In defense of Loki

I have seen one of the Aesir be denigrated by Asatruar, and I have to say that it bothers me greatly.

It bothers me for a few reasons, in part due to the lingering influence of Christian upbringing, and in part due to focusing on his negative aspects without looking at his positive aspects.

The member of the Aesir i refer to Is Loki.

When I see asatruar referring to their latrines as "Loki hofs," becoming offended when he is brought up, or even refusing to mention him, I see a measure of hypocrisy. The same asatruar have no problem with Odhinn, Skadi, Freyja, or Tyr, all of which have aspects that are either negative, or salacious, yet Loki receives special attention for abuse.

In part, Loki has been a victim of Christianity, being transformed into a Satan figure, in part due to desire for conversions, in part due to ignorance about what he is.

I'm not about to argue that Loki is all positive, nor would I advocate a Loki cult where destructive and disruptive acts are practiced. What I am advocating is a combination of learning more about Loki and giving him the respect he deserves as an Aesir.

If we look at one of his names, Son of Laufey (or leafy isle) we find a kenning within a kenning. At it's mos basic level the kenning of son of leafy isle refers to fire, but when the kenning of "Leafy isle" is considered, the meaning of the name changes greatly to refer to thought. This is at the core of why I believe Loki deserves more respect, to denigrate him is to allow a cult of ignorance to creep into Asatru, where learning is seen as negative.

Loki is the god that, simultaneously defies and reinforces the values of Asatru. His misbehavior demonstrates both what not to do, and the consequences of doing so. However, he is also the god that demonstrates the value of both wit, and a cool head. When the pranks go wrong and he is threatened for the actions he has taken he does not fall apart, but uses his wit to not only fix the problems he has caused, but to profit the Aesir greatly.

There are also the tales of his traveling with Thor, and not only do they get along, there are parts where Loki is treated as a valued companion.

Then there is the story where he is the only god who can help a couple when they are threatened by a Jotun.

Yes, Loki has caused great harm, in the form of his children, the death of Balder, and his role at Ragnarök, however, To disrespect him due to his actions is to also ignore one of the core beliefs regarding the Norns. Judging him harshly is to say that we know better than they, or that our wants are more important than the role that he has been assigned to play.

Just as we mourn the loss of Balder, and are sad at the role that Hodur played in his death, we should also be sad at the role that the fates chose for Loki.

I say this because Loki is a metaphor for the human intellect. The human mind is like fire, when disciplined, it can create great wonders, but when it is allowed free reign to act without regard for the consequences of actions, it can cause great harm.

In the future, when you are tempted to denigrate Loki, ask yourself, are you wise enough, have you experienced enough to second guess the Norns?