atheism and agnostism

[applewuud]

Outside of a scholarly community, I think the terms "atheist" and "agnostic" are commonly used to describe how you react or respond to religious people/theists and their ideas. To an average person, the difference is: An atheist responds "you're wrong" to someone telling him/her about God, an agnostic responds "I don't find your evidence convincing, but thanks for trying". An atheist has made a decision based on their experience (both inner and outer, Rolling Stone) that some particular ideas about God are incompatible with their experience, emotion, and reason. An agnostic is more towards the stance, "I don't know (or, human beings can't know) about that metaphysical stuff, and I don't find reason to believe in it even though others do."

I realize that other definitions in this thread have a lot of merit, but outside of a forum like this one, I believe the "man in the street" would place you on the agnostic/atheist spectrum based on that definition.

Going back to the OP: Regardless of where you are on the atheist/agnostic spectrum, if you're blogging about your beliefs, what is your Ultimate Concern? What is the value you hold highest when you're making decisions about your life? What has your life revealed to you personally about the nature of the universe? In short, what kind of world are we living in, to the best of your knowledge? To me, the question of God's existence or not is really a stand-in for wrestling with these questions. It's not a question of is/is not; it's a question of what. What is the nature of the cosmos? What is this God that you do or don't believe in? If you describe this God you don't believe in, odds are that many thoughtful religious people wouldn't believe in it either...or they'd be agnostic about it!

 

[Dirty Penguin]

Sometimes we think about this type of thing way too hard. A simple dictionary can give you a basic understanding and if you need more information then talking to people who are theist, atheist, agnostic..... will help a little.

Atheist (greek) - Atheos
Agnostic (greek) - Agnostos

Atheist, agnostic, refer to persons not inclined toward religious belief or a particular form of religious belief. An atheist is one who denies the existence of a deity or of divine beings. An agnostic is one who believes it impossible to know anything about God or about the creation of the universe and refrains from commitment to any religious doctrine.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

I wouldn't put too much stock in that guy's (the one on the video) ability to give an accurate portrail of an agnostic.

 

[dogsgod]

An atheist is one who denies the existence of a deity or of divine beings.

This was obviously written by a believer that assumes a deity or a divine being exists and considers atheists as those in denial.

Atheists simply can't justify a belief in a deity for the same reason an agnostic can't, and that is because there is no evidence to support such a notion.


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[logician]

Knowledge is the sum total of evidence. There is no hard evidence that a god exists.

 

[Rolling_Stone]

There is no reason to believe that atheists and agnostics are not altruistic and have no concern for others or that they are immoral (I have heard all those silly arguments).

This is amusing. I never said otherwise.

An atheist has made a decision based on their experience (both inner and outer, Rolling Stone)

This, too, is amusing, and for the same reason.

 

[giant space amoeba]

Going back to the OP: Regardless of where you are on the atheist/agnostic spectrum, if you're blogging about your beliefs, what is your Ultimate Concern? What is the value you hold highest when you're making decisions about your life? What has your life revealed to you personally about the nature of the universe? In short, what kind of world are we living in, to the best of your knowledge? To me, the question of God's existence or not is really a stand-in for wrestling with these questions. It's not a question of is/is not; it's a question of what. What is the nature of the cosmos? What is this God that you do or don't believe in? If you describe this God you don't believe in, odds are that many thoughtful religious people wouldn't believe in it either...or they'd be agnostic about it!

ooh thankyou, this all gives me something to think about. Yes im likely to state what i beleive erm and say i dont think gods of a "personal" nature exist that is this human shaped/based god.

Yes this blog will be about my beleifs and not really argueing what i am "labelled" as. Really in the end im simply a non theist - im just trying to find my way round the confusion of the terms. This was all due to a freind claiming i am an agnostic wheras i feel im an atheist. Its all words words words really and how people interprate them!

For everyone:

For example - to me (according to definitions i read), an agnostic doesnt know either way and therefore cannot say whether or not a deity or spiritual force exists. The agnostic will say so, ultimatly an agnostic will not claim that god cannot exist.

Athiest examples: Some atheists will claim to have proof and claim god does not exist. Some will claim they think god does not exist but have no proof. Stong atheist/weak atheist. I think im getting it. By those terms im a weak atheist.