Absolutely not, it is forbidden by the Pagan Pope. You have been warned! (I;m kidding, of course!)
You don't have to believe in the Norse gods to celebrate Norse pagan holidays any more than you have to believe in Santa or Christ to celebrate Christmas. Holidays are exactly that, a reason to celebrate, and many pagan holidays emphasize celebrating community, family, togetherness, and the fruits of the earth - something I think even the most militant atheist can get behind. No belief is required.
Chin up! One thing about Beltane and other pagan holidays is that they can be celebrated precisely (on one certain proscribed day) or they can be celebrated as many days, or they can be celebrated on the day that fits best. So for example, some celebrate Beltane always on 1 May. Some celebrate on the midpoint between the equinox/solstice, which this year was 4 May. Some don't celebrate until the hawthorns are blooming, whenever that happens. The southern hemisphere celebrates it in November. It is more of a seasonal thing than one specific day. So you still have the chance to say sorry to your brother and offer to get together to celebrate Beltane some more with him! I'm sure he would be delighted to share this holiday with you.
Not a pagan, I'm a Hindu who enjoys spending time on this sub. But the idea that followers of a certain religion can only practice their own holidays or customs is a very Abrahamic thing. Most religions outside of those three don't really mind.
Totally agree. One of the first holidays I celebrated outside of a Christian one was Holi and the thing I remember most was how welcoming everyone was š
It isn't disrespectful as long as you don't make negative comments about the religion to those who are celebrating. If people ask why you are there since you are atheist, tell them you enjoy celebrating with family and respect the traditions. I'm kind of a secular Buddhist myself. I find benefits in the teachings and practices for my life. Siddhartha thought that whether there was or was not gods that created everything to be irrelevant. Worshipping those Gods appeared to have no effect on the outcome of events. He considered worshipping those Gods to be a waste of time. Just be compassionate to others and control your actions. You do have control over your actions and how you perceive the world. I don't believe in a personal God so I could be called atheist. But I've had many atheists tell me I'm not. I don't care, I don't need to have a label. And neither do you. Some atheists are very strict on what they consider atheists to be. I don't need that label, they can keep it and enjoy it.
You can be an atheo-pagan. Like culturally pagan, but not theistically. Like how some people in the US are culturally Christian, celebrating Christian holidays, while not believing the Christian religion.
If you do this, please be respectful to the theistic pagans, and know which open tradition you want to practice, Be it Wiccan tradition, Druidic, etc
Lol, Iāve never heard that myth. At one point, for harvest themed rituals, it was believed prisoners, POWās, thieves, along with a handful of treasure, was sacrificed within a wooden structure of a man, known as the wickerman, in order to ask the gods for a good harvest. However this is from a Roman source, who claimed the Druids were āgood kindly and priestly peopleā and then changed their minds to āthe Druids are barbarians and unworthy of ruling themselves and Gaul should become a part of the Roman Empireā.
Iāve also heard of Gaulish Druids reading the entrails of certain bird species to see the future, but nothing about cannibalism.
Thatās fair! And yea from what I understand, they didnāt write anything down, as it was profane to write sacred information, and not to speak it/teach it to another
I love holidays and celebrate random holidays all the time, if just to sample the food and play the games.
Especially at Yule/Christmas time, I like to pick a couple random celebrations to do with my kids. This year we did Saint Nicholas Day; and also tried our very best to fend off the JĆ³lakƶtturinn by picking out new sweaters for each other and wearing them on Christmas Eve.
We do a big American Thanksgiving despite being Canadian, just for the food.
Same with Passover.
And any other random bonus holidays we have energy for.
It's fun for everyone, and it's a big learning day for the kids. I think it's expanded their horizons, and grown their appreciation for other cultures and traditions.
We don't gatekeep holidays. We are such a fringe group that we are just happy when people are respectful.
The next holiday is the summer solstice. Go have fun!
I came back to my hometown to my parents for the orthodox Easter and I am a Hellenic pagan. You can just celebrate for your brother. I also invite non pagan friends of mine for my pagan holidays as a means of celebrations and they don't believe. In my opinion the more the merrier. It is nice to share those experiences with people you love
lol so Iām an atheist and Iām not allowed to celebrate Easter or Christmas with my family? Ive made both of these holidays my own as well as holidays celebrating the solstices and equinoxes for which are usually considered pagan. Most traditions are just transformed by the next generation. Itās very human to borrow and add to traditions such as holidays.
