There has been a huge blow up in the pagan community. I can't say heathen because not all who worship Loki call themselves Heathen. In case you come across someone who is angry about this, this is why.
Karl Seigfried posted an article in The Wild Hunt which uses bits of lore he "analyzes" to support the thesis that Loki is behind the rise of Trump to the White House.
( https://wildhunt.org/2018/11/column-loki-in-the-white-house.html?fbclid=IwAR3jHMpUG4o-ebf20UV6Hh5LYmZgwTu7hC7ioMpY1A146SJLV7-cHGBWi50 )
He uses 4 points of similarity between Trump and Loki from the Lore to try to support this idea: (1) objectifier of women, (2) betrayer of community, (3) opposer of the law, (4) bringer of chaos.
I could ignore the fact that other gods don't also fit all or some of these descriptions, but I won't.
Frey uses coercion to win over Gerdr, that's rape. He sits on Odin's throne and uses his magick when he first sees Gerdr, that's breaking a law or rule. He gives up his sword to convince Gerdr to marry him, which betrays the community he was supposed to use that sword to protect. That's just one, and one of the more gentle gods at that.
It often surprises me that those who worship Odin would also villify Loki given that Odin has lived up to all of the violations that Seigfried pointed out. Odin is known for manipulation of women, sexually using them, and even raping Rind to get her pregnant against her will for his own benefit. He often brags about these conquests and the magick he uses to make it easier. He betrays community through the breaking of oaths when it suits him and can't be counted on when it comes to support. His fickleness in battles and kings is well covered in the lore. At one point he was even exiled for a time for his betrayal of community, and his "brothers" watched over the throne in his absence. He is constantly looking for loopholes and ways around and through laws and oaths. As long as it benefits his purposes, he will flout the laws.
Chaos is not simply disorder, but it is also confusion and unpredictability. Many of the gods, and many pantheons of gods, often sew destruction and confusion in humanity for their own purposes. Besides, Zeus and Aphrodite, Odin can also be counted among those gods.
But I do not hear these gods being vilified the way many whole heartedly attack Loki.
And it wasn't just an attack on Loki, connecting him to a man whose sole purpose in life is to make himself richer and indulge in hedonism at any cost to others. Comparing him to a man accused of raping a 13 year old girl, sexually assaulting countless other women, revoking on contracts, failing to pay his debts, and engaged in corrupt financial dealings with foreign oligarchs.
This was also an attack on Loki's followers and those who worship him. Seigfried repeatedly appeals not only the idea that Loki is evil, but that those who worship him engage in destructive behavior, want to watch the world burn, cheer on the breaking of democracy and peace, and engage in abusive behavior such as death threats towards those that disagree with them.
Those who support Trump would never also support most Lokeans or those from the community. Many of those who are devoted to Loki are also outcasts in some way from mainstream society. I know outcast is a strong word, but that's how it feels. We are often queer, often non-white or not white enough, struggle with mental and physical health challenges, and have personality quirks that our past teachers may have described as "challenging" or "unique". We are already on the outskirts of even some of the more tolerant groups such as The Troth. Our god and our identities are often a struggle for even groups that claim to be "inclusive".
There is also the large group of women who worship Loki, and the acceptance of the Goddess face of Loki. His ability to shape shift, and even his time spent in a female body when he gave birth, is used as evidence against him. He is maligned as ergi, he is mocked for it. There is a definite vein of misogyny running through the attitudes of mostly men who attack Loki and his followers. There is a dismissal or demonization of magick from these attackers, even as they make hypocrites of themselves in exalting the magick of Odin and his shapeshifting or study of seidr. This seems to parallel the increasing prevalence of men who have entered the pagan community in recent years that have been undermining women scholars and goddess worship. I have seen this increasingly in workshops over the years when men attend and challenge the woman speaker. Apparently 40 years of research and development in an area of mythology isn't enough weight of authority for a newbie male pagan. Women are not surprised when these things happen since it is so common among us. Much like how common it is to be rejected when you are a member of a group who worships Loki.
