AFA Statement of Ethics
We believe that members of the Asatru community should be guided by
the following principles:
1) The Aesir and Vanir Principle
We believe in and honor the Gods and Goddesses of our Germanic
ancestors, the Aesir and Vanir. We believe that they hold special
value for us. We seek their good fortune and we work to develop and
maintain mutually beneficial relationships with them. We honor the
Aesir with our dedication and spirituality; we honor the Vanir with
our deep respect and dedication to preserving and protecting Midgard.
We believe that through ritual, dedication, generosity, honor, and
hard work, our lives and consciousness will be touched by the Holy Powers.
2) The Folk Community Principle
A community based in ancestry and common culture is a better society
to live in. We in Asatru hold that our ethnic culture is vital and
worthy of protection and promotion. We believe that we each have a
personal responsibility to consider the folk good and to assume a
personal role in promoting and protecting it. We believe that each of
us must work to keep our heritage alive. For the best community, we must:
a) Work to make justice and law rule among our folk
b) Express good will towards and cooperation with members of our
community.
c) Work for a better tomorrow. We believe that we have an
obligation to create a better future for our folk and to shape a
brighter future for our children.
d) Give back to the community that has given to us.
3) The Ancestry Principle
We are a community united by descent from common ancestry. We value
this unique heritage and seek to maintain a vibrant connection with
our ancestors. We each should strive to know about our ancestry and
commit to that which defines our common folk community.
4) The Family Principle
Healthy families are the cornerstone of folk society and its strength
and prosperity is derived from them. We in Asatru support strong,
healthy family relationships. We want our children to grow up to be
mothers and fathers. We believe that those activities and behaviors
supportive of the family should be encouraged while those activities
and behaviors destructive of the family are to be discouraged.
5) The Organization Principle
A disorganized community is a weak community. In the world we live in
today, being disorganized is akin to inviting death. Organize or die.
We must build our community and its ability to promote and defend its
own interests. The community must be able to focus resources and
bring benefits to our members. We are committed to building thriving
folk communities, growing leaders and encouraging cooperation among
our folk. The leadership roles of our community should be respected
just as individual rights must be.
6) The Personal Excellence Principle
One should strive to grow in capabilities and wisdom. One should
maintain good physical and mental health. Know right and wrong and
how to reason about them. One should be well-read both in the lore
and in a wide range of subjects that will help you understand and
utilize opportunities in Midgard and beyond. Know how to apply what
you know. We believe that the pursuit of knowledge, the accumulation
of wealth, the practice of skill, the building of family, and the
leadership of men and women are worthy endeavors.
7) The Honor Your Oaths Principle
Living honorably requires fulfilling one's oaths at all costs. Never
enter into oaths lightly; understand the consequences of oaths before
making them and live up to your obligations that result from oath making.
8) The Warrior Principle
We believe that our members should strive to be ready for the
challenge to defend our folk, Gods and Goddesses with both cunning
and physical skill when needed. We should be prepared to stand
against those forces which would seek to destroy our Gods and Folk.
9) The Life is Good Principle
Living, loving, expanding, thriving, and acquiring wealth and
prosperity: we should grasp and experience these things in life. One
of the things that are important in life is its mystery. In Asatru we
have the ability to, and should strive to, transcend mundane human
existence by cultivating our unique connections and relationships
with our Gods and Goddesses, our ancestors, and the spirits of the
land, and by studying our culture, our Lore, the runes, and the
mysteries of the Nine Worlds.
