Atheistic Pagans???

Question

Far be it from me to ridicule another person’s faith system. The way they approach it yes, maybe, but the validity of that faith system, no. Still I don’t understand the logic behind someone calling themselves an Atheistic Pagan, or some permutation thereof. I really just don’t understand. An Atheist does not believe in god, any god, or higher power or great spirit- nothing. A-theistic; away from theistic teachings. Pagan is a Latin word meaning country dweller, and refers to the traditional beliefs of the tribal people who lived far from the civilizing influence of the cities. It became popular to call them pagans when Christianity took over the larger cities. Current pagans seek to follow the practices of those times. Be it celtic, Egyptian, or Greek. There is a basic understanding that Paganism is a religion. To cut to the point Atheism is the absence of religion, Paganism is a religion. It’s like saying I’m a Satan worshiping Christian. Can someone clear this up for me?

I dont believe the gods are real corporeal entities either- and if you get into it, most of the ancients thought they were just a personification of a sentient world/ universe which is what I beleive. I can get down with the liberal interpretation of "pagan" but athiestic by it's definition is an absence of religion. Isnt it?

Answer 1

It 'tis a contradiction, I suppose. I can also kind of put myself with that label too, though. I believe in the earth, and in life being connected. I really don't believe in a guy with a long beard watching me and hating gays though. Perhaps to some, and some only, atheist means rejecting the Western religion version of God.

Answer 2

Atheism is not exactly the absence of religion, rather it is the absence of a belief in a deity or in a higher being. It questions the existence of God, and the creation from God. "Religion" in itself is explaining the unexplainable. One could, in theory, be an atheist and still have a religion (that does not include the existence of God or Creationism), and not be a paradox in himself. They use the term "pagan" to describe that they have beliefs that differ in nature than the current, popular ideas. Also, "Pagan" is defined as either 1) a polytheistic religion 2) someone who is not a Christian, Muslim, or Jew or 3) an irreligious or hedonistic person. Therefore, given all of the data stated above, a person could be an Atheist and a pagan at the same time.

Answer 3

Atheist=lack of belief in gods. Not lack of religion. Look at Buddhism. Or LaVeyan Satanism.

Any Pagan you meet who sees their deities as archetypes? They're atheists. Paganism draws a lot of pantheists, deists and atheists along with polytheists. Perhaps because the movement is so diverse that it allows you to form your own beliefs without being told, "No, you're wrong. It has to be THIS way."

Personally, I'm a skeptical Pagan. I've never levitated or spoken with unicorns on the astral plane. When I use my tarot cards, I know that my subconscious is sending the messages I "hear." When I do magic or ritual, I know that high I get is a chemical reaction in my brain and the power is more psychological than anything else. Being skeptical means I'm also an atheist. I've never had an experience that has led me to worship a particular god.

Are those everyone's experiences? No. They're mine. You can be whatever you want. Your experiences are just as valid as mine. But my experiences are what I base my world on, just as you base your world on yours.

Answer 4

To me when someone says Atheist I think "absent of God" not religion. Atheistic Pagans are people that respect nature and abserve pagan traditions while maintaining no allegience or belief in any god. I wouldn't classify myself in this category but I am close to it. I think that Paganism can be either a religion and/or way of life. If you take the gods/goddesses out of Paganism then you have an atheist with a respect for nature and the energies in it. I dont think the two have to go against each other.

Answer 5

Hey the Christian Jew I can answer ,Jews do not believe that Christ was the Messiah , They think he was a Prophet , now a Jew also believes if He steps where the Holy of Holys was in the Temple that he will be stuck dead on the spot , A Christian Jew Believes that Christ was The Son of God and because He has returned and we are living under the Grace Now Not the Law it is OK to stand where the Holy of Holys was and since no one know where it was in the Temple and the Temple is guarded only Israeli Commando's are to guard the Temple all commando's are Christian Jews or so it was explained by a friend who is in the Israeli Commando's

Answer 6

to start with I am an Octavian wiccan , Which as most should know is a certain branch of the paganism, Being An ahteist Is like Saying I AM christian Wiccan It doenst make any sense at all be cause calling yourself atheist is saying you are not religious , Ahteist and Pagan Do not go together because pagans are Followers of Ancient GODS!!! hint the Word there GODDDDDDDDS lol, so therefore an Atheist pagan does not exist, If you hear this term just know the person hasnt a clue what they are talking about, because it just is an abuse of teminology , i hope this answers your question :_P Merry Part

Answer 7

I can not believe the number of people that can not get this right. An Atheist believes in nothing. Period! No tooth fairy, no Wicken, no God, no Paganism, no Buddhism, no spirits, nothing. If you get mad at religion (which many do) and clam to be Atheist but believe in some sort of spirit or super being then you are not an Atheist you are Agnostic. 95 percent of you need to get a Dictionary and get clear what an Atheist is, instead of making up definitions. What I see here is a bunch of angry Christan's who do not know what they are getting themselves into by calming they are Atheist. And for those who make fun of Genesis you better read the latest theories (Astronomy Magazine and Scientific American is a good place to start) about the Big Bang if you want to talk about a joke. Now the physicist clam all matter started out smaller than a molecule before the Big Bang. Oh by the way it is no longer the Big Bang we some how unfolded into what we are now. One more thing the universe is mathematically unsolvable so we make up dark matter and energy to account of the miss calculation. So which is more silly?

Answer 8

Is it not a part of paganism to follow the wheel of the year? The traditional farming calendar is a way of connecting to the earth, the path of the moon from waxing to waning has a symbolic meaning as well as a literal affect. A reverence for the power of the natural world, based in science and traditional customs can make one a pagan. I have strong pagan tendencies, I observe nature, and science brings a deeper understanding of a human connection to nature. I don't need a god or goddess to do that.

Answer 9

You said "I dont believe the gods are real corporeal entities either- and if you get into it, most of the ancients thought they were just a personification of a sentient world/ universe which is what I beleive."

That makes you an atheist who is grossly misinformed about the ancient world.

Atheist does not mean without religion, merely without gods.

Answer 10

I do not label myself as an Atheistic Witch...I consider myself more agnostic.
I do not believe in any sort of Deity - I guess that makes me atheist. However, I do think there are things out there that we cannot explain. I believe in the supernatural world. I believe in spirits as I have had many different experiences with them. I believe in the ability of tapping into the Universal energies that are present. I am an animist (sp?), where you believe things, animate or inanimate, possess a spirit or energy.
Personally, I think we as humans are too caught up in trying to label everything. I think it is our nature to do so. I am guilty of it to be sure. I think it helps us to understand the world we live in.