What is an atheist's opinion of modern pagans?

Question

Us pagans and atheists are frequently on the same side in arguing the idea of Hell and damnation but what is your opinion of the mature worship and rememberance of the old ways? I'm not talking about those who dress as fairies and cast spells they read in Harry Potter, but those of us who wish to honor the old ways and embrace science as yesterday's magic.

Sorry, apparently I cannot write a coherent sentence while laughing hysterically, it should have been We pagans...I'm watching a comedian named Ardal O'Hanlon, he's hilarious.

Answer 1

I admire the pagans for several reasons:

They chose a form of worship that clearly demonstrates they choose for themselves rather than follow blindly.

The express their spirituality without judgment or proselytizing.

They are tolerant and generally kind.

They stand out among deists as loving and accepting.

Answer 2

I , for some reason , admire the pagans.
a) they are not into the converting bit, like the person above me said.
b) they've taken the system and actually made it their own. Paganism is so broad , it has scope for anything even monotheism . Of all the religions , I find that the pagans have a deeper understanding of spirituality.
c) they dont think their path is the only way...rather accept the fact that there are billions of people & therefore billions of paths
d) and lastly the pagan stories are much more interesting than your average biblical one...Much more creative....more pizazz...more bang for your buck
If i were'nt an atheist ,pagan is what I'd be
peace!

Answer 3

Sure i like modern pagans better then the abrahamic faiths. However i still view their religion to be irrational. Pagan tribes murdered Christans with the same religious anger. I think they are not attacked by atheist because the Christians have to much power for the taste of pagans and atheists. While Atheism can be violent as well. I do not see paganism as wonderful religion. To me it is just like all the others...... incorrect.

Answer 4

I don't see anything wrong with it... assuming you're talking about a more of a "love the Earth mother" kind of way and not the "I'm going to lock negative feelings into this wax-sealed jam jar" kind of way. Pagans are my friends.

From those I've met, Pagans have come across to me as being much more open to the wonders of nature than those who believe the Earth in a place created for us to use the resources of.

Answer 5

I even know some atheist pagans! There are a couple in our neo-druidic tradition. Nature-worship and Science/Biology go hand in hand. No atheist will argue that Nature is not their Creator, nor will they argue that it is to nature that we will return.

In fact, many pagan and indigenous traditions lean heavily towards empirical observation. You honor what gives you live; your food, shelter, light, the sun, etc. If the bible were to disappear tomorrow we would live on... if the sun were to disappear tomorrow, well you know.

I asked one of these atheist pagans "why worship at all?" when he told me that he did not believe that Nature had any semblance of sentience, nor that She could acknowledge or be aware of his rites or worship. His answer was that he gives thanks to the things that he is thankful for, and wouldn't it be selfish for him to expect rewards or recognition form his Creator for his devotion to it. He performs the action because it benefits himself and his perception of reality. He is secure in the thought that he will return to his creator and he expresses his love for the environment and his Celtic heritage through worship.

Yeah, he is nutty as peanut brittle, but I like the way he thinks.

Answer 6

I don't think there is any religion that I respect more than that of the pagans.

From what I know about the religion, it at least makes sense to me. If I were to believe in a Higher Power, or Higher Powers, I think i'd be a pagan.

Answer 7

I am Pagan and my brothers are both Atheist. They are very non chalant about my beliefs, in that they don't care one way or the other. They like to hear about it but they never poke fun, unlike my Christian family members who never tire of cracking jokes about Wicca and Paganism. *sigh*

So to answer your question, the 2 Atheists I know have no opinion except that it's 'cool to respect nature.'

Answer 8

Personally I view it as another retreat from reality and from the world. One of the big factors here is in the magical thinking.
However so far they have been mostly harmless.
That might be because they are a minority so far, and pretty poorly organized. I see nothing to assure me that they would stay tolerant if they started to get any real power.

Answer 9

Quite a few pagan religions worship the earth and concidering what the rest of us have done to it maybe we could all use a little paganism.

Answer 10

Brava! There is a difference between religion and spirituality. Spirituality is a sense of wonder and awe, and the wonder we feel toward nature/science can be represented in many ways. Maybe we want to ritualize it. Maybe we want to call the powers of the nautral world by ancient names. So be it. That is not the same as believing in a theistic god.