no offensive, i was only wondering
2006-11-13 13:26:33 · 16 answers · asked by RAW DIVA™ 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Atheists stauchly believe that there is no deity or spirit world. In this sense, they are more "religious" than agnostics.
Agnostics come in several varieties that are unified by only one belief: agnostics are not sure if there is a deity or spirit world nor, if there is, which variation is correct. The variety includes the following (I just made these up for fun):
Agnostics through indifference: they don't care if there is a god and they don't want to bother to search.
Religious agnostics: feel there is a god, but not sure which one, but they tend to attach themselves to a religion out of cultural or family heritage. These are the unobtrusive majority that seem to be your fellow church memebers.
Agnostic fundamentalists: embrace uncertainty as its own religion while (frequently) requiring exploration of many different religions to be working to at least try to figure it out. This group is also called "seekers" or "old-fashioned seekers" (why, old-fashioned I do not know).
Agnostics agree that the only certainty is uncertainty. How they arrived to this point, whether from a "loss of faith" or they grew up that way or they questioned themselves into a corner, varies widely. Yes, "agnostic" means "without knowledge" but it is on the terms of Socrates. We say we know nothing because ultimate truth cannot be grasped by mortals... err... sorry, waxed into a litte Taoism there. Anyhow, "agnostic" means excepting the fact that we cannot *know* like we see others presuming they know. We refuse to accept potential illusion as "truth."
No agnostic is a "fence sitter." This is an insult thrown at us from the peanut gallery.
Agnostics offend others by being excellent scientists because of their very faith too. Science seems to me inherently an agnostic endeavor because science also embraces uncertainty. It's the atheists that screw it up by changing things like evolution into dogmatic pseudo-religious beliefs. Were they to say that the possibility of evolution makes the divinity of Jesus less plausible - THEN they would be talking like agnostics. But no! It's all about ABSOLUTES isn't it?
No worries though. I wasn't offended by your question. Hope my answer helped!
2006-11-13 13:43:24 · answer #1 · answered by Cheshire Cat 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Several of the above are correct. However, there is a different working definition you might also consider. Since most theists define God as the God described in the Hebrew Bible, you could define atheist as anyone who is convinced that God is myth. Such people might be pure atheists, and think that there cannot possibly be any supernatural beings, or they might be agnostics, and admit they aren't sure.
I'm of the latter category. I am convinced that Yahweh is myth. All evidence points to that character being the Hebrew equivalent of Zeus. But it boggles my mind to that anything exists at all, so I won't rule out the possibility of something that is beyond our understanding of the natural world. Maybe there is a god. But the Bible is a 3000 year old red herring.
2006-11-13 13:59:05 · answer #2 · answered by Jim L 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The classical/classic which ability of the observe isn't any-GOD. This observe is derived from the greek artwork "theos" which ability God and putting the "A" previously the observe creates a negation. So we've detrimental God or No God. Agnostic come from the observe "gnosis" which ability awareness and back by ability of including the "A" previously the observe supplies us a negation. this gives you us NO-awareness. So atheist have faith NO God exists and agnostics have faith we will not comprehend no depend if God exists. regularly once you talk with a Atheist long adequate they are going to pass into the "agnostic" place stressing that there are not solid motives to have faith and so on. Agnostics regularly do not worship any God because of the fact they don't have faith we are able to comprehend who or what God is obtainable. desire that enables.
2016-10-22 01:14:12 · answer #3 · answered by gaidos 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
An Atheist (in the Greek, a=no, theos=god) is someone who does not believe in God. An agnostic (also in the Greek, a=no, gnoses= knowledge)is someone who is undecided about a god, therefore is not compelled to recognize him, much less worship him.
2006-11-13 13:33:05 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
To wonder is to be wonderful. Never cease.
The two words are from the Greek language. "a" means not whatever follows. Thus
agnostic = Not gnostic. Gnostic is knowledge. Agnostic is one who doesn't know about God's existence, aye or nay.
atheist= Not theist. Theos is God. Atheism is one who doesn't believe in God.
Shalom.
2006-11-13 13:29:45 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
I believe this has been answered several times before, but the short version..
Agnostic = without knowledge - basically, there might be a god, there might not, you don't know.
Atheist = There is no god.
2006-11-13 13:29:26 · answer #6 · answered by elegant_voodoo 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
an atheist does not believe in God.
an agnostic believes in nothing, the word ag means to know/believe and nostic means nothing
2006-11-13 13:35:48 · answer #7 · answered by jess g 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
agnostic- Doesn't really believe in a god, because they believe that there is no way to prove god exists, but doesnt deny the fact its a possibility
atheist-doesnt believe in god
2006-11-13 13:34:21 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
literally atheist means they do not believe there is a god.
agnostic means they claim no knowledge of a god, but they don't know that a god does not exist.
2006-11-13 13:31:13 · answer #9 · answered by nancy jo 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Agnostics believe that there is a higher power though they aren't claiming that it is necessarily a God, (my best friend is one), and Athiests don't believe in religion at all.
2006-11-13 13:29:13 · answer #10 · answered by Lhynne 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