Did all vikings really believe in Norse mythology or were there atheists?

by MrOaiki

Are there any records from the time around 800-1100 A.C showing that there were vikings who didn’t really believe in their own religion but rather saw it as symbolism and a moral guideline? Or did all vikings literarily believe in Thor and Asgard etc?

thepanda37

The assumption, that ancient religions and cults would be regarded as direct source of moral guidelines even by people who'd clearly adhere to them, seems anachronistic.

A great and detailed answer concerning examination of belief and atheism in the pre-Christian world was given by /u/articleofpeace in this thread:

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/9gtbs6/how_were_nonreligious_people_viewed_in_ancient/

Btw, regarding the term Viking" as indicating a people/ethnic group is a common misconception :) , it was a verb referring to the occupation of seafaring&raiding/trading, meaning you weren't born "a viking", but that one would get up, gather a crew, and "go viking" for the coming season (or not), what you more likely mean are "Norse".