I've checked with my Microsoft spell checker as the definitive resource because a) everybody knows that Microsoft can be trusted (*cough*) and b) there was too much conflicting information on the web.
But, for the most part, I've found that where religions/faiths and beliefs (Christianity, Islam, Judaism, etc...) are capitalized, atheists and agnostics are kinda... left out.
An no - saying that they're "inferior" or somehow otherwise unworthy is an obvious and a rather sophomoric attempt at humor. At least show some wit if you're going to bag on the question.
2007-11-26 03:05:26 · 14 answers · asked by Mickey P 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
As to the validity of Atheism and Agnosticism - I choose to make my own grammatical rules here - Atheism is the *belief* that God doesn't exist. Agnosticism is the *belief* that truth of a God is unattainable or unknown, Christianity is the *belief* in the Holy Trinity, etc...
I'm failing to accept the argument that neither is part of a belief system.
2007-11-26 03:17:31 · update #1
As formal philosophical positions, schools of thought, they are capitalized. In the context of religion, they are rarely formal positions, as they do not refer to any organized system, so they are not capitalized. It's the difference between "belief" and "belief system of". Look up "catholic" and "orthodox" in their uncapitalized forms in the dictionary to see how the capitalization rules work.
2007-11-26 04:53:44 · answer #1 · answered by novangelis 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good question, I was going to say that they are not proper names, but then realized that they are. Nihilism is also not capitalized and it is the name of a system of thought as is hedonism.
I'd think that they should be capitalized under the rules of our language.
2007-11-26 11:10:55 · answer #2 · answered by Pirate AM™ 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Hey dude Atheism isn't a religion nor is agnosticism
2007-11-26 11:13:32 · answer #3 · answered by TSIRHC 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They aren't proper nouns - they simply refer to a philosophical stance, not an organisation or other formal group.
I'm an atheist, and a brunette, and a male. I'm also and Internet Infidel and a Rational Responder.
CD
2007-11-26 11:09:29 · answer #4 · answered by Super Atheist 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
you answered the question yourself - religions/faiths/beliefs are capitalized, and atheism and agnosticism are none of the above.
2007-11-26 11:08:49 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 0⤋
I always thought they were capitilized? Microsoft has done me wrong before. I typed a Buddhism paper just last week, and it didn't tell me to capitilize that, either.
2007-11-26 11:17:39 · answer #6 · answered by Melissa 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are not proper names.
Sorry those are the rules of English grammar.
2007-11-26 11:16:39 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The simple reason is that they are general categories and not proper names. 'theism' is also not capitalized.
2007-11-26 11:08:40 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 8⤊ 0⤋
My guess would be that they are not considered proper nouns by most.
2007-11-26 11:12:46 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Cause they aren't religions nor doctrines they are... adjectives maybe or should i say qualities.
2007-11-26 11:09:04 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