Is being agnostic just as bad as being atheist?

Question

not saying I am or anything I am just wondering?

I meant seen as bad, like by Christians, I dont think either are bad!

Answer 1

Lol being an atheist is a bad thing now?

Answer 2

Agnostics are usually willing to examine the evidence, and are open-minded.
Atheists and Religious people are usually unwilling to examine evidence, and can be quite close-minded.

It is much better to be an Agnostic than an Atheist. The Agnostic has a chance to make an informed decision, while the Atheist is usually just as bad if not worse than any other person who blindly believes in their Faith/Non-Faith. Some rare Theists will have very informed reasons for what they believe while still being open to debate and dialogue.

Therefore I'd say the running for open-mindedness would be:

1. Agnostics
2. Open-minded Theists
3. Atheists
4. Close-minded Theists (Dangerous - propagating violence in the name of religion)

Answer 3

I don't think so and here is why. I read this piece once on on Einstein. He was teaching a physics course and he asked his class for a show of hands for how many people were atheists. Most of the class raised their hands.

Next, he asked them to discuss amongst themselves and to come up with a figure for what per cent of all of the knowledge in the universe we humans possess, they came back with a figure of 10%.

He told them that he thought they were rather high in their estimate, but even if we humans do possess 10% of all the knowledge in the Universe that it was enough from a scientific standpoint, to conclude that there is no God. And so, he suggested, that at best one could support being Agnostic, but not atheist.

Answer 4

Oh, Oh , you used the wrong word! I know that it was not your intent to judge atheist and agnostics as "bad" but the ones who responded seem to revel in it anyway. I think what you meant was are atheists and agnostics on the same level spiritually. The Bible says that God will judge people individually, according to their deeds.(Matthew 16:27, Revelation 2;23) I also try to look at people as individuals.

Answer 5

Theyre not bad.

I am a Christian, you know, some atheists are actually better than other professing Christians. Not in actions but in the way they do not accept mystery and stuff...

True Christianity is like that, you have to have a reason to believe and you have to logically explain your faith, otherwise its not real.

Agnosticism, lets say plays it safe. But I believe if people, not just atheists and agnostics, really seek for the truth, they will know. They're people who research...not just accept...coz I did that too!

Answer 6

Agnostic in reference to God usually means you don't know whether God exists or not, and you don't think it's important to know because experience tells you more. It is actually referring to the knower (or "not knower") as the case may be - you, for example, perhaps.

Atheist technically means that you're not theist, but generally people take it to mean that you don't believe in a God at all. It just means you don't believe in a theistic God - one that rules in real time right now. A deist believes in a divine being that doesn't necessarily involve itself in the running of the material world. Hence the similarity between deity, divine, deist etc. versus theocracy, monotheism.

In practice, they're both pretty much the same thing. You might fall for a mythological interpretation of the nature of the universe either way, because you believe in experience more than prayer as revelatory (agnosticism), or because you don't believe that "God" is still interacting with us (atheism) or at least not literately. Both beliefs tend to focus on "fluidity" or phonology as experiential signposts to life, rather than literacy and listening out for God's messages as they arrive.

Answer 7

An agnostic is basically someone who doesn't really believe in god but can't bring themselves to make the jump to atheism, which is an out and out acceptance of the fact that god doesn't exist.

Agnostics for the most part are fence sitters. I know. I was an agnostic for many, many years before I finally saw the light.

Of course, this is not a technical definition of agnosticism as you will see in many other answers. It is a practical one.

Answer 8

No. I am Catholic, but was Agnostic (Don't ask.). Being Atheist is not believing, but agnostic is just not really paying attention to any of it, or taking sides on beliving or not believing. So I don't believe that it is as bad. But neither are really "bad", they just are frowned upon in Catholic/ Christian societies.

Answer 9

IF any person who claims to be a agnostic would only read the book of John (from start to finish) from a Scofield King James Bible, they would learn that God "is" a personal God that you CAN talk to and "is" VERY concern about them.

"Whosoever..."

Answer 10

Neither one is "bad". If you live in the U.S., you should know that everyone has the right to have a religion or not have a religion. Perhaps they are on different paths. Everyone needs to learn to respect the choices others make.

Answer 11

It's bad if you refuse God. By definition an agnostic has a question about a supreme being. An atheist deny there is a God