oh & ppl tend to pronounce agnosticism wrong. It's not ag-nostic, a-gnosis, with the g silent. Do they say the word minus the A, guh-nostic? No the suffix is pronounced the same as it is without the prefix or whatever. I think you pronounced it correctly, kudos to you for that. :-D
I agree with what you say about agnosticism not being what people assume it to be & how it's a form of atheism. It makes perfect sense when you think about it:agnosticism is epistomology, the epistomology of doubt, while atheism is metaphysics. They're two sides of the same coin. They go hand in hand.
And yes, it's possible to not have an opinion. Funny how people don't get mad at me for not having an opinion on the best nine year old golfer in the world, or on other sports that I don't watch but people get angry when you say you don't have an opinion about the one thing you can't ever learn about: a deistic god(s).
He's right, the word agnostic has been hijacked. There is no such thing as "agnostic-atheism". If you can't show an example of Huxley mentioning "agnostic-atheism", you have nothing. And yes, agnosticism is a viable philosophical position since it was coined in a time where atheism was commonly seen as a "belief there are no gods" (and it still is beyond youtube). Agnosticism means you don't have an opinion on gods other then a rejection of esoteric spiritual knowledge aka gnosticism.
So you want agnostics to say "the nature of god is unknowable" instead of the more commonly used "I don't know if God exists or not"? That's sorta picky. I believe there is a middle ground. If I can't know for certain, then why would I be an atheist or a theist?
@PeetsaBoy66 There's almost nothing that can be known for certain. But you either believe in something or you don't. Theists believe in at least one god or goddess, atheists don't believe in any god or goddess (and most of us think that theism/religion is actually absolute nonsense and can't be taken seriously, or at least I do.)
Are you an agnostic about EVERYTHING that can't be known for certain one way or another?
@233259 Yes, I'm agnostic about the things I don't know. I agree that religion is probably nonsense, but I can't know that for certain either. I think that atheists are ignorant because they are refusing to acknowledge the possibility of a god. I think people that are religious or atheist aren't thinking or they think they MUST believe in something even if they're uncertain.
This was pretty much the last step on my road to atheism. Having gone through theism as a kid, and having a lukewarm belief in God as a young adult, I spent ten years or so calling myself an "agnostic" because I "didn't know" if God was real.
It was only after doing some research and reflection that I came to the conclusion that it's not about what you KNOW - it's about what you BELIEVE. And I realised I hadn't really believed in a supreme being since I was about 15. Thus, I'm an atheist.
@MrRazorz Belief means "don't know". I am not an atheist because I don't know. I am an atheist because I do know. If I don't know, I am an agnostic. Theists don't claim they "don't know". They claim they do know god exists. They have experienced gods presence. No belief is involved here.
@residentatheist Belief is "confidence in the truth or existence of something not immediately susceptible to rigorous proof". We have no "rigorous proof" that God exists (or not) and therefore we don't know (unless you claim to be omnsicient which, in this case, would be ironic).
We either have a firm belief in God (theism) or we lack that belief (atheism). If you say "I don't know what I believe", you default to the atheist position. There's no middle ground. You can't dig half a hole.
@MrRazorz Belief is "not knowing" or "don't know" the truth. If you know the truth you have no need for belief. belief and truth are mutually exclusive. I have no belief or disbelief in any god(s). I know there are no gods. Never has been and never will be. To believe or disbelieve in a god would require a god to believe or disbelieve in. God is supernatural. The supernatural doesn't exist. Therefore there is no god. No belief or disbelief is required.
"Knowledge" is when you have an absolute proven certainty that something is true. I KNOW the chair I'm sitting on is real, because I have proof (I can see and feel it and I'm not falling to the floor).
"Belief" is when you consider something to be true, even though there's no solid proof (yet). I BELIEVE that my Christmas present is an iPad, but I won't know until I unwrap it.
When you DON'T know something, it's called "ignorance".
@residentatheist It's also worth defining the difference between "proof" and "evidence". Evidence is something which suggests or implies something is true. Proof is something that removes all doubt. Belief can be backed up by evidence (I believe Steve killed Bob, because his fingerprints were on the murder weapon). But it doesn't become knowledge unless I have absolute proof (I know Steve killed Bob, because I saw him pull the trigger).
@residentatheist Finally (and apologies for swamping you with replies, blame the word limit) you can't say "I know something doesn't exist." How do you prove the absence of something?
I don't believe in God (no evidence), but I don't "know" he's not real. For that I'd have to prove the non-existence of every variation of "God" throughout the whole of human history, and scour every theoretical universe to prove he's not hiding in one.
Fortunately, the burden of proof lies with believers.
@MrRazorz A firm belief in god is still just a belief. Adding the word firm to it doesn't change it. The theist does not say I believe in god. They say god does exist. To say something like: "I believe something to is true" is a contradictory statement. You either believe it and therefore you don't know the truth or you know it is true and therefore it is not a belief. You can't have both. (The law of non contradiction- that a statement and its denial can not both be true at the same time).
@residentatheist You're misunderstanding me. A firm belief is still just a belief, yes. But it isn't knowledge. The theist says he "knows" there's a God - but he doesn't know, because he hasn't seen God with his own eyes. Therefore, all he has is a firm belief.
To get back to the original point: Belief is either there, or it isn't. You can't "half-believe" something. If you refer to yourself as "agnostic", you clearly don't have a firm belief in God. Therefore, you're an atheist.
Any true/false question has three possible choices. True, false and "I don't know". You can't eliminate the third choice just because it doesn't fit your views. There is the theist, the atheist and the agnostic. That is it. No hard/soft or strong/weak. None of these are based on beliefs. They are all based on knowledge. The theist gets it's knowledge from a religious cult, the atheist gets it's knowledge from logic and reasoning and the agnostic don't have enough knowledge to choose.
@residentatheist In order to be defined as "knowledge" it has to be something you can prove and verify. Theists can't prove God exists, atheists can't prove that he doesn't (though we seem to have a lot more facts on our side).
I dont KNOW if God exists, and neither does anyone else. But the case for a supreme being of any kind is exceedingly (and increasingly) weak, and therefore I don't BELIEVE he exists. So am I an atheist or an agnostic?
@MrRazorz Knowledge means specific information about something. There are volumes of information/knowledge on god(s) of all kinds. We have knowledge about Santa and the Tooth Fairy too. It does not have to be proven true or false. You claim an atheist can't prove god doesn't exist. I disagree. I know god doesn't exist the same way I know Donald Duck Sponge Bob don't really exist. God is a man made cartoon character.
@MrRazorz Why don't you know if god exists or not? What knowledge are you missing. Look at where cartoon characters come from. Then look at where gods come from. They are the same thing. It's not rocket science. It actually has nothing to do with science at all.
That would be true if the nature of the universe was either completely black or completely white. However, Not everything or everyone one lies on the extreme ends of the pole. One dose not necessarily have to be on or the other. There are different shades of gray all along the poll of Atheism and Theism and there is an indifference as well. Or one could choose not to care to even participate on that pole. The universe doesn't really fit neatly into yes or no answers.
However that doesn't mean that one cannot "believe" in a deity or deities. I personally hold to a belief in an intellectual designer(s) for the universe, but I can't absolutely state that I know there is an intellectual designer. I believe there is. Maybe that's not the idea Huxley was trying to convey and I need to coin a new ideology. But in my humble estimation, I believe my interpretation is the best worldview. Peace
Great post man but I feel there's an important missing element to your explanation. Agnosticism in my understanding of the concept is not a neutral position on the existence or nature of deities, but instead the keen difference in absolutes and beliefs with respect to everything. The difference between "belief" and "know" is what's misconstrued. Since no one can absolutely assert that a deity exists or doesn't, everyone in essence is agnostic.
People would rather convince themselves that they are sure there is no god, for who could stand the constant awareness that there is a god and they might be going to hell. There is too much insecurity in admitting ignorance. For instance people insist that evolution is a fact even though it cant be reproduced in a lab and it mere guessing at what processes ocurred before any of us was here.
As I understand it and the way I choose to understand agnostisicm is that the earlier description of agnostisicm was a non-belief while the later description take a more rational approach to assertions.
A sample being "Is there a god?" I can't have an oppinion unless there are proof either way.
I agree with your point that everyone may be an Agnostic,no matter what they claim to believe.That makes it universally relevant-not irrelevant. Also, it is not nec. for an Agnostic to go beyond stating that he doesn't know the nature of the Unknown, & that he considers all unfounded hypotheses about it as speculative.Of course, being an Agnostic,I have to admit that I also don't know whether anyone has had an experience proving otherwise.
I don't know what the term agnostic means, but the best term I can use to describe myself is undecided. I don't know what the fuck is going on in here but I sure as hell know that all the religions that I know well ( Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism and Baha'ii ) are fucking bullshit.
maybe there is some sort of god, maybe there isn't. maybe there are many gods, maybe we're all just characters in a realistic video game being played by a fucking kid. I don't fucking know !!!
I think you need to watch the "Why I am agnostic" video, it will probably explain a lot. I like to sum up my belief by saying, I don't believe it until I see it. Anyhow, I believe people can believe what they want to believe. I am agnostic, and I do not care if others believe in god or not, nor do I care enough about religion to be afraid of a hell. And who are you to say what is and isn't a belief when it comes to religion? All I am doing is accepting what I already know about the universe.
I agree with your "better" definition of agnosticism, but I do think it is a viable position. There is no middle ground only you pose the question "Do you believe in god?" but the question "Does god exist?" is different and leaves room for the claim about an unknowable nature. I think confusion still exists because you see the word atheist defined like this: "Disbelief in or denial of the existence of God or gods," when disbelief and denial of a deity is clearly different.
