[willwinger]

Unrelated, is the word pagan used in the headline, appropriate in this day and age? It is an umbrella term that is used to refer to non Abrahamic religions with a derogatory slant like 'heathen'. This is similar to using Mythology as a term for any non Abrahamic religious references.

[vidarh]

In Norway at least they don't have these connotations. We long had a "Norwegian Heathen Society", who a few years ago abandoned the name because it had long since become so uncontroversial it didn't serve a purpose any more.

Originally the point was to annoy christians - Norway had a state church and laws against blasphemy and they regularly tried, but consistently failed, to get charged for it (last time those laws had much of an effect was when Life of Brian was originally refused a rating out of concern it broke the law).

As a Norwegian, I wouldn't hesitate to call myself a heathen.

[willwinger]

Thanks good to know.

[kriberg]

I'm generalizing, but most Norwegians wouldn't find pagan or heathen derogatory.

During the 90s, it was embraced as a common denomer for the anti-religious movement.

[b800h]

For some reason this reminds me of the 1987 reboot of Dragnet, starring Dan Ackroyd, in which a satanic crime ring called PAGAN ("People Against Goodness And Normalcy") were planning on sacrificing a virgin. IIRC it was secretly run by the local archibishop.

But honestly, at this point, we've had 30 years of largely positive press for neopagans; I don't see how the word could be considered pejorative.

[danans]

What alternative word would you prefer to be used? The Norse didn't have a name for their religion before encountering Christianity.

[riffraff]

I guess one could use the name of the population (Norse? Danes?) or the specific deity or something associated with it.

E.g. we refer to Greek or Roman temples rather than Pagan ones. We also say Apollo's Temple, or Solomon's temple. I guess "pagan" is a fallback for lack of more precise names.

(I didn't notice it in the title at all until GP's comment, I just realized now this is an interesting oddity)

[mongol]

Today, the Swedish word for their belief is asatro, where as is male deity from the era in question and tro is belief. (Female deity of same era is asynja)

[hutzlibu]

Is it really refering specifically to a male deity? I thought it refers in short in general to the Æsir, one of the principal pantheons, with male and female gods

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86sir

[mongol]

It is what it said when I looked it up in the Swedish Academy's thesaurus. But perhaps it can differ.

https://svenska.se/so/?id=102892_1&ref=kcnr419785

[vidarh]

Asatro in many places has a strong negative connotation due to partially being coopted by racists. I've encountered more purported believers in Asatro who are neo-Nazi than not. They may well be a small minority for what I know, but they are vocal, and so it's a term that's tricky.

[mongol]

That is a form of historical appropriation that we should not just blindly accept. The word originates in the 1820s and the word as is much older. I for one will use it in its original meaning and encourage others to do as well.

[vidarh]

I get that sentiment, though I feel it's a bit of a losing battle, because it also means you may often need to contextualize what you mean if you want to avoid misunderstandings

[mongol]

I have not felt that, now I don't use the word asatro often but for example in this thread I believe the room for misunderstanding is minuscule.