I see many on here claiming to be atheist yet their words often contradict their claim. If you claim to be an atheist be sure you know what that means: someone who denies the existence of god Or are you really an Agnostic: a person who holds the view that any ultimate reality (as God) is unknown and probably unknowable; broadly : one who is not committed to believing in either the existence or the nonexistence of God or a god There is a difference. I view myself as a Agnostic because even logic and science can not 100% rule out the chance of there being a higher being. However, I am also not convinced that there is a higher being. If there is a higher being, I am not convinced that it is the God of the stories we were told to believe. So are what should you be classified as?
Not sure if this is directed to me, but as you were on the other thread, thought it might be. To be clear, while this is the dictionary definition of an atheist and an agnostic, the dictionary definition for atheism includes: I do not believe divinity exists; I therefore do not place divinity in my life, and am, in a word, "godless." I acknowledge that this viewpoint is ultimately unknowable, and is as much a leap of faith as belief in the divine. In this sense, "atheism" and "agnosticism" overlap.
I have a hard time with this question all the time. I am labeled differently by religious people by how they look at it I guess. My boyfriend (who is Mormon) sees me as Agnostic, but other people I'm close to see my as an Atheist because I "don't have God in my life" or "I'm without a God". I believe there is some kind of higher power, I just don't choose to believe what people try to "spoon feed" me. I see myself as Agnostic, but I will refer to myself as an Atheist if I'm talking to a person who obviously has no idea what Agnostic means. You wouldn't believe how people try to preach to me stating they know everything about religion and how my views are wrong, but then turn around and say they haven't even heard the term Agnostic!! It's easier to have religious debates as an Atheist (in my experience anyways) because some people just can't wrap their heads around someone who believes in a higher power, but doesn't believe in their God.....
I prefer the term "Agnostic" because it not only is a more accurate description of what I am, but it also confuses the hell out of religious folks. You wouldn't believe how many people think Agnostic is the name of a Protestant church. I once had a Baptist tell me that our churches were a lot alike, and then he went on a rant against Catholics, Jews, and Muslims. Just think, if he had known what Agnostic actually means, he probably would have tried to convert me!
You are absolutely correct. The thing is that most people know very little about their own religion except what they have been told to believe. I think everyone should spend some time reading and understanding all the religions of the world and become informed for themselves. As far as the term atheist, it is a term mostly used by Christians to call anyone who does not believe the Bible. I have heard both Jews and Muslims called atheist when in fact they share the same god as Christians. My point of this thread was to make the point that everyone who does not believe a certain religious teaching is not an atheist and to clear up the confusion between an agnostic and an atheist or whatever other belief a person may have.
Atheist means "without theism" like asexual means "without sex." I've never heard a Christian person call any other religious person an atheist. A pagan or heathen maybe, but not atheist. On the second point, it's common practice for a Muslim to claim to be atheist while bashing Christianity. I've never seen a Muslim or Jew called an atheist once they reveal themselves. An agnostic is open minded to the notion that a god could exist but that we can't know that god. An atheist is close minded, absolutely rejecting the notion that a god could possibly exist. There's no overlap. An agnostic is a fence sitter between an atheist and a theist.
Atheism 1. Disbelief in or denial of the existence of God. 2. Godlessness. I do not believe divinity exists; I therefore do not place divinity in my life, and am, in a word, "godless." To use Kalvin's idea, which is correct, "without God." Therefore, I am an atheist. I acknowledge that this viewpoint is ultimately unknowable, and is as much a leap of faith as belief in the divine. This is the definition of agnosticism. Therefore, "atheism" and "agnosticism" can and do indeed overlap, at least for some folks.
Atheist: 0% chance there is a God Agnostic: >0% chance there is a God but < 100% Theist: 100% chance there is a God No overlap. You're agnostic if you believe there is a possibility, no matter how small, that God exists. 90% chance that there is not a 0% chance there is a God is not a flat out refusal to accept that God doesn't exist. That statement can be reworded to say "there is a 10% chance that God exists" I don't believe God exists but there is a possibility that I am wrong is exactly the same as saying there is a possibility that God exists. Which is agnosticism no matter how you word it. You simply believe there is a higher probability that God doesn't exist. There is a very high probability that many athiests don't realize they are actual agnostics.
