What is an atheist pagan?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Schneelocke Wolf on July 17, 2008 at 3:22pm

Like the label "pagan" in general, it means everything and nothing really - the best definition I can give is that you a) are an atheist and b) self-identify as a pagan, no matter what that means to you. :)

For myself, it means that I generally identify with pagan spirituality (not any specific belief like Wicca, but generally - I walk my own path) even though I do not believe in any gods or higher powers.

If for you, it means admiring ancient tales and mythology, that's fine, too! :)

Permalink Reply by Lisangelo on July 17, 2008 at 6:28pm

Comes to my mind another 'feature' of paganism: the respect for the nature , animals... with the arrival of christianism this world lost importance (the christians are more concerned of the kingdom come) and then trees, water and natural resources in general are in a second level.

Permalink Reply by Schneelocke Wolf on July 18, 2008 at 2:50am

Aye, that - respect for nature etc. - is a big part of it for me.

Permalink Reply by Sean Murphy on September 29, 2008 at 11:43am

I am pretty similar, although I do believe in "Gods" sort of - just not in higher powers. I believe that there are entities that are generated and nourished by Human belief that can be called gods, or spiritual parasites...

They can have their uses though.

Permalink Reply by Digger on November 1, 2009 at 1:59am

Wikipedia says; In its broadest definition, pagan denotes all non-Abrahamic religions, that is to say it denotes all religions other than Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
So according to Wikipedia you're a "Religious Atheist," isn't that a contradiction of terms?

Permalink Reply by Jeremy on July 23, 2008 at 12:54pm

I'm not sure I actually identify as a pagan, but I have a number of pagan friends and have been to a pagan festival recently and had a great time. I don't think anything has ever moved me the way the sumbel I participated in did. Mentally, it put in me in a place I've never been and kinda destroyed a relationship. The relationship wouldn't have lasted anyway, and the sumbel actually got me to a place where I could acknowledge the issues that I had been suppressing.

In general, I love being around my pagan friends because they are so completely accepting and non-judgmental of everything.

Permalink Reply by Schneelocke Wolf on July 23, 2008 at 1:23pm

"In general, I love being around my pagan friends because they are so completely accepting and non-judgmental of everything."

Yes, that's how I feel about most pagans, too - the ones I know, anyway. There's narrow-minded ones, too, of course, but they seem to be few and far between; I imagine it's probably got to do with the fact that there's so many different paths and different kinds of paganism.

Permalink Reply by Jeremy on August 6, 2008 at 1:44pm

I don't think there is anything to the whole energy stuff, but I can appreciate the use of pagan rituals and pantheons in an individuals path to self-discovery. I've found some of the Asatru rituals to be particularly moving to me on an emotional level.

Permalink Reply by Ernest Charging on November 17, 2008 at 2:42pm

I am not pagan or any other religion but i am a heathen. I wish to find more about my heritage and tradition. sorry for any bad spelling

Permalink Reply by LeaT on September 13, 2008 at 11:23am

Guess I am the only "true" pagan in here then. I don't categorize myself as an atheist simply because I am spiritual and believe in spirituality. I strongly revere nature and I vehemently detest that most religinons today all focus on human progress, as if we are anything amazing or astonishing. Everytime you read about a recent discovery in human behavior similar to an animal's it's like a huge thing just discovered, despite it shouldn't be that suprising at all.

Well, that's my tack on it. I am very concerned about our overpopulation and what is happening to this planet now. Unfortunately, nothing can be reversed. Humans brought us here, humans will bring their own doom. I don't think the planet will die, I think it is right now attempting to balance itself out by completely exterminating all of us with the help of climate changes and natural disasters (really, we should have seen that coming), what I mourn is of all other types of life will suffer because of us.

Permalink Reply by LeaT on October 2, 2008 at 9:41pm

I don't really find an answer to what you mean in the link you gave me :/

Well, I believe in natural force and dualistic unitaritalism, I am still pretty sure it's not what you refer to, since yes, it is a force, something this author put bluntly "new age". For me, spiritual doesn't necessarily mean supernatural, for me it just means yes, spiritual, spirit-like. Spirits are not supernatural in my book, they are a part of nature too, and are embodied of the energies around us.

I don't see my belief in natural force as supernatural, since it IS nature, it is as natural as it can get, however, it is not something we can see with the naked eye.

Permalink Reply by deepthought42 on September 15, 2008 at 11:04am

I'm still reading about paganism so I can't say much, but yes, the respect for nature appeals to me. I love being around my pagan friends though they never talk about it, which is fine with me. It is a very personal thing, which is one reason why I was interested in learning more about it. I suppose if I were religious I would be pagan or wiccan, but I don't believe in the spiritual or metaphysical aspects of it. And since it's about walking your own path, that's what I'm doing. I don't know if I think of myself as an atheist pagan just yet, but one day maybe.

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