Shouldn't Lokasenna change her name?

Question

Since Lokasenna went in 14 days from being the leading expert in Asatru to a very outspoken fervent atheist, shouldn't she change her name now?
Since her name derives from a semi-religious Asatru text from the poetic Edda and contains the name of a Norse deity which she now denies the existance of...?

Don't you think some real Asatruar might be insulted by this?

Answer 1

Well....

I am asatruar, and have been ever since birth, i grew up in north norway into an asatru family. And yes, as a follower i find it insulting that someone who tried SO hard to prove she was one of us, could turn her back so quickly, especially after her over-the-top loyalty. And for what?!... to fall into the "cool crowd"?... or just to flirt with acid zebra?

i think she should change her name

also, all of the cool kids defending their leader on this answer, its as funny as it is sad.

(also, its funny how the know it all of asatru so quickly became the know it all of atheism)

EDIT @skalite - are you tying to say that knowledge and study = belief?!?!?!?!?!?!?...... give me a break, please. I know an aweful lot about arnold schwartzenegger movies, but i dont claim to know him personally

and @ lokasenna, im sorry, but heritage and family roots in a country does not afford you the right to wear a religious symbol.

@ lokasenna again - Well, i know part of the reason why you changed, hell all i have to do is check your 360 and your previous questions, ANY asatruar who even questions their belief over a loss, nevermind gives it up.... is not worthy to boast with such a heritage/knowledge or past belief.... and loka, you know enough about asatru to know im right.

Do you know at all how death was percieved in viking culture?!, the persons life and death were celebrated. Not mourned extensively.... and ive lost enough people believe me, and every one brought me closer to my gods.

@az - this post shows how little you actually no about my belief....find a proper argument, please.

@ 7proudmuslimah8whatever - Who are you attacking here?, me or the questioner? because i dont remember the questioner attacking anyone. And im sorry but your answer done very little to help lokasennas image, how can YOU say shes still an asatru etc, when she herself is very outspokenly athiest?! hell they even had a welcoming lokasenna to athiesm day!!!!, and she was loving every second.
Your answer is as contradictory and absurd as it is entertaining. Also, if you were calling me a little rat, i must thank you on the compliment.... only im a fairly big rat actually, but thanks anyway!

Also, i quote lokasennas profile "I am an atheist".... so YOU are now telling her what she is? eh?

Answer 2

If you have a problem with someone's user name you should just e-mail them personally about it. Only a coward would post something like this in a public forum; you're intention is not honorable at all. Merely an attempt to insult and put down someone.

Whether or not she changes her user name should be up to her personally. She had already said she originally picked the name because it had meaning for her and she still likes it. You and and especially Thorgrim are behaving like a bunch of judgmental fundamentalist Christians do when someone leaves the flock.

Anyone trying to imply that someone simply changed their beliefs because they wanted to look cool, or because they wanted to impress someone else; gets no respect from me. I happen to know Loka very well, that is not at all why she decided to become an atheist. She struggled with her beliefs for quite some time. Those of you who are not her friends obviously didn't know that yet you are all too quick to assume the worst.

You are being extremely rude by implying that someone never really was [insert any religion] because they've changed their mind. Like I said, behaving like a judgmental fundamentalist Christian who claims there are no such thing as Ex-Christians. I hate to break it to you, but there are also Ex-Asatruars too. I have never seen Loka attack or put down Asatru in any way shape or form so I fail to see what your big beef is here.

Answer 3

Insulting somebody's personal journey is utterly childish, specially on a world wide web, where we don't even know the person behind the avatar.

From what I've seen, lokasenna (the person behind the avatar) hasn't changed during or after her conversion. I fail to see how this personal attack does any good for lokasenna, the asker, Asatru or atheism.

One of the above answerers, Thorgrimm, even manages to make this incident more ridiculous. Not only does he insult a person's personal journey by saying it's simply caused by a personal loss, he (she?) also manages to insult my beliefs, atheism, by saying somebody could convert to it based on it being nothing more than a 'cool crowd'. And I won't even respond to the low insult of 'flirting with another member'.

Gosh, some people on this website are truly disgusting.

