Formerly Pagan Atheist.
Offline Hello fellow rational responders, and thank you for clicking my formal delurk post. How is everybody? I hope all is well for you. As you may have guessed by my subject tag, I am a formally Pagan Atheist - technically neopagan, having practiced Wicca for almost 18 years. I broke free of my mental prison at the tender age of 27, and at 32 my mind is still just a little freer every single day. Recently I have caught onto the upsurge of Atheist hip-hop that is sprouting to fruition upon sites like youtube - my reaction is the typical one: being not usually a fan of rap / hip-hop, but for some reason Atheist hip-hop is more then just tollerable it's actually enjoyable.
I digress - this introduction is also a calling. I would like a show of hands, of other formally Pagan atheists if you please (if applicable). I wonder how many other formally Pagan atheists are out there? The entire vast umbrella of Paganism applies, not just to Wiccans.
Here's hoping I get written back. X3
If God made us in his own image, then shouldn't we be invisible too?
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Welcome to the forums, we have had a few former pagans and a few that still are. Not sure any are active at this particular point of time. Dive in head first, the water is well warmed by the fires of hell.
If, if a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood. But if you - if you hold a gun on him and make him embrace me and pretend to be friendly or brotherly toward me, then that's not brotherhood, that's hypocrisy.- Malcolm X
Welcome.
I don't know why I am confused. Are you saying you were a pagan and now an atheist, or both currently a pagan and an atheist? Not sure how that would work.
But in any case welcome.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
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Welcome to the forum. Couple of quick questions. I know only a little about Wicca/Paganism (there being a difference of course). But, my girlfriend was into that for a long time, before I met her. Did you see the Goddess/God as more of a conceptual type of thing or in a literal sense ? I know some Wiccan/Pagans do not actually believe in the existence of an actual God/Goddess and see them more in representation of inner natures, while others do. Like some Wiccans practice magic and others do not. Were you in an actual tradition/coven (i.e. Alexandrian/Gardnerian/ Eclectic ) or more solitary ?
I know that my girlfriend was in a Gardenerian type of tradition, but has not really been involved since I have known her. Although she does still adhere to some of those beliefs.
What surprised me, when I actually picked up a copy of Gardner's book : The Meaning of Witchcraft and suggested to her in a very skeptical manner, (typical of me) that Gardner might have made all of that up, it didn't seem to bother her at all. In fact, she even conceded the possibility that Gardner could have made up some of it, and that different traditions all had differing beliefs, so Gardner was no final authority anyhow.
Unlike more dogmatic religions, a lot of the Wiccan community does not seem to really care too deeply about a central doctrine or authority that can never be wrong. I know that my open Atheism does not bother her in the least and most of the Wiccans that I have met seem to adhere to the "Harm Not" principle and live and let live. However, I know very little about it and there are so many "fluff bunny" as my girlfriend calls them, books out there on the subject that it would take me some time to really go beyond scratching the surface.
“It is proof of a base and low mind for one to wish to think with the masses or majority, merely because the majority is the majority. Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people.”
― Giordano Bruno
Nah, I'm just an atheist now. I don't see how I could be a Pagan Atheist either.
What atheist hip-hop / rap band and songs do you like?
Welcome.
Religion Kills !!!
Numbers 31:17-18 - Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man, but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.
http://jesus-needs-money.blogspot.com/
I love Grand Unified Theory. Gripp, Tombstone, Syqnyss, Greydon; they're all fantastic. I also like Johnny Hoax, Young Inc, as well as Sicktanic and Razakel.
Many if not most of their songs are masterpieces, especially in the case of #GU. I don't think I could choose a single song from any particular artist.
If God made us in his own image, then shouldn't we be invisible too?
Just click the quote function in the lower leftof the box next to the reply spot. Otherwise welcome onboard and post often. I'm near Toronto where are you?
"Very funny Scotty; now beam down our clothes."
VEGETARIAN: Ancient Hindu word for "lousy hunter"
If man was formed from dirt, why is there still dirt?
Thank you for the welcome. I'm happy to help you air out what dirty laundry I can regarding your understanding (or lack there of) about your GF's prior choice of faith. Actually, Wicca is a kind of paganism. All Wiccans are Pagan, but of course not all Pagans are Wiccan. I saw the goddess as a gnostic contruct that represented nature its self, the goddess was not an embodied entity but actually a personification of the forces of nature. As for my activity, I was solitary for the most part with a Lothlorien tradition. For a little while I was involved with a Faerie Wicca coven as well. And I also tried a hand at having a circle between me and some close friends, but none of that ever stuck of course - there was always too much drama between the 4 of us.
