The word troth is translated as a belief in the gods, loyalty to the gods. What is loyalty? Loyalty - is to take the interests of others, adherence to certain rules, dedication, support in any situation. I am loyal to something (or someone), and therefore, I will help and protect that something (or someone), no matter what happens. So what's the difference between loyalty and slavery? Loyalty keeps human WILL, one can not be forced to be loyal.
What is belief, and how does it differ from religion? Religion was invented by people and for people. In the religion there are politics and economics, both internal and external, belief doesn’t have all this. Any belief in the course of time acquires a bunch of things not related to itself directly, but this is the law of society. And the Northern Tradition is also gradually becoming a religion. Good or bad, but we, Asatruar, will always separate the belief from religion. Troth is troth, and it always stands above all else.
© Sigurd, goðorð Skíðblaðnir, 2010

Translated from Russian by Sigurd and Heiðarr