I would never be upset if atheism lost a 'member', because everybody on this planet is on a personal journey. I don't claim to have the wisdom to judge such a journey based on a few Q&A's on a website. Obviously Thorgrimm has that wisdom. Or at least dreams he has.

Both asker and Thorgrimm are a disgrace to humanity. And yes, I base that wisdom on one question and one answer. Sue me.

Answer 4

Every expression, language, and name has its roots in the long forgotten past. Conquerers had the habit of destroying the subjugated's culture and ways (burned valuable libraries, buildings, and built on top), so they would be forgotten in a few generations. Then they would rewrite history, with themselves looking like wonderful people. Everything is not as it seems. Lokasenna should do what s/he wants.

Answer 5

My husband's contemporary call replaced into given to him while he replaced into accompanied from foster care at age 14. He knows a recognition he had while he replaced into an toddler yet he does not comprehend if it replaced into the unique adoptive families given call or his mom's given call. the unique adoptive mothers and dads threw him returned into the equipment at age 4. (i comprehend the reason yet could extremely no longer proportion it extremely is despicable) His call, including while he replaced into 14, replaced into replaced 5 situations. while he went to an orphanage or what they call "centers" now, they could replace his call. He replaced right into a foster to undertake case and that they could replace his call or start up calling him the call until eventually now it replaced into finalized in common terms to have him be bumped off and positioned someplace else. to regulate, at a youthful age he replaced into given a nickname by potential of a pal in a "center" and he has been employing that as his call ever because of the fact. that's what I call him besides. i think of that a recognition given to a newborn should not be tampered with. with the aid of having our own infants, i comprehend that youngsters start to correctly known their call previous to six months. Taking it away could be very perplexing and unfavorable psychologically. some human beings shield it extra desirable than others of path. yet too a lot of human beings abuse the actuality that they could in basic terms replace a newborn's call so actually. i'm sorry, yet reunion isn't achieveable so i will't proportion his tale on that.

Answer 6

Lokasenna's personal journey is none of your business. Because of her deconversion, does that invalidate her previous beliefs, or the time and effort she spent into studying them? Does she now know any less than she did 2 weeks ago about Asatru? If so, that would make me incapable of replying to questions on the Bible, as I am no longer a Christian. Does that make the hours and years of study I've put into the religion invalid, or somehow incorrect in my knowledge? No, it just means I no longer believe it. She is who she is, was, and will be, and changing her name isn't going to validate or invalidate her journey through life.

Answer 7

Now we're offending Asatru-ists?

Answer 8

I never claimed to be any sort of expert, leading or otherwise. And I've always been outspoken about my beliefs whatever they happen to be.

I had considered changing my screen name but I talked to a few of my friends, some of whom do happen to be Asatruars, everyone told me to keep the screen name and to keep wearing my Thor's hammer because it still has meaning to me. Just because I happen to be an atheist now doesn't mean I have lost all connection to my ancestors. That was the main thing I loved about Asatru, the heritage part. Also, my fondness for the poem Lokasenna hasn't changed at all. It's still my favorite out of the Eddas.

Answer 9

Ásatrú describes a variety of efforts to revive the indigenous, pre-Christian religions of the Teutonic tribes of Northern Europe.

Those who identify themselves as Ásatrú usually base their lists of gods on Norse mythology and the Icelandic sagas as well as other scanty historical evidence.

Insult, real or perceived, is irrelevant because Ásatrú is a tradition of men and not true religion. We are people. We get insulted. Life is about getting past things.

Answer 10

I'm a pagan and an atheist. I have been told that I cannot be. Nonsense. The gods and goddesses can be seen as symbolic -- in fact, it is my feeling that symbolically is the ONLY way in which the gods can be seen by a *rational* person.

Our screen names need not be a resume; they may reflect our beliefs but are not sworn testimony thereof.

My name is Chicky. My kids did not hatch from eggs.

.

Answer 11

Well it's her own business, and I guess she'll keep it because people recognise her by that screen name... What would she be without her group of friends now, eh? They all know her by that name, so it's logical that she keeps it.

But I do think it's slightly unsuitable. I'm an Asatruar too and I feel very sorry that despite all the pointers into that direction, she was ready to drop her beliefs so quickly.
Sorry to say that Loka...