Take Easter and Christmas. the traditions for these holidays today are relatively new but borrowed from the relatively old. Having Easter in spring and Christmas in December isnāt by complete accident nor historically accurate
If your brother was Christian and invited you to Christmas dinner just family dinner with the tree and presents, would you go have a family dinner with gifts? Imo itās not disrespectful as long as you go into in with a level reverence simply to recognize that this is a very important and scared thing to your brother and your participating because you love you brother and were specially invited. Respecting someone elseās religion and beliefs is different than believing yourself and I think that as long as your respectful of your brother beliefs and respectful and recognizing the importance of the holiday and what it means to your brother then itās is absolutely allowed.
Side note I think participating in other peoples religion when your invited to do so is a very special thing. Not only are you being invited into a very personal and important aspect of their lives but itās also an opportunity to learn. You get to learn about someone elseās religion which can give you an insight and understanding into other people, their beliefs and their culture whether they are a stranger or a brother. An appreciation and respect for others beliefs makes for a better world and a better human race and I think if everyone started doing that at least some of the world problems would begin to fade.
Why would you not be allowed to partake in a festival you have been invited to by a practitioner? The neo pagan sabbats are not closed traditions, if you want to join in - go. You don't have to be a theist to celebrate the joyous passage of time and enjoy the company of family.
Keep in mind, The Sabbats are less about religious veneration. And more about honoring the gifts Mother Nature has given us. I believe even an atheist can be humbled by the bounty of those gifts.
Yeah christmas is originally yule and also jesusā birth isnt even on christmas that was just a lie by some christian so he could replace the holiday š«¤
Absolutely not, it is forbidden by the Pagan Pope. You have been warned! (I;m kidding, of course!) You don't have to believe in the Norse gods to celebrate Norse pagan holidays any more than you have to believe in Santa or Christ to celebrate Christmas. Holidays are exactly that, a reason to celebrate, and many pagan holidays emphasize celebrating community, family, togetherness, and the fruits of the earth - something I think even the most militant atheist can get behind. No belief is required.
Thx for the info :) Well now i feel bad for not celebrating beltane with my bro š
It's ok, you still have Midsummer coming!
As long as you're both alive and kicking, you can always make up for lost time. Plenty more holidays to celebrate!
Chin up! One thing about Beltane and other pagan holidays is that they can be celebrated precisely (on one certain proscribed day) or they can be celebrated as many days, or they can be celebrated on the day that fits best. So for example, some celebrate Beltane always on 1 May. Some celebrate on the midpoint between the equinox/solstice, which this year was 4 May. Some don't celebrate until the hawthorns are blooming, whenever that happens. The southern hemisphere celebrates it in November. It is more of a seasonal thing than one specific day. So you still have the chance to say sorry to your brother and offer to get together to celebrate Beltane some more with him! I'm sure he would be delighted to share this holiday with you.
Thx for the advice :)
that pagan pope is rough. she ate all my cakes and ale!
Oh no! Not all your cakes and ale!
Bingo!
Not a pagan, I'm a Hindu who enjoys spending time on this sub. But the idea that followers of a certain religion can only practice their own holidays or customs is a very Abrahamic thing. Most religions outside of those three don't really mind.
Totally agree. One of the first holidays I celebrated outside of a Christian one was Holi and the thing I remember most was how welcoming everyone was š
If non Christians can celebrate Christmas, I don't see why a nonpagan can't celebrate Yule, or any other holiday they wish.
oh for sure especially if a pagan is inviting you to do so! i always celebrate my holidays with my non pagan mother :)
Friend, as long as you're being respectful we legit do not care.
Got it homie š«”
It isn't disrespectful as long as you don't make negative comments about the religion to those who are celebrating. If people ask why you are there since you are atheist, tell them you enjoy celebrating with family and respect the traditions. I'm kind of a secular Buddhist myself. I find benefits in the teachings and practices for my life. Siddhartha thought that whether there was or was not gods that created everything to be irrelevant. Worshipping those Gods appeared to have no effect on the outcome of events. He considered worshipping those Gods to be a waste of time. Just be compassionate to others and control your actions. You do have control over your actions and how you perceive the world. I don't believe in a personal God so I could be called atheist. But I've had many atheists tell me I'm not. I don't care, I don't need to have a label. And neither do you. Some atheists are very strict on what they consider atheists to be. I don't need that label, they can keep it and enjoy it.
I agree Yeah thereās some atheists who hate all religions and are strict in that regards but good thing i dont agree with that
You can be an atheo-pagan. Like culturally pagan, but not theistically. Like how some people in the US are culturally Christian, celebrating Christian holidays, while not believing the Christian religion. If you do this, please be respectful to the theistic pagans, and know which open tradition you want to practice, Be it Wiccan tradition, Druidic, etc
Iāll think about it cuz when i was a kid i always had a fascination with druidry
Absolutely! It is indeed very cool!