Of course Gardner made it all up. Why do you think it's called Gardnerian Witchcraft? He made a mishmash of all the regurgitated crap the Greeks STOPPED BELIEVING and then started believing it himself. Gardner was not an authority of any sort, to be honest - he was just responsible for kicking off the movement. Putting him in a state of authority would be like putting Lewellyn Publications in the same place - and like Atheists, herding Wiccans can be like herding Cats. Yes, there are as many trads as there are pagans to believe in them. And they're generally open minded people - that's because Paganism is an older, wiser, more mature Faith. It's no lie that I'm a monster theophile for Pagans because they don't proselityze (sp?), they never use their funds to lobby government, they don't try and mettle in our laws. They infact believe that religion is a sacred right to be revered and practiced in private, and humility is the first order of business, and unlike Abrahamic faith's that condem them, they ACTUALLY follow their fucking tenants!!
As for a reading list I would suggest you read the Holy Books of the Daevas, by Rev Paul Beyeral. Read Scott Cunningham, Ray Buckland, but steer clear of Edain McCoy and Silver Ravenwolf.
"These 8 words the Wiccan Rede Fullfil: An at harm none, do what thou will." This is the central tenant of their faith, and most Wiccans do very strongly cling to their crede - although I'll certainly never say that I didn't step in a dark patch every now and again. You see, one of the follies of reading white magic is that in those books you'll find them urging you to study black magic so you can protect yourself and others from it. But within that knowledge can lay temptation to break your tenants, when the time is right - for every Wiccan the loophole is different - I however promise you that there's not a single Wiccan anywhere in the world that has stuck to the Wiccan Rede without failure.
If God made us in his own image, then shouldn't we be invisible too?
Thank you. I'm still trying to figure my way around the boards. I'm in Seattle, about 4 hours from the canadian border.
If God made us in his own image, then shouldn't we be invisible too?
Hehe. The very mention of Silver Ravenwolf and a couple of others (can't think of them off hand) will get me a heavy sigh and lecture about the stupidity of it all. So I have been warned about those particular "fluffy bunnies". (Not sure what that term is supposed to mean, just one that I have heard used by Wiccans. )
I think my gf saw it pretty much like you. The goddess and great horned god were not really actual entities, but cycles of life and forces of nature representations within and without.
Thanks for the responses and the information.
I think you'll like it here.
“It is proof of a base and low mind for one to wish to think with the masses or majority, merely because the majority is the majority. Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people.”
― Giordano Bruno
In Wiccan circles the word "Fluffy Bunny" basically means a Wiccan religious fundamentalist. Another word you might hear from Wiccans is the term "Cowan." Basically its a term that refers to non-occult types, and yet another common term is "skyclad." which means to be clad only in the sky (nude as a jaybird.) There are other terminologies as well - but you're not likely to hear them unless you get involved with a coven its self - which I know you're not about to do. lol. Widdershins, Deosil, Atheme, and Beysom to name a few. ~.^
If God made us in his own image, then shouldn't we be invisible too?
Hi,
I'm in Portland, OR. Not so very far away. Welcome to the forum. I'll hunt up the groups you mentioned. I rather like hip-hop, but not too fond of rap.
Post early and often....
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.
Welcome to the forum. I think you will like it here.
Hey Opie!
Pagan Atheist? Pagan Atheist? I rest my case.
Respectfully,
Jean Chauvin (Jude 3).
Hey Opie
Let me guess. You were a vampire, and/or you saw dead people. Shawk! lol.
Receive a badge as i with the study of logic and the destruction of every argument on here.
Respectfully,
Jean Chauvin (Jude 3).
A Rational Christian of Intelligence (rare)with a valid and sound justification for my epistemology and a logical refutation for those with logical fallacies and false worldviews upon their normative of thinking in retrospect to objective normative(s). This is only understood via the imago dei in which we all are.
Respectfully,
Jean Chauvin (Jude 3).
Best advice for new people is to ignore asshole trolls like Jean Chauvin on here. The guy is an infected penishead.
“It is proof of a base and low mind for one to wish to think with the masses or majority, merely because the majority is the majority. Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people.”
― Giordano Bruno
Hey,
I wear the name troll with honor with you. This is a badge among the atheist to call a person who destroy you utterly in every argument.
I'd kick you around like a bug in argument and on the streets. But I would never do that to you. I'm sorry I hurt your feelings scooter boy.
Respectfully,
Jean Chauvin (Jude 3).
A Rational Christian of Intelligence (rare)with a valid and sound justification for my epistemology and a logical refutation for those with logical fallacies and false worldviews upon their normative of thinking in retrospect to objective normative(s). This is only understood via the imago dei in which we all are.
Respectfully,
Jean Chauvin (Jude 3).
I have yet to see you destroy a single argument. But, if it makes you feel better to live in self-delusion, that's fine with me. Most christians are already delusional anyway, what's one more going to do ?
“It is proof of a base and low mind for one to wish to think with the masses or majority, merely because the majority is the majority. Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people.”
― Giordano Bruno
Keep dreaming Jeano . . .
What was the immediate reply, I believe Vastet wrote . . .
Trollin' trollin' .. trollin' down the River . . .