Heathens who are also Trump supporters are more from the AFA or "traditionalist" leaning ranks. They see Loki as a perverted figure, a threat to family and community, much like Seigfried. It makes we wonder where his political affiliations lie. He claims to be not a racist and seems to support more progressive politics, but his alliance with the Nokian crowd in such an aggressive manor doesn't fit. And it should be no surprise that these groups also have twisted ideas about women and their place.
Those from within the community that worship Loki are some of the most generous people I have met. From raising funds for charity, offering hospitality and opening their homes, sticking up for those who are ostracized, counseling, teaching, sharing their skills, and just being totally normal people on the side. There's always one that ruins it for everyone, the ornery personality type that messes with people and tried to use Loki as an excuse. But there are Odinists and followers of Frey who do the same, but yet those gods are not ostracized because of a couple of unethical followers.
There is a readiness to attack Lokeans that heathens in particular and pagans in general just seem to have. There is an amazing willingness to ostracize these people, many of whom are already part of marginalized groups. Even white supremacists have painted Loki as Semitic and make the argument that he is satan because he is Jewish. It is twisted, but it is an actual argument flowing through these groups.
It is not just personally painful for a god that I love to be villified. It's not just a personal insult for my character to be maligned due to my association with others who worship him. It is dangerous. In this climate where groups are looking for scapegoats, right wingers are calling for a return to the burning times, terrorist attacks on mosques and synagogues are increasing in severity and frequency, it is not a short jump to start stalking, harassing, and killing those who also worship Loki. The basic elements are already there, the hate is already percolating. And articles like this add another target to the mix.
None of this is okay in any way shape or form. For a pagan publication to publish an article that attacks a god and a whole group of people associated with him, is an affront to decency and equality. It is intolerant and bigoted. To my knowledge, no other gods or goddesses have been treated this way by this publication before this. It would have been unheard of to publish an article about Zeus being a rapist, Aphrodite for starting a war with an apple, and not worthy of worship.
What makes it okay to skewer Loki in such a way?
Blog Responses:
https://ladyofthelake.blog/2018/11/26/dude-i-call-lokiphobia-check-your-bully-pulpit/
https://lokicult.com/2018/11/25/loki-and-trump-my-thoughts/?fbclid=IwAR3UixQjGzEqEEiWVUS-U7yCb-Ht2UYNIT6o31DNlAuwSarqWAPkNwP8cJo
https://ladyofthelake.blog/2018/11/25/dude-i-call-unverified-political-gnosis/
https://apolytheisticlife.com/2018/11/26/analysis-of-seigfrieds-comparison-of-loki-and-trump/?fbclid=IwAR0N_mn6r0ZrcsPNWMbH9tn8UPV7b5h8rms7jF4BOdRzxJgjdrEcif5usO4
https://sarenth.wordpress.com/2018/11/25/loki-is-not-trump-neither-is-odin/?fbclid=IwAR1gjxuLKENEYHx7u9B-ptBOrHffSeoOTXNFvjal7BVwNRaUo1CglV_3X5I
https://ladyofthelake.blog/2018/11/27/lokasenna-time/?fbclid=IwAR2sXHKnddDhJndy0QvHdm55LqpTsyPHHyJHk81JsjT3pI_jjRgPNrPbenA
https://lovinglaufeyssondotcom1.wordpress.com/2018/11/27/rebuttal-to-article-loki-in-the-white-house/?fbclid=IwAR3tJLFg4PDd7rzJWTFm0bwoXWJHq9_qoWA3naJQ5js_xaa9Gh6SDwfZINQ
https://mainer74.wordpress.com/2018/11/29/loki-discord-and-weak-lore/?fbclid=IwAR33g_fr2OvOS-m_Q8CluVOBx1M9lMKM0mRCQbz24Y_JH3m9RLJYnzKqLzg
https://tahnijnikitins.wordpress.com/2016/05/02/in-defense-of-loki-a-beltane-special/?fbclid=IwAR2ZUBfERIwMI3mXB3rfziEMvb7DamoLZPlNvxdfFbhMT6OchcRT7dWHvMw
