jprussell: (Default)
[personal profile] jprussell
Time for a review of another book by Shani Oates, this time In Search of Odhinn. Once again, I admired the breadth of evidence she brought to the table and her consideration of fine details, but was frustrated with her thoughts not being better organized or easy to follow. Let me know what you think!

Date: 2024-07-29 01:11 am (UTC)
k_a_nitz: Modern Capitalism II (Default)
From: [personal profile] k_a_nitz
I'm seeing a pattern here of writers of books on heathen topics not being able to organise their thoughts well.

On another note, I can see a future book on how Christ and Christus and Jesus and Jesu etc weren't the same god, based on how the worship of them varied so much.

Date: 2024-07-29 05:30 am (UTC)
k_a_nitz: Modern Capitalism II (Default)
From: [personal profile] k_a_nitz
Ha! "multiple Jesii" - the Church of the SubGenius, of course!

Date: 2024-07-31 03:07 pm (UTC)
causticus: trees (Default)
From: [personal profile] causticus
I can't comment on the book, since I haven't read any of it. But I did look into Oates's background back when you first brought her up a few weeks ago. I barely knew anything about non-Gardnerian Witchcraft traditions, and in looking into her background, it was real interesting to learn something new.

My best guess is that when she writes books about various traditions, literary works, and teachings that differs form her own she interprets them though the lens of her own teachings. So if for example those Tubal Cain teachings say that gods and goddesses are primarily human constructs (i.e. egregores), then the notion of every small group, tribe, or sect having their own unique gods and goddesses would make sense in light of that assertion. Vikings c. 900 AD would have a very different culture and environment than migration-age Goths, thus each respective group would be projecting very different images and energies out into the astral/otherworld.

But, going by your review, it sounds like she doesn't do a very good job at explaining this point in a very concise manner, if at all.

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Jeff Russell

March 2025

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