Is it odd for an Atheist to perform religious rituals?

[Confused Ape]

As an Atheist(more specifically igtheist) I love doing religious things. I am perhaps one of the few atheists(in the world) who worships a god of some sort. It is not that I secretly believe in a god(I don't), it is just that I am very fond of religion and the things associated with it. I find deities as useful to our lives as any mythological or heroic figure. Essentially just practical hero worship. I sort of came to this conclusion when I was a Hindu and tried creating a god that was not bound by sabda and it proved fatal after years of attempting.
God does not exist apart from the very words I speak and this alone is all that is the existence of god.

There's nothing odd about this. I'm something of a Naturalist Pagan

While we find little evidence to support most of the metaphysical claims made for deities and magic, we find plenty of evidence for the capacity of Pagan myth, meditation, and ritual to affect psychology. That is why we find Pagan ways powerful. By shaping human minds, they motivate change through human hands.

Our style of practice is much like that of other kinds of Pagans. It may or may not be noticeably different, and we work happily alongside other kinds of Pagans. This is often aided by the fact that Pagans usually don’t believe in a literal Hell for those who don’t hold the “correct” belief.

I'm too lazy for rituals apart from a simple ceremony at the solstices.

[Rabb Allah]

As an Atheist(more specifically igtheist) I love doing religious things. I am perhaps one of the few atheists(in the world) who worships a god of some sort. It is not that I secretly believe in a god(I don't), it is just that I am very fond of religion and the things associated with it. I find deities as useful to our lives as any mythological or heroic figure. Essentially just practical hero worship. I sort of came to this conclusion when I was a Hindu and tried creating a god that was not bound by sabda and it proved fatal after years of attempting.
God does not exist apart from the very words I speak and this alone is all that is the existence of god.

There's nothing odd about this. I'm something of a Naturalist Pagan

While we find little evidence to support most of the metaphysical claims made for deities and magic, we find plenty of evidence for the capacity of Pagan myth, meditation, and ritual to affect psychology. That is why we find Pagan ways powerful. By shaping human minds, they motivate change through human hands.

Our style of practice is much like that of other kinds of Pagans. It may or may not be noticeably different, and we work happily alongside other kinds of Pagans. This is often aided by the fact that Pagans usually don’t believe in a literal Hell for those who don’t hold the “correct” belief.

I'm too lazy for rituals apart from a simple ceremony at the solstices.

I actually got into the Arabian Pagan(wathani) revival scene and loved it. Very materialistic I may add but it is a Semitic form of paganism so what else to expect. The Qur'an actually mentions it numerous times that the Arab pagans believed in no afterlife. "Nothing kills us but time" is the motto of the Mushrikun before Islam fucked everything up.
Rather funny though considering that a lot of paganism is very naturalistic by default. Just blatant assumptions and observations steeped in the mythical minds of ignorant people.

[Nine]

* Nine vomits

Whatever floats your boat.

[Cato]

The missionary position is about as close as I get to a religious ritual.

[Dystopia]

Nothing wrong with that.

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I don't think its odd, a lot of people like to keep Christmas in their life and enjoy the festive feeling it produces, but that doesn't mean one has to believe in it, just like watching a movie, we can enjoy it and feel part of it, but at the same time knowing its not real.

I think Christmas has acquired a more traditional meaning, even if Christianity dissipated, Christmas would continue to be celebrated as a tradition between family members, as an atheist I enjoy Christmas and I see it as a time to be with my love ones in peace without worrying about work or college, I think most people end up seeing Christmas this way and we are so used to it that we would probably keep it if Christianity was banned. Even eastern and winter vacations are set up according to Christmas and eastern, for both students and workers (those who have paid vacations) it would be hard to just change everything.

[vorlon13]

Participating in a specific religion (believing in it or not) is a slap in the face to ALL OTHER RELIGIONS !!!

How dare the thread starter be so ANTI religious !!!

[Rabb Allah]

Participating in a specific religion (believing in it or not) is a slap in the face to ALL OTHER RELIGIONS !!!

How dare the thread starter be so ANTI religious !!!

You are a 12 stepper agnostic? What is this some sort of reverse Athna Ashariyyah. Them Twelver Shi'ites will hang your ass on a pole if they sniff you out

[vorlon13]

Most atheists in good standing might be persuaded to participate in a (Pagan, Satanic, FSM, Church of the Penis, Frisbeeist, pick one) ritual if there were some nearby Christian Fundies to piss off.

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Participating in a specific religion (believing in it or not) is a slap in the face to ALL OTHER RELIGIONS !!!

How dare the thread starter be so ANTI religious !!!

You are a 12 stepper agnostic? What is this some sort of reverse Athna Ashariyyah. Them Twelver Shi'ites will hang your ass on a pole if they sniff you out

There are 'some' religious trappings in the 12 Stepper orbit that are necessary fictions for some/most of the addicts to hold onto to achieve sobriety. In an abundance of caution, since I participate in those necessary fictions for their benefit, I self describe as 'agnostic'. "Official" 12 Stepping goes as far as agnosticism, not full bore atheism.

The ecumencial aspects of 12 Steppers is toxic (if they would think about it for a bit) IMO, to most all religions except UU.