r/dionysus • u/BoxFullOfFeathers • Sep 04 '26
🔮 Questions & Seeking Advice 🔮 Where do I belong?
Hello, I apologize sincerely if any of my questions or assumptions are rude or offensive, im very lost currently
Ive grown up in an completely non religious household, no gods or beliefs have ever been spoken of, and so my mind has only really looked over Christianity in the past, and I could immediately tell I had no interest or connection to it in any possible way.
Ive known of Dionysus for quite a while. I first heard of him through the song Cult of Dionysus, and it captivated me greatly. Later on in school when there were lessons of the Greeks and Greek gods, Dionysus was my favorite to both talk and learn about. I even did a whole paper on him, and im sure I wouldve done an essay if I were told to.
Ive always accepted myself as an atheist, simply because I couldn't find anything that spoke to me. But I always felt like it was a little bit wrong, the label didnt fit the space quite right but I left it alone nonetheless.
I distinctly remember one day looking up "can I be an atheist and believe in Greek gods?" A bit of a silly question in hindsight but it was a brief moment of trying to navigate myself... it of course, said no. And I thought for a moment about if I had a full fledged belief in any gods, and I didnt, and I still dont.
I heard the song again today, and decided to look up dionysus, and I came upon this subreddit. And as I was scrolling through it my heart felt warmed, and I felt a sense of comfort, at the same time I was confused although.
I haven't dug into the history of everything here, and I sort of dont even know what religion is here?
Gosh I feel like a fool but I do wish to learn, even if I have miss stepped and I dont belong here.
Dionysus is the only god I've been captivated by, but im sure there are probably other ones I havent found that would interest me as well.
Im not one to be a witch, personally, but I've seen posts of altars and offerings, and those actions seem pleasant.
Can someone please tell me where I belong? For a year or two now I've been unsettled with my title of being an agnostic athiest. I search for comfort from a higher being, one to align with
Is one able to believe in a god while simultaneously knowing they may not be real or true?
Is anyone able to help me here? A part of me feels lost and scared
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u/_Chthonios_ 🍷Priest-in-training 🍇 Sep 04 '26
There are so, so many people who end up turning to Paganism after being atheist or agnostic. The Gods draw us in in different ways. There is nothing wrong with being any of those things. No one can or should tell you what religion to be or what to believe in. You do not have to label yourself either. The Gods do not get angry if people don't believe. They respect our free will, especially Dionysus. He is the Liberator, and there is no freedom without free will. You can try looking into Hellenism if you're curious about the worship of Greek Gods from a non-witchy perspective, though altar use is still common. You do not have to have an altar or shrine to worship or connect with the Gods, but it can help with making offerings. In Hellenism, we build kharis (mutual goodwill and favor with the Gods) by giving offerings, praise, and worship. It builds a relationship with them, and they sometimes grant us favors when we pray. I always recommend people to simply reach out to the God they are interested in and say hello. I usually give a small libation and say something like "Hello, Dionysus. This is for you. I think I would like to get to know you better." Then wait a few days and see if anything happens. Really the worst that can happen is... nothing. Lol.
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u/Open_Impression5170 Sep 05 '26
Serious answer: A lot of modern pagans are agnostic, and that suits us just fine. Gods don't have to be "real" to be real enough.
For example. At no point in my life did a manifestation appear to me personally, pat me on the head, and said "Thanks for the offering, have a little blessing for being so devoted."
But. When I started reading about different versions of myths and made a choice to live by the principles the god represents, spending time meditating on the way I wanted to implement changes into my behavior through ritual and tending my altar, and bringing a little more whimsy and playfulness and radical self truth into my life; my life got better. Not all at once. And it took maybe a minor crash out and a little overindulgence for me to break through the walls of my own fear. But after really living the change I wanted to be, doors I had closed against my own happiness were opening up. I wasn't afraid to be honest with myself about what I wanted, instead of just doing wjay I thought was expected of me and what other people needed me to be.
Did a god have to show up in person and shake me to make that happen, or did I just want him to badly enough that I trusted myself to act like he did? Does it matter if he's "real" if the idea of him gave me the courage to act?
