I don't believe you can be both. But I want to hear what other people think.
2007-05-04 03:19:53 · 16 answers · asked by Nickle 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Theists and Atheists are firm in their convictions and beliefs.
I can't see how to reconcile the two.....an "agnostic atheist" would simply be an agnostic...
2007-05-04 03:25:41 · answer #1 · answered by bonsai bobby 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
First, atheists come to the religion section to wonder at the religious person's ability to accept supernatural events and explanations on pure unadulterated faith. They marvel that those same religious folk can clearly see the silliness of similar beliefs in every single religion except their own.
Agnostics are often looking for evidence to either support or undermine belief. Most agnostics are a step short of becoming an atheist, but they find it difficult to totally reject religion. Most, but not all, are still battling the beliefs & feelings crammed into them as children - and those are very difficult to overcome.
Next ...as for a dual atheist/agnostic perspective:
If you mean that there may come a time when the existence of an external power (God, The Force, Energy, whatever) may be discovered somewhere in the universe, then many atheists wouldn't deny the possibility - although most would find the probability extremely small. Thus, you could call them agnostics.
However, something most atheists believe completely - and hold that there is NO chance of being found wrong is:
1. No god as defined or described in the religions of mankind is real. They were all created by the minds of men.
2. If some supernatural force does exist somewhere in the universe, it does not give one iota for the people of the earth - and probably doesn't even know of our existence.
3. Aside from internal good feelings - possibly a placebo effect - prayer and adoration of any of mankind's gods provides no real benefit, protection, or ultimate reward.
2007-05-04 10:53:42 · answer #2 · answered by Bob B 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am agnostic because I have the humility to admit that I don't know of an omnipotent being. I have never seen, heard, felt or learned anything in my life to show me otherwise. Books written by men don't qualify as proof of god(s) to me so I am an atheist because I think that there isn't one great power out there that made everything. It is enough for me to be a child of the universe.
2007-05-04 16:05:54 · answer #3 · answered by magichanzz 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
(A)theism is about belief. The belief in a god, or the belief there isn't a god.
I don't believe in a god. So, I'm an atheist.
(A)gnosticism is not about belief, it's about knowledge. Gnosticism is being sure, agnosticism is simply stating not knowing something.
I'm not 100% there is no god, but the concept doesn't make any sense to me. Just as I'm not sure there isn't an invisible purple elephant in my basement. I'm pretty sure, but not 100%. So, I'm also agnostic.
Therefore: I'm an agnostic atheist. Anybody who isn't agnostic, is gnostic. Which in my book means arrogance. Gnostics are 100% sure there is or isn't a god.
2007-05-04 10:29:09 · answer #4 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I consider myself an atheistic agnostic. I don't know for sure about God's existence or non-existence but I lean more towards the probability that God does not exist.
2007-05-04 10:44:28 · answer #5 · answered by K 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You could be an agnostic who is leaning towards atheism, but just can't rule out the 1% chance of their being a God.
2007-05-04 10:23:03 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes. This is my wife's exact label for herself. In her usage, it basically means, "From what I see, I don't think there's any God or spirits out there, but I may be wrong." Some people can be agnostic Christians, Jews, Pagans, etc. as well, even if they don't use that word.
2007-05-04 10:26:04 · answer #7 · answered by GreenEyedLilo 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I am. I am agnostic because I don't believe that the existence of God can be proven or disproven. I am an atheist because I don't believe that God exists.
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2007-05-04 10:23:37 · answer #8 · answered by Weird Darryl 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It's possible. I was one before. I didn't think that there was a god, but I just couldn't be sure one way or another. Now I'm just an atheist.
2007-05-04 10:26:25 · answer #9 · answered by photogrl262000 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the end I think all atheists have to have the tiniest bit of agnosticism because we can't say for certain that there is no god(s). However, I still consider myself an atheist because the probability of god is so minuscule that I feel comfortable saying one (or many) doesn't exist.
2007-05-04 10:26:08 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