Rainbow Mage
Lib Democrat/Agnostic/Epicurean-ish/Buddhist-ish
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Is there a Difference between Atheism and Agnosticism?
- Thread starter Rainbow Mage
- Start date
ChrisP
Veteran Member
Mate you could have answered this question by using a dictionary. Hang there 2 secs and let me google define:agnosticism and define:Atheism for you...
EDIT: If you had a more specific point regarding the nature of each belief you should have made it in the OP and not wasted 2 posts.
EDIT: If you had a more specific point regarding the nature of each belief you should have made it in the OP and not wasted 2 posts.
Hell's Bells
Member
It's simple. Atheists do not believe that god exists in any form. Agnostics, on the other hand, do not believe one way or another.
Orbital
Member
Those two are not mutually exclusive. Apparently it is not as simple as you purport it to be.
As most atheists will define it for you: Agnosticism relates to knowledge while atheism relates to belief.
One can be an agnostic theist, meaning he/she would believe in a god but at the same time not make a claim of knowledge. An agnostic atheist would say that he/she does not believe in a god. Therefore just the label agnostic does not really tell you the whole story.
You will find that if you define a label to be something that the people who label themselves that label do not, it is a rather redundant label. I consider myself an atheist because I lack the belief in a god, no because I believe that no gods can exist. Although depending on which god one talk about I would be ready to make the statement that it is by definition impossible for that god to exist.
InformedIgnorance
Do you 'know' or believe?
There is also the principle of being agnostic/atheistic about particular a god, gods or subset of gods (as defined for example by their type, such as anthropomorphic deities)
ChrisP
Veteran Member
...
I just...
Atheist - DOES NOT BELIEVE IN DEITIES
AGNOSTIC - DOES NOT CARE/CAN'T DECIDE IF THERE ARE DEITIES.
If you you believe in ANY god/non-material creative source you cannot by definition by definition by atheist.
If you use agnostic as an adjective it can mean that you hold neither of two opposing positions.
Effectively it means you enjoy the feeling of fence between your cheeks, or you simply feel there is not enough evidence to remove the fence from between your cheeks on any given subject.
Given that this is a religious forum though...
If English isn't your first language it can be understood.
This is it. That simple.
The difference is atheists can't be theist but agnostics can.
Actually atheism is a position of belief, while agnostic is a position pertaining to knowledge.
I agree. But even deep down, an agnostic would have to lean at some point or another.
When someone asks if I know a God exists or not, I am an agnostic. If they ask if I believe in God, I am an atheist.
Not quite.
A weak atheist (this heathen) believes there's no god, but is not certain.
So I'm also an agnostic.
Weak atheist & strong agnostic?
Mmmmmmm......cheeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzze!
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Incorrect. You my friend are an atheist, hate to break it to ya. Atheism is simply the lack of belief in a deity. The second you said I do not believe that a god exists, you just proclaimed your atheism. Agnosticism is without knowledge of a god, so, it is possible to be both an atheist and an agnostic because they address different issues.
Oh, I firmly think that all agnostics are atheist or theists.
InformedIgnorance
Do you 'know' or believe?
Which definitions shall we use then given that the terms are polymorphic. A concept dependant position on atheism/theism is every bit as valid and more accurate, than a general position regardless of concept... so please.... think of the cheese before posting.
Gomeza
Member
Wow . . . I can't believe some of the inane answers to this question . . . does that make me an atheist? . . . but seriously, atheists do not believe that God exists while an agnostic believes that the question of God's existence can never be answered. These rudimentary definitions can be elaborated upon in that atheism is an absolute belief, where agnosticism can vary in degree. It is also important to remember that there is no associative dogma for either belief.