one uses to ratify that oath. Swearing a non-verbal oath in your own mind will likely make you feel bad the next day. Swearing an oath during Blot upon a holy oath ring and witnessed by the community and the Gods will likely have serious cosmological consequences.
Why a membership oath for RKN?
We believe that you are known by your words and your deeds. We use membership oaths to bind the kindred together. The oaths create stronger ties and sense of community. We are well aware of many Asatru groups that do not use membership oaths. But using oaths have worked for us. These oaths are quite serious. We believe that those oaths have kept us in check. We are a very raucous lot. Those oaths help remind us all why we joined, and to serve to keep us focused on what it is we are trying to build. Even in our most heated of discussions those oaths insure that we always deal with each other with respect and honor.
How do you define Asatru?
Asa-tru means "troth to the Gods". To be Asatru (or occasionally plural Asatruar) means that you are dedicated to honoring the Aesir and Vanir. We celebrate via Blots and symbles the holidays of our Norse/Icelandic/Germanic ancestors of the Viking Age. We seek to take the values of the Old Norse ways and adapt them to our modern way of life.
So what does it take to be a member?
You must be an Asatruar, you must be interested in the advancement of the Asatru community and have a bond with the members of RKN.
What do you mean by "interested in the advancement of the Asatru community"?
Each member of RKN wants the Asatru religion to flourish. We believe that there are things we can do as individuals for the greater community.
What do you mean by having a "bond with the members of RKN"?
We believe that giving membership merely means putting words to a bond of kinship that already exists.
Ok... then what do I do if I want to become a member?
Good question. I don't know.
Wait a minute. So I can be an Asatruar, be interested in the advancement of the community, attend lots of Blots, and be an all around good person and still not become a member??
Yep.
WTF, why are you such a-holes?
The concern is that each additional member creates an entire set of interaction problems and communication difficulties. We have lost members due to those "communication difficulties". It was not fun. We take our oaths very seriously. We need to be very, very, very sure before we expose ourselves to jeopardizing those loyalty oaths.
Who leads RKN?
No one. We are a democratic organization. We run on majority consensus for decisions. However, most votes are unanimous. We had a formal board structure but dropped it. One member, one vote and no waiting.
What is a Gothi?
A Gothi is a person with a special connection and dedication to one or more of Norse Gods. It is the common title for an Asatru priest.
Who is RKN's Gothi?
No one and everyone. The member leading the ritual is
the Gothi. Almost every member has taken a direct
part in our rituals. They are our Gothi. We
occasionally have identified older members as
"Elders". However, Elder is merely a honorific and
has no designation of rank.
You don't have requirements for being a Gothi???
We had a formal structure and requirements for being a Gothi. But we dropped it in favor of a direct informal process via the community. We believe that there is a place for formal and official priests in Asatru. That position is closer to being a teacher or counselor. They are NOT required for rituals, as anyone can have a connection with the Gods. They are NOT required for interpretation of the Lore, as anyone can read and study. Few members within RKN use that title.
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