You are correct, of course. I've never really cared about whether I am called an atheist or an agnostic, and never cared too much what I use to describe my conclusions - but I too loosely brandish the word. I have come to the conclusion divinity doesn't exist, but acknowledge that this is what I know so far, and ultimately, that it can't be known one way or the other - and in the above, I am only arguing for arguing's sake. Nicely done.
I do not believe that god, as religious people understand it, exists. However, i do believe there is a possibility that a much higher being exists out there. So who am i ? An atheist or agnostic ?
I agree with your definition but I disagree with the fact that Christians have never called Jews or Muslims or any other faith atheists. I have personal attended churches where the pastors have called these people atheists. That would make you an agnostic. The main reason people have turned against the possibility of God is the fact that religious zealots believe that their God is the one and only and other Gods are false and at points evil. Looking at the history of religion, prior to the paternalistic religions, most people believed that the Goddess was the most powerful higher being. If you notice that the newer paternalistic religions demeaned women and placed them at the bottom of the hierarchy. Sounds to me like the work of power hungry men not the work of any God.
Have to say, of all the religions available to mankind, the atavistic religion of the Celts is one that most strikes a chord in me, and, beyond, makes sense for a planet in need of care. Archetypes embedded within the cosmology are some pretty compelling things.
I don't think agnostics question an existence of a higher being, but do not like structured religion and would like to worship in their own ways. That's what I get from all the agnostic people I know.
Agnostic covers a wide range of people. However, I do agree that many of them are people who are discouraged by the religions that have been forced upon them by society. They are free thinkers who chose to not believe blindly what is written in books created years ago.
I was a Mormon missionary in Brazil and taught a self-professed atheist once. His saying was "Gracas a Deus sou ateu." Which, translated, means "Thank God I'm an atheist." My understanding of agnostic is somebody who says "I don't know." My understanding of an atheist is somebody who says "I know there's no God." I can understand the position of an agnostic, but I'm not sure I understand the logic behind being an atheist. How can somebody know with 100% certainty that there is no God? How would somebody find out such a thing?
You can't. To be technical, atheists do not exist. Because to categorically deny something you cannot prove to exist, or not exist, is a religious viewpoint, Kierkegaard's leap of faith. Hence, an atheist is ultimately taking a leap of faith and as such is not an atheist. I guess I'm an agnostic - I don't really care. I do not see god in existence, by the observations I have made.
I used to call myself agnostic but I think looking at things closer that deist is closer to what my beliefs are. As I do think there is "something" that may be scientifically unexplainable going on ("God") but I do not think I have any idea what it is. That's what really turns me off about religion - not so much that they believe in something but that they think they know all of this fantastical stuff.
I see agnostics as being a bit cowardly and apologetic fence sitters. While it's impossible to prove that god doesn't exist and it's impossible to know for sure, That is no reason to concede that it is at all likely or even possible. Take Russel's teapot for example. There is no way we can know for sure that there is no teapot orbiting a planet, but would any reasonable person hold any opinion other than that there is no teapot? are you also agnostic towards fairies, Thor, elves or Santa? or do you hold this apologetic fence sitting for god alone? Atheism is only a leap of faith if the atheist claims they know there is no god. That isn't what they do. What they claim is that they don't believe in a god, fairies, elves or Russel's teapot. They don't believe in any claim that has no evidence to support it. To the people claiming to be agnostic: Would you also be agnostic to any claim i made right now that couldn;t be falsified? would you be "agnostic" towards my claim that right now there is an elephant is your freezer? My claim that princess Di has come back to life and is stealing your car? It doesn't take long to realise that this agnosticism, This apologetic concession, Is only held for god and no other equally absurd claims are granted the belief that it may be possible based on us not knowing otherwise for sure.