Is there a practical difference between atheism and agnosticism?

Question

Not looking to slam anyone here. Just feeling Agno-curious, I guess.

By "not being sure" (if that's correct?), doesn't that mean you don't have faith?

I call myself an atheist because I don't believe (i.e. have faith in) god. That's all there is to it, the long and short of it (the *ahem* Alpha and Omega, if you will). I think most atheists on this forum would agree with that definition?

IF someone could prove god existed, or if I had some kind of personal ephinany that convinced me I could "feel" god's presence, then I would believe in god. How is that different than Agnosticism?

Arthur: Sorry, but the onus is on the Big Guy to make his presence known - IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS. I don't want 3,000 year old scripture, signs, prophecies, peek-aboo, or mumbo-jumbo. I speak English. It's a difficult language, but any omnpotent being can learn it.

Tiffany: How is any of that remotely relevant?

dreamdress2: um...yeah. Thanks for that.

Answer 1

I don't think that there is a practical difference, no. There is a philosophical distinction, which I'm sure 97 other people have defined by now, but I feel it's mostly academic. I've been more comfortable calling myself one or the other at different times and haven't much changed my beliefs or behavior to do it. It doesn't affect my daily life at all.

Except, when you tell someone that you're an atheist, they have an idea of what that is--even if it's the wrong idea. I always have to explain what agnosticism is.

Answer 2

I consider myself agnostic but not atheist.

to me, atheist implies that you strongly believe there is no god or soul or afterlife or anything of that nature. I believe in a soul (meaning a part of you that survives death) and an afterlife (meaning where that "soul" goes when the body is no longer able to function). As to the existence of god, I am unsure of the definition of god. I don't think anyone has an accurate definition. And I do not believe we are capable of having an accurate definition at this time. Possibly in the future we will. How can you believe in something that you don't have any knowledge of? How can you disbelieve something you have no knowledge of? All we have are guesses and so many people take their guesses and live their lives around it.

I think it also has something to do with the way people view the world. An atheist would say "i have no proof that (insert random word here) exists, therefore I believe it does not exist" where an agnostic would say " i have no proof that (insert random word here) exists, therefore I do not know if it exists or not"

By taking a hard stance saying there is a god and this is what it is, or saying there is no god because there are flaws in person A's definition of god, it makes it harder to open our minds and try to figure it out.

Answer 3

there is this website i found like a month ago, i read the main page and although i am already a christian and strong believer after reading some of the stuff this guy said i was even more convinced that God is who he says he is


. The Bible gives us over 50 descriptions about the people at the time of the end. Here are some:
A.

Some would depart from the faith and go into devil worship-1 Tim 4:1. This is perfect. Reportedly in Great Britain alone, there are about 35,000 professing witches.
B. People would have no conscience-1 Tim 4:1,2.
C. People would mock about the last days and not believe-2 Pe 3:3; Jude 18.
D. People would become lovers of themselves-2 Tim 3:1,2. Remember the TV commercials—“I do it for me”?
E. People would be disobeying their parents-2 Tim 3:1,2.
F. People would be grateful for nothing-2 Tim 3:1,2.
G. Homosexuality would increase-Lk 17:28,30; ref Gen 19:5; Ro 1:24,26,27.
H. People would be without self-control in sex-2 Tim 3:1,2,6; Rev 9:21, Lk 17:28,30; Jude 7. Is this not the great sex generation?
I. People would be untrustworthy, friends would betray friends-2 Tim 3:1-3.
J.


People would love pleasures more than God-2 Tim 3:1,2,4. This is true. Shall we go on a picnic, watch football, or sleep. Church?—we can go another time. Our American motto “In God we trust” has become a joke. Remember, these were all predicted centuries ago as part of the signs that we are at the time of the end.
K. People would be taking drugs-Rev 9:21. The Greek word for sorceries, in Rev 9:21, means pharmaceuticals or drugs. God’s Word is 100% right on every one. That’s 7 out of 7. How could you have any doubts at this point?
Note: Fifty years ago, many people never locked their doors at night. People could leave their keys in their car. Merchants could leave their merchandise on the sidewalk without guards, and there was no profanity on television, radio, or in the movies. One of the biggest problems in public school was gum chewing. Those days are long gone.


8. There would be weapons that could destroy the world-Mk 13:20; Rev 6:8; Rev 9:18; Zech 14:8,12. This prophecy is true. That’s 8 out of 8.
Note: When in our history would anyone have ever thought this possible? It is estimated that the combined nuclear arsenals of the USA and Russia (as of the year 2000) could kill every living thing on earth 6 times over.

Answer 4

I guess I am a strong agnostic, or weak atheist. I definitely do not believe in a god, and I prize logic and reason above all things, etc. I would need evidence/proof to believe anything supernatural. I am not seeking any spiritual answers, no religion, etc. The only thing that might separate me from the dogmatic atheist is that when I die I'm going to try to keep my consciousness going without my body (most atheists are staunch materialists). Though I know this is probably impossible.

Answer 5

Agnosticism today, generally, refers to a person that claims it is impossible to know whether a god or the supernatural exist or not. It, therefore, is not a separate alternative to atheism or theism, since both a Theist or an Atheist could be agnostic.

Its concerned with whether we as humans can "know" or learn something about the supernatural, stating that god and the supernatural must forever remain outside our scope of knowledge.

Fernando

Answer 6

It's a vague distinction, to be sure, but generally agnostics won't proclaim that they have OR lack faith because they feel it's impossible to attain knowledge of the existence/nonexistence of god, and sometimes they feel that such knowledge will be forever out of their (or everyone's) grasp.

Being without faith IS technically lacking faith, so if an agnostic refuses to go one way or the other based on the aforementioned perspectives or because they've leaned towards atheism DESPITE the aforementioned perspectives, they ARE atheists in a way.

Answer 7

The terms relate to different things. Agnosticism is uncertainty concerning the existence of gods, and atheism is the absence of belief in gods. It's entirely possible to be both if one doesn't believe in any gods but isn't sure that they don't exist. Similarly, one who thinks that a god or gods exist but isn't sure about it is an agnostic theist.

The positive belief that gods do not exist is called 'strong atheism'. Some people use the word atheism to refer only to this belief, and the term agnosticism to refer to 'weak atheism' which is the absence of belief in gods without the positive belief that no gods exist.

Answer 8

From what you describe, you ARE Agnostic, in that you simply don't know (not sure) there is a God.

What an Atheist believes is that there is no God. And he or she believes that every bit as fervently as a Theist believes there is a God.

And here's the really interesting part that neither the Atheists nor the Theists like to talk about:

Both groups rely upon their faith to support their position.

Theists cannot prove God exists any more than Atheists can prove she doesn't...

Answer 9

There aren't many 'practical' differences as far as day-to-day functionality of your existence. If you're agnostic, you're open the idea that you could be convinced of the existence of a god ... if you were atheist, then you're convinced that modern religion isn't any more "valid" than the old mythologies of the past and that people are essentially deluding themselves with their devotion to modern faiths.

Please note, I'm only speaking from my own perspective on these issues.

Answer 10

I'm not agnostic, but I would guess that most agnostics simply say they don't have enough information to know whether god(s) exist.

As an atheist, if I "felt" the existence of a teapot on Mars, I would probably chalk it up to a dream I had or something I ate.