Atheistic and agnostic Paganism

There seem to be two versions of atheistic Paganism that I have observed. One is "behaving as though the gods exist even though you don't believe in them". This is probably intellectually dishonest, and often looks like cultural appropriation (in the sense of taking something out of its original context and using it in a different way than was originally intended).

There are sometimes also agnostic Pagans who are not sure if the gods exist, but find their life works better if they behave as though they do. I don't have a problem with that. It's worth remembering that Parmenides said (or at least implied) that something exists if we can conceive of it (in other words, it exists as an idea at the very least).

The other form of atheist Paganism is not believing in the gods and therefore not including them in rituals - I know a couple of people who are sincere Pagans but just do not connect with gods at all. One of them doesn't interact with them at all, the other believes they don't have personalities. Then there's all those pantheists out there... Again, this is intellectually honest and perfectly reasonable.

Personally, I believe that the gods exist as distinct identities, but I'm not sure what they are. (Are they non-incarnate consciousness? very big wights or spirits of place? identities within the collective unconscious? - I prefer the first two options, but I still have no idea how they work.)

• Wikipedia entry on Atheism
• Wikipedia entry on Agnosticism
• Pagan Wiki article on Atheism

Usage of "atheos" in ancient Greece

In early Ancient Greek, the adjective atheos (from privative α- + θεος "god") meant "godless". The word acquired an additional meaning in the 5th century BC, severing relations with the gods; that is, "denying the gods, ungodly", with more active connotations than asebēs, or "impious". Modern translations of classical texts sometimes translate atheos as "atheistic". As an abstract noun, there was also atheotēs ("atheism"). Cicero transliterated atheos into Latin. The term found frequent use in the debate between early Christians and pagans, with each side attributing it, in the pejorative sense, to the other. (from Wikipedia entry on Atheism)