Any Odinists/Asatru?

I am I know this is an old thread. But I am a proud follower of the old ways, and a Child of The Allfather. Found the Ásatrú path a few years ago. I am NOT a white supremacist nor do I follow the "Folk Heathenry". I am what some would class a "Universal" Ásatrú. I was raised with Native American and Earth based paganism on my mothers side and Christian on my Fathers. My Father was a hardcore science atheist most of my life until my step mother died of cancer then he found God. I however never claimed a religion, but jumped churches, I went to all denominations even a snake handler church once. Finally for about 10 years I settled in Catholic Churches as my preferred Church.

Now I didn't consider myself Catholic, nor received the sacraments. I did however find comfort and peace through the ritualistic nature and traditions of Catholicism. Also the fact that I walked into Mass and never felt pressured. Most Pentecost and even others would damn near invite me to the podium to introduce me or ask about me and some even did. In the Catholic church I may be judged but nobody really cared to know me. Which worked for me because I was usually a dirty biker with leather and a knife and pistol.

This wasn't usually an issue because my area had 2 Catholic Churches. One is dark and full of old Irishmen and predominantly elderly/older and they didn't care about me. The other was brighter and more lively and overall younger congregation. Equally no fucks given, but I would stay to myself and usually leave early. I have believed in the Church and God, but in my life, I felt I was already a lost soul for things I have done and the life I lived. I moved to Daytona and the Basilica there is beautiful but the congregation has an extreme spectrum but a lot of Hispanic gang members, black gangstas, real life Italian gangsters, and other "low life's" So overall I think Catholicism fit me, but I was still called to my mothers side and more than God.

Then one day I was in a situation I can't discuss here, but say it was a "battle situation", and afterward someone mentioned Valhalla and Odin. Nothing of it more than curiosity, then a Brother of mine who was serving 15 for an armed robbery charge started talking to me again after about 10 or 11 in. He proclaimed he was an Odinist and found the path while inside but became a racist asshole. This didn't appeal to me because of my Native family and I knew and were friends with a lot of Black's and Hispanics, that this guy now cut off from.

However for some reason is struck a interest and I looked into it and it called to me. I then had a very enlightened near death experience, which opened my eyes to the Aesir and now hear I am, I met other heathens and found Ásatrú. I discovered the majority are not neo Nazis. I discovered people who had been on the path longer than I'd been alive. They taught me that Our Gods are fallible, they are not immortal, nor do they know everything. They are very much human in some aspects. They also don't demand we bow or kneel, to prove ourselves and man up. To be a wolf of Odin rather than a lamb of God.

There are MANY interpretations and paths of Ásatrú. Some are racist and direct line. Some say there are ONLY the Aesir and Vaneir, no other Gods. Or even there are no Gods, rather just manifestations of nature and science. But what amazed me and helped seal the deal was there was no real hate.

Should a Ásatrú walk into a Christan Church (and I still do) they are automatically viewed as bad and need to be converted because there's only one God. But as a Christian (even my self labeled Lost Catholic) I walked to these Ásatrú both normal and a Gothi (priest) and there was no conversion, in fact we sat and ate and talked about our different beliefs and what struck me was they (these individuals) never told me that my Christian God didn't exist but rather talked as if he did.

As if there are many Gods and everyone could be right, these Aesir just don't try and steal all the glory.

I'm so sorry this is so long and winded, I'm high as fuck and zoned out on my phone lol.

TL;dr- Former non identifying Christian never claimed a specific religion Now a PROUD Ásatrú but don't like the term Odinists due to images of Racial Hate associated.

 

Best thing I can suggest is research. Also if your on Facebook there's a group called Odin's Children its actually a registered religious organization but its well over 5000 members and many sub groups