How can you say there is no middle ground when there is one? Let's say we all live in a box. Outside the box is everything we don't know as humans. I ask, "Is there a ball (god) outside the box?" Atheists say no (no god). Other theistic religions say yes (yes god). Agnostics say how can we know?
@glitchuser4 That just means either atheists are right or theist are right, and the opposite position is wrong. Agnostics, meanwhile are just useless and spineless and contribute nothing to the argument or to their own knowledge or anyone elses.
Space is infinite, meaning without bounds or borders, no beginning and no end…eternal. I personally believe this to be true. And as such it would be insane (in my humble view) to proclaim that there is no God. I have no doubt that there are indeed an infinite number of Gods. I call myself Agnostic because I do not claim to understand the nature of such beings, but still believe in their existence. Does that make sense to anyone?
@handy777 You fail logic forever. See also the logical fallacy "argument from incredulity"
Space may be finite but no bounds, like the surface of earth, but 3 dimensions in 4, not 2 in 3. Earth is finite, but no "Edge" just like no EDGE in 3 dimensions to a 4-d universe.
If one god can be infinite, why believe in an infinity of gods(or any)? Even if a space IS infinite, probability does NOT say it must contain all possibilities, plus maybe god is IMpossible in a finite OR infinite world.
going by wat u say: I think Theist shud b a suffix attached 2 particular Religions, eg: Christian Theist, Muslim Theist, Hindu Theist etc (tho the suffix is unneeded) I am a theist by ur narrow definition, but I call myself an agnostic bcoz I feel that as humans we lack the hardware to process the information of god (if I can term it that way) - for eg, String theory & Entanglement IMO is basically as close as humans can get 2 seeing or condensing god in2 an concept the rest requires faith
Not to mention I don't understand why "agnostic atheists" would want to categorize themselves in terms of theists. To call yourself atheist when you refuse to make a decision presupposes that theism is a natural state of being. In other words, it's like calling yourself an aScientologist or aBuddhist. Don't give theists that power. Go agnostic.
You guys see things in black and white... there is a gradient when it comes to belief in gods. Some people 100% believe in God, some only 75%, some 0%, etc. It is about how probable you think a God is. Atheists think it's impossible. Agnostics think it's possible, yet some may find it likely or unlikely. Theists think it's a reality. You are grouping agnostics who lean towards theism in with atheists, and it's not the case. Not to mention there are people who feel truly 50/50 on it.
Someones right and someones wrong, and agnostics don't have the guts to be either. I have more respect in some ways for theists.
I'm speaking of course of the common, incorrect definition of agnostic which only "agnostics" themselves apply to themselves. Reasonable atheist ARE agnostic TECHNICALLY in that we don't "know" just like we don't know if unicorns are real, but I won't say I'm agnostic n get lumped with the wishy washy indecisive types.
@nycholaus You just admitted that you're only 99.999% (rough estimate) sure there's no God. There can't be .001% of a God either. Or can there? I've been out of this convo for a long time, but I'll offer this: if you gave me 4 cards (e.g., ace of each suit), randomized them, and drew 1, I'd say there's a 25% chance that it's any 1 of those cards. In actuality, there's a 100% chance of the one it actually is. That doesn't make it wrong to work with odds -- that's all you can legitimately do.
I'm an agnostic, although I don't live my life according to any specific set of religious beliefs. So, I guess that makes me an atheist. An agnostic atheist. I don't pretend to know things I don't know, but I don't find any of the world's religions very convincing.
There does appear to be a lot of people that define agnostic incorrectly. But a lot of what I hear still applies though, noncommital, belief that God is unknowable. But there is more. I can only speak for myself but being agnostic for me comes from having been an ecumenical Catholic. It is, for me, the active belief that all religions hold an aspect of the unknowable truth and are slowly working towards the same thing. THe more I learn the less I know.
In my opinion god is nothing physical or supernatural, but god deffinately exsists, i believe that god is a state of mind, a beliefe. So long as people believe in god, it will exsist, god is nothing more than the faith of it's followers. I personally beieve that there is no devine being as such, because if there was, where did it come from, in the beging something must have been able to come from nothing, so why could that not be the universe, this is why i believe there is no need for god.
From reading the comments it seems like these people are dogmatic "agnostics" and won't accept the commonly used definition of the word atheist, or the correct use of the word agnostic.
Everyone always wants to claim they know the truth, its hilarious. Trying to figure out if these people are actually sincerely convinced of themselves or theyre making it up out of fear to to perpetuate their ego? How can it be you could take a position when you have no proof? Its fuckin weird.....
@CantWeedThis I have no proof of fairies either but feel justified saying I KNOW they aren't real. I'm as sure based on reason and lack of evidence to the contrary as I am about the lack of god. Techically I don't KNOW, as noone KNOWS anything since our senses could be lying, but if we ACT as if we really know nothing about anything, we can just throw our brains away and live like reasonless beasts., oh wait, many religions do that already, and they claim to know there IS a god!!
"Agnosticism is not a creed but a method, the essence of which lies in the vigorous application of a single principle... Positively the principle may be expressed as in matters of intellect, do not pretend conclusions are certain that are not demonstrated or demonstrable." Those are the words of the man who coined the word 'Agnosticism', so Agnosticism = Logic.
@Tetarkall Conclusions are not "certain" But we pretend that some are in order to act rationally. We don't know if aerodynamics will stop being true tomorrow so we'd have to give up flying! Better stay in bed, gnomes might kill us all! Technically we don't ever KNOW anything, but acting on justified belief, or justified lack of belief, is close as we can get. Let's not throw away what we achieved as a species by arguing semantics til we procrastinate ourselves back to the dark ages.
That's like saying you are either a republican or democrat there is no Independant. Plus you have to break down what is considered God. Is nature god? Is the invisable man god? Is it the force that binds all things together? Is it possible that if alliens exist where they our gods just because we didn't understand. The Myan's thought the Spaniard's were gods. My answer would depend on what god is. Hell the American god is in my back pocket. The almighty dollar.
I am agnostic . I can't make the decision based on the information available. I do not believe that life simply became about through chance or accident ,but I also do not know if it was created by a God or some other unknown force. I do not know the nature of God's existence. In my opinion deep down we are all agnostic. We did not predict our life before it happened or have prior knowledge but now here we are debating to whether there is something else. I'd say it's possible but not promised.
I am agnostic . I can't make the decision based on the information available. I do not believe that life simply became about through chance or accident ,but I also do not know if it was created by a God or some other unknown force. I do not know the nature of God's existence. In my opinion deep down we are all agnostic. We did not predict our life before it happened or have prior knowledge but now here we are debating to whether there is something else. I'd say it's possible but not promised.
Lets create another position for people who not only do not care about the existance of a higher being, but also do not care about what philosophical position people who do care would put them into.
Have you ever considered the fact that Agnostics don't want to make definite concrete assumptions without even knowing the answer for sure? We're NOT Atheists! Atheism is ANOTHER assumption. As is Christianity, as is Creationism, as is Evolutionism, as is anything people can only scramble for theories for. And Agnosticism is not a middle-ground. It's not solely about not knowing any gods' existence. It's about finding the answers for oneself, which makes great philosophers!
I disagree with your contention that there are only 2 sides to the theism versus atheism debate. There are many ways to be an atheist or theist. You are right that the word agnostic is misused, and perhaps the wrong term for people like me. Maybe I'll start calling myself an uncommitted theist, or an anti-religious theist.
in life there isn't just left and right, there is also in between, and there is also none of the mentioned. It's strange to see people obsessed with labels and who's side they're on and others. Life is not a dichotomy as you might imagine
Not only is agnosticism a valid position, I'm pretty sure it's the ONLY valid position, as you stated.
An agnostic doesn't know, an atheist doesn't believe. They are 2 overlapping categories. One can claim gnostic theism, agnostic theism, gnostic atheism or agnostic atheism (the most common variety).
I think you are confusing agnostics with negative atheists: people who claim to possess a non-belief. They ARE atheists, but I find their ideas about as absurd as an invisible Jew on a cloud.
Flip a coin. Heads is believing in God, tails is NOT believing in God. When the coin lands, you will find out whether it's going to be heads or tails.
Atheists think it's going to be tails, theists believe it's going to be heads. Agnostics are content with saying "Hey, there's no way that I'm going to know if it's heads or tails, and I'm not going to put my money on it."
@Yony42 I know it's simplified, but it still works well enough. What if you don't even want to guess because you know there's no way of knowing? I don't HAVE to have an opinion on something. I could have information about it, either evidence toward God or that there is not God, but that doesn't mean I have to subscribe to one belief or the other. I may not put all my faith and belief into a god/gods, but I sure as hell don't think that I can decide that there isn't one.
is there a categorizing word for the words agnostic, athiest, theist etc... i know christian, muslim, jewish is religion but is there another word for them...
Another thing you have to consider is that the definitions "Theist", "Agnostic" and "Atheist" as labels don't mean much without defining the term "God" . I consider myself a philosopical Agnostic. But if you define God as a Personal God or a Literal Superstitious God of human religions, I would be Atheist. Even most Christians would be Atheist toward a god defined in another religion. I am Agnostic because I can't define a God that I can believe in. Maybe I am a metaphorical God Theist ?
I think your position is referred to as "ignosticism". You can look it up on Wikipedia to see if you want to embrace that label.
The way I see it, atheism is a good label even if the definition of god is meaningless though. The reason is that theists exist in the world regardless of how empty the definitions are, and it's nice to have a word to refer to all the other guys with respect to whether the claims are believed.
@jimburian Well you could be a deist or believe in some high power creator without saying all the personal attributes of this god. I think everyone has to have a conception of what people mean by god in order to say they reject god. God could be nature but that's not what most people mean when they say god. I define god as personal or supernatural. If it's just nature we really aren't talking about anything controversial other than semantics and the unknown.
