Agnostic vs Atheist?

Question

What’s better in the long run being an Atheist or Agnostic? Why are agnostics are afraid to admit about the truth?

Answer 1

If you're agnostic, you're stating that you're ignorant and don't know if there is some supernatural deity. So, the question that must be asked of an agnostic, is do they believe in a supernatural deity. If they answer yes, then they aren't really agnostic, because they are believing in something that they previously said they didn't know about. If they said no, they are an atheist. If they say 'I don't know', then they are a just being dishonest. Agnostics are atheists, they just don't have the courage to admit it for fear of the religous cult oppression.

Answer 2

I see a slight difference. Atheists don't believe in God. Agnostics claim not to know if there is a god, but also sometimes claim that knowledge of gods or the supernatural is UNKNOWABLE for everybody. I am both an atheist and agnostic because I fall in both categories. But that doesn't mean that all atheists are agnostics or vice versa. EDIT - to clear up an answer above, atheists do NOT claim to know there is not a god. We merely do not believe in them. Also, I don't know that Santa Claus, Jack Frost, and the Easter Bunny don't exist. I can't prove it. I just choose not to believe in them. EDIT - In conclusion, I don't see this question as really fair. Agnostics( at least most of them) are not afraid to admit the truth. They just have a different philosophy, that you CAN'T know about the supernatural. I think the people you describe are not really agnostics, but claim a position they don't truly understand because they are afraid to admit they might be atheists and think agnosticism is a middle-of-the-road position, which it actually is not, philosophically.

Answer 3

Unless an agnostic is also a theist then by definition they are atheists. What baffles me is why so many have to redefine what an atheist is before arguing that they're not?

"One knows there is no God" Wrong

"An Atheist rules out the idea completely." Wrong.

"all Atheists are actually agnostic, they just BELIEVE there is no God." Wrong.

"atheist is quite different ,as they simple believe we are some sort of accident and that their really is nothing more to life then being born into a set of circumstances and that when we pass or die thats i" Weird twisted and of course wrong.


The word simply says what someone is NOT. It doesn't say explicitly or implicitly what someone is, believes or why. And it isn't something you choose to be or choose not to be. It's descriptive like being a non-redhead. You can dye your hair red but that doesn't make you a redhead.

If you believe in a deity or deities you are not an atheist regardless of what you call yourself and if you don't believe in a deity or deities you are an atheist regardless of what you call yourself.

Now having said the obvious, whether one is 'better' or not I couldn't care less. 'Better' is a personal term and only has meaning when you're talking about individual preference. If one is better for someone fine glad they enjoy it.

"Why are agnostics are afraid to admit about the truth?" What the heck does that mean? You may be an atheist but you sound like your something else in addition to it.

Answer 4

What alot of people don't understand about Agnosticism is that "Truth" to them only exists on a "superficial" plane.

Example: I weigh 170 lbs. on earth, but elsewhere in the universe...
And what is the extent of 170 lbs' universality? Is it not a man-made measurement?

Sure this may sound a bit pedantric, but when speaking along the lines of that which is eternal or atemporal or infinite, it is a very practical philosophy.

Because Truth exists within the rules, and the rules do not always apply outside of human consciousness, Agnosticism is a very practical conclusion.

It's not fear, but recognition of the limitations of human perception/ego.

Answer 5

There is no "better". The assessment should be based on the quality of reasoning, not the conclusions. As the agnostics point out, you don't know what the truth is, and if you think agnosticism is a function of fear, you have severe truth-recognition deficits.

Answer 6

Ahmed Ahdoody: by your logic, all theists are agnostics as well since they just BELIEVE in God. Taking if further - everyone is agnostic because no one is omniscient. Brilliant! You've completely taken away the meaning of both theism and atheism because neither can KNOW for certain.

Answer 7

I'm agnostic cause I'm not 100% sure there is no God or God's. One would have to look throughout the entire universe to be 100% sure there is no God or God's. It doesn't seem likely there is a God or God's, but I'm willing to allow the posibility of a God or God's, because I want to stay open minded. Just like it doesn't seem likely that there is a parrallel universe out there where I exist, but live in a different place and have a different girlfriend, but now physics is saying that it is possible and there is much research going on in the area of parallel universes with the mathematics to back it up. I don't think there is a parrallel universe where I exist differently, but I'm not willing to completely throw it out as a possibilty. This is why I'm agnostic and not athiest.

Answer 8

Atheists are a subset of agnostics. Some agnostics believe in God.

I think many atheists are concerned with the stigma associated by calling themselves atheists, so they use the term agnostic when they mean atheist.

Answer 9

Agnostic just means you don't rule out the idea of a God. An Atheist rules out the idea completely.

Answer 10

agnostics are not afraid to admit the truth
I can admit that NO ONE has the answers to the universe ot its creation and I can live with that TRUTH
how many of you cant??