The Agnostic Thread - Home of the Unsure

[Thundercrack85]

In all honesty their isn't much difference between atheists and people into any particular religion. The only real difference is the atheist believes 1 more religion is a pile of BS then the religious person does.

Right, the people basing their world view on evidence and the people basing their world view on faith... barely any difference.

 

[Thundercrack85]

How many public atheist have a line firmly drawn in the sand? How many openly mock religion and faith?

Probably a rather small minority, really. An outspoken minority, but nonetheless, a minority.

 

[The End]

So what?

No one is entitled to defence from being offended.

Religion isn't a sacred cow. This drives me nuts, it really does - why do people act as though religion needs to be treated delicately and with kid gloves, more so than other claims?

You're hurt that atheists are public about being atheist, and public about how absurd they think, say, Noah's ark is?

SO. WHAT?

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

How does the label closed minded apply, though?

They've looked at the issue. They've taken a position of disbelief. How's this make someone any more closed minded than someone that's chosen not to believe in unicorns?

Are we supposed to take a purely 50/50 agnostic position towards ALL extraordinary claims?

"Elvis lives",
"I don't believe you",
"YOU'RE CLOSED MINDED!"

I can't wrap my head around what you're saying. You're making NO sense. I'd say the chances are, an agnostic atheist actually knows what the burden of proof is and how it works, which certainly isn't closed minded. A person that doesn't understand the burden of proof and thinks the "Elvis lives", "unicorns exist" claims should not be met with "I don't believe you", is actually the closed minded one.

It's reasonable to say l "without DNA evidence I remain skeptical whether Elvis or unicorns are alive but God cannot be proven".

So it is close minded to mock people's faith in a God as if he simply couldn't exist.

 

[The End]

Does that bother you? Is that an example of what you think is closed minded?

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

So what?

No one is entitled to defence from being offended.

Religion isn't a sacred cow. This drives me nuts, it really does - why do people act as though religion needs to be treated delicately and with kid gloves, more so than other claims?

You're, what, ******** that atheists are public about being atheist, and public about how absurd they think, say, Noah's ark is?

SO. WHAT?

Well there's a huge difference between someone who says faith is ridiculous and an agnostic who says "maybe it isn't".

 

[The End]

Faith can not only be ridiculous, but harmful. People put their faith into faith healing and kids end up dying from preventable disease.

(it was mean of me to say '********', I will edit that out)

 

[The End]

I'm gonna take a step back from this thread I think.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

Does that bother you? Is that an example of what you think is closed minded?

I think people have the right to be skeptical.

But I think it is close minded to assume the concept of God is silly simply because some religions have silly concepts.

 

[Thundercrack85]

But you have to understand that from an atheistic perspective, all ideas based on no evidence are equal in implausibility.

For an atheist to pretend otherwise, would be dishonest and showing cultural bias.

 

[XSpidercideX]

How many public atheist have a line firmly drawn in the sand? How many openly mock religion and faith?

Public atheists tend to be outspoken and mock relgion because they are trying to make a statement or protest when they are out in public talking about it. Some do it more tastefully than others. That's what they are their for, out and talking about it.

If you asked them privately their stance towards the existince of a god or gods, I bet you the huge majority of, yes, even public atheists, would not claim to be absolutely certain that god(s) don't or cannot exist.

It seems you assoaciate agnostic with being a closet atheist who doesn't want to offend anyone. Believe it or not 99% of atheist are not out ridiculing religion. Most keep it to themselves, and are respectful of those around them who have religious beliefs. Doing so does not make them "only agnostic".

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

Public atheists tend to be outspoken and mock relgion because they are trying to make a statement or protest when they are out in public talking about it. Some do it more tastefully than others. That's what they are their for, out and talking about it.

If you asked them privately their stance towards the existince of a god or gods, I bet you the huge majority of, yes, even public atheists, would not claim to be absolutely certain that god(s) don't or cannot exist.

It seems you assoaciate agnostic with being a closet atheist who doesn't want to offend anyone. Believe it or not 99% of atheist are not out ridiculing religion. Most keep it to themselves, and are respectful of those around them who have religious beliefs. Doing so does not make them "only agnostic".

So what in your opinion is the main difference between an agnostic and an atheist?

 

[Thundercrack85]

Besides book sales?

 

[Feenix]

So what in your opinion is the main difference between an agnostic and an atheist?

I have better things to wonder and worry about than if there's a magical being in the sky.

 

[Superman 1265]

[YT]RUmnkYF0fG8[/YT]

 

[Piper Maru]

Remember folks, if you don't believe in God or gods you're a monster!

 

[Thundercrack85]

Remember folks, if you don't believe in God or gods you're a monster!

Damn skippy.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

Remember folks, if you don't believe in God or gods you're a monster!

Well the devil has probably taken the form of a well spoken atheist more than a few times.

If the devil were real.

 

[Piper Maru]

Damn skippy.

The devil is promoting moral decay!!!

 

[XSpidercideX]

So what in your opinion is the main difference between an agnostic and an atheist?

Agnostic addresses whether you claim to know something, and atheism addresses believing something.

I can be unsure if the claim is true and yet believe it to be true. Agnostic theism.
I can believe I know for sure the claim is true. Hard theism.

I can be unsure if the claim is true and not believe it to be true. Agnostic atheism.
I can believe I know for sure the claim is false. Hard atheism.

As for not knowing and saying you withhold judgement on the claim, or being "just agnostic", this also falls under agnostic atheism because it takes a judgement to believe the claim, and as long as you have not made a judgement, you lack belief in the claim, and therefore, do not believe (and do not know).

The default stance is not to believe because you have not heard the claim and therefore, cannot believe something that you have not even considered. Once you hear the claim, you either take a stance and believe or you continue to lack belief because you do not have evidence to support the claim.

 

[Hotwire]

For me, my agnosticism isn't so much about the belief in a God of some stuff from but rather, a belief/lack of belief that such a being cares about this world it's created. I'm open to the idea that it does but, have yet to see any proof. So, I'm reserving judgment.

 

[Doctor Evo]

For me, my agnosticism isn't so much about the belief in a God of some stuff from but rather, a belief/lack of belief that such a being cares about this world it's created. I'm open to the idea that it does but, have yet to see any proof. So, I'm reserving judgment.

That makes you a theist, though.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Don't you mean deist? Then again I'm not sure I know what Hotwire is trying to say.

Maybe I should lay off the eggnog.

 

[Lantern Venom]

It only means "lack of belief in god(s)".

Buddhism is spiritual, but most branches atheistic.

I know I'm splitting hairs here, but atheism's lack of belief in "gods" goes beyond just rejecting a supreme being(s) which the various religion's describe, but also the deist god and/or any sentient, creative force. That's why I noted "supernatural" and not just the monotheistic or polytheistic gods in organized religions.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Really, agnostics are just atheists who use an asterisk to cover themselves in case one group of religious people somehow end up being right.