Agnosticism

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mysticrose's picture
Agnosticism

I have few knowledge about agnostics people until I learned more about agnosticism on this article; http://www.faithology.com/agnosticism/overview

Does agnosticism brings a person to a safer zone? No conflict and lesser discrimination.
Unlike atheists who are being discriminated by religious people and religious people who cannot prove their own beliefs, do agnostics have more peace to keep?

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Spewer's picture
Agnostics and atheists are

Agnostics and atheists are not mutually exclusive. Contrary to what some agnostics claim, agnosticism is not some reasonable middle ground between theism and atheism. The two are not different points along the same continuum. Atheism is a statement about belief, while agnosticism is a statement about knowledge. I am both - atheist because I lack belief in deities, and agnostic because I cannot know with certainty. People who claim to be agnostic only are often treated better by theists, but I think it's based on the same misunderstanding.

Zaphod's picture
I would also consider myself

I would also consider myself both by definitions of the terms, I both don't believe and have not knowledge to support or discredit deities and I can not know with certainty whether or not there is a God. But, I am damn near certain that no religious group pretending to know there is one, has any real idea what this god is if there is one.

SammyShazaam's picture
Agreed. I'm agnostic. I don't

Agreed. I'm agnostic. I don't believe in God. However, I don't really believe in *no* god either. There's no proof either way, but the odds are not really stacked in a theists favor.

mattyn's picture
I think this is seen by many

I think this is seen by many in modern times as the safest view, many people state they are atheists whereas they may actually be agnostic given a bit of thought.

Shock of God's picture
Actually, atheism, in the

Actually, atheism, in the modern world, is a belief system, but *technically* it's not. It's the assertion that absolutely no gods exist. Agnosticism is merely the withholding of that belief on the basis that one does not really know the truth. Theism is the assertion that God does exist.

Walker's picture
I think there is a very think

I think there is a very think line between atheists and agnostics. I do believe that most atheists are open to intelligent debate to prove the existence of a god.

SammyShazaam's picture
You are generous there... not

You are generous there... not so much on this forum, but in my life I have met many angry atheists who are adamant about denying god beyond what looks to be a logical level. It appears that they do deep down believe in god, but are just so angry about the things "he allows" to go on here that they figure the only way to get back at him is to deny him, since what he apparently wants (as the bible says) is praise.

They are not open to intelligent debate... I think they're just theists in denial :/

mysticrose's picture
So basically, agnosticism

So basically, agnosticism does not contradict either with god or no god arguments and that proof from either side is the only thing to make them believe.

Zaphod's picture
Pretty much, yeah!

Pretty much, yeah! But, depending on who you are talking to there is no or there is evidence everywhere. Agnostics tend not to agree with the evidence everywhere argument having any weight.

SammyShazaam's picture
I just reread the original

I just reread the original question, and I still can't really wrap my head around what might possibly be *safer* about agnosticism over atheist. If there were a god, he's probably going to be just as pissed either way. And what other danger is there that agnosticism would keep me safe from?

...am I reading this wrong?

mattyn's picture
Would he be upset that we

Would he be upset that we have no faith, or that we are so much more intelligent than the sheep he controls?

efpierce's picture
Good point! Maybe God wants

Good point! Maybe God wants us to question ourselves in an effort to better ourselves and further the existence of the human race without taking giant leaps backwards by believing in something that couldn't possibly be explained.

SammyShazaam's picture
Well, if we were created in

Well, if we were created in his image, I'd hope that he wouldn't want us to be stupid and make him look like a dumb@ss :)

Shock of God's picture
Atheism is literally, from

Atheism is literally, from its original form, the assertion that absolutely no gods or any form of divine power exists. It, originally, had nothing to do with belief. It was the assertion that God does not exist. It has since moved to become the lack of belief in any god or gods, but that's not *really* what ATHEISM is.
The word "atheist" comes from the Greek prefix "a", which means "no", and the Greek suffix "theos", which means "god". So, literally translated, the word ATHEIST (atheos) means "no god", or "I assert that there exists no god(s)". So, to be an atheist is to be against the belief in any gods, and the assertion that none exist, whatsoever.
Agnosticism is merely the withholding of belief in any god or gods on the basis that there is not enough evidence to make any sound decision on whether any god exists, or which god it may be. Agnoticism is, essentially, to say "I don't know", or also, "I choose not to know".

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