The Three Pillars of Theodish Belief are core concepts and values that we as Theodsmen seek to exemplify in our actions in all pursuits in our life. It is the goal of every Theodsman to not only define, but understand and internalize these concepts as the foundation upon which we seek to build a worthy life. The Pillars are WISDOM, GENEROSITY, And HONOR. These seem like very simplistic concepts, but they are really not. In our modern society, romanticized and conceptual interpretations of these and many other concepts are prevalent in the media and we are bombarded with messaging that can adversely affect our understanding of the concepts themselves…. The true challenge is to learn about t(e worldview of our ancestors, and then merge that understanding with the “host society” that we all live in here in modern America.
WISDOM – The ability to use your knowledge and experience to make good decisions and judgements. The real challenge comes in reconciling the mindset and worldview of the ancestral folk and utilize it in a modern construct society like the one we live in.
GENEROSITY – Lords were referred to as “Haters of Gold” and “Loaf Givers” because they were famous for giving things to their loyal followers and retainers. In our modern world, that thought process can be expanded upon to include generosity of time work, teaching, and yes, actual gifts too. our modern society has created an understanding of gifts in terms of monetary value, but the real value is about the gift being useful to the receiver.
HONOR – Honor is another term that our modern society, hollywood, and the media have twisted around a bit. Honor in our ancestors worldview meant things like keeping one’s word, being steadfast in support of family and tribe, never letting anyone speak ill of you or your family without reprisal, etc. and most importantly in mind mind…TAKING ACTION and doing what needs to be done. No lamb for the lazy wolf as the saying goes…
These are simple conceptural definitions, and the great part about Thew is that it is indeed customary law and not hard and fast rules, so it was not only possible, but common for different tribes to have a different perception and as a result a different interpretation of these concepts. after all, living in a different place meands different challenges to be met in different ways, but at the core these concepts were extraordinarily similar from tribe to tribe.