If agnostics *don't* lack belief in God, doesn't that mean they *have* belief in god making them theists? They *aren't* theists so they must lack belief in god.
Clearly agnostics are also by definition atheists.
Atheists can also be agnostic at the same time, because lacking belief in something DOES NOT mean you aren't open to the possibility of it.
Atheism and Agnostism are completely compatible and similar.
Sorry i sort of repeated the question, just wanted to clearify.
2007-08-27 18:41:47 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Some do, some don't. And you're right, agnostics are ALWAYS either atheistic or theistic, though many vehemently deny this classification.
See... if they lack belief in gods, EVEN IF that lack of belief is due to their insistence that either they or "we" in the broadest sense cannot know or will never know if gods exist, then they are technically atheists. It's true. Absence of belief is atheism even if it's born of agnosticism.
Although it's entirely possible to claim uncertainty as to absolute knowledge of the existence of gods and still profess belief in said gods regardless, hence agnostic theism, polytheism and deism.
2007-08-27 18:44:48 · answer #1 · answered by ZER0 C00L ••AM••VT•• 7 · 2⤊ 3⤋
The only difference between Atheists and Agnostics is that Atheists don't believe in God. Agnostics aren't sure who/what God is, and are open to possibilities, but we do believe in some kind of higher power. Atheists might also be open to ideas surrounding God, so maybe you're right after all: there's really not much difference.
2007-08-27 18:50:24 · answer #2 · answered by Meow 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
once I replied a question approximately what agnosticism is, i grow to be given this useful counsel by way of the Asker. He defined that agnosticism is a controversy of understanding and admitting to lack of know-how with regard to the respond to this question - Does existence have objective or no longer? "everybody else is ignorant while it comprises that question - some do exactly no longer know it - and a few (regularly atheist) are such understand-it-alls that they could't seem to settle for his or her own lack of know-how." those are his words, no longer mine! this might recommend, then, which you're the two an atheist or an agnostic, because of the fact to declare you do no longer understand if existence has 'objective' or no longer is amazingly diverse to each and all the atheists who DO proclaim that existence has no 'objective'. they say that existence is merely random hazard and meaningless in itself. so as that they've made their suggestions up on that remember. An agnostic could in basic terms flow so a techniques as to declare that they do no longer understand no remember if existence has which capacity / purpose or no longer.
2016-10-09 09:08:46 · answer #3 · answered by nancie 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some do.
Some believe, but cannot be sure, so your statement, "Clearly agnostics are also by definition atheists." is actually false. It only excludes a personal god.
They are not completely compatible. The person who asserts there is no God is not agnostic. The agnostic theist is not an atheist.
2007-08-27 18:47:53 · answer #4 · answered by novangelis 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Why are you so concerned with trying to lump agnostics into the same category as atheists? Several of them have already answered this question along with your previous one and pointed out the differences between the two. By telling them that their beliefs are indeed the same as yours, despite their objections to it, aren't you really just trying to "push your beliefs" on them?
Atheism, by definition, is the persistant disbelief in or the denial of the existence of God or gods. The atheist declares, "There is no God." The agnostic reasons, "Our present knowledge is limited, so I'm not so arrogant as to proclaim I know all the answers."
2007-08-27 19:25:43 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Agnostics can have belief in Gods, they can lack belief in Gods. They can be theistic or atheistic.
Theism and Atheism have to do with belief/lack of belief.
Agnosticism has to do with knowledge (lack of it when it comes to Gods existing).
2007-08-27 18:48:15 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
An agnostic is an atheist without the guts to admit it.
OK, that's not too charitable. But I would say, am I 100% convinced that there is no god? No. But then again, I'm not 100% convinced that there is no Tooth Fairy either. Any true thinking person who believes in science always acknowledges the possibility that they're wrong. I'm agnostic about the Tooth Fairy to the same extent as I'm agnostic about god.
2007-08-27 18:46:16 · answer #7 · answered by τεκνον θεου 5 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Agnostics are people that identify themselves as agnostics.
Some claim that they're agnostic because they have basically deistic beliefs, but don't subscribe to a religion.
Some claim it's because religious knowledge is impossible
Some claim that it's because they lack beliefs.
Some don't offer any explanation at all.
2007-08-27 18:51:32 · answer #8 · answered by Just Jess 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Did Mother Theresa do good in spite of her true religious convictions ? Of course many lack belief in god . Especially the confused conceptualizations that fall short of that to be desired . Believers and the unskeptical ;they really give both logic and the concept of god a bad name at the same time .
2007-08-27 18:51:23 · answer #9 · answered by dogpatch USA 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Your hairsplitting is off target. An atheist is, by definition, one who believes that there is no such thing as god. An agnostic (from the Greek, to not know), believes that the case for the existence of god is unproven either way and there is no way to know for sure. Clearly, these are not the same.
2007-08-27 18:46:50 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 1⤋