This article is derived from a post on alt.religion.asatru written in April 1997.
Concerning politics and community, a clarification of terms.
In order to head off any confusion concerning my use of these terms and concepts, a brief overview. I do not oppose the promotion of Asatru in the social arena. I believe the faith is of value and should not limit its influence to those areas delineated as "spiritual". The faith has historically sought to extend its influence throughout the larger community. Society at large, incidentally, fits the criteria of "community", namely likeness and similarity, due to the shared political, legal, and other institutions and processes. Much of our lives happen within these externally imposed boundaries, so we are part of this community. I favor the influence of religion on issues of social policy beyond the narrowly defined "religious" arena of rites and rituals, of small reserved times and spaces like a church on Sunday morning, as with most Christians. Therefore, this is the meaning of my comments that I support religious influence in the political realm of the community.With the use of the concept of a singular Asatru community to justify actions against the free expression of belief by one section of that theoretical construct by another, I have pointed out that Asatru is in fact too broad, lacking similarity and likeness beyond the use of the term "Asatru", to be called a singular community. There are also no uniquely Asatru institutions or processes with authority over all segments of those who percieve themselves to be Asatruar. Niether on the basis of the Folkish Asatru community of shared belief and values, nor on the wider community's shared, unique institutions, does "the Asatru community" meet the standard of similarity and likeness.
Even if the concept of a singular Asatru community were accepted it would need to be broad enough to include the full spectrum of Asatru thought and would not, therefore, be a justification for the enforcement of the beliefs of one end of that spectrum upon another on any basis, let alone such flimsy pretexts as "bad press" or "embarrassment". That is, if we accept so broad and varied a construct, it would of necessity exclude such actions to narrow the variety of religious expression after the fact. (The universalist logic was instead- "No matter how different, we're all one, and since we're all one, there can be no more difference."
Beyond that is the question of the use of political techniques to assert authority over other Asatruar. Understand that "politics" as used above refers to an arena of public activity, the addressing of social issues and offering solutions on the basis of religious ideas. Here it refers rather to techniques, manipulation of ideas or processes to gain authority over others. In this sense, the word "politics" shifts completely in its focus from the first use- from offering solutions on a broad canvas to machinations in order to gain power over others for a particular interest group or individual. I strongly object to the use of political techniques applied to prevent the free expression of religious belief, or to require that expression take place only within the parameters defined by the interest group or individual engaging in "politics".
In summary, "politics" and "community" are terms which may be applied to different concepts or circumstances. The recognition of a social or religious community is not necessarily the recognition of other communities, except insofar as they meet the necessary criteria of likeness or common institutions. Folkish Asatru is a community in the truest sense of the word. A community of the widely differing religions that call themselves Asatru, on the other hand, from we Folkish Asatruar, to universalists, to hobbyists and reenactment groups, to New Agers, is an absurdity.
Further, the advocacy of of a political viewpoint in the sense of favoring an extension of religious influence beyond the parameters of the accepted role of religion as a sideshow, is not the advocacy of the use of political techniques to assert authority over others who consider themselves Asatruar- as was attempted by the universalists and hobbyists against the AFA on the basis of their theorized singular community.
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