~ from The Runestone, October 2021 ~
Everyone who joins the Asatru Folk Assembly agrees to the Declaration of Purpose, the Statement of Ethics, and the Law of the Hall. From my own personal experience and from speaking with so many fellow AFA members through the years, I know that the Declaration of Purpose is what inspires Folk and that the Statement of Ethics is our foundation. These differentiate us from the outside world; they define what makes us Ásatrú.
But we don't talk about the Law of the Hall often enough. This document is not primarily about how we deal with the outside world or what sets us apart from it, even in positive terms. It is primarily about how we deal with one another. In fact, it is an ethical demand of what we OWE to one another as members of an Innangarðr.
Abide no strife in the hall or between kin. One must be able to speak one's mind candidly, but disagreements must never exceed the bounds of respect or courtesy. All within the hall are brothers and sisters and are to be treated appropriately.
Build bright fame, not dark disdain, for those who dwell in the hall. Our deeds and words must be such that the reputation of the Asatru Folk Assembly, and of Ásatrú as a whole, grows more glorious because of our presence. Do good to your kin, grow in your might and main...and when we disagree among ourselves, let it be done out of the sight of others.
We can all do better at these. They seem obvious but are tremendously difficult. Social media is socially flawed. It doesn't matter what platform, or whether its public or private. Social media is inherently anti-social because it doesn't communicate nuance or feelings. Let's all commit to being very careful with it. When we get angry or offended by something on social media, reach out directly to the person and remember they are kin, a brother or sister.
Witan Clifford Erickson
~ From The Runestone, October 2024 ~