A person who believes that right now we (as humanity) do NOT know, either way. They believe there is insufficient information/evidence/proof of God's existence, but an Agnostic is not willing to discard the fact that some type of creator or God may exist.
They are in pursuit of the true knowledge required to attain the understanding of our universe.
I believe what I want, and so should you. But as soon as you go around ("possessed by gods will") preaching that I am going to burn in a lake of fire for eternity with other honest lifeforms: YOU CROSS THE SHITLINE! Life is so magical you can't possibly understand or ever fully appreciate all of it's true glory, but if you go around trying to tell me it's all dissolved into that book, and mentally abuse me and honest children, with your hateful religion, I will physically hurt you. end rant!
I consider myself an agnostic, and I believe that I am unqualified to make the call, either way, and that no one else has yet displayed any qualifications. On the other hand, it seems intuitively obvious to me that the universe is a work of will, and I don't discount intuition. But I can see how it could be projection. And so on...
Also I don't think that everyone is agnostic, as you claim, simply because I have met people who claim to know "for sure".
Do you not think, if there was some legitimacy to Christianity and Jesus to the Bible and so on, that there would not have been, by now, in our modern age some type of rebirth of Christ or second coming... in an age when we could properly document and record, (immortalize forever his glory??) The church used to burn scientist at the stake... Christianity is offensive, ignorant, wrong, improperly recorded, full of hate rape violence.. it is just plain wrong., YOU PUT FAITH IN SCIENCE EVERYDAY! :)
I'm not sure I understand what this has to do with what I wrote. I hope you're not conflating Christianity with belief in god-- neither of which I subscribe to.
Saying that agnostics are atheists because they don't have an active belief in God is like saying the color gray is actually black because it has an active dark shade to it.
How can you say there is no middle ground when it comes to atheism and theism? Don't we all have up, down, and the middle? Male, female, and hermaphrodite? White, black, and gray? Yes, no, and maybe? Birth, decay, and middle age? Who says that the middle stance doesn't exist? And who says we can't take a neutral stance to God?
You say there are only two choises. But . . Atheism - not god. Theism - God. Agnosticism - not knowing. Agnostics don't claim to know either way. They simply state that both stances are unprovable. Thomas Henry Huxley coined the term "agnostism". Stop trying to pidginhole us agnostics into the same arrogant corner both you and christians occuppy - because you both claim to know. We don't.
it's a...lopsided... philosophy. that is, no one applies the basic premises to other areas where they are applicable.
people make all sorts of assertions. ghost, aliens, santa, who knows how many conspiracies; hell, i could start making stuff up on the spot. can you honestly tell me you take the agnostic position on leprechauns?
there's also the matter of agnostics always acting in an atheistic mindset. I can elaborate on that if need be but i'm low on space :P
What is the problem here? I feel that there are no problems associated with Agnosticism. Please be rational and do not bring up the existence of leprechauns, santas, unicorns. We all know that they do not exist. Besides, they are not God or gods.
"We all know that they do not exist" can you prove they do not exist? the very video you site says nothing can be known for certain, so you do NOT know they do not exist. the video even talks about unicorns in particular, calling their perceived non-existence an assumption.
I think therefore I am. That's what I think. Send me a video if you really find a missing link. I'm still waiting for the results of Mary's gynelogical exam while she was pregnant with Jesus...so stand in line.... XD
You talk about atheism and theism as a "decision", and even throw the word "commitment" into the equation. The agnostic position is "I can't know whether a God exists or not, and neither can you". And yes, you said it yourself at 2:45 "no one can know for sure, whether god exists or doesn't exist". Agnosticism is not a decision. You can only choose to acknowledge it in public. Now, it sounds like you think that atheists and theists are "committed" to be stubborn. We ALL are agnostics, period.
Good point as well Kayxzero, But how can you state atheism is arrogance. Atheists are not the ones who claim the existence of an ethereal being without any evidence to substantiate it - that is the realm of the theist . Atheists do not claim to have ALL the answers, merely that there is no evidence for a god or gods..
I love how Atheists can look up 'Agnostic' and put a spin on it. Fundamentalist Christians use the Bible for that. Atheists are no better than them. I respect open-minded Christians more than I do hardcore Atheists, and vice-versa.
Agnostics don't claim to know a definitive answer to an unanswerable question. We leave it open and will accept proof if there IS proof that God exists or doesn't exist.
Is there some mental block Atheists have when it comes to understanding Agnosticism?
Why do you require proof from atheists about the nonexistence of God, while at the same time rejecting all the millions of equivalent lies? Agnostics are not agnostic about the existence of sock-stealing elves or the existence of the Only After-Life where a Great Walrus welcomes Its flock to eat on the tender meat of seals and fish. God is just as likely as these -- ie. it is not likely at all, and without any evidence -- yet agnostics raise the question of God's existence on a unique pillar.
We don't require anything. We want rationality. Atheists require proof that God DOES exist. All the requiring is done by Atheists and Theists. We do not know if God exists or doesn't exist and we are open to proof from either side.
If Elves were on the same level as God then I'm sure people would question their existence. I don't know if they existed or not, but they don't have billions of worshipers, so they're not really on the top of anybody's "did they really exist?" list.
Are you seriously saying that being rational means that you stop requiring proof? That is. That is. Sublime. Best definition of agnosticism I have ever read.
Agnosticism and Atheism as well as Theism and Agnosticism are not mutually exclusive. Atheism/Theism are cornered in BELIEF while Agnosticism is KNOWING IE., evidence. Thus, I consider myself to be an Agnostic Atheist. I do not know for sure (100%) but I do not BELIEVE there is a god due to lack of evidence.
Good point but to me , since any dictionary will tell you to believe is to regard as true, to regardsomething as true is to know.Unless you know something youwont regard it as true, atleast withanything else. Gods to tangible so people should simply call themselves agnostic PERIOD. agnosticism is theism without the confidence and atheism without the arrgoance. The perfect way to view god if its there.For all we know it doesnt even want us to b aware of its presence. We'll never know.
And belief also means to suppose but assumptions maymake you look like a fool. in my humble opinion :P. Im by the way 16 yrs old and strictly agnostic. I still go to church though for friends,, quietude and bible school to see kids have fun.
if a cat and an atom are both locked in a box with radioactive atom and the atom decays, the hammer will kill the cat. if the atom doesnt decay the cat lives. since the atom is considered to be in either state before opening the box the cat MUST be considered both alive and dead at the same time.
same thing with god, you dont have to choose either, the logical answer is that he is both. he both exists and doesnt exist at the same time. and until we open the box, we wont know which it is.
Agnosticism is the ideal position when it comes to a belief in a god. I am agnostic and like most agnostics I have come to the conclusion that there is no legitimate reason to be a creationist or an atheist as neither one can prove anything. What happens after death will always be an unsolved mystery and no one will ever discover the answer until they die so I have come to the conclusion that it is a pointless debate.
I am an agnostic, I think you hit on one part of agnosticism which many people overlook, the unkownable factor. Although after reading as much as I've been able to find on TH Huxley, who originated the term, he was not limiting the unknowable nature to only god. Also, you mentioned that if you do not believe in god, you are by definition an athiest, this is incorrect. Athiests have an active belief that there is no god. An agnostic would challange either one to prove it fully knowing they can't.
Agnosticism suspends judgement on the connotation of that which is trancendent. This includes but is not limited to... Agnostic theism which suspends judgement on the knowledge of that which is trancendent. Agnostic atheism which suspends judgement on the existence of that which is trancendent. Agnostic pantheism which suspends judgement on the phenomenon of that which is trancendent. Agnostic panentheism which suspends judgement on the manifestation of that which is trancendent.
Agnosticism suspends judgement on the connotation of that which is trancendent. This includes but is not limited to... Agnostic theism which suspends judgement on the knowledge of that which is trancendent. Agnostic atheism which suspends judgement on the existence of that which is trancendent. Agnostic pantheism which suspends judgement on the phenomenon of that which is trancendent. Agnostic panentheism which suspends judgement on the manifestation of that which is trancendent.
Ok, I have a simple question that I rearry need answered.
If you believe that there had to be a god that created this universe and gave us consousness, but you also believe that nobody (including yourself) knows about him/her and what he/she is, then what religion is that? (thats my belief)
It can't be agnostisism because they aren't even sure if there is a god.
Personally I don't know the existence or the inexistence of a god. But that doesn't make of me a person who is confused. It makes of me a rational person who truly believe that there is no evidence of the presence nor the absence of a god, that neither can be proved. I am a theist agnostic, since I tend to lean to the side that is thinking there might be a god because of my own personal philosophic way of thinking regarding the origins of the universe. But I won't pretend I know the truth.
Basically I don't know, and I really don't see the point of devoting most of ones time and thoughts on something that can't be proven either way. If you are blind and someone told you the wall was either red or blue and you had to decide on your own what color it was, theres just no way to do it. So why bother trying when you can do productive things..I know life isn't a wall, but that's how I interpret things.
Let's just put it this way. I'm agnostic which to ME means that you take a neutral position. I've listened to both sides of the spectrum..god or no god. I say, who know? I will from time to time speculate based on whats around me whether a 'god' a 'force' created everything, but I don't make any firm decisions.
lol What a bunch of baloney. Every Atheist says the same shit, and yes it boild down to nothing more than semantics. YOUR behavior is so much like that of the xtians you hate its firghtening!
Putting aside the debate is there a God or not, I have a question for you. You have life which is precious. One day you will die. What are you going to do with your life? What is your purpose.
You're using the literal meaning of human created language to prove your point that agnosticism isn't a viable philosophical position in relation to the existence of god?
Asserting that there is no god is just as arrogant as asserting there is. As a "true agnostic" I'm humble enough to admit I don't know. It's not that I can't know, it's that there isn't enough information to answer the question, so choosing a "side" would simply be an exercise in futility.
