Is it impossible to be an Atheist?

Question

I've heard it argued that since no one knows the entire universe, one can at most, be Agnostic....Do you think this is true? Why or why not?

Kenny: Good point....Do you have to say we are unsure about the existence of dragons, genies, mermaids, and elves?

Answer 1

Altheism is a belief that god doesn't exist. That's all. That's like saying "there can be no true non-muslim since you can't PROVE that their god exists in the whole universe."

Answer 2

There are two definitions of Atheism. One is Lack of Belief in a deity. Two is Denial of the Existence of God or gods. Consider the first definition.

We all lack belief in all things we never heard of, right. If I just tell you now there is something called the Purple Invisible Unicorn, you can either believe me or not. But there is no doubt that you lacked belief in it before hearing about it ... Thus Being an Atheist about the Purple Invisible Unicorn

So If we go back in time when you were a baby way before you learned to speak, you were in fact an atheist. You lacked belief in God, because you never heard about such idea before.

No one can prove or disprove God (Generally as the creator of the universe), therefore those who say "I know that God Exist" or "I know that God doesn't Exist" are wrong in both cases. I Hope you can realize the difference between the "claim of knowledge" and the position of whether or not you believe. However, some attributes to that God can sometimes be logically disproved just as a Square-Circle can be proven not to exist by definition.

The second definition of Atheism, is about denying the existence of God. In this case I say there is a huge spectrum (as Richard Dawkins put it in his Book the God Delusion p. 50-51) where there is a region between Atheism (100% sure no God) and Agnostic (50%-50%). Although you can say that 100% sure can't be true at least for know (since one day we could prove it!!), 99% sure no God is a valid position, putting 1% for the possibility of a God!

Answer 3

Atheism is the belief that there is no god. I am quite sure there is not one because there is no evidence whatsoever that there is. As a result I find it incredibly unlikely that there is. It is just something humans make up to fill the lack of full understanding. I would be willing to change my mind if there were to be some real evidence found.

An agnostic says that due to the nature of the universe it is impossible to tell one way or the other.

There is a lot of common ground there. So much that my discussion with them is very brief. The only real difference is that I take the lack of evidence to mean there is not a god. They take it to mean you can't tell.

Answer 4

Maybe, if you look at it that way, but I don't really think so. Again, that's like saying that you have to leave the door open for the potential existence of fairies or unicorns or leprechauns, too. You could make those same arguments -- that no one knows the entire universe, and just because you haven't seen any, it doesn't mean they don't exist. But any rightminded person will reject all of those things anyway. You can't definitively prove that they don't exist, but you can still logically reject them; we do it all the time, with all sorts of mythological creatures and beings.

Answer 5

Of course not. Atheism revolves around a belief, not absolute knowledge. e.e Atheism is the belief that there is no god. It's easy enough to believe that. Being an agnostic means that you do not think that there is evidence to support the existence of a higher being, but refuse to rule out the possibility.

Answer 6

Nothings impossible. If no one knows the entire universe then I guess its not possible to believe in God huh....? If we dont know the whole universe then its perfectly fine with someone being an athiest. Since athiests dont be4lieve in a higher power... agnostics do, they just dont know what.

Answer 7

You would think that it would be very hard to experience life and all of God's awesome creation and still remain an atheist, but alas, some profess to be, so it would be hard to say they aren't. That would be calling them a liar, and that certainly would not be very respectful. However, the Scripture at Romans 1: 20 says that it is inexcusable to deny the truth of it all, basically.

Romans 1:20: " For his invisible [qualities] are clearly seen from the world’s creation onward, because they are perceived by the things made, even his eternal power and Godship, so that they are inexcusable; "

Answer 8

No I do it all the time.

But I have to add though that any belief would fall under agnostic for that same reason. No one knows the entire universe, so we'd all have to be called agnostic. Don't tell christians this though. There'd be riots.

Answer 9

I am both, and no offense to you, but this myth really needs to be dispelled once and for all. Maybe there should be a news broadcast.


Agnosticism is about knowledge - it is the philosophy that no one can know whether or not gods exist.

Belief is something different and separate.

Atheism and theism is about belief.

I say, "I cannot know whether a god or gods exist, but I have no evidence that they do, and I do not believe."

You either believe or you don't.

Answer 10

Cannot agree. None of us know much to a 100% certainty. What the intelligent ones do is look at the available evidence, and formulate a probability. that probbaility can be high enough to say "It is not theoretically possible..."