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The Conversation: How I Talk About My Religion
It’s a pretty complicated topic. Let’s face it: for someone just becoming exposed to the idea of “rational religion”, there is a lot of territory to cover: the idea that religion doesn’t have to involve gods or the supernatural; the idea of Paganism itself, which is not exactly mainstream, even in groovy Northern California. And then, at the end of it, the big question: why? If you don’t believe Anyone is Listening, why would you do rituals and have celebrations? If your understanding of the nature of religion is founded in the characteristics that define the mainstream monotheisms, it’s a long and somewhat arduous walk to understanding a religion that…
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Is there an Atheopagan Original Sin?
So, I read this. Go ahead, you should, too. And though this piece contains much terminology that evokes Neopagan superstition (“the Old Ways”, gods, etc.), it raises the question for me of whether there is something inherent in humanity that can be characterized as a stain we carry from birth: an original sin. Given what is happening to the planet as we populate its every corner, it seems as though there might be. And yet I am emphatically, irrevocably opposed to practicing a religion that wallows in guilt and shame and regret. I simply won’t have it. So please accept that as I explore this issue, I’m not urging anyone to be ashamed. I’m…
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Atheopagan “advent” calendar–a fun project for the holidays
Instructions for making your own Atheopagan “advent” calendar, complete with resizable clip art images you can use for the tiny pictures behind the windows. Includes education on Atheopagan principles and themes. This is a Word document, so the images could be embedded as resizable objects. Enjoy!
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The 13 Atheopagan Principles
Click here for a one-page layout of the Atheopagan Principles, suitable for printing. For individual articles on each Principle, see: 1: CRITICAL THINKING 2: REVERENCE FOR THE SACRED EARTH 3: GRATITUDE 4: HUMILITY 5: PERSPECTIVE/HUMOR 6: PRAXIS 7: INCLUSIVENESS 8: LEGACY 9: SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY 10: PLEASURE POSITIVITY 11: CURIOSITY 12: INTEGRITY 13: KINDNESS and COMPASSION
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An Atheopagan Hymnal
This collection provides songs and invocations for use in Atheopagan rituals. All rights reserved to authors of the works, but distribution for non-commercial uses is permitted. This is a work in progress, and will be further updated. Enjoy!
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An Atheopagan Ritual Primer
New off the press, An Atheopagan Ritual Primer. All you need to know to get started doing your own Atheopagan rituals. EDIT 2022: Now in its 5th edition!
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An Atheopagan Life: Observances Around the Year (Sept/Oct)
Autumn on the North Coast of California is an odd time. Our climate is a Mediterranean-style cycle of winter rains and a completely dry summer, and the transitional seasons are subtle in character. In fall, we experience the hottest period of the year, as while summer mornings are characterized by ocean fog that cools most days to temperate comfort, the weaker sun of September and October cannot drive the fog system so effectively. As a result, these months bring lengthy stretches of days in the nineties, parching lands which haven’t seen rain in months to what feels an aching dryness, as empty creek beds and golden-brown hills attest. We do…
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Now Writing for the Humanistic Paganism Blog
I’m happy to announce that I have been asked to write a monthly column for the blog Humanistic Paganism. My column will be entitled An Atheopagan Life: Musings and Observances of an Earth-honoring Atheist. I’ll link new columns here so the core Atheopagan crowd is aware of them.
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An Atheopagan Rosary
I’ve been thinking about personal practices. They vary; for some, having a community of like-minded peers and going to a seasonal celebration of all or most of the 8 festivals around the year fulfills what they seek out of a religion. Others like to do something solitary now and then as well—or exclusively. Still others like a weekly sabbath, or even a daily practice that keeps them in touch with their values, gratitude and sense of wonder. I find that—when I can make myself do it—a daily mindfulness meditation adds a great deal to my experience of living, and I’d like to find a way to do that on most…
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An Atheopagan Prayer
Praise to the wide spinning world Unfolding each of all the destined tales compressed In the moment of your catastrophic birth Wide to the fluid expanse, blowing outward Kindling in stars and galaxies, in bright pools Of Christmas-colored gas; cohering in marbles hot And cold, ringed, round, gray and red and gold and dun And blue Pure blue, the eye of a child, spinning in a veil of air, Warm island, home to us, kind beyond measure: the stones And trees, the round river flowing sky to deepest chasm, salt And sweet. Praise to Time, enormous and precious, And we with so little, seeing our world go as it will Ruing, cheering,…
