Religious hierarchy

[Thurisaz]

Hey ,

 

just got reminded of the following and thought some of you might be interested.

 

There are those who think (however justified) that religions always go hand in hand with a hierarchical structure, like "high priest - priest - deacon - common believer".

It's not always the case... as "the case of Geza" illustrates.

Some time ago, a certain German heathen calling himself "Geza von Nemenyi" declared himself the Einherjersgode (quite literally "high priest") of all German Asatruar, proclaiming that he's the best choice, that he has the most knowledge about the religious rites of our ancestors et cetera.

 

The almost monolithic response from the largest German Asatru organizations "Odinic Rite Deutschland" and "Eldaring" (I'm a member of the latter one) was a thundering...

 

...FUCK YOU!

 

No one knew him, no one could be sure that he is even remotely what he claims to be, so basically everyone showed him The Finger™. The controversy continues to this day... though it's largely a "cretinist-type controversy" here. Geza and his few followers see it as one, we don't give a fucking shit.

 

Maybe some of you will find this interesting or even funny... and if so, this posting was worth the time I spent typing it.

[quicksand]

Well, lol, hey I remember reading reports that after the "fall of Bagdad" all sorts of people were running around calling themselves "mayor."

 

Eh.

 

But you're right, not all religions are institutionalized or hierarchal. Christians mold their religion into hierocracy because it supposed to mirror the hierarichy of heaven. It's more of the pagan guy - Plato, muddling things for them.

[Thurisaz]

 

Oh, and I have to correct myself (can't edit my OP anymore, so here goes) - Geza called himself the Alsherjarsgode. See, we hold hierarchy to be so unimportant that sometimes we don't even get the names right