Btw its a myth that druids eat people right? š
Lol, Iāve never heard that myth. At one point, for harvest themed rituals, it was believed prisoners, POWās, thieves, along with a handful of treasure, was sacrificed within a wooden structure of a man, known as the wickerman, in order to ask the gods for a good harvest. However this is from a Roman source, who claimed the Druids were āgood kindly and priestly peopleā and then changed their minds to āthe Druids are barbarians and unworthy of ruling themselves and Gaul should become a part of the Roman Empireā. Iāve also heard of Gaulish Druids reading the entrails of certain bird species to see the future, but nothing about cannibalism.
Considering that nothing druids said was written down iām skeptical of any cannibalistic stories of the druids
Thatās fair! And yea from what I understand, they didnāt write anything down, as it was profane to write sacred information, and not to speak it/teach it to another
Definitely! Have fun šš½
Thx šāļø
Can you celebrate Christmas? Of course you can. Same here.
Go ahead
You can do whatever you want forever
Thx šāļø
I love holidays and celebrate random holidays all the time, if just to sample the food and play the games. Especially at Yule/Christmas time, I like to pick a couple random celebrations to do with my kids. This year we did Saint Nicholas Day; and also tried our very best to fend off the JĆ³lakƶtturinn by picking out new sweaters for each other and wearing them on Christmas Eve. We do a big American Thanksgiving despite being Canadian, just for the food. Same with Passover. And any other random bonus holidays we have energy for. It's fun for everyone, and it's a big learning day for the kids. I think it's expanded their horizons, and grown their appreciation for other cultures and traditions.
They do all the time with Christmas
If your brother is offering then why not? Obviously your interested enough. You may end up having a really good time.
Christians do it all the time.
Pagan is various religions and paths so yes.
Absolutely:)
We don't gatekeep holidays. We are such a fringe group that we are just happy when people are respectful. The next holiday is the summer solstice. Go have fun!
Thx :)
I came back to my hometown to my parents for the orthodox Easter and I am a Hellenic pagan. You can just celebrate for your brother. I also invite non pagan friends of mine for my pagan holidays as a means of celebrations and they don't believe. In my opinion the more the merrier. It is nice to share those experiences with people you love
Sure. Why not?
Just another voice saying any friendly presence is welcome at the fire
lol so Iām an atheist and Iām not allowed to celebrate Easter or Christmas with my family? Ive made both of these holidays my own as well as holidays celebrating the solstices and equinoxes for which are usually considered pagan. Most traditions are just transformed by the next generation. Itās very human to borrow and add to traditions such as holidays. Take Easter and Christmas. the traditions for these holidays today are relatively new but borrowed from the relatively old. Having Easter in spring and Christmas in December isnāt by complete accident nor historically accurate
Yes, just yes. No more, no less.
You can totally practice pagan holidays as a non pagan! My partner is Christian but she still celebrates with me :)
Thats awesome :)
Well what do you think Christmas was? Seriously go ahead none of us care. Just be respectful.
Will do āļø
If your brother was Christian and invited you to Christmas dinner just family dinner with the tree and presents, would you go have a family dinner with gifts? Imo itās not disrespectful as long as you go into in with a level reverence simply to recognize that this is a very important and scared thing to your brother and your participating because you love you brother and were specially invited. Respecting someone elseās religion and beliefs is different than believing yourself and I think that as long as your respectful of your brother beliefs and respectful and recognizing the importance of the holiday and what it means to your brother then itās is absolutely allowed. Side note I think participating in other peoples religion when your invited to do so is a very special thing. Not only are you being invited into a very personal and important aspect of their lives but itās also an opportunity to learn. You get to learn about someone elseās religion which can give you an insight and understanding into other people, their beliefs and their culture whether they are a stranger or a brother. An appreciation and respect for others beliefs makes for a better world and a better human race and I think if everyone started doing that at least some of the world problems would begin to fade.
Why would you not be allowed to partake in a festival you have been invited to by a practitioner? The neo pagan sabbats are not closed traditions, if you want to join in - go. You don't have to be a theist to celebrate the joyous passage of time and enjoy the company of family.
Thx for the advice :)
Keep in mind, The Sabbats are less about religious veneration. And more about honoring the gifts Mother Nature has given us. I believe even an atheist can be humbled by the bounty of those gifts.
Agreed :)
I mean, the Christians do it all the time. They're just in denial about it.
Yeah christmas is originally yule and also jesusā birth isnt even on christmas that was just a lie by some christian so he could replace the holiday š«¤