What about these Gods and Goddesses? Are they real?
Yes, they are real. However, just as most Christians do not think their God is really an old bearded figure sitting on a golden chair in heaven, we do not believe Thor (for example) is actually a muscular, man-shaped entity carrying a big hammer. There is a real Thor, but we approach an understanding of him through this particular mental picture.

Do followers of Asatru pray to their Gods and Goddesses?
Yes, but not quite the way most people mean by the word. We never surrender our will to theirs or humble ourselves before them, because we see ourselves as their kin, not as their property. Nor do we beg and plead. We do, however, commune with them and honor them while seeking their blessing through formal rites and informal meditation. Actually, living a full and virtuous life is a form of prayer in itself. Our religion should affect all parts of our lives, not just some fragments that we choose to call “religious.”

Don’t you worship stones and trees and idols?
No. We know that trees, wooden statues, the Sun, and other natural or man-made objects are not Gods, so we don’t worship them. We do sometimes use these items as reminders of a God or Goddess, but we would never confuse them with the actual deity!