I once posed a scenario to my uncle about this, becasue he had a similar position to you. I asked him to look out the window at a house that was about 100 feet away. I asked him to tell me if there was a lady in a red dress inside the house. He said, "I don't know." It's absurd right? It's actually the same thing people like you do when you try to force someone to take a position on something they believe they have no way of really "knowing."
Wrong. Some agnostics believe that as humans they are incapable of ever knowing whether God exsits or not. Their faith lies in the limitations of human nature to really "know" the answer to this question.
"god DOES NOT exist" is a positive statement. Atheism is a negative position, a position of inactivity. Most newbies dont understand it either. Atheism is "I dont believe in god" rather than "i believe there is no god"
This is not meant as an insult. I was once young and in many ways inexperienced and ignorant.
You seem to have this notion that life is black or white. Either you're a theist or atheist. Life is much more complicated than that.
There are types of beliefs that dont fit into either category.
There are more than just two types of agnostics. You should not speak on things you don't know. No religion adhere's to its original intent. Agno has evolved.
Look within. What you are looking for is inside of you.Call it god or peace or truth or love but it lies within the heart of every person. So close. I have been shown how to go inside and experience what already exists.This has changed my life and aswered all the questions. It is not a belief or a religion.You can have this too. Free of charge.Send me a reply.
I'm sorry, but that analogy is kind of... false. The reason it is false is people have SEEN phones, therefore there is at least SOME evidence, albeit subjective, that phones exists. However, when dealing with the belief in God, we are completely shooting in the dark - there is no evidence for either side. It is all philosophical speculation.
There's no evidence that any god exists so there's no reason to believe in them. It's not the job of the skeptic to "disprove" the thousands of gods humans have invented.
(1 of 3)Agnosticism is a belief that God may or may not exist and that the nature of God is so profound and vast that our minds can't comprehend the intentions of its omnipotent design. We are having a debate on the meaning of not knowing. This is profound!
First you say that agnosticism is the "belief" that God may or may not exist. Then you claim that agnosticism is the belief that the nature of God is profound and vast...design...bla bla bla. You're confused.
Agnostics have no belief in ANY god so why would they assume that "God" is vast or that there is "design.?"
(3 of 3)I am an agnostic and I accept that I don't know, however, I do appreciate the wonder and vastness that life gives me and I can' t say who is ultimately right or wrong in their beliefs.
Experience Life.... It's most likely your ultimate responsibility.
(2 of 3)Lets go to a land of make belief and see you as God! Can you prove that you exist? You may strike out and have reactions of all that is around you but it also might be a figment of your own imagination as is the rest of the world. You may kill yourself in a desperate attempt to prove that non-existence will verify that you existed. Now you may have proved it to everyone else but your conclusion may or may not lead you to an absolute answer
nobody on this planet knows for sure if God exists or not..we all are agnostic people..think about..just put religion and science aside and think for yourself..you'll see that you are agnostic..that's what our pre-historic parents were and that's what we are..we lose our agnosticism because of science and religion..lol
The opposite of black is white; the middle ground is gray. The opposite of positive one is negative one; the middle ground is zero. The opposite of solid is gas; the middle ground is liquid. There is a middle ground for everything. The opposite of good is evil, the middle ground is natural balance, of personal experience and compromise.
positions positions... We all feel safer when we think we are part of a group, a current, a philosophy or a creed. Were not alone. We dont have to think for ourselves, just accept what some people wrote some "X" thousand years ago. It has to be black, white or gray. Because we say so. Well guess what, its more than black, white or gray. We are so self centered. So if something escapes our understanding we just put a label on it. Spirituality can exist without any religions involved. Period.
I don't like to label myself, but I consider myself agnostic.. I believe that there is a god. I believe that religion is a thing used by people so they may unite, rather than true faith, in a whole. So, I have a strong belief in god, but I do not believe that We have the power to know what GOD really is.
Many describe themselves as agnostics when it comes to God. They may think they know what it means or that it sounds sophisticated to use that word. But AGNOSTIC is rooted in a Greek word that means "without knowledge". The corresponding Latin word is IGNORAMUS, but I don't hear many people proudly stating; "I am an ignoramus." Real knowledge begins with a respect for God. To begin with any other foundation will always leave one ignorant in that which matters most.
Why do you little brains have to repeat the same thing over and over again like a little kid not getting his way. this could of been a 7 second video and say all you said in fewer words. You are all knowinf and try to force your thinking down peoples throughts. What if you are worng and the real God asks, Why couldn't you convince them to give it up , We'll never be able to explain the truth only hunches on it. Just remember two things there is Good and There is Bad. We al bounce back and forth
oh & ppl tend to pronounce agnosticism wrong. It's not ag-nostic, a-gnosis, with the g silent. Do they say the word minus the A, guh-nostic? No the suffix is pronounced the same as it is without the prefix or whatever. I think you pronounced it correctly, kudos to you for that. :-D
MrMansson10 2 weeks ago
I agree with what you say about agnosticism not being what people assume it to be & how it's a form of atheism. It makes perfect sense when you think about it:agnosticism is epistomology, the epistomology of doubt, while atheism is metaphysics. They're two sides of the same coin. They go hand in hand.
MrMansson10 2 weeks ago
And yes, it's possible to not have an opinion. Funny how people don't get mad at me for not having an opinion on the best nine year old golfer in the world, or on other sports that I don't watch but people get angry when you say you don't have an opinion about the one thing you can't ever learn about: a deistic god(s).
incomprehensible14 1 month ago
He's right, the word agnostic has been hijacked. There is no such thing as "agnostic-atheism". If you can't show an example of Huxley mentioning "agnostic-atheism", you have nothing. And yes, agnosticism is a viable philosophical position since it was coined in a time where atheism was commonly seen as a "belief there are no gods" (and it still is beyond youtube). Agnosticism means you don't have an opinion on gods other then a rejection of esoteric spiritual knowledge aka gnosticism.
incomprehensible14 1 month ago
So you want agnostics to say "the nature of god is unknowable" instead of the more commonly used "I don't know if God exists or not"? That's sorta picky. I believe there is a middle ground. If I can't know for certain, then why would I be an atheist or a theist?
PeetsaBoy66 3 months ago
@PeetsaBoy66 There's almost nothing that can be known for certain. But you either believe in something or you don't. Theists believe in at least one god or goddess, atheists don't believe in any god or goddess (and most of us think that theism/religion is actually absolute nonsense and can't be taken seriously, or at least I do.)
Are you an agnostic about EVERYTHING that can't be known for certain one way or another?
233259 1 month ago
@233259 Yes, I'm agnostic about the things I don't know. I agree that religion is probably nonsense, but I can't know that for certain either. I think that atheists are ignorant because they are refusing to acknowledge the possibility of a god. I think people that are religious or atheist aren't thinking or they think they MUST believe in something even if they're uncertain.
PeetsaBoy66 3 weeks ago
This was pretty much the last step on my road to atheism. Having gone through theism as a kid, and having a lukewarm belief in God as a young adult, I spent ten years or so calling myself an "agnostic" because I "didn't know" if God was real.
It was only after doing some research and reflection that I came to the conclusion that it's not about what you KNOW - it's about what you BELIEVE. And I realised I hadn't really believed in a supreme being since I was about 15. Thus, I'm an atheist.
MrRazorz 4 months ago
@MrRazorz Belief means "don't know". I am not an atheist because I don't know. I am an atheist because I do know. If I don't know, I am an agnostic. Theists don't claim they "don't know". They claim they do know god exists. They have experienced gods presence. No belief is involved here.
residentatheist 4 months ago
@residentatheist Belief is "confidence in the truth or existence of something not immediately susceptible to rigorous proof". We have no "rigorous proof" that God exists (or not) and therefore we don't know (unless you claim to be omnsicient which, in this case, would be ironic).
We either have a firm belief in God (theism) or we lack that belief (atheism). If you say "I don't know what I believe", you default to the atheist position. There's no middle ground. You can't dig half a hole.
MrRazorz 4 months ago
@MrRazorz Belief is "not knowing" or "don't know" the truth. If you know the truth you have no need for belief. belief and truth are mutually exclusive. I have no belief or disbelief in any god(s). I know there are no gods. Never has been and never will be. To believe or disbelieve in a god would require a god to believe or disbelieve in. God is supernatural. The supernatural doesn't exist. Therefore there is no god. No belief or disbelief is required.
residentatheist 4 months ago
@residentatheist Typo Correction: "I believe something to is true" should read : "I believe something to be true"
residentatheist 4 months ago
@residentatheist 1) Your definitions are a bit muddled.
"Knowledge" is when you have an absolute proven certainty that something is true. I KNOW the chair I'm sitting on is real, because I have proof (I can see and feel it and I'm not falling to the floor).
"Belief" is when you consider something to be true, even though there's no solid proof (yet). I BELIEVE that my Christmas present is an iPad, but I won't know until I unwrap it.
When you DON'T know something, it's called "ignorance".
MrRazorz 4 months ago
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MrRazorz 4 months ago
@residentatheist It's also worth defining the difference between "proof" and "evidence". Evidence is something which suggests or implies something is true. Proof is something that removes all doubt. Belief can be backed up by evidence (I believe Steve killed Bob, because his fingerprints were on the murder weapon). But it doesn't become knowledge unless I have absolute proof (I know Steve killed Bob, because I saw him pull the trigger).
MrRazorz 4 months ago
@residentatheist Finally (and apologies for swamping you with replies, blame the word limit) you can't say "I know something doesn't exist." How do you prove the absence of something?
I don't believe in God (no evidence), but I don't "know" he's not real. For that I'd have to prove the non-existence of every variation of "God" throughout the whole of human history, and scour every theoretical universe to prove he's not hiding in one.
Fortunately, the burden of proof lies with believers.
