Atwater Vitki

In Rememberance
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  1. Atwater Vitki

    Welcome to the ULC.net forum! Take a look around, join in on the discussions and let us know a little about yourself in New Members and FAQ's. We are always glad to see new perspectives. We're glad you've chosen our forum to expand your path and understanding! Blessings of Peace, Al

  2. Atwater Vitki

    Welcome to the ULC.net forum! Take a look around, join in on the discussions and let us know a little about yourself in New Members and FAQ's. We are always glad to see new perspectives. We're glad you've chosen our forum to expand your path and understanding! Blessings of Peace, Al

  3. Atwater Vitki

    Welcome to the ULC.net forum! Take a look around, join in on the discussions and let us know a little about yourself in New Members and FAQ's. We are always glad to see new perspectives. We're glad you've chosen our forum to expand your path and understanding! Blessings of Peace, Al

  4. Atwater Vitki

    Welcome to the ULC.net forum! Take a look around, join in on the discussions and let us know a little about yourself in New Members and FAQ's. We are always glad to see new perspectives. We're glad you've chosen our forum to expand your path and understanding! Blessings of Peace, Al

  5. Atwater Vitki

    Welcome to the ULC.net forum! Take a look around, join in on the discussions and let us know a little about yourself in New Members and FAQ's. We are always glad to see new perspectives. We're glad you've chosen our forum to expand your path and understanding! Blessings of Peace, Al

  6. Atwater Vitki
    Stormson - you said: First of all, my heart goes out to you if that statement means what it implies. Friend or enemy, the passing of a soul entrusted to your care is never easy. A candle is lit on my altar for you. However....perhaps it does matter to help others in this situation. It's not cool of anyone to put another in this situation, but it does happen. While the sanctity of the confessional means different things to various religions, I believe they all have some sort of "confidentiality clause" meaning it is between the person, you and "God". As their confessor you have the obligation to remain silent about any details of their confession. Hopefully someone that is versed in clergy law can answer more in-depth, but if I truly thought a person was going to commit suicide, I think I would at least try some " 'round the bush' tactics to notify health professionals. I was not ordained when an acquaintance/client pulled this on me, making me swear not to tell anyone he was going to "end it all", then staggered out the door and drove off before I could say much of anything. (I was setting up to do a "last tattoo" for him in the other room) In that case I simply called 9-1-1 for a "suspected DUI" though the cops never did catch him. Two weeks later he came by again to apologize for his theatrics. Every situation is different, but the sanctity of the confessional and secular law can often be at odds. Having to live with the guilt of violating confidentiality might be easier than 7-10 for manslaughter...idk... You bring up a topic that should be explored more imho. Blessings of Peace,
  7. Atwater Vitki

    Welcome to ULC.net forum! We're glad to have you! We hope that you will find many ways in which to apply information found here to your ideas and chosen path. We always welcome fresh perspectives and understandings of both traditional and non-traditional Beliefs. So let's hear about yours! Blessings of Peace, Al

    1. lockjonathon

      lockjonathon

      Hopefully I can gather my thoughts well enough to discuss it soon, it's been a long twisted path since I first believed I was Christian, and all the searching since then makes this the perfect church to be in; a lot of good information here. Thanks!!!

  8. Atwater Vitki

    Welcome to ULC.net forum! We're glad to have you! We hope that you will find many ways in which to apply information found here to your ideas and chosen path. We always welcome fresh perspectives and understandings of both traditional and non-traditional Beliefs. So let's hear about yours! Blessings of Peace, Al

  9. Atwater Vitki

    Welcome to ULC.net forum! We're glad to have you! We hope that you will find many ways in which to apply information found here to your ideas and chosen path. We always welcome fresh perspectives and understandings of both traditional and non-traditional Beliefs. So let's hear about yours! Blessings of Peace, Al

  10. Atwater Vitki

    Welcome to ULC.net forum! We're glad to have you! We hope that you will find many ways in which to apply information found here to your ideas and chosen path. We always welcome fresh perspectives and understandings of both traditional and non-traditional Beliefs. So let's hear about yours! Blessings of Peace, Al

  11. Atwater Vitki

    Welcome to ULC.net forum! We're glad to have you! We hope that you will find many ways in which to apply information found here to your ideas and chosen path. We always welcome fresh perspectives and understandings of both traditional and non-traditional Beliefs. So let's hear about yours! Blessings of Peace, Al

