It seems like a broad range of people use the label Agnostic for themselves. Some are 90+% Believers with a little bit of doubt, and some are 90+% Atheists who accept there might be some abiguous higher power of some sort beyond our perception. Is it right that so many with such a wide chasm in their beliefs can huddle under the same umbrella?
2006-08-15 11:25:45 · 9 answers · asked by Kenny ♣ 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Well I call myself an agnostic-atheist meaning I'm understand the possibility that there's a god but I highly doubt it because of science. So I lean more towards the atheistic side. I'm not a full blown atheist who completely denies the chance of "God" existing but I'm not agnostic and sitting on the fence, undecided. ☺
2006-08-15 11:53:23 · answer #1 · answered by Tammy ™ 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd be in your 90%+ Atheist category of agnostic but spit on the percentage in disgust and contempt. Agnostic is not a wavering or uncertain stance. There's as much misinformation and ignorance about the definition of agnostic going around as there is about religion. We've got the atheist on one side claiming that what they don't know anything about doesn't exist and the theist on the other claiming what they don't know anything about not only exists but takes a definitive and prescribed form. Both are arrogant and unjustified standpoints and they DO NOT have any right to these hypocritical opinions. There are a lot of people who call themseves Atheist, not because they are but, because that's what they have been led to believe they must be because religion is so obviously bogus. It's not the same thing. Agnosticism is not about what people know or do not know. It's about what can be known and what cannot be known by people.
2006-08-15 18:52:12 · answer #2 · answered by Frog Five 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The literal translation of "agnostic" is "ignorant" or "without knowledge."
An agnostic is claiming he does not know what he believes. If that is true, an agnostic is mentally retarded, so it would be pointless to ask his opinion about anything, including his own ignorance.
I am an atheist and the day that people are supernaturally raised from the grave, I will no longer be an atheist. If we use the meaningless definition used by agnostics, everyone is an agnostic.
Apparently, some agnostics are similar to thumpers and believe that atheist means insane. Only an insane person would deny the sun exists. It appears some agnostics think atheists would deny the evidence if it supported God belief.
2006-08-15 18:31:09 · answer #3 · answered by Left the building 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Labels are very divisive. The truth is that you could keep dividing and labeling, and eventually you'll come to a point where you can only divide further by labeling individuals.
I'm Agnostic leaning more towards Atheism. It's unfortunate that I'm labeled along with the ones that are more towards believers because the distinction is quite different. Until the lines are more defined, I tend to just label myself "I'm Agnostic leaning more towards Atheism."
And I'm not "straddling the fence" because I'm indecisive. The truth is that one can be absolutely sure on one's stance about not being sure if there is one or many higher powers out there.
2006-08-15 19:00:35 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well yes, because the concept of Agnosticism is one unrelated to existential belief question of Theism/Atheism.
So, one can be an Agnostic and still have wide variation because the wide variants are unrelated.
However, there generally is a Strong Agnosticism and Weak Agnosticism, in which "weak" proponents claim that to date there is no way to prove the existence of a deity (but there could be in the future). On the other hand, "strong" proponents claim it is impossible to know of the existence of a deity at any time.
2006-08-15 18:35:26 · answer #5 · answered by eigelhorn 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The same thing could be said for Christians, look at the varied beliefs in the different denominations, or paganism for that matter. Look at the different denominations there.
2006-08-15 18:30:02 · answer #6 · answered by Darkchaos 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
this situation has nooooooo relevance to the division between right and wrong...
if they fall into any category of unsure, then they are called "agnostic"
there is no right or wrong, so stop looking for one
2006-08-15 18:33:47 · answer #7 · answered by the nothing 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely. Agnostics are open minded ppl. If some1 will show us a prove ,we will buy into it.
2006-08-15 18:30:34 · answer #8 · answered by PicassoInActions 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm a militant agnostic. I don't know and neither do you.
2006-08-15 18:41:08 · answer #9 · answered by lcraesharbor 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