MrRazorz 4 months ago
@MrRazorz A firm belief in god is still just a belief. Adding the word firm to it doesn't change it. The theist does not say I believe in god. They say god does exist. To say something like: "I believe something to is true" is a contradictory statement. You either believe it and therefore you don't know the truth or you know it is true and therefore it is not a belief. You can't have both. (The law of non contradiction- that a statement and its denial can not both be true at the same time).
residentatheist 4 months ago
@residentatheist You're misunderstanding me. A firm belief is still just a belief, yes. But it isn't knowledge. The theist says he "knows" there's a God - but he doesn't know, because he hasn't seen God with his own eyes. Therefore, all he has is a firm belief.
To get back to the original point: Belief is either there, or it isn't. You can't "half-believe" something. If you refer to yourself as "agnostic", you clearly don't have a firm belief in God. Therefore, you're an atheist.
MrRazorz 4 months ago
We were sleeping before we awakened here...we will awake somewhere else after we go to sleep here.
DramaDon83 4 months ago
Any true/false question has three possible choices. True, false and "I don't know". You can't eliminate the third choice just because it doesn't fit your views. There is the theist, the atheist and the agnostic. That is it. No hard/soft or strong/weak. None of these are based on beliefs. They are all based on knowledge. The theist gets it's knowledge from a religious cult, the atheist gets it's knowledge from logic and reasoning and the agnostic don't have enough knowledge to choose.
residentatheist 4 months ago
@residentatheist In order to be defined as "knowledge" it has to be something you can prove and verify. Theists can't prove God exists, atheists can't prove that he doesn't (though we seem to have a lot more facts on our side).
I dont KNOW if God exists, and neither does anyone else. But the case for a supreme being of any kind is exceedingly (and increasingly) weak, and therefore I don't BELIEVE he exists. So am I an atheist or an agnostic?
Hint: I also don't believe agnostics exist. ;)
MrRazorz 4 months ago
@MrRazorz Knowledge means specific information about something. There are volumes of information/knowledge on god(s) of all kinds. We have knowledge about Santa and the Tooth Fairy too. It does not have to be proven true or false. You claim an atheist can't prove god doesn't exist. I disagree. I know god doesn't exist the same way I know Donald Duck Sponge Bob don't really exist. God is a man made cartoon character.
residentatheist 4 months ago
@MrRazorz Why don't you know if god exists or not? What knowledge are you missing. Look at where cartoon characters come from. Then look at where gods come from. They are the same thing. It's not rocket science. It actually has nothing to do with science at all.
residentatheist 4 months ago
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residentatheist 4 months ago
That would be true if the nature of the universe was either completely black or completely white. However, Not everything or everyone one lies on the extreme ends of the pole. One dose not necessarily have to be on or the other. There are different shades of gray all along the poll of Atheism and Theism and there is an indifference as well. Or one could choose not to care to even participate on that pole. The universe doesn't really fit neatly into yes or no answers.
gabewebbmusic 7 months ago
However that doesn't mean that one cannot "believe" in a deity or deities. I personally hold to a belief in an intellectual designer(s) for the universe, but I can't absolutely state that I know there is an intellectual designer. I believe there is. Maybe that's not the idea Huxley was trying to convey and I need to coin a new ideology. But in my humble estimation, I believe my interpretation is the best worldview. Peace
WORLDCHANGER66 7 months ago
Great post man but I feel there's an important missing element to your explanation. Agnosticism in my understanding of the concept is not a neutral position on the existence or nature of deities, but instead the keen difference in absolutes and beliefs with respect to everything. The difference between "belief" and "know" is what's misconstrued. Since no one can absolutely assert that a deity exists or doesn't, everyone in essence is agnostic.
WORLDCHANGER66 7 months ago
People would rather convince themselves that they are sure there is no god, for who could stand the constant awareness that there is a god and they might be going to hell. There is too much insecurity in admitting ignorance. For instance people insist that evolution is a fact even though it cant be reproduced in a lab and it mere guessing at what processes ocurred before any of us was here.
j919or 8 months ago
lol agnostics are probably just too stupid/lazy to make a decision
husnain404 8 months ago
As I understand it and the way I choose to understand agnostisicm is that the earlier description of agnostisicm was a non-belief while the later description take a more rational approach to assertions.
A sample being "Is there a god?" I can't have an oppinion unless there are proof either way.
Hows that?
mindgem5555 8 months ago
I agree with your point that everyone may be an Agnostic,no matter what they claim to believe.That makes it universally relevant-not irrelevant. Also, it is not nec. for an Agnostic to go beyond stating that he doesn't know the nature of the Unknown, & that he considers all unfounded hypotheses about it as speculative.Of course, being an Agnostic,I have to admit that I also don't know whether anyone has had an experience proving otherwise.
Alexisme1001 8 months ago
sorry about my language I'm just stressed from all this thinking.
Kra7as 8 months ago
I don't know what the term agnostic means, but the best term I can use to describe myself is undecided. I don't know what the fuck is going on in here but I sure as hell know that all the religions that I know well ( Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism and Baha'ii ) are fucking bullshit.
maybe there is some sort of god, maybe there isn't. maybe there are many gods, maybe we're all just characters in a realistic video game being played by a fucking kid. I don't fucking know !!!
Kra7as 8 months ago
I think you need to watch the "Why I am agnostic" video, it will probably explain a lot. I like to sum up my belief by saying, I don't believe it until I see it. Anyhow, I believe people can believe what they want to believe. I am agnostic, and I do not care if others believe in god or not, nor do I care enough about religion to be afraid of a hell. And who are you to say what is and isn't a belief when it comes to religion? All I am doing is accepting what I already know about the universe.
Drummeh 9 months ago
I agree with your "better" definition of agnosticism, but I do think it is a viable position. There is no middle ground only you pose the question "Do you believe in god?" but the question "Does god exist?" is different and leaves room for the claim about an unknowable nature. I think confusion still exists because you see the word atheist defined like this: "Disbelief in or denial of the existence of God or gods," when disbelief and denial of a deity is clearly different.
Thales880 9 months ago
Agnostics are fence sitters !
nogogma 9 months ago
How can you say there is no middle ground when there is one? Let's say we all live in a box. Outside the box is everything we don't know as humans. I ask, "Is there a ball (god) outside the box?" Atheists say no (no god). Other theistic religions say yes (yes god). Agnostics say how can we know?
glitchuser4 11 months ago
@glitchuser4 That just means either atheists are right or theist are right, and the opposite position is wrong. Agnostics, meanwhile are just useless and spineless and contribute nothing to the argument or to their own knowledge or anyone elses.
nycholaus 9 months ago
@nycholaus Agnosticism is better than guessing and fighting. If deities are out of our comprehension, why guess?
glitchuser4 8 months ago
Space is infinite, meaning without bounds or borders, no beginning and no end…eternal. I personally believe this to be true. And as such it would be insane (in my humble view) to proclaim that there is no God. I have no doubt that there are indeed an infinite number of Gods. I call myself Agnostic because I do not claim to understand the nature of such beings, but still believe in their existence. Does that make sense to anyone?
handy777 1 year ago
@handy777 that is not agnosticism, its deism,
deists believe in the existance of one or more deities, but not organized religion:)
randomguy7890 11 months ago
@handy777 You fail logic forever. See also the logical fallacy "argument from incredulity"
Space may be finite but no bounds, like the surface of earth, but 3 dimensions in 4, not 2 in 3. Earth is finite, but no "Edge" just like no EDGE in 3 dimensions to a 4-d universe.
If one god can be infinite, why believe in an infinity of gods(or any)? Even if a space IS infinite, probability does NOT say it must contain all possibilities, plus maybe god is IMpossible in a finite OR infinite world.
nycholaus 9 months ago
going by wat u say: I think Theist shud b a suffix attached 2 particular Religions, eg: Christian Theist, Muslim Theist, Hindu Theist etc (tho the suffix is unneeded) I am a theist by ur narrow definition, but I call myself an agnostic bcoz I feel that as humans we lack the hardware to process the information of god (if I can term it that way) - for eg, String theory & Entanglement IMO is basically as close as humans can get 2 seeing or condensing god in2 an concept the rest requires faith
LazarusCato 1 year ago
Not to mention I don't understand why "agnostic atheists" would want to categorize themselves in terms of theists. To call yourself atheist when you refuse to make a decision presupposes that theism is a natural state of being. In other words, it's like calling yourself an aScientologist or aBuddhist. Don't give theists that power. Go agnostic.
TubeofH2O 1 year ago
You guys see things in black and white... there is a gradient when it comes to belief in gods. Some people 100% believe in God, some only 75%, some 0%, etc. It is about how probable you think a God is. Atheists think it's impossible. Agnostics think it's possible, yet some may find it likely or unlikely. Theists think it's a reality. You are grouping agnostics who lean towards theism in with atheists, and it's not the case. Not to mention there are people who feel truly 50/50 on it.
TubeofH2O 1 year ago
@TubeofH2O But there can't BE 75% of a god.
Someones right and someones wrong, and agnostics don't have the guts to be either. I have more respect in some ways for theists.
I'm speaking of course of the common, incorrect definition of agnostic which only "agnostics" themselves apply to themselves. Reasonable atheist ARE agnostic TECHNICALLY in that we don't "know" just like we don't know if unicorns are real, but I won't say I'm agnostic n get lumped with the wishy washy indecisive types.
nycholaus 9 months ago
@nycholaus You just admitted that you're only 99.999% (rough estimate) sure there's no God. There can't be .001% of a God either. Or can there? I've been out of this convo for a long time, but I'll offer this: if you gave me 4 cards (e.g., ace of each suit), randomized them, and drew 1, I'd say there's a 25% chance that it's any 1 of those cards. In actuality, there's a 100% chance of the one it actually is. That doesn't make it wrong to work with odds -- that's all you can legitimately do.