  12. Atwater Vitki
    Dr Eric Pearl's book The Reconnection (ISBN # 1-56170-819-4) was one of the first-hand introductions Kay and I had to "reiki" and/or "Therapeutic Touch" and while we are complete amateurs in this realm, we can both testify to some fairly amazing events and results. Actually, the incredibly crude feedback we received from a forum we were both involved with (2001-2003) caused Kay to never again enter a forum. We found the same thing, those who had ZERO knowledge of or absolutely no experience with it were the worst, most abusive critics. Interesting world is it not? May your Journey be Peaceful and ever Advancing! Blessings of Peace,
  13. Atwater Vitki

    I'd like to take this opportunity to Welcome you to the forum! Thank you for joining and I hope you'll find our little Family of Friends to be a place you come home to on a regular basis. We always enjoy new perspectives and fresh ideas, so let's hear yours! Blessings of Peace, Al

  14. Atwater Vitki

    I'd like to take this opportunity to Welcome you to the forum! Thank you for joining and I hope you'll find our little Family of Friends to be a place you come home to on a regular basis. We always enjoy new perspectives and fresh ideas, so let's hear yours! Blessings of Peace, Al

  15. Atwater Vitki
    Excellent advice Kingfisher. Blessings Be,
  16. Atwater Vitki
    A terrible tragedy strikes and one person reacts one way and another completely different. Is there a protocol for how a person is suppose to act during tragic events in our lives? Sure it might seem awful strange to many of us that a survivor can be in hysterical laughter after a fatal auto accident or is seemingly distant and moody over something as nonchalant as knocking over a coffee cup....but who wrote the rules for tragedy etiquette? I bring this up because of the story linked below and what parent would want to endure what this woman did, having her baby shot and killed in front of her? The defense for the man that has been convicted of this crime seemed to go to great lengths to prove the mother was somehow involved because she was “occasionally joking and laughing while being questioned by police and making other bizarre statements”. While many of us here at the ULC will limit our pastoral duties to officiating weddings, we might keep this in mind if called upon to render aid to folks during other events in their lives. As a pastor, priest, minister, vicar or vitki our calling may take us beyond simple officiant duties. I would hope that whether we are new to ministering or experienced, we remember that our duties could be for victims and/or survivors of any number of tragic events. It may seem very odd to us that a person acts in an unexpected manner to what or how we think they ought to be acting....but let us never forget....there is no set protocol for many of Life's emotional ups and downs. The last thing I've wanted while facing my emotional upheavals in life, is someone telling me how I'm suppose to be acting! I firmly believe that those of us who've had experience in certain situations should be helping our younger protégés Do That Which is Right. Any thoughts, ideas, questions? Blessings of Peace, http://xfinity.comcast.net/articles/news-general/20130830/US--Baby.In.Stroller.Slain/
  17. Atwater Vitki

    Welcome to our growing family of friends here on the forum. We're glad you could joins us! As you feel the need, join us in the discussions and let us know a bit about yourself. It's always a pleasure getting to know new folks. Blessings of Peace, Al

  18. Atwater Vitki

    Welcome to our growing family of friends here on the forum. We're glad you could joins us! As you feel the need, join us in the discussions and let us know a bit about yourself. It's always a pleasure getting to know new folks. Blessings of Peace, Al

  19. Atwater Vitki
    It is fairly close to most European/Nordic/Celtic ceremonies. If you researched "Middle Ages Marriage" you should be able to find something to start from and combine into a wonderful ceremony. Don't forget to add into though what mdtaylor said about the wording above, that is important in our contemporary legal system. Blessings Be,
  20. Atwater Vitki
    Any time any one says there "can't be" or "isn't" one thing or another is merely stating their opinion, based on the information they've had the opportunity to discover. I've come across very open and closed minded 'scientists' in my life. "Scientific Facts" are what they/we know today, it can and does change in a heartbeat based on new discoveries. The Hadron Collider at CERN, for instance, has opened many a closed door based on out dated thinking. As we progress, both in technology and in human knowledge, the world will change many times over the next millennium.....and the next....and the.... I once had a discussion with one of our engineers at Sony R&D, Palo Alto (now So. San Jose) about the possibility of the Adam and Eve story.....a week later he comes up to me with a clip board with a dozen or so pages of mathematical equations and scribblings on it...."7 women and 12 males is the least common denominator for the 6 billion (1981) people today, without the gruesome results of inbreeding!" I had to take his word for it as anything beyond basic algebra and geometry is not only Greek, but mind bending, to me. The only reason I still believe his calculation today is because it has been collaborated by a documentary on human evolution I watched some years after that encounter on which an anthropologist stated similar numbers (8 women and 14 men). While many people in fact believe the Creation story account in Genesis, I believe something completely different about Humanity, however also believe that Eden may indeed be a real location. As far as Sheldrake goes, I've seen many of his videos and agree with others here that he does put forth some compelling evidence as to the dogmatic approach much of science takes today. But isn't that true of any belief people have? And for his list of 10 things Science should reconsider....Amen and pass the katsup.....I'm fairly certain that at least part of that list will be proven correct....exactly when? 10, 100, 1000 years from now?, but it all goes back to what we know today. Blessings of Peace,
  21. Atwater Vitki

