Denounce Hatred Done in Name of Odin

Holden Matthews has been arrested as a suspect in arson against three African-American churches in Louisiana. The individual in question claimed to follow Asatru; he further claimed to be following "Odin's law" and as part of that alleged law carried a handgun illegally.

Odin is a multifaceted Norse deity of magic, wisdom, and poetry. He, along with the other Norse deities, have been co-opted by various racialists and other bigots in their agenda of hate. There is nothing in Asatru that encourages proscribes racialism. Nor does Odin mandate a definitive "law" to his followers. There is nothing in the surviving texts or Norse lore that suggest Odin would condone murder or arson based on modern day notions of ethnicity.

Holden Matthew's alleged arson, if done in the name of Odin, was his own twisted misinterpretation, his own prejudice, and his own crime. We, the followers of this Norse god, whether we practice Asatru, Heathenry or something else, unequivocally renounce this action. Mr. Matthews does not speak for Odin, he does not speak for us. We do not stand with him or identify him as one of ours. We denounce all acts of bigotry done in the name of Odin, the All-Father.