The Nine Noble Virtues, NNV, or 9NV are two sets of moral and situational ethical guidelines within certain groupings of Heathens, typically those with folkish views such as Odinists and members of the Ásatrú Folk Assembly (AFA). One set was codified by former member of Sir Oswald Mosley's British Union of Fascists and National Socialists, John Yeowell[1] (a.k.a. Stubba) and John Gibbs-Bailey (a.k.a. Hoskuld) of the Odinic Rite in 1974,[2][3] and the other set codified by Stephen A. McNallen of the Asatru Folk Assembly in 1983.[4][5] However, others believe that the earlier set, the one the Odinic Rite claim they codified, were originally put together and labelled as the Nine Noble Virtues (the “9NV”) by Edred Thorsson during his time with the original AFA.[6] They are supposedly based on virtues found in historical Norse paganism, gleaned from various sources including the Poetic Edda (particularly the Hávamál and the Sigrdrífumál),[3] and as evident in the Icelandic Sagas).

The Nine Charges are a different list of more explicitly phrased moral or ethical guidelines codified at about the same time.[7] The Six-Fold Goal is yet another list of virtues, given as "Right, Wisdom, Might, Harvest, Frith and Love" by Stephen Flowers (a.k.a. Edred Thorsson) in 1989.[8]

The Aesirian Code of Nine is also used by some practitioners of Heathenism, consisting of "honor, knowledge, protect, flourish, change, fairness, conflict, balance and control."

Nine Noble Virtues

The list of "Nine Noble Virtues" is due to either John Yeowell (a.k.a. Stubba)[1] and John Gibbs-Bailey (a.k.a. Hoskuld), members of Odinic Rite, or alternatively due to Edred Thorsson, at the time member of the Asatru Free Assembly.[7] Stephen A. McNallen compiled a similar list under the title "Some Odinist Values" in the Asatru Folk Assembly journal The Runestone.[5]

Nine Charges

The Nine Charges were codified by the Odinic Rite in the 1970s.[3]

  1. To maintain candour and fidelity in love and devotion to the tried friend: though he strike me I will do him no scathe.
  2. Never to make wrongsome oath: for great and grim is the reward for the breaking of plighted troth.
  3. To deal not hardly with the humble and the lowly.
  4. To remember the respect that is due to great age.
  5. To suffer no evil to go unremedied and to fight against the enemies of Faith, Folk and Family: my foes I will fight in the field, nor will I stay to be burnt in my house.
  6. To succour the friendless but to put no faith in the pledged word of a stranger people.
  7. If I hear the fool's word of a drunken man I will strive not: for many a grief and the very death groweth from out such things.
  8. To give kind heed to dead people: straw dead, sea dead or sword dead.
  9. To abide by the enactments of lawful authority and to bear with courage the decrees of the Norns.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Rocking For Satan". Searchlight Magazine. Vol. 22. November 1997. pp. 6–7.
  2. ^
    • This Is Odinism: Guidelines for Survival. Committee for the Restoration of the Odinic Rite. 1974.
    • This is Odinism: Guidelines for Survival. Raven Banner. 1983.
    • McNallen, Stephen A. (2009-07-23). "Asatru Rules for Personal Conduct". Asatru Folk Assembly Blog. Archived from the original on 2015-09-23.
  3. ^ a b c "The Nine Noble Virtues and Charges of the Odinic Rite". The Odinic Rite.
  4. ^ McNallen, Stephen A. (2009-07-24). "Asatru Rules for Personal Conduct—Part Two". Asatru Folk Assembly Blog. Archived from the original on 2015-09-23.
  5. ^ a b c McNallen, Stephen A. (1983). An Odinist Anthology: Selections From The Runestone. Ásatrú Folk Assembly. p. 13.
  6. ^
    • Snook, Jennifer (2015). American Heathens: The Politics of Identity in a Pagan Religious Movement. Temple University Press. pp. 70–72. ISBN 9781439910979.
    • Linzie, Bil (2003). Germanic Mythology (PDF). p. 25.
  7. ^ a b
    • Snook, Jennifer (2015). American Heathens: The Politics of Identity in a Pagan Religious Movement. Temple University Press. p. 71. one of the original lists, published by the Odinist Committee [old Odinic Rite], founded in 1972, was referred to as the 'Nine Charges'
    • Linzie, Bil (2003). Germanic Mythology (PDF). p. 42.
  8. ^ Thorsson, Edred (1992). A Book of Troth. St. Paul, Minn.: Llewellyn Publications. p. 115. ISBN 0-87542-777-4.

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