Is this religion misunderstood? Is this the basis of fundamentalist conservatism?

Its followers think so, but the State of Georgia went ahead very early today and executed one of its adherents anyway. Michael Lenz (right) was executed early this morning by lethal injection for leading a group of Asatru (also known as Odinism) members in brutally stabbing Brent Parker to death at the Augusta Correctional Center for not taking the religion (Asatru or Odinism) seriously enough shortly after one of their religious services at the prison. Parker was stabbed more than 150 times which reminds me a little of the bombing raids upon South Beirut over the past two weeks--disproportionate response, in a sense.

Georgia happens to be a "red state," known for its religious fervor, and its state prisons are known centers of the religion ... which has no fewer than between 10,000 and 20,000 members nationwide.

Asatruism is an ancient religion, actually, which preaches that you gain "power" through strict adherence to its rules which center on traits, some of which, in other contexts, might be regarded as exemplary: loyalty, honor, generosity, truth and (particularly troublesome) white supremacy. Its gods include Odin (of course) and Thor, suggesting its possible Viking roots.

George Bush's new and improved US Supreme Court upheld its "religiosity" last year in requiring prisons to accommodate it along with other religions. This was among many "faith based" initiatives that have been helped along over the past six years.

However, making it particularly worrisome in prison circles is the fact that most of Asatru's members regard martyrdom as necessary to avoid having "black marks" put upon their souls. White members with black marks on their souls are sometimes called "dalmatians" by fellow members. Mark Potok, a leader in the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Alabama which monitors hate groups, adds, "it's a theology that celebrates raw physical power and domination."

At this point in time, the Republican Party and other mainline conservative organizations have made no claims that Asatru's emphasis on "power" is in any way related to their foreign policy beliefs which might appear to be grounded on Asatruistic (or Odinistic) ideologies.

Still, the movement bears watching by liberals and others for whom such ideological principals are abhorrent.