What's the difference between atheism and agnosticism?

Question

I've never been clear on these two.

Hey, I'll make this a two-for-one question. Is agnosticism the opposite of gnosticism? If so, what's gnosticism?

I gotsta say this every time I ask. Be nice, y'all, or don't post anything. Thanx.

Answer 1

Good question and one the folks here seem to fail open upon.

Atheism firmly disbelieves in the presence of an active, caring God, Higher Power, Supreme Being. They generally point to lack of any proof of the existence of this Being and see the activity by religions as naive wishfullfilment on one hand or attempted bribery on the other. When you argue with an atheist, quoting your parttciular Holy book does not serve your cause. Atheists do not believe in souls, also do not then believe in a Heaven or Hell or even a Divine Library to go to after life.

Agnostics ( A - without, gnostic- knowlege) are those who say the jury is still out. We do not know what goes on when we die. If we are wise, we will attend a church service, drop a buck or two in the church plates. Agnostics are often people who have been turned off by one Fundamentalist religion or another. They are open to reading, those books best funny and challenging. Agnosticims requires brains. Debating with them is to have to know where the blanks are in your faith.

Gnostics are those of us who seek to know God. They work to bring into they consciousness by study and by meditation ecstatic states wherein the Ineffable Light may for a brief but earth-shattering movement. Gnostics have sincere and studied approach. They do not seek converts.

Some of their techniques may become extrodinary to the masses. They may fast, meditate, use Q'abbalistic practices, mortify the flesh, abstain from any number of regular pursuits. Or, they may look like you and me.

Answer 2

Athesim is the religious belief that "there is no God". I call it a religious belief, because it is inherently irrational - how do you prove a negative proposition that is so broad? What exactly /is/ this "God" that does not exist?

Agnosticism is the intellectually honest position, "I do not know if there is a God".

Gnosticism, in the generic sense, is the belief that the only way to arrive at knowledge of God (or Ultimat Truth, etc.), is through direct personal experience. A "real" Gnostic would begin as an Agnostic, and arrive at a conclusion through personal experiment, experience, and observation.

Answer 3

Atheism, in its broadest sense, is the absence of theism (the belief in the existence of deities). This encompasses both people who assert that there are no gods, and those who make no claim about whether gods exist or not. Narrower definitions of atheism, however, typically label as atheists only those people who affirmatively assert the nonexistence of gods, and classify other nonbelievers as agnostics or simply non-theists.

Whereas, Agnosticism is the philosophical view that the (truth) values of certain claims—particularly theological claims regarding the existence of God, gods, or deities—are unknown, inherently unknowable, or incoherent, and therefore, (some agnostics may go as far to say) irrelevant to life. Agnosticism is not to be confused with a view specifically opposing the doctrine of gnosis and Gnosticism—these are religious concepts that are not generally related to agnosticism

Answer 4

This is directed towards those answering this question:
There are various definitions of both. This is important. Who is the one defining the group?
In the same sense, it is like defining a Christian, who we know very well to be a diverse number of congregations with equally diverse beliefs and customs.
Christian know less about Atheism or Agnostics than a slender negative idea and the word itself. They tend to know less about different religions, and cults, than they will ever admit. In their self righteous attitudes Christian's ban and discourage studies of other religions.
Shame on those Christian's who think they can read an encyclopedia and comment as though they know something about different peoples, while shunning the wisdom of their beliefs.
Let an Atheist answer the question.
Let an Agnostic answer the question.

Answer 5

Atheism is not believing there is a god. Agnosticism is a person who believes that the human mind cannot know whether there is a god or a higher being. Gnosticism is believing that believing in a higher being is essential to salvation.

Answer 6

a·the·ist ( P ) Pronunciation Key (th-st)
n.
One who disbelieves or denies the existence of God or gods.

ag·nos·tic ( P ) Pronunciation Key (g-nstk)
n.

One who believes that it is impossible to know whether there is a God.
One who is skeptical about the existence of God but does not profess true atheism.
One who is doubtful or noncommittal about something.

adj.
Relating to or being an agnostic.
Doubtful or noncommittal: “Though I am agnostic on what terms to use, I have no doubt that human infants come with an enormous ‘acquisitiveness’ for discovering patterns” (William H. Calvin).

Gnos·ti·cism ( P ) Pronunciation Key (nst-szm)
n.
The doctrines of certain pre-Christian pagan, Jewish, and early Christian sects that valued the revealed knowledge of God and of the origin and end of the human race as a means to attain redemption for the spiritual element in humans and that distinguished the Demiurge from the unknowable Divine Being.

Gnosticism is the TRUTH!!!!!!!

Find out more at:
http://www.gnosis.org/gnintro.htm
http://www.near-death.com/experiences/origen06.html
http://wn.rsarchive.org/Lectures/Places/Dornach/19230715p01.html
http://www.gnosticjudas.com/index.php

Answer 7

An athiest believes that there is no god. An agnostic doesn't know one way or the other and is open to either possibility.

Gnosticism is a mystical initiatory religion which places a high degree of emphasis on personal revelation and the escape from ignorance.

Answer 8

The difference is Atheism deals with ones beliefs and Agnosticism deals with ones knowledge.

Atheists do not "believe" in any god(s), deities of any kind.

Agnostics do not "know" if there are any god(s), deities of any kind.

Answer 9

Atheists deny the existence of God...er a god.

Agnostics believe that the existence of god can be neither proven or disproven.

Deists believe in a higher power but leave it at that.

Answer 10

Agnosticism is neither the belief nor disbelief in a god. Atheism is the disbelief in a god.