Crossing Many Rainbows

I don’t think you should feel bad about it at all, anon.

As far as I’m concerned, as long as you know the difference, you’re fine.  As long as you’re not claiming story arcs from the comics as mythological canon, then I don’t see any reason you shouldn’t continue enjoying them.

And, perhaps it’s an unpopular opinion, but even if you do, that’s what UPG is for—we take our own interpretations, we make our own myths, and if the mythological canon of any religion has been built up over centuries and centuries of storytelling and translations and mistranslations, then I see no reason we shouldn’t continue in that tradition of finding our own stories to make our own truths.  As far as I’m concerned, any spiritual path is about finding what’s right for you and you alone, not about conforming to anybody else’s standards or making anybody else happy.  (There’s a reason I don’t particularly affiliate with Asatru—it’s far too rigid for my own beliefs, even if we follow the same pantheon.)

I was interested in all sorts of mythology when I was a kid.  My brother and I had an encyclopaedia of various mythologies (namely Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Celtic, and Norse, all wonderfully simplified and condensed down, but it was enough to spark an interest).  I was particularly drawn to the Norse myths and imagery.  But since it’s so rarely discussed in our continuing education (not like the others mentioned, and even Celtic mythology is discussed in college lit classes), I sort of forgot about it while growing up.  Then I got into Marvel comics, and a couple of years later, on a whim, went to see the Thor film.  That’s when I remembered how much I’d liked Norse mythology as a kid, and that’s why I started looking back into it.  I didn’t ask for Thor to be my patron (and that’s not even a particularly “Norse” thing—again, it’s my own path, not anybody else’s).  In fact, after having done quite a lot of research, my first attempts at talking to any of the gods were to Odin, Bragi, Freyr, and even Loki.  None of them responded.  Thor did.  He came to me, and he’s been quite the positive influence in my life since.

All this because I went to see a comic book movie.

The point of this is—whatever brought you to this path, whatever you enjoy outside of this path, and whatever ties the two may have, it’s all fine.  And anyone who tells you otherwise is, in a word, wrong.  You’ll run into a lot of people who think that Marvel’s terrible and who hate the Thor comics and movies, either because they “appropriated” the mythology (they didn’t) or because they bastardised it (that argument has a little more weight, but I still don’t agree) or because it brought in an influx of newbies to the myths and the paths surrounding them (and what’s the problem with that?).  My advice?  Ignore them.  Do what makes you happy.  Seek advice and listen and learn, but ultimately, if anyone tries to make you feel bad for liking comics and having Thor as your patron at the same time, they’re in the wrong, because your path is your own.

Best wishes, anon.  And feel free to come talk to me more if you want or need to. <3