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If very early Christianity was hardly averse to suicide, Alvarez argues that in warrior and pagan cultures, suicide was positively respected.
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Thus in some warrior societies whose gods were those of violence whose ideal was bravery, suicide was often looked on as a great good. For example, the paradise of the Vikings was Valhalla, “the hall of those who died by violence,” where the Feast of Heroes was presided over by the god Odin. Only those who died violently could enter and partake of the banquet. The greatest honor and the greatest qualification was death in battle; next best was suicide. Those who died peacefully in their beds, of old age or disease, were excluded from Valhalla through all eternity.
-- A. Alvarez, “The Savage God”
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Who do you suppose would throw a better banquet: Odin or Jesus? I am not a very raucous, he-man type of guy myself.
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Thus in some warrior societies whose gods were those of violence whose ideal was bravery, suicide was often looked on as a great good. For example, the paradise of the Vikings was Valhalla, “the hall of those who died by violence,” where the Feast of Heroes was presided over by the god Odin. Only those who died violently could enter and partake of the banquet. The greatest honor and the greatest qualification was death in battle; next best was suicide. Those who died peacefully in their beds, of old age or disease, were excluded from Valhalla through all eternity.
-- A. Alvarez, “The Savage God”
_ _ _
Who do you suppose would throw a better banquet: Odin or Jesus? I am not a very raucous, he-man type of guy myself.
