Please no sarcasm, I have a sensitive heart...
2007-05-23 09:59:36 · 35 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The term Agnostic refers to those who don't know if there is or isn't a god. There are two main types of Agnostics, Weak Agnostics and Strong Agnostics. A Weak Agnostic would say that they don't know if god exists or not. A Strong Agnostic would say that they can't know if god exists or not. There is a third, somewhat tongue-in-cheek group that calls themselves the Apathetic Agnostics. Not only don't they know if god actually exists, they don't really care if he exists or not. If you want to get really technical, "Agnostic/Gnostic" refers to knowledge, while "Atheist/Theist" refers to belief, so they aren't technically exclusive.
Atheists come in two main flavors as well: Weak Atheists who don�t have a belief in a god, and Strong (or Positive) Atheists who believe there are definitely no gods. It's a little more subtle than the split for Agnostics. Atheists sometimes recognize a third group as well, Apatheists (apathetic Atheists), who don't believe in god but don't really care about the whole issue.
2007-05-23 10:08:46 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
What Is an agnostic?
An agnostic thinks it impossible to know the truth in matters
such as God and the future life with which Christianity and other
religions are concerned. Or, if not impossible, at least impossible
at the present time.
Atheist do not believe there is a god.
2007-05-23 10:10:07 · answer #2 · answered by Teacher 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Agnosticism is the belief that knowledge of the existence or nonexistence of a deity cannot be obtained. One can be an agnostic theist or an agnostic atheist. The agnostic theist believes there is a deity but acknowledges that it cannot be proven, the agnostic atheist believes there are no deities but acknowledges it cannot be proven.
Atheists believe that there is definately no deity (strong atheism) or simply lack belief in a deity (weak atheism).
Your question implies a false relationship between theism, deism, agnosticism, and atheism. This is not a spectrum where Agnosticism lies between Deism and Atheism. Agnosticism is an epistemological approach (or willful lack thereof). Theism, deism, and atheism are belief/non-belief systems.
2007-05-23 10:05:59 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Agnosticism is a position of knowledge. "A" - without, "gnosis" - knowledge. The position of agnosticism is that it is impossible to know whether god/s exist.
Atheism is a philosophy of belief. An atheist lacks belief that any deities exist. There are two kinds of atheism: weak and strong. Weak atheism: "I do not believe god/s exist." Strong atheism: "I believe NO god/s exist."
I am an agnostic atheist. I think that it is impossible to know whether a deity is real, and I lack belief that one is. A person can also be an agnostic theist, etc.
2007-05-23 10:05:23 · answer #4 · answered by N 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
atheists have no belief in a god, agnostics believe that it is impossible to know whether a god exists or not.
It's possible to be an agnost atheist who doesn't believe in god, but believes it's impossible to know for sure, I feel that way about a generic "Prime Mover" type of god.
2007-05-23 10:09:29 · answer #5 · answered by adigney 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Atheists do not believe in God or a divine or supernatural power or higher intelligence involved in the creation, maintenance, or control of the Universe.
They don't find religion a comfort, but a pathetic attempt to govern destiny through wishful thinking.
Agnostics are willing to believe in God or a divine or supernatural power or higher intelligence involved in the creation, maintenance or control of the Universe, but they are waiting for proof or evidence of that being or entity. They haven't ruled it out, in other words.
Kind of a doubting Thomas philosophy, but oh well...
2007-05-23 10:08:31 · answer #6 · answered by CarinaPapa 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Atheists don't 'believe' anything that can't be proven or have a substantial amount of supporting evidence. What makes a religion a religion and not a fact, is that facts needs to be based on research and evidence, while religion is based on faith, or 'believing'. In answer to your questions, Atheists do not believe in anything, and the word should not be capitalized, just like 'dog-owners' or 'doctors' shouldn't.
2007-05-23 10:04:24 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Atheists reject the idea that there is an intelligent being that made the universe, and agnostics are open to the idea of god but don't do anything about it
2007-05-23 10:03:46 · answer #8 · answered by Swamper 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hahaha. Ok, I am an agnostic b/c I am not sure whether there is a higher power or not. I think it may be "unknowable". I am open-minded about spirituality, but I know what I do NOT believe: the Bible.
2007-05-23 10:03:14 · answer #9 · answered by ms_coktoasten 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Atheists: There is no higher power. You control your own fate/destiny
Agnostic: There is a higher power... I am just not sure what it is or don't necessarily believe in organized religion
Me: I believe there is a God and all that jazz that goes along with being a Catholic/Christian person
2007-05-23 10:05:46 · answer #10 · answered by EmK 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