Is an Agnostic Searching or Denying?

Question

Just wondering? Thanks!!!!

O.K Jett must be an ignorant atheist, as he aclaimed me to be an ignorant Theist.

Glad you could surmise that by my hat Jett!
A smart one indeed!!!! LOL!

Thanks Jett, I was right about you............
Ignorant of Theism.

Stop dreaming clear thinker.

At least napali will admit it.

Well stated Biker, as I was looking for a deffinition in a way.

Sorry Jett, rather than IM, better for me to turn the other cheek. Go ahead, smack it, Jesus was whipped as well. And there is no way you know my religion or bible more than me. Sorry! You would lose!

Darn! I really take some of that back. In no way was Jesus tourtured any less than me.

Answer 1

In my opinion, an agnostic is an individual who is searching. An atheist, on the other hand, is one who is denying.

Answer 2

I try to be logical and objective as much as possible, so here's my take on it.

I cannot believe in any "God" because I have no evidence that a single supreme deity exists or has ever existed. Nobody has been able to offer undeniable proof, therefore I assert that God does not exist. Since God does not exist, then no single all-powerful entity can exist for the same reasons. I wouldn't classify absence of evidence as denial, just common sense.

However, since God cannot be proven, the complete absence of ANY form of "universal energy" cannot be disproven. Therefore, as an agnostic, I choose to live with an open mind to as many possibilities as I can. Perhaps there are tiny pieces of all religions that, when put together, reveal the true nature of things.

Yet as a being with a finite lifespan, I acknowledge that I may never truly know. One reality of the universe is that nothing is permanent, and I can accept that. But I am not restricted by the tenets of any faith dictating what I can and cannot think, feel or do, and my answers are only limited by time and my own objectivity to the universe.

I feel my beliefs allow me the most freedom in life.

Answer 3

An agnostic is coping with the contradictions of religion, the inspiration and the humiliation, the love and the abuse, the desire to know God's will and the necessity to trust fallible human leaders. An agnostic sees faith as a commitment to a system of ethics and community, not a blind abandonment of self to another's "will".

They don't so much deny the existence of God as suspect the qualifications of those who claim to speak for God. (There are a lot of those and they all seem to disagree.) God may indeed be speaking through someone but who? And how can one indisputably tell?

Some agnostics may still be searching. Others may just have decided to get on with life, acting the way they think a believer should, but not convinced that the supernatural is real. But they have not doubted for lack of searching.

Answer 4

I think you need to do a little more searching on what Agnosticism.is. Most Agnostics have studied religions far more than most religious people (from your ignorance I'm just going to go out on a limb and say you are a Christian), and have realized that while the Gods of the many organized religions have been proved impossible, we can not declare that a life force or God(s) of some kind do not possibly exist.

EDIT: No, I am not an Atheist. I am a realist. I don't judge groups as a whole, I judge the individual. And unfortunately individuals of similar theological knowledge tend to group together in religions, or cults, if you want to call them that.

The phrasing of your question in iteself is either extremely arrogant, or ignorant, or maybe both. And from your lack of knowledge in your last question, it was not a very hard decision.

I assure you I know more about your religion, assuming it is indeed one of the major religions, than you do. If you want to have a theological debate feel free to IM me.

Answer 5

I feel that it is a loaded question because you are neither denying or believing- that is the definition of an agnostic.

I am of the belief that people can search for ways to make sense of what surrounds them, be it they find the answer in on or maybe more than one religion so be it, you may even choose to make your own religion it that is the best fit to give the answers that make you sleep better at night.

anyway hope this helps

good luck

Answer 6

This is best answered by the old joke about the atheist and the agnostic who find what is supposed to be God's telephone number.

The agnostic calls the number, but the line is always busy.

The atheist calls the number and there's no answer.

Answer 7

Revelation. You believe it or you don't.

If the revelation is about God, you believe (theist) or you don't (atheist [a--without theist]).

Now to your question referring to an agnostic. Gnostic mean to know. Agnostic means without knowing. Using what the words mean, an agnostic may be searching or never denying because denying means believes or does not believe.

Believe it or not, Jesus taught this to his disciples (learners) and it is documented in the Gospel of John.

Answer 8

I don't see where the two are opposites. An atheist could deny the existence of a personal god yet keep searching for one.

Edit: come to think of it, do believers stop searching just because they've found a story they can hang their faith hat on?

Answer 9

No an agnostic simply agrees that there is a higher power but that formalised religions dont get it.

Formalised religion is not about god or heaven or being good, they are about control and manipulation. Wars in the name of God? Wow if all these wars are truely in his name he cant make his damn mind up.

Agnostics deny the faith of a church and search for greater meaning in life and understand the one good teaching of religion, that we must be good to one another.

You dont need to donate money to the richest organisation in the world (who wont help no one) to go to heaven, you have to love thy neighbour.

Christ had it right, those who chose to use religion to RULE got it wrong and the credulous populace let these organisations continue to do so.

Also someone was quite right. Most agnostics are far more educated on religious doctrine, spirituality and theology than most religious people. Personally I studied theology.

Answer 10

Yea its both. Agnostic deny until they find the answers they want. Like an athiest that hasnt 100% given up on the search for something.