Why do you think Agnosticism is right for you?

Question

For me it is just something that feels right for me. Believing in God makes me feel like I'm faking it and Atheism is too closed off to any possibility of God. Is that the way it is for others or is there a reason that makes you think Agnosticism is right. Also, do you think the question of God's existience is unknowable for everyone or is it just a personal matter.
Any thought you have on this is appreciated and if you are one of those people who claim Agnostics are weak and can't make up their minds, you need to back that up with reasons why you think that.

Answer 1

I was born and raised a missionary child. I have found in my adult years and after studying much of the human body and the sciences that I do not believe in my parent's religion and have thus decided that I am going to make an educated decision with everything I believe in.
I have struggled with my "faith" in many ways, conflicts of my childhood beliefs vs my present beliefts based on facts. I do not go to church, I do not speak of my religion with many, and I do not feel guilty that I do not believe in a god that I have never seen. I believe that unexplained phenomonas are simply occurences that our present knowledge and technology can not explain scientifically, that doesn't mean that they can not be explained in the future.
My morals are based on Shakespears saying (which is Socratic in nature): "Be true to yourself". I believe this is the best I can do with what I have been given.
I wonder how many thumbs down I'll get for this one? LOL!

Answer 2

This is what I think of agnosticism...

Agnosticism, as you say is the philosophy that, "the question of God's existience is unknowable." Notice that this is about knowledge.

Atheism and theism are about belief. A theist believes, an atheist does not. Belief and knowledge are two different things.

Atheism does not have to declare that there is definitely no god, and does not have to rule out the possibility. An atheist simply does not believe, and this seems to fit you when you say, "Believing in God makes me feel like I'm faking it."

I'm agnostic because I hold that same philosophy - that the question of a god or gods is unknowable. However, I have no evidence or reason to believe, and like you, it is simply not in me to believe... not without a good reason to. That makes me an agnostic atheist.

You use the label you feel comfortable with, but please also understand that atheism is no more than having no belief in a god or gods.

Answer 3

I'm agnostic, not by choice. I wish that I could believe there is a God, or isn't a God, but I can't. I fell exactly like you, I feel fake sitting in a church, and closed minded if I say there isn't a God. I can't help either one. So many people will say to me, God is there if you just listen, honestly I have listened, and nothing. Then atheists will tell me that it's just impossible for there to be a God, but I can't bring myself to believe that either. I guess I am just on a journey of discovery, maybe, I'm not even Agnostic, maybe I haven't found out what I am yet! Does this answer confuse you as much as it does me? I hope not.

Answer 4

I woudln't say it's right for me, but out more out of convenience and giving the benefit of the doubt to possibilities. Personally i believe in god, it just gives more reason to live than other theories, which technically have no supportive reason to be good or have morals or whatever, because it lacks the need for law, only for the sake of controlling other people's behavior that may use lawlessness for bellicose or harmful means.

But because of so many opinions, and so many possibilites, each having its own small details of reasonable sense....it's too hard to tell what the genuine truth is.

I wouldn't say it's right for me, cause in honestly i HATE being left in the dark on a right path to follow.....nor do i wanna say it's wrong, because you really don't know which 'religion' to follow, everyone has their own major belief or position in life, many who demand everyone's empathy toward it, and because of the countless pieces of evidence and reasoning that again it deters me from being solely toward that mindset.

I guess you can compare it to politics, i'm the independant, neither democratic or republican, or conservative or liberal, when it comes to religion, it's the in between.

BUT....i still lean toward the idea of there's a God, it's called hope....it's motivation, it gives me a reason to push on and do the right thing for my family and for others, because it just feels right to me, i'd rather indulge in doing stuff that seems morally right and just, that sense of accomplishment, rather than drone on in life and expect nothing out of it because it's pointless....that kind of mentality honestly suprises me how they survive...but then i suppose their motivation is based solely on their own pleasure and entertainment...beats me i don't know...but that's my take on it.

Answer 5

my spiritual path is self honesty so i really have no choice but to be an Agnostic. i know i don't know and i can't pretend to myself that i know who or what "God" is or if "God" exists or not. i have "God" concepts of my own but my ego isn't big enough for me to assume that my concepts are accurate renditions of all that "God" is.

Answer 6

Because religion is absurd.

Answer 7

Same here.