TubeofH2O 9 months ago
I'm an agnostic, although I don't live my life according to any specific set of religious beliefs. So, I guess that makes me an atheist. An agnostic atheist. I don't pretend to know things I don't know, but I don't find any of the world's religions very convincing.
matt22mccarthy 1 year ago
There does appear to be a lot of people that define agnostic incorrectly. But a lot of what I hear still applies though, noncommital, belief that God is unknowable. But there is more. I can only speak for myself but being agnostic for me comes from having been an ecumenical Catholic. It is, for me, the active belief that all religions hold an aspect of the unknowable truth and are slowly working towards the same thing. THe more I learn the less I know.
o0face4radio0o 1 year ago
In my opinion god is nothing physical or supernatural, but god deffinately exsists, i believe that god is a state of mind, a beliefe. So long as people believe in god, it will exsist, god is nothing more than the faith of it's followers. I personally beieve that there is no devine being as such, because if there was, where did it come from, in the beging something must have been able to come from nothing, so why could that not be the universe, this is why i believe there is no need for god.
SatisfactionDenied 1 year ago
What about option C) I don't care if there is a god.
if there isn't fine, we need to be responsible to the planet and take care of it. The Earth is our only source of chocolate after all.
If there is, she / he / it is an absentie landlord who needs to fix the radiator and plumping damn quick.
kilgonus 1 year ago
Yeah, that's the point.
Agnostics "No one knows and neither do YOU"
Therefor everyone who thinks they do don't, no matter what.
Everyone is agnostic. You are right.
Sm1ttsxReturns 1 year ago
From reading the comments it seems like these people are dogmatic "agnostics" and won't accept the commonly used definition of the word atheist, or the correct use of the word agnostic.
TheWordsNotSpoken 1 year ago
Everyone always wants to claim they know the truth, its hilarious. Trying to figure out if these people are actually sincerely convinced of themselves or theyre making it up out of fear to to perpetuate their ego? How can it be you could take a position when you have no proof? Its fuckin weird.....
CantWeedThis 1 year ago
@CantWeedThis I have no proof of fairies either but feel justified saying I KNOW they aren't real. I'm as sure based on reason and lack of evidence to the contrary as I am about the lack of god. Techically I don't KNOW, as noone KNOWS anything since our senses could be lying, but if we ACT as if we really know nothing about anything, we can just throw our brains away and live like reasonless beasts., oh wait, many religions do that already, and they claim to know there IS a god!!
nycholaus 9 months ago
everyone wants to tell you what is and isn"t< they try to force deffinitions on eachother and make thier opponents agree with them or discredit them
i"m agmostic becaus i don"t care it dosn"t matter to me and what others say abd believe in this reguard dosn"t make much of a difference to me
and my keyboard is broken : )
BillRoyMcBill 1 year ago
"Agnosticism is not a creed but a method, the essence of which lies in the vigorous application of a single principle... Positively the principle may be expressed as in matters of intellect, do not pretend conclusions are certain that are not demonstrated or demonstrable." Those are the words of the man who coined the word 'Agnosticism', so Agnosticism = Logic.
Tetarkall 1 year ago
@Tetarkall Conclusions are not "certain" But we pretend that some are in order to act rationally. We don't know if aerodynamics will stop being true tomorrow so we'd have to give up flying! Better stay in bed, gnomes might kill us all! Technically we don't ever KNOW anything, but acting on justified belief, or justified lack of belief, is close as we can get. Let's not throw away what we achieved as a species by arguing semantics til we procrastinate ourselves back to the dark ages.
nycholaus 9 months ago
That's like saying you are either a republican or democrat there is no Independant. Plus you have to break down what is considered God. Is nature god? Is the invisable man god? Is it the force that binds all things together? Is it possible that if alliens exist where they our gods just because we didn't understand. The Myan's thought the Spaniard's were gods. My answer would depend on what god is. Hell the American god is in my back pocket. The almighty dollar.
BgbadWulof 1 year ago
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I am agnostic . I can't make the decision based on the information available. I do not believe that life simply became about through chance or accident ,but I also do not know if it was created by a God or some other unknown force. I do not know the nature of God's existence. In my opinion deep down we are all agnostic. We did not predict our life before it happened or have prior knowledge but now here we are debating to whether there is something else. I'd say it's possible but not promised.
ACEN111 1 year ago
I am agnostic . I can't make the decision based on the information available. I do not believe that life simply became about through chance or accident ,but I also do not know if it was created by a God or some other unknown force. I do not know the nature of God's existence. In my opinion deep down we are all agnostic. We did not predict our life before it happened or have prior knowledge but now here we are debating to whether there is something else. I'd say it's possible but not promised.
ACEN111 1 year ago
Lets create another position for people who not only do not care about the existance of a higher being, but also do not care about what philosophical position people who do care would put them into.
jedmonds81 1 year ago
Excellent video! You said it 100% correct. Atheism and Theism is not the same idea as Agnosticism and Gnosticism.
ericsahadeo 1 year ago
Have you ever considered the fact that Agnostics don't want to make definite concrete assumptions without even knowing the answer for sure? We're NOT Atheists! Atheism is ANOTHER assumption. As is Christianity, as is Creationism, as is Evolutionism, as is anything people can only scramble for theories for. And Agnosticism is not a middle-ground. It's not solely about not knowing any gods' existence. It's about finding the answers for oneself, which makes great philosophers!
KillTheSonsOfPlunder 1 year ago
I disagree with your contention that there are only 2 sides to the theism versus atheism debate. There are many ways to be an atheist or theist. You are right that the word agnostic is misused, and perhaps the wrong term for people like me. Maybe I'll start calling myself an uncommitted theist, or an anti-religious theist.
gsco82 1 year ago
in life there isn't just left and right, there is also in between, and there is also none of the mentioned. It's strange to see people obsessed with labels and who's side they're on and others. Life is not a dichotomy as you might imagine
kolista 1 year ago
Thanks. Good video. Good explanation.
YoursTrulyKnoxNaman 1 year ago
I think you are spot on in this video. Also, I hadn't encountered the point about the nature of god and agnosticism yet.
Yony42 1 year ago
islam is the truth ,pls convert to islam and you will understand who is GOD!~
samgee2007 1 year ago
Not only is agnosticism a valid position, I'm pretty sure it's the ONLY valid position, as you stated.
An agnostic doesn't know, an atheist doesn't believe. They are 2 overlapping categories. One can claim gnostic theism, agnostic theism, gnostic atheism or agnostic atheism (the most common variety).
I think you are confusing agnostics with negative atheists: people who claim to possess a non-belief. They ARE atheists, but I find their ideas about as absurd as an invisible Jew on a cloud.
CBlargh 1 year ago
Flip a coin. Heads is believing in God, tails is NOT believing in God. When the coin lands, you will find out whether it's going to be heads or tails.
Atheists think it's going to be tails, theists believe it's going to be heads. Agnostics are content with saying "Hey, there's no way that I'm going to know if it's heads or tails, and I'm not going to put my money on it."
oneeye589 1 year ago
@oneeye589 That is assuming there is a 50/50 chance right? Have thought about whether this is so? Then agnosticism just reduces into Pascal's Wager
Yony42 1 year ago
@Yony42 I know it's simplified, but it still works well enough. What if you don't even want to guess because you know there's no way of knowing? I don't HAVE to have an opinion on something. I could have information about it, either evidence toward God or that there is not God, but that doesn't mean I have to subscribe to one belief or the other. I may not put all my faith and belief into a god/gods, but I sure as hell don't think that I can decide that there isn't one.
oneeye589 1 year ago
@oneeye589 The way I see it, an Agnostic is just that patient one that waits for the coin to land, and then claims the actuality before them. :)
KillTheSonsOfPlunder 1 year ago
the more i think about "god", the more i realize i don't know wtf i'm thinking about
and hey, looking at the world in awe and realistically at the same time is a great way to go about things :)
Shamanmagic95 1 year ago
is there a categorizing word for the words agnostic, athiest, theist etc... i know christian, muslim, jewish is religion but is there another word for them...
Physc0o 2 years ago
@Physc0o philosophy
jdpilotte 1 year ago
thanks
Physc0o 1 year ago
Another thing you have to consider is that the definitions "Theist", "Agnostic" and "Atheist" as labels don't mean much without defining the term "God" . I consider myself a philosopical Agnostic. But if you define God as a Personal God or a Literal Superstitious God of human religions, I would be Atheist. Even most Christians would be Atheist toward a god defined in another religion. I am Agnostic because I can't define a God that I can believe in. Maybe I am a metaphorical God Theist ?
jimburian 2 years ago 9
I think your position is referred to as "ignosticism". You can look it up on Wikipedia to see if you want to embrace that label.
The way I see it, atheism is a good label even if the definition of god is meaningless though. The reason is that theists exist in the world regardless of how empty the definitions are, and it's nice to have a word to refer to all the other guys with respect to whether the claims are believed.
Gnomefro 2 years ago
@jimburian Well you could be a deist or believe in some high power creator without saying all the personal attributes of this god. I think everyone has to have a conception of what people mean by god in order to say they reject god. God could be nature but that's not what most people mean when they say god. I define god as personal or supernatural. If it's just nature we really aren't talking about anything controversial other than semantics and the unknown.
RuinSonic 9 months ago
Definition of Agnostic:
A person who believes that right now we (as humanity) do NOT know, either way. They believe there is insufficient information/evidence/proof of God's existence, but an Agnostic is not willing to discard the fact that some type of creator or God may exist.
They are in pursuit of the true knowledge required to attain the understanding of our universe.
MafferDragonhandEyed 2 years ago
I believe what I want, and so should you. But as soon as you go around ("possessed by gods will") preaching that I am going to burn in a lake of fire for eternity with other honest lifeforms: YOU CROSS THE SHITLINE! Life is so magical you can't possibly understand or ever fully appreciate all of it's true glory, but if you go around trying to tell me it's all dissolved into that book, and mentally abuse me and honest children, with your hateful religion, I will physically hurt you. end rant!