    Welcome to the ULC-dot-net Forum! We're ever so glad that you decided to join us and we look forward to hearing about your particular Spiritual Journey. We hope you'll share your thoughts on whichever path you have chosen. Blessings of Peace, Al

  22. Atwater Vitki

    Welcome to the ULC-dot-net Forum! We're ever so glad that you decided to join us and we look forward to hearing about your particular Spiritual Journey. We hope you'll share your thoughts on whichever path you have chosen. Blessings of Peace, Al

  23. Atwater Vitki
    Wow Von, perhaps your commentary above should be "suitable for framing"! Yes indeed, people are curious and not everyone is out to challenge or demean our Ordinations. I am surprised how many everyday folks are not even aware that the Universal Life Church is what it is. When I've answered I received my "Doctorates in Religious Humanities" from the Universal Life Church, the only people who have ever questioned, shrugged off or spoken negatively have been members of a certain church, also in Modesto, and the "Ministers Council" in the town I live in now. The vast majority of the public has usually answered "Oh cool" or "Ah ha" or such...but nothing negative. Actually this has gotten me to think back over the past 6 years and unfortunately my negative reactions all come from the same basic group. I suppose as human beings we tend to remember the negs and fail to properly acknowledge the positives along our journey....after all it is usually the negative things in life that hang most heavy in our minds. This has made me bring to mind the couples who have eagerly sought me out for officiating their weddings, christenings of babies, house or business blessings and even a race car blessing. Naturally in my case, most of these are from the Ásatrú Community. The most common questions I've answered are: Are you ordained (licensed) to perform weddings? yes, by all laws of the State Have you performed a wedding before? yes Is there anything that would deem our union unlawful? no, and besides the Certificate I am giving you, I also cover several side issues in the printed material I will give you after the ceremony. You may contact me at any time you have a question or concern. What rune-gild do you apprentice under/ how did you become a "Vitki"? the US and International Rune-Gilds, I was named Vitki in 1998 by the USRG and Fellow in 2000 at the Gambla Uppsala Summer Solstice by the Yrmin-Drighten of the IRG. It's been a pleasure to sit and reminisce about the numerous happy couples and individuals I've had the honor of officiating over at one point or another over the past 15 years as an Ásatrú and Runic Vitki and 6 years as an ULC Rev/Officiant. Blessings of Peace, edit: I think one of the most important things I've done for those I've officiated over is always being available to them. Even when I've moved I have sent out a postcard and/or e-mail with my new contact info to the addy I have on file. Folks I've either counseled or officiated over even 10-12-15 years ago have responded kindly and been appreciative. As a minister or Vitki, being available to people is, imho, one of the most important duties.
  24. Atwater Vitki

    Welcome to our family of friends. We're glad you could joins us! Regardless if you are well established in a traditional religious path or struggling to find something less mainstream, we're sure you'll find what you seek here. We are a “blended family” of all Beliefs, all Faiths and all manners of seeking Truth. We hope you'll share your views with us soon! Blessings of Peace, Al

  25. Atwater Vitki

    Welcome to our family of friends. We're glad you could joins us! Regardless if you are well established in a traditional religious path or struggling to find something less mainstream, we're sure you'll find what you seek here. We are a “blended family” of all Beliefs, all Faiths and all manners of seeking Truth. We hope you'll share your views with us soon! Blessings of Peace, Al