Vikings: Conquerors of the Universe

Note: This is somewhat a religion based thread concerning Odinism and the vikings. It explains the vikings relations to outer space, but also goes into detail on a few theories of Odinism as well as facts.

Vikings: Conquerors of the Universe

History​

Lets start off with the discovery of "outer space". In 350 BC Aristotle, a Greek philosopher suggested that nature contains no vacuums because the denser surrounding material continuum would immediately fill the rarity of an incipient void. This was the first time it was suggested that the area outside of the earth was not just a void, nothingness, but was indeed something... That something we call space.

Zhang Heng, an astronomer from Ancient China, was convinced that space must be infinite, extending well beyond the "mechanism" that supported the sun and the stars. The surviving books of the Hsuan Yeh school said that the heavens were boundless, "empty and void of substance", "sun, moon and the company of stars float in the empty space moving or standing still". I am uncertain when Heng became convinced of these theories, but he lived from 78 AD - 139 AD, so it was well over 350 years after Aristotle's theory.

Now, lets skip ahead almost another 700 years. In the 790s, only the greeks were studying astronomy regularly and most of the world still believed there was only earth, the sun, moon and the stars. (Yes there are a few exceptions, but it was MOSTLY just Greek.)

It was around this time (790s) that the vikings raids started. Most believed the world to be flat, but not the Vikings. And no one had ever successfully sailed from the Scandinavian area to England. It is said that Ragnar Lodbrok was the first man to sail to England. (However, many believe Ragnar was simply a legend, and not a real person. Even though his sons are real historical figures.)

The 9 Life Bearing Planets​

But lets back track a little bit... Long before the Norse people were called vikings, long before the raids, they worshiped the Norse Gods. These gods came from beyond the earth, from space. They came from across the universe. They came to Earth and created the people (The Norsemen) and told them that the world was not flat, that there was more beyond the sky, there was an entire universe. The gods did not hide the fact they came from a different planet. The gods claimed there were 9 worlds that held life.

In order from highest to lowest in the Universe was:

Niflheim was the first planet. Deep under the ground of Niflheim is where Helheim is. Helheim is where people go if the lived a life of doing things they themselves believed to be wrong. Niflheim is where all who die of sickness, old age, or an accident go. In todays Odinism, the entire planet is often just called Hel.

Asgard, is the home of the Æsir. This is the home of Odin, Frigg, Thor, Baldr and Tyr..

Vanaheim, the home of the Vanir. Vanir (Vanr for singular) are gods as well, gods associated with fertility, wisdom and the ability to see the future. After the Æsir–Vanir War, the Vanir became a subgroup of the Æsir. Subsequently, members of the Vanir are sometimes also referred to as members of the Æsir. The deities Njordr, Freyr and Freyja are members of the Vanir. Asgard as well as Vanaheim are near Earth.

Recently 3 planets possibly bearing life were discovered in a solar system not far from our own. It is possible 2 of these planets are Asgard and Vanaheim.

Jotunheim, home of the Giants, is also located somewhere between Nilfheim and Earth.

Then, in the middle is Midgard, "Middle Earth", the home of humans. (Earth)

Alfheim, the home of the Light Elves, Svartalfheim, home of the Dark Elves, Nidavellir, home of the Dwarves, and Muspelheim, home of Fire Giants and demons, are located on the opposite side of Earth. I cannot remember what order they come in, except that Muspelheim is the furthest away.

This shows that the Vikings knew of other planets as well other solar systems in the universe. They were far ahead of their time, matched only by the Greeks, who they had no contact with to know their theories. The vikings learned their theories from their gods.

My Philosophy​

I myself worship the Gods as Gods. I consider them deities from other planets, with mystical powers. However, I do accept there is a possibility they were not gods at all, but "aliens".

It is often believed that the gods of many religions were aliens with no mystical powers, but highly advanced technology that appeared mystical to the primitive humans. For example, Thor's hammer that shot lightning bolts? Possibly some kind of "laser" cannon that shot blue/purple colored lasers that created patterns similar to lightning. For more information on this theory, watch Season 5 Episode 11 of the history channel series "Ancient Aliens".

There is another theory that does not take the 9 planets out of our solar system. At one time, we believed our solar system had 9 planets. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune & Pluto. Some of these planets are made of gas and could never actually even be walked on, but there is a theory that states these planets were not always made of just gas and possibly had some if not all of the planet covered in rock/soil/something similar. This theory goes on to believe the 9 planets of Norse religion were all here in our solar system. Niflheim, being the coldest planet would have to be Pluto, while Muspelhieim was the hottest and covered in lava and fire, this would have to be Mercury.

That leaves a small loophole however, Earth is the 3rd planet from the sun, not the 5th. Some who follow this theory believe that was not always true, and that the Earth was at one time further down the chain of planets or that there were possibly once more planets closer to the Sun than Mercury, but the sun expanded and swallowed those planets. Others say that planets can change orbit and every so many years, Mars and possibly Jupiter orbit around to the opposite side of Earth. This theory also claims there is a fear that during this cross-orbit mars has a chance of colliding with Earth.

So now we have 3 theories:
1. 9 Planets throughout the Universe have life.
2. The 9 planets were all part of our solar system, but Ragnarock (the apocolypse) already happened but only Earth survived while the gods and other beings of our solar system were wiped out.
3. Where ever the Gods did come from, they were not Gods, but aliens.