MafferDragonhandEyed 2 years ago
Very well said!
6stringsbrainfingers 2 years ago
I disagree with your characterizations.
I consider myself an agnostic, and I believe that I am unqualified to make the call, either way, and that no one else has yet displayed any qualifications. On the other hand, it seems intuitively obvious to me that the universe is a work of will, and I don't discount intuition. But I can see how it could be projection. And so on...
Also I don't think that everyone is agnostic, as you claim, simply because I have met people who claim to know "for sure".
simex909 2 years ago
Do you not think, if there was some legitimacy to Christianity and Jesus to the Bible and so on, that there would not have been, by now, in our modern age some type of rebirth of Christ or second coming... in an age when we could properly document and record, (immortalize forever his glory??) The church used to burn scientist at the stake... Christianity is offensive, ignorant, wrong, improperly recorded, full of hate rape violence.. it is just plain wrong., YOU PUT FAITH IN SCIENCE EVERYDAY! :)
MafferDragonhandEyed 2 years ago
I'm not sure I understand what this has to do with what I wrote. I hope you're not conflating Christianity with belief in god-- neither of which I subscribe to.
simex909 2 years ago
ONLY 2 sides? I disagree...
My very simple point.
Atheist - BELIEVES there is NO GOD.
Agnostic - BELIEVES that NOBODY KNOWS if GOD exists or not. Agnostics ARE WILLING to seek the TRUTH and is NOT CLOSE-MINDED.
Theist - BELIEVES that THERE s a GOD
So you see, there IS a middle ground. I belong to that.
Seriously what's wrong with agnosticism.
LorenzCC 2 years ago
Saying that agnostics are atheists because they don't have an active belief in God is like saying the color gray is actually black because it has an active dark shade to it.
Zennuts1 2 years ago
i agree but i think he might mean your on one side or another heaven or hell but i agree with you...
Physc0o 2 years ago
How can you say there is no middle ground when it comes to atheism and theism? Don't we all have up, down, and the middle? Male, female, and hermaphrodite? White, black, and gray? Yes, no, and maybe? Birth, decay, and middle age? Who says that the middle stance doesn't exist? And who says we can't take a neutral stance to God?
Zennuts1 2 years ago
I believe that there is exactly a 50% chance that some kind of god exists. I am niether theist nor athiest.
philosophermike 2 years ago
Then you Agnostic haha
IHyRaXI 2 years ago
You say there are only two choises. But . . Atheism - not god. Theism - God. Agnosticism - not knowing. Agnostics don't claim to know either way. They simply state that both stances are unprovable. Thomas Henry Huxley coined the term "agnostism". Stop trying to pidginhole us agnostics into the same arrogant corner both you and christians occuppy - because you both claim to know. We don't.
sirwizardoflight 2 years ago
it's a...lopsided... philosophy. that is, no one applies the basic premises to other areas where they are applicable.
people make all sorts of assertions. ghost, aliens, santa, who knows how many conspiracies; hell, i could start making stuff up on the spot. can you honestly tell me you take the agnostic position on leprechauns?
there's also the matter of agnostics always acting in an atheistic mindset. I can elaborate on that if need be but i'm low on space :P
pyr666 2 years ago
/watch?v=r6Sxh_FdvKc
Check that out.
KSH2006 2 years ago
same basic assertion, same problem with it.
pyr666 2 years ago
What is the problem here? I feel that there are no problems associated with Agnosticism. Please be rational and do not bring up the existence of leprechauns, santas, unicorns. We all know that they do not exist. Besides, they are not God or gods.
KSH2006 2 years ago
"We all know that they do not exist" can you prove they do not exist? the very video you site says nothing can be known for certain, so you do NOT know they do not exist. the video even talks about unicorns in particular, calling their perceived non-existence an assumption.
pyr666 2 years ago
i decided that there is not enough information to say there is a god or there isnt a god.
thats what i consider to be non-caveman agnosticism.
AntiVenomFangX 2 years ago
There are people who think there is or there is no god. They are not knowing but they think they do.
They are pure Theists and Atheists. And then there are the agnostics theists and atheists.
kefkaga 2 years ago
I think therefore I am. That's what I think. Send me a video if you really find a missing link. I'm still waiting for the results of Mary's gynelogical exam while she was pregnant with Jesus...so stand in line.... XD
riverlioness 2 years ago
You talk about atheism and theism as a "decision", and even throw the word "commitment" into the equation. The agnostic position is "I can't know whether a God exists or not, and neither can you". And yes, you said it yourself at 2:45 "no one can know for sure, whether god exists or doesn't exist". Agnosticism is not a decision. You can only choose to acknowledge it in public. Now, it sounds like you think that atheists and theists are "committed" to be stubborn. We ALL are agnostics, period.
1reeb 2 years ago 2
I concur. I noticed he repeated that continuously throughout which explains agnosticism.
UncouthOffspring 2 years ago
Great info, i guess i'm a Agnostic/Taoist at the moment , i think the flow of nature is an aspect of what god is.
Auriclama 2 years ago
Good point as well Kayxzero, But how can you state atheism is arrogance. Atheists are not the ones who claim the existence of an ethereal being without any evidence to substantiate it - that is the realm of the theist . Atheists do not claim to have ALL the answers, merely that there is no evidence for a god or gods..
FloydsterUtube 2 years ago
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itzhexen 2 years ago
I am also agnostic, agnosticism is based on knowing. If we know for sure there is a god then we will have belief in god.
babyxxyolanda 2 years ago
I love how Atheists can look up 'Agnostic' and put a spin on it. Fundamentalist Christians use the Bible for that. Atheists are no better than them. I respect open-minded Christians more than I do hardcore Atheists, and vice-versa.
Agnostics don't claim to know a definitive answer to an unanswerable question. We leave it open and will accept proof if there IS proof that God exists or doesn't exist.
Is there some mental block Atheists have when it comes to understanding Agnosticism?
nymphaluna 2 years ago
Why do you require proof from atheists about the nonexistence of God, while at the same time rejecting all the millions of equivalent lies? Agnostics are not agnostic about the existence of sock-stealing elves or the existence of the Only After-Life where a Great Walrus welcomes Its flock to eat on the tender meat of seals and fish. God is just as likely as these -- ie. it is not likely at all, and without any evidence -- yet agnostics raise the question of God's existence on a unique pillar.
Naeddyr 2 years ago 2
We don't require anything. We want rationality. Atheists require proof that God DOES exist. All the requiring is done by Atheists and Theists. We do not know if God exists or doesn't exist and we are open to proof from either side.
If Elves were on the same level as God then I'm sure people would question their existence. I don't know if they existed or not, but they don't have billions of worshipers, so they're not really on the top of anybody's "did they really exist?" list.
nymphaluna 2 years ago
Are you seriously saying that being rational means that you stop requiring proof? That is. That is. Sublime. Best definition of agnosticism I have ever read.
Naeddyr 2 years ago
We don't require proof because there isn't any. If there was proof then we wouldn't be agnostic. No proof = not knowing = agnostic.
nymphaluna 2 years ago 2
Exactly. You said it perfectly
RichardTheWhite 2 years ago
Agnosticism and Atheism as well as Theism and Agnosticism are not mutually exclusive. Atheism/Theism are cornered in BELIEF while Agnosticism is KNOWING IE., evidence. Thus, I consider myself to be an Agnostic Atheist. I do not know for sure (100%) but I do not BELIEVE there is a god due to lack of evidence.
Great video though, nice argument.
FloydsterUtube 2 years ago 6
Good point but to me , since any dictionary will tell you to believe is to regard as true, to regardsomething as true is to know.Unless you know something youwont regard it as true, atleast withanything else. Gods to tangible so people should simply call themselves agnostic PERIOD. agnosticism is theism without the confidence and atheism without the arrgoance. The perfect way to view god if its there.For all we know it doesnt even want us to b aware of its presence. We'll never know.
Kayxzero 2 years ago
And belief also means to suppose but assumptions maymake you look like a fool. in my humble opinion :P. Im by the way 16 yrs old and strictly agnostic. I still go to church though for friends,, quietude and bible school to see kids have fun.
Kayxzero 2 years ago
There are plenty of christians/other religious people and atheists out there who say that god does or does not exist.
sillypuppy2 2 years ago
Interesting video.
As an agnostic myself I found your perspective on the atheist-agnostic issue very informative.
In all honesty, I believe that nobody has any definitive answer on how the material world came into being.
I am non-committal to affirming a theistic or atheistic worldview.
If I am asked whether I believe that a god or gods do exist, I say, "I don't believe in the existence of a god or gods".
This is different from saying "I believe that a god or gods do not exist".
AustralianAstronomer 2 years ago
I think this video should helpful for some people.
What about Agnostism as believing that something greater and spiritual exists but know what it is?
notanantiGnostic 3 years ago
Well im agnostic just because I simply dont know. Thatrs what I tell people. Cause I dont fucking know really. None of this bullshit.
Oriente7 3 years ago
Lets us all become Deists!!
Leon612 3 years ago
if a cat and an atom are both locked in a box with radioactive atom and the atom decays, the hammer will kill the cat. if the atom doesnt decay the cat lives. since the atom is considered to be in either state before opening the box the cat MUST be considered both alive and dead at the same time.
same thing with god, you dont have to choose either, the logical answer is that he is both. he both exists and doesnt exist at the same time. and until we open the box, we wont know which it is.