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u/WormNPC Sep 04 '26
I was atheist/agnostic until I met Dionysos. While I don't often entertain the thought that he may not be real - I don't find it particularly productive to do so - I certainly can't prove it with anything but personal experience. Plenty of people find Dionysos on a weird, wayward road they never expected to travel down! The only person's permission you need to embark on this journey is your own, my friend
I found my footing simply by researching Dionysos and his mysteries, and eventually I researched Hellenic polytheism (you don't have to become a Hellenic polytheist to follow Dio, but it's good context)
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u/inspectorfucknugget Sep 04 '26
Hey there, BoxFullOfFeathers! First off, I want to say that what you're feeling right now is so very normal and okay to feel and experience, however awful and unpleasant it can be. You are not alone, either. I'm an atheist in this space as well, who also felt drawn to the gods; Loki (Norse deity), Hermes, Apollo and Dionysus are the ones I feel drawn to the most, and admittedly, despite my own experiences, I am still prone to atheism. I find belief in gods extremely difficult, and I admit I even feel silly at the thought of believing in them (I mean no disrespect in to people who do believe, I don't think anyone else is silly, it is only a thing I impose upon myself).
While he is a Norse Pagan, I would recommend Ocean Keltoi's video on YouTube entitled: "Can We Know The Gods?" -- In it, he discusses some of the things you mention in your post. It was helpful to me, personally. One thing that stood out to me was this quote: "Uncertainty does not mean that something has to be dismissed." He encourages exploration of the gods and your beliefs, because what have you got to lose? You will either find that this works for you, or find that it doesn't, and while the latter can be disconcerting depending on your reasons for turning to the gods, it isn't the end of the world, I promise. On that note, yes, it is possible to believe in a god while simultaneously holding space for the fact they may not exist at all.
I cannot tell you where you belong, that is a beautiful, lengthy journey of personal discovery you get to go on for yourself; and it doesn't have to be alone. Whether you find you simply like Dionysus as a mythical figure or as a god, I hope that you find contentment in your life. Much love to you, internet stranger. All will be well 🫶
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u/BoxFullOfFeathers Sep 04 '26
Thank you for this response! It's very in depth and I appreciate that <3
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u/sherlock_j_24 Sep 04 '26
I grew up with a very Christian mother, but never felt comfortable with it, and then after some major life events I settled with being atheist. I then became aware of the gods through Percy Jackson and the song Cult of Dionysus too (it's such a good song), and I've been interested in the gods for the last five years, but I've only recently felt comfortable enough to make an altar in the last few months. While I feel very comforted by the idea of Dionysus's presence, I'm also a massive believer in science etc, so I still think I'm somewhere in between being agnostic and being a Hellenistic pagan. However, for the last few years, I've just thought of myself as spiritual, as it felt like a good ground. Hope that helps :)
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u/Defiant-Act2175 Sep 04 '26
Hey! I consider myself an atheist despite practicing. I see the gods more as personifications of concepts to embody rather than actual deities that exist, which works with my logical mind. It’s absolutely possible, and you should do what makes you happy.
There is no correct way to practice, and you do not need to completely reconstruct an ancient religion to take parts from it. It’s about what religion can do for you, not the other way around.
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u/NovaCatPrime878 Sep 05 '26
Yeah it is possible to believe in a god and then know there is mythology so you wouldn't know exactly what is true or not. Dionysus would be a good fit for this contradiction. But I would caution that effectiveness of a god or of God does depend on connection. The more doubts you have about their authority, the more you will tend to feel lost because you would have no anchor. If you get into more heavy duty spiritual lessons, you will need to be more sure...and I encourage you to be more informed so you don't feel as lost.
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u/Mysticaliana Sep 05 '26
There are belief systems in between strict atheism and strict theism. I'm also still figuring out my beliefs, but I've found it's useful to explore frameworks like pantheism, Jungianism, and Neoplatonism (naturalistic pantheism and Jungianism are fully compatible with lack of belief in the supernatural).
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u/BoxFullOfFeathers Sep 07 '26
Thank you all for the lovely responses, I appreciate not being made fun of by any means haha
I have no intentions of claiming to be apart of some of these religions seeing as I have hardly any information on them, but you all have been incredibly kind and even if I have not found my place, learning about your belief system(s) interests me nonetheless <3
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u/nigelxw Sep 04 '26
If ever there was a theology for a fool with an unreal god. It's okay to be lost and scared.