"Once it is understood that atheism is merely the absence of belief in any gods, it becomes evident that agnosticism is not, as many assume, a “third way” between atheism and theism. The presence of a belief in a god and the absence of a belief in a god exhaust all of the possibilities. Agnosticism is not about belief in god but about knowledge — it was coined originally to describe the position of a person who could not claim to know for sure if any gods exist or not." --Austin Cline, briefly, from "Atheism 101"
2007-06-25 15:53:47 · 29 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Agnostics, by definition, have to remain open that magical gnomes are ruling the universe from a control panel under my back deck.
Atheists realize that evidence is key.
2007-06-25 15:58:24 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 5⤋
Atheism is easy; it is the belief there is no God. You could further subdivide it into "soft Atheism" (IMO God does not exist) and "hard Atheism" (there is absolutely no God). A little bit on the splitting hairs side of things but may as well give a complete answer.
Agnosticism says God (and, one could extrapolate, anything metaphysical) is unknowable. To say yes or no to the question "Is there a God?" basically presupposes knowledge no human actually possesses- despite objections to the contrary.
IMO, I think the *probability* God exists is closer to zero, but it can never be zero because you can't prove a negative.
2007-06-25 16:05:42 · answer #2 · answered by wanfuforever 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Since you have answered the question in your details, I am thinking that I don't understand your point, or don't understand your question. Atheism is the absence of belief. Agnostics question the existence of God. Which is exactly what you said though in the Reader's Digest format.
2007-06-25 16:00:01 · answer #3 · answered by The PENsive Insomniac 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Atheism is the belief in NO GOD. Agnosticism, is not sure that there is a God.
2007-06-25 16:00:30 · answer #4 · answered by AdoreHim 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You answered your own question with that quotation. A theist (literally, "believer in god") believes that God exists in one form or another. An atheist believes that God does not exist in any form (literally, a-theist "not a believer in god"). An agnostic acknowledges that he/she, or anyone, cannot truly know if God exists or if he doesn't (literally, a-gnostic, or "without knowledge" [of god's existence]).
Personally, I find it just as illogical to say that one knows that God does NOT exist as it is to say that one knows that God DOES exist, because there is no incontrovertible evidence either way. Hence, I am an agnostic.
2007-06-25 16:03:45 · answer #5 · answered by Don P 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Atheism is belief in no god, while agnosticism is where you question the existence of any gods, meaning you don't believe yet you don't not believe. got it?
2007-06-25 15:58:58 · answer #6 · answered by Michelangelo 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Strong Atheism = There is no God
Weak Atheism = With the evidence present I believe there is no God.
Strong Agnosticism = Humans are the supernatural
Weak Agnosticism = We don't have enough answers to make a definitive conclusion either way, but someday humans could have that capability.
2007-06-25 15:58:07 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 4⤋
I don't know and I don't care.
Oh... wait a minute... that's the difference between agnosticism and apathy... not atheism.
Say... did you hear about the agnostic, dyslexic insomniac? He would lay awake all night, wondering whether or not there was a dog.
2007-06-25 16:03:29 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
deep down there is no difference because they are both sets of people who are know they are gonna have to answer for their sins so they make an idea to cling to saying that there is no God. i guess it makes life more pleasant for them.
Romans 2:13-15
For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;
All mankind knows intuitively knows it is sin, that is, a transgression of God's law, to murder, to steal, to commit adultery, etc. He also intuitively knows that someday he must answer to God for his sins. Therefore, every human being tries to find a way by which he can be reconciled to God. That is, he wishes to find a way whereby he can escape the awful consequence of his sins, which is eternity in hell. Some try to solve this awful problem by convincing themselves that there is no God to whom they must answer. In that case they try very hard to be an atheist or an evolutionist or an agnostic.
2007-06-25 16:05:44 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
Cline is wrong . An atheist believes there is no god(s) . Agnostics essentially say " I don't know." Big difference
2007-06-25 16:02:40 · answer #10 · answered by mikeinportc 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Athiests do not believe in God, and agnostics believe that they are not sure but there is no way to prove it either way.
hope this helps
2007-06-25 15:59:47 · answer #11 · answered by The 2 points guy 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