The 2nd theory comes to bring a completely new theory all together. Ragnarok is the Norse God apocalypse. It wipes out most of the gods and leave only 2 humans alive. There is a theory that this happened long ago, before humans were civilized at all. That's right, some people believe the end of the world happened before humans even came together in tribes. What makes this idea at all logical? Well Christians of course! Some believe that only 1 god survived Ragnarok and he is now known simply as "god". And the two humans who survived as well? You got it right! Adam & Eve!

Norse Religion​

It is believed that Odin came from Asgard to Midgard and created the Norse people. He put them in the Scandinavian area, mainly. He taught them about the 9 worlds and the universe. He explained the Giants of Jotunheim as well as Muspelhim were the sworn enemies of the Gods.

He also told them of the afterlife. Those who die in battle would be split 50/50. Half of them would go to Him in Asgard to stay in Valhalla. This was the greatest honor of all, as the most honorable of fallen warriors would get the honor of sitting with Odin, the chief of the gods himself, in his feast hall.

The other half of fallen warriors would go to the Vanr, Freyja, in her own hall, Sessrumnir which is located in the field of Folkvang. I am not 100% certain if Folkvang is located in Asgard of Vanaheim, but I would have to believe it is a field in Vanaheim, as Freyja is a Vanr.

"The ninth is Folkvang, where Freyja decrees
Who shall have seats in the hall;
The half of the dead each day does she choose,
And half does Odin have"

Those who are of evil, who goes against their own morals go to Helheim in Niflheim. For example, if a man were to know that rape is a horrible crime, that he goes his entire life thinking rapists are horrible, but then one day he rapes a woman, he will go to Helheim.

Those who die of sickness, old age or an accident also go to Niflheim. They do not have a glorious hall, but they are not treated badly as those who are sent underground to Helheim are. It is a common misconception that all of Niflheim is a horrible place, but it is not true. In modern Odinism all of Niflheim is called simply "Hel" pronounced "Hell". The goddess Hel reigns over Niflheim. She provides refuge for the innocents who come to her realm and punishment to the evil ones who she sends to dreadful Helheim.

A Heathen Religion​

Odinism was not always considered a Heathen religion. Christianity was established in the 300s AD. I believe around 1095 (not really sure) the crusades began. The crusades are often depicted as a holy war to reclaim the holy land. That isn't true. The crusades were an excuse to force others into Christianity. Why? Because other religions couldn't be used to control to the masses.

My religion for example, you only go to a bad place if you do things that your own morals tell you not to. If I truly believed it was ok to rape and murder innocent people, I wouldn't go to a bad place. This could not be used against them. You can't tell an Odinist "do what I say or you will burn forever in fire" because an Odinist believes as long as he does what he believes is right, he will not be punished.

The crusades named Odinism (at that time known as Norse Paganism) a Heathen religion that must be obliterated. The vikings were slaughtered. They had the choice to convert to Christianity, or die. Many of them converted, many of them died, but many of them only pretended to convert, while many of them fled and managed to hide from the crusaders and pass their beliefs down long after the crusades had ended.

For proof of my claims, we all know by now that the more modernly popular "pagan" religion was also targeted by the Crusades. Why were they targeted? You cannot control someone with fear of a horrible afterlife if they simply worship the earth and its elements.

Nothing about the Odinist religion makes us heathens. It makes us free. People claim it's a violent religion and that makes us heathens, but that isn't true. One who dies in battle without honor, killing just for the sake of killing, he would not have the chance to enter Valhalla.

For example. If a man decides to go on a rampage so the police will have no choice but to kill him, he will not go to Valhalla. He will most likely find himself in Hel, unless of course he really believed it was the right thing to do to go on a rampage murdering innocent people, in that case, he would have a 50/50 shot at sitting beside Odin.

The reason it is not a violent religion is because it isn't required. You can live a peaceful life as an Odinist and find yourself in the beautiful lands of Hel (Niflheim) instead of underground being punished. But the most glorious afterlife DOES go to those who were the most glorious in life. Those who fight for what they believe, fight in wars to protect their home country, these are the people who are most likely to find themselves in the great hall of Valhalla. Odin and Freyja take those who are most honorable and strong, not those who just blindly act violent against their own morals to earn the Gods' favor.

Reasons for this Post​

This post is simply to provide possible theories as well as facts. The facts? Somehow, the Nordic people of old knew about space. They knew about a universe and they claim thats where their (our) gods came from. In terms of civilization and their actions, the Norse people were very primitive. They relied on brute strength to get the supplies they needed by raiding. Their buildings were also primitive, made of wood and hay, nothing like the highly advanced Greeks who made large monuments and buildings, or like the Egyptians who built the pyramids. But yet, they some how had an even more advanced philosophy on the universe.

Again, a group of people who lived almost in tribes, had just as good of an understanding, if not better, of space than the highly advanced Greek civilization.

This thread is also to help justify the beliefs of myself and others who follow Odin. It shows the logical points of the religion, as well as the possibilities of so much more.

An open mind and a free thinker will find the subliminal messages in this post and tie together that even if religion is not true, that the beliefs and theories of the vikings prove that there is other life in the universe, or at least there was at one time. There would be no other explanation of their knowledge of other planets, and life on those planets.