a supreme being like the theists or deists believe
2006-10-07 08:38:17 · 11 answers · asked by skeptic 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Pagan rebirth: Yes, that's why I'm asking. Some people define themselves as atheists but say things like: "Maybe a creator exists but there is no credible evidence of him, so I don't believe"
An atheist must be SURE that a supreme being doesn't exist and we, agnostics say: How can you be sure?
2006-10-07 08:46:56 · update #1
No. Such a supreme being would be self-evident and would do a much better job of communicating its will to us.
2006-10-07 08:47:56 · answer #1 · answered by digitalquirk 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As atheists we must entertain the notion that there may be a god, for just the same reason that you, as a theist, must entertain the notion that there may NOT be a god.
Nobody has exclusive knowlege on the subject. It's obvious to me that there isn't any sort of god or supernatural beings or forces working on the natural world. At the same time i'm sure it's quite obvious to you that there is.
So what are the different factors that make us view the world in such different ways? That is the real question. Age, personal experience, education, upbringing, cultural involvement, perspective... All of these factors are to blame for whatever side of the fence we choose.
One does not have to be 100% sure that a supreme being doesn't exist to be sure that it doesn't exist. But i always leave a little skepticism aside to be skeptical of my own thoughs and views... If i ever see good evidence or hear a good argument for the existence of god i may be swayed, but until then, i'm an atheist.
2006-10-07 18:21:57 · answer #2 · answered by ChooseRealityPLEASE 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am an atheist with respect to the God of the Hebrew Bible, and every other God myth invented by man.
I'm open to the possibility of some kind of supreme being, but I do consider it mostly unlikely. If a supreme being created the universe, it seeminly did so by creating physical laws, starting things in motion with the big bang, and then let things unfold without any further intervention. I say this because it seems to have set things up so that there is no way for us to detect its presence using repeatable experiments.
I think this makes me a "strong agnostic", i.e. not only do I not know if there is a supreme being, I believe that it is probably not knowable if there is one.
2006-10-07 16:03:32 · answer #3 · answered by Jim L 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Anything's possible. Being an athiest means you don't believe that a God exists. Whether there's a possibility or not isn't relevant to the definition of the word. Agnostics say they don't know. Athiests say they don't believe. There's a big difference there. Acknowledging that there is that slight possibility doesn't make you any less of an athiest. But it does make you a hell of a lot more tolerant that most believers.
2006-10-07 15:57:11 · answer #4 · answered by Tommy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can't know for sure... not in the sense you are saying. All definitions of it, from every religion, is that mortals can not completely know nor understand it. But you can catch glimpses of it. Like seeing parts of a scene while looking out of a window and the sun moves to just the right spot and you see something there you didn't notice before. Right in front of your face.
2006-10-07 22:29:48 · answer #5 · answered by Kithy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i do not believe in god as one being but i do believe in a power that binds everything together. i guess kind of like "the force" in star wars, but without the jedi powers. if there was nothing, i don't think humans would have the capability to feel love, compassion, even hate. that same power is why some people feel so close to nature and animals and why others spend their lives caring for the handicapped.
2006-10-07 15:42:06 · answer #6 · answered by margarita 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sure, it's possible. I just think that the possibility is so remote as to be inconsequential. If anyone ever comes up with any credible evidence, I'll re-examine my views. I'm not holding my breath for that to happen though.
2006-10-07 15:44:22 · answer #7 · answered by ♥Mira♥ 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Anything is possible. I, however, choose to believe that no supreme being exists.
2006-10-07 15:40:40 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Anything is possible... The Lord Of The Rings could actually be an accurate historical account, but it probably isn't.
2006-10-07 15:51:15 · answer #9 · answered by John S 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the existence of a deity is possible to someone, (s)he is not an atheist, but an agnostic. ;)
2006-10-07 15:41:03 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