Hello guys, My name is Maximilian and I am new to this community of theology in space. And I wanted to explore how paganism would work in space or on other planets, but I will just be referring to both locations as the blanket term of "space." So to clarify ...
Hello guys,
My name is Maximilian and I am new to this community of theology in space. And I wanted to explore how paganism would work in space or on other planets, but I will just be referring to both locations as the blanket term of "space."
So to clarify some of my own beliefs so you can see where I am coming from first. I am a Norse pagan/polytheist but used to be a very strong Christian, I do indeed believe in extra-terrestrial life. I also believe that one of the core goals of humanity is to survive, and a great way to do that is by seeking other places to live off our planet. As humans we cannot stay on a planet that we know will eventually perish, rather we can look elsewhere for new places to live, This is why I strongly believe in the goals and aspirations of Asgardia, and other space companies who are making it their goal to help humanity become a multi-planetary species.
So as you may know paganism is rooted in nature, and the human connection to the gods through nature. Now, on a let's say... space station or some type of centrifuge ring there isn't any nature to interact with the gods in. However, pagans on earth for hundreds of years have practised their traditions indoors. In Iceland the Pagan traditions were made illegal for many years, however, people still kept the tradition alive within their homes. This same concept can be applied to living on a space station or a different planet.
Moving to outer worlds and outer space with our Earthly religions would put new stress on "are our Gods real?" Most of the astronauts to date have been Christian, Muslim, or atheist however, paganism is a lot different. Paganism is often viewed as a religion only pertaining to the practitioner and the Earth. To us, pagans space would be a real challenge for our beliefs and serve as testing ground for our gods. Rituals would also be conducted in a new fashion and would need to adapt to the items available on said station or planet.
However, one thing that we all can appreciate, whether your a pagan or not, is the longevity of these pagan religions. Norse Paganism for example has been around for thousands of years. Yet it still continues today, thanks to people in Iceland who practiced the religion illeagaly in there homes to continue the ways of the ancestors to new generations. It would be amazing to see such religions expand into space, our ancestors could only imagine that one day the stars that they looked up at and wrote stories about, would have there future generations travelling between them.
I am currently writing more on this topic, if you are interested just message me.
Thanks,
Maximilian