Agnostics doubt even their doubts?

Question

When this happens, you cannot ever arrive at the conclusion "I think, I exist". There is not a thing in this world that one may know with objective philosophic certainty -- but that doesn't stop us from employing and ascertaining useful knowledge. If you fence-sit on the subject of reality, then your claims to soundness are absurd.

Either there are facts of the matter that logic and reason can arrive at, or you are committed to global skepticism, in which case your claims are meaningless. But if you bite the realist bullet, then how can you deny what evidence we have against the existence of an invisible, supernatural, inconceiveable deity?

Answer 1

LOL.

That's plain as telling it like it is...

Peace be with you.

Answer 2

I do seem to doubt my doubts. I don't know anything for a fact but I can't live my life that way. I'm not insane. I need to at least try to find a functioning level which would be mean I need at least assume that I exist. I then need to at least believe that what I see is true for me but what I cannot see is unknown. That's all there is to it. If it's invisible, supernatural and inconceivable then it is unknown to me. Personally, I may lean more in one direction than another depending on which 'unknown' thing we're talking about but ultimately I think there's the possibility that human beings are incapable of having these answers. I don't feel I can build evidence against something that I believe is unknown, just like I can't build any evidence for it. Your only evidence is that there is no evidence that you have seen for a deity. I believe it may be possible for something to exist without leaving evidence that humans can understand.

Answer 3

I can deny it because there is not much evidence for it.
Yes, we bite the realist bullet, but we do not accept everything with 100%. Actually we never accept anything with 100%. The more doubt it is regarding a subject, the less we believe in it. Because of so much doubt, caused by lack of evidence, some people's trust is less than 50% in a deity, therefore they base their life/decisions based on a world without such being. Our whole life is a Bayesian Network.

Answer 4

your beliefs on agnostics are wrong. Many of them make no decision one way or the other due to the possibility that NO religion could have it right. If you look at any major religion, they are ALL based on faith in a god(s) of certain characteristics, not evidence.
So the agnostic is in a good place. One could easily arrive at the viewpoint "All religions ascribe characteristics to God that they have no evidence for. But this does not rule out the possibility that there are God(s)".

Answer 5

Yuo haven't taken into account those who can't make their mind up because of hyperactivity (like myself) and have nothing that can be solidly believed in, regardless of the truth of anything... We do not have easily impressionable minds, you owuld need a HECK of a lot of proof that there is a divine being.

But, I'm polytheistic, so good luck telling me that christianity is right for me.

Answer 6

Is the materialistic philosophy of this Europe, so much praised by contemporary agnostics and atheists, a philosophy to be admired? Are these people wooers of the spirit? Nay, they have drowned that capacity and are out of touch with the kingdom of reality. Is this an enviable goal to which humanity may aspire? Is this a system of philosophy through which people may become glorified? No, by God, the philosophy of glory needs no scholastic curriculum.

Strive so that these people may be released from their nature worship and become like sons of wisdom from the city of light.  141  We speak one word and by it we intend one and seventy meanings. - (BAHA'O'LLAH IN THE IGHAN)

(Abdu'l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 140)

We continued: What harm could result if the Jews were in a similar attitude toward Christianity, declaring that Christ was the  414  Word of God, that the Gospel is the Book of God? Such an attitude as this would cause the enmity of many centuries to pass away. If we declare that Moses was the Prophet of God and that His Book was the law of God, does it harm our religious standpoint? Not at all. Furthermore, every nation is proud of its great men and heroes even though those great ones may have been atheists or agnostics. Today France glorifies Napoleon Bonaparte, saying, "He was a French military genius," whereas, in reality, he was a tyrant. They say, "Voltaire was ours," although Voltaire was an atheist. "Rousseau was a great man of this nation," and yet Rousseau was irreligious. France is proud of these great men. Feasts are held commemorating them, their names are perpetuated in special days, their memories treasured in prominent places, and there is music and celebration in their honor. The nation is proud of them. And now, do you consider these great men of France greater than Jesus of Nazareth? It is evident that in comparison with Jesus Christ they are as nothing. Consider the grandeur and majesty of Jesus in contrast with such men as we have mentioned. Consider Him from the standpoint of fame and renown. Where is the station of Christ, and where is their station? What comparison is there? In reality, Christ is incomparable. What harm, then, could come from your declaration that Jesus of Nazareth was a great man of Israelitish birth and, therefore, we love Him? That we have given to the world a great man indeed? That this mighty Personage, Whose Word has spread throughout the world, Who has conquered the East and the West, was an Israelite? Should you not be proud of Him? When you glorify and honor the memory of Christ, rest assured that the Christians will take your hands in real fellowship. All difficulty, hesitancy and restraint will vanish. Consider the troubles and persecutions heaped upon you in Russia for your fanaticism of unbelief. And you must not think that this is ended.

(Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 413)

"Indeed, the essential pre-requisites of admittance into the Bahá'í fold of Jews, Zoroastrians, Hindus, Buddhists, and the followers of other ancient Faiths, as well as of agnostics and even atheists, is the whole-hearted and unqualified acceptance by them all of the Divine origin of both Islam and Christianity, of the prophetic functions of both Muhammad and Jesus Christ, of the legitimacy of the institution of the Imamate, and of the primacy of St. Peter, the Prince of the Apostles. Such are the central, the solid, the incontrovertible principles that constitute the bedrock of Bahá'í belief which the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh is proud to acknowledge, which its teachers proclaim, which is apologists defend, which its literature disseminates, which its summer schools expound, and which the rank and file of its followers attest by both word and deed."

(Shoghi Effendi: The Promised Day is Come, p. 114)

(Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 68)

Answer 7

Doubt is the surest thing man can ever know.