Keldrath 3 years ago 3
I dont think i get it
Oriente7 3 years ago
Agnosticism is the ideal position when it comes to a belief in a god. I am agnostic and like most agnostics I have come to the conclusion that there is no legitimate reason to be a creationist or an atheist as neither one can prove anything. What happens after death will always be an unsolved mystery and no one will ever discover the answer until they die so I have come to the conclusion that it is a pointless debate.
luckycanuck90 3 years ago 3
I am an agnostic, I think you hit on one part of agnosticism which many people overlook, the unkownable factor. Although after reading as much as I've been able to find on TH Huxley, who originated the term, he was not limiting the unknowable nature to only god. Also, you mentioned that if you do not believe in god, you are by definition an athiest, this is incorrect. Athiests have an active belief that there is no god. An agnostic would challange either one to prove it fully knowing they can't.
BaronVonKaiser 3 years ago
Agnosticism suspends judgement on the connotation of that which is trancendent. This includes but is not limited to... Agnostic theism which suspends judgement on the knowledge of that which is trancendent. Agnostic atheism which suspends judgement on the existence of that which is trancendent. Agnostic pantheism which suspends judgement on the phenomenon of that which is trancendent. Agnostic panentheism which suspends judgement on the manifestation of that which is trancendent.
blue4meridian 3 years ago
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Agnosticism suspends judgement on the connotation of that which is trancendent. This includes but is not limited to... Agnostic theism which suspends judgement on the knowledge of that which is trancendent. Agnostic atheism which suspends judgement on the existence of that which is trancendent. Agnostic pantheism which suspends judgement on the phenomenon of that which is trancendent. Agnostic panentheism which suspends judgement on the manifestation of that which is trancendent.
blue4meridian 3 years ago
Ok, I have a simple question that I rearry need answered.
If you believe that there had to be a god that created this universe and gave us consousness, but you also believe that nobody (including yourself) knows about him/her and what he/she is, then what religion is that? (thats my belief)
It can't be agnostisism because they aren't even sure if there is a god.
Toasty09 3 years ago
sounds like that would make you a deist.
ultradevon04 3 years ago
Personally I don't know the existence or the inexistence of a god. But that doesn't make of me a person who is confused. It makes of me a rational person who truly believe that there is no evidence of the presence nor the absence of a god, that neither can be proved. I am a theist agnostic, since I tend to lean to the side that is thinking there might be a god because of my own personal philosophic way of thinking regarding the origins of the universe. But I won't pretend I know the truth.
montrealpsycho 3 years ago
Basically I don't know, and I really don't see the point of devoting most of ones time and thoughts on something that can't be proven either way. If you are blind and someone told you the wall was either red or blue and you had to decide on your own what color it was, theres just no way to do it. So why bother trying when you can do productive things..I know life isn't a wall, but that's how I interpret things.
FreezerBorn 3 years ago
Let's just put it this way. I'm agnostic which to ME means that you take a neutral position. I've listened to both sides of the spectrum..god or no god. I say, who know? I will from time to time speculate based on whats around me whether a 'god' a 'force' created everything, but I don't make any firm decisions.
FreezerBorn 3 years ago
lol What a bunch of baloney. Every Atheist says the same shit, and yes it boild down to nothing more than semantics. YOUR behavior is so much like that of the xtians you hate its firghtening!
lovecraft4780 3 years ago
Putting aside the debate is there a God or not, I have a question for you. You have life which is precious. One day you will die. What are you going to do with your life? What is your purpose.
999smart999 3 years ago
You're using the literal meaning of human created language to prove your point that agnosticism isn't a viable philosophical position in relation to the existence of god?
Are you for real?
armatu 3 years ago
Asserting that there is no god is just as arrogant as asserting there is. As a "true agnostic" I'm humble enough to admit I don't know. It's not that I can't know, it's that there isn't enough information to answer the question, so choosing a "side" would simply be an exercise in futility.
armatu 3 years ago
Grats... idiot. Go over your own positives.
armatu 3 years ago
I once posed a scenario to my uncle about this, becasue he had a similar position to you. I asked him to look out the window at a house that was about 100 feet away. I asked him to tell me if there was a lady in a red dress inside the house. He said, "I don't know." It's absurd right? It's actually the same thing people like you do when you try to force someone to take a position on something they believe they have no way of really "knowing."
j3cruztorres 3 years ago
Lol, no man thats bull.
rabbatop 3 years ago
Wrong. Some agnostics believe that as humans they are incapable of ever knowing whether God exsits or not. Their faith lies in the limitations of human nature to really "know" the answer to this question.
j3cruztorres 3 years ago
Unless you would say, "God DOES NOT exist" you are not an atheist.
You are trying to denounce agnostics while being one yourself.
jstutz2003 3 years ago
nope sorry.
"god DOES NOT exist" is a positive statement. Atheism is a negative position, a position of inactivity. Most newbies dont understand it either. Atheism is "I dont believe in god" rather than "i believe there is no god"
TheLastInterview 3 years ago
Looks like you need to learn the difference between "strong" and "weak" atheism and agnosticism.
Your views fall under weak/negative atheism, also called agnostic atheism.
You can read about it on Wikipedia a lot of atheism sites.
jstutz2003 3 years ago
You are young inexperienced and ignorant.
This is not meant as an insult. I was once young and in many ways inexperienced and ignorant.
You seem to have this notion that life is black or white. Either you're a theist or atheist. Life is much more complicated than that.
There are types of beliefs that dont fit into either category.
There are more than just two types of agnostics. You should not speak on things you don't know. No religion adhere's to its original intent. Agno has evolved.
groppoe 3 years ago 2
callense con sus pendejadas ni~as!
OdoubleTO 3 years ago
Look within. What you are looking for is inside of you.Call it god or peace or truth or love but it lies within the heart of every person. So close. I have been shown how to go inside and experience what already exists.This has changed my life and aswered all the questions. It is not a belief or a religion.You can have this too. Free of charge.Send me a reply.
999smart999 3 years ago
I'm sorry, but that analogy is kind of... false. The reason it is false is people have SEEN phones, therefore there is at least SOME evidence, albeit subjective, that phones exists. However, when dealing with the belief in God, we are completely shooting in the dark - there is no evidence for either side. It is all philosophical speculation.
yeswecanftw 3 years ago
Sorry, I meant "The reason it is false is BECAUSE people have seen phones..."
yeswecanftw 3 years ago
There's no evidence that any god exists so there's no reason to believe in them. It's not the job of the skeptic to "disprove" the thousands of gods humans have invented.
Jeremyguru 3 years ago
(1 of 3)Agnosticism is a belief that God may or may not exist and that the nature of God is so profound and vast that our minds can't comprehend the intentions of its omnipotent design. We are having a debate on the meaning of not knowing. This is profound!
FunkyMonkey4567 3 years ago
First you say that agnosticism is the "belief" that God may or may not exist. Then you claim that agnosticism is the belief that the nature of God is profound and vast...design...bla bla bla. You're confused.
Agnostics have no belief in ANY god so why would they assume that "God" is vast or that there is "design.?"
Jeremyguru 3 years ago
(3 of 3)I am an agnostic and I accept that I don't know, however, I do appreciate the wonder and vastness that life gives me and I can' t say who is ultimately right or wrong in their beliefs.
Experience Life.... It's most likely your ultimate responsibility.
FunkyMonkey4567 3 years ago
(2 of 3)Lets go to a land of make belief and see you as God! Can you prove that you exist? You may strike out and have reactions of all that is around you but it also might be a figment of your own imagination as is the rest of the world. You may kill yourself in a desperate attempt to prove that non-existence will verify that you existed. Now you may have proved it to everyone else but your conclusion may or may not lead you to an absolute answer
FunkyMonkey4567 3 years ago
No it doesn't, Atheist's don't believe there is anything.
LivingInYourParadise 3 years ago
Atheism means "having no belief in a god(s). That's it. To assert that atheists "don't believe there is anything" is absurd.
Jeremyguru 3 years ago
nobody on this planet knows for sure if God exists or not..we all are agnostic people..think about..just put religion and science aside and think for yourself..you'll see that you are agnostic..that's what our pre-historic parents were and that's what we are..we lose our agnosticism because of science and religion..lol
thebanturace 3 years ago 2
The opposite of black is white; the middle ground is gray. The opposite of positive one is negative one; the middle ground is zero. The opposite of solid is gas; the middle ground is liquid. There is a middle ground for everything. The opposite of good is evil, the middle ground is natural balance, of personal experience and compromise.
MondaeStonehouse 3 years ago 2
positions positions... We all feel safer when we think we are part of a group, a current, a philosophy or a creed. Were not alone. We dont have to think for ourselves, just accept what some people wrote some "X" thousand years ago. It has to be black, white or gray. Because we say so. Well guess what, its more than black, white or gray. We are so self centered. So if something escapes our understanding we just put a label on it. Spirituality can exist without any religions involved. Period.
marco25mx 3 years ago
I don't like to label myself, but I consider myself agnostic.. I believe that there is a god. I believe that religion is a thing used by people so they may unite, rather than true faith, in a whole. So, I have a strong belief in god, but I do not believe that We have the power to know what GOD really is.
swampboy32904 3 years ago
Many describe themselves as agnostics when it comes to God. They may think they know what it means or that it sounds sophisticated to use that word. But AGNOSTIC is rooted in a Greek word that means "without knowledge". The corresponding Latin word is IGNORAMUS, but I don't hear many people proudly stating; "I am an ignoramus." Real knowledge begins with a respect for God. To begin with any other foundation will always leave one ignorant in that which matters most.
gareof 3 years ago
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radicalmastermind 3 years ago
Why do you little brains have to repeat the same thing over and over again like a little kid not getting his way. this could of been a 7 second video and say all you said in fewer words. You are all knowinf and try to force your thinking down peoples throughts. What if you are worng and the real God asks, Why couldn't you convince them to give it up , We'll never be able to explain the truth only hunches on it. Just remember two things there is Good and There is Bad. We al bounce back and forth
RantVideos 3 years ago