Whats the difference between Atheism and Agnostic

[westmanguy]

I know atheism, is an outright disclaim of a supreme deity.

Now Agnostic confuses me. Its sort of like, well if God sends non-believers to Hell, I want nothing to do with it. Like recognizing it, but saying you don't like it.

See I don't get the Agnostic part. Clarification would be good..

 

[eh1eh]

Hmmm.

[FONT=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]Agnosticism is a concept, not a full religion. It is a belief related to the existence or non-existence of God. However, many people have started with an Agnosticism, and have added a moral code, rituals and other items to create a belief system with many of the attributes of a religion. [/FONT]


[FONT=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]Agnosticism implies uncertainty about the existence of God. The basic problem here is that there are many answers to the question "Does God exist?" However there is only this one term available to cover all of the meanings. Some of today's possible overlapping answers to the question are: [/FONT]

• [FONT=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]I don't personally know.[/FONT]
• [FONT=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]I don't know but will lead my life in the assumption that no God exists.[/FONT]
• [FONT=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]I don't know but will lead my life assuming that God does exist. [/FONT]
• [FONT=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]I cannot give an opinion because there is no way that we can prove the existence or non-existence of God given currently available knowledge. [/FONT]
• [FONT=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]I cannot give an opinion because there is no way to know, with certainty, anything about God, now and in the future. [/FONT]
• [FONT=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]Yes, God exists. But we do not know anything about God at this time. [/FONT]
• [FONT=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]Yes, God exists. But we have no possibility of knowing anything about God, now or in the future. [/FONT]

[FONT=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]U[/FONT][FONT=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]ltimately, the term "Agnostic" is something like "Christianity." Both refer to a wide diversity of belief systems, but in many cases, an individual asserts that their particular definition is the only fully valid one. [/FONT]

Found it here: http://www.religioustolerance.org/agnostic.htm

Info on many beleifs at this site.:happy11:

 

[miniboss]

Being an atheist means you do not believe in a higher, or lower power, period. Agnostic basiclly means, you believe there is something out there in the spiritual relam, but you can't quite put your finger on it, so if you are agnostic, you are spiritual, but don't pigeon hole yourself into one particular religion, you embrace concepts or teachings from many faiths. Religion is bad, being spiritual is where it's at.

 

[RomSpaceKnight]

I am basically agnostic but have chosen to apply the pagan dieties and mythologies to my spritituality to use as reference points due to lack of actual knowledge about God. Faith is not knowledge. To have knowledge is to believe. Most people seek to "know" god, it's all in how we seek the knowledge or what face we put to our unknowing that is the difference.

 

[sword]

Hey, ​

This is actually controversial. Where is God ? Or Does God send believers to hell ?
I truly understand the ATHEISM as the concept that God doesn't exist. While Agnostic really shows the confusion that those who address themselves as AGNOSTIC know that there's a God, but they really don't know how to prove that!​

So this is why I'm muslim, because we do realize that this universe has only been created by one God. This comes from several reasons including the Islamic belief system is the middle road between those who reject all supernatural existence, accepting only that which can be perceived by their senses, and those who assert the existence of many gods or claim that the spirit of a god can enter into the bodies of certain kings or leaders, or even into certain animals, plants, or inanimate objects. The Islamic belief system rejects heretical atheism just as it rejects ignorant polytheism, and it affirms that Creation has one God without partner. It also shows moderation in its conception of Allah’s divine attributes. It does not go to the extreme of the Greek philosophers by denying all attributes, considering all divine qualities as intellectual abstractions, devoid of any meaning applicable to Allah’s essence, qualities that inspire neither fear nor hope. Likewise, it does not go to the other extreme of anthropomorphism and corporealism​

You can also find further info on this issue at this website: http://www.islamtoday.net/english/discover_islam.cfm?cat_id=6&sub_cat_id=41​

Have a good day,:angel8: ​

 

[MikeyDB]

I'm just happy that the people who will inherit the earth will be the meek....

Hey no more passports needed at the border....America can be accused of anything but meekness so America is doomed apparently....at least that's what the bible says....

 

[MikeyDB]

Atheists believe in reality. Agnostics hope reality isn't real and Christians spend all their time denying reality.

 

[hermanntrude]

agnostic covers pretty much everyone who doesnt believe OR disbelieve.

IMO it's as much of a leap of faith to be an atheist as it is to be a christian (or anything else). there simply isnt enough evidence to know one way or the other. In the future, maybe there will be. I class myself as agnostic, although some would say i'm not, because one of the many definitions is that an agnostic is someone who believes it is impossible to know if there is a God or not. This, to me, is too much of a leap. I cannot predict what we will know in the future.

 

[westmanguy]

Ok, I am offended you say Christians deny reality.

No more comments though, don't want this to turn into a liexspr type war.

 

[MikeyDB]

No offense intended. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck...

If an imaginary entity conveys its morality to you and you practice your life living up to the tenets of this imaginary entity....

Choosing imagination over reality is.....yeah you're right...it's not denial at all....

 

[snfu73]

I call my self an agnostic because I don't know what to believe. I wouldn't say anyone else was completely wrong...but I wouldn't say they were right, either, when it comes to religion. I question religions and the teachings, and I don't like some of the things taught, which I find to be VERY offensive, and highly questionable...but I won't write off the possibility that there is a god, and that one of these religions may be right...if any.

 

[L Gilbert]

Hey, ​

This is actually controversial. Where is God ? Or Does God send believers to hell ?
I truly understand the ATHEISM as the concept that God doesn't exist. While Agnostic really shows the confusion that those who address themselves as AGNOSTIC know that there's a God, but they really don't know how to prove that!​

No-one knows there are gods and whanot. People suspect there are, or guess there are, or think there are; but no-one knows there are, otherwise they'd be able to show why and how they know.​

 

[MikeyDB]

Snfu73

Hey if the Islamists don't kill you....if the Christians don't kill you....if the godless Communists don't kill you....gee not a lot of difference in this group now is there?

 

[Tonington]

I'm Atheist, but I don't really know how we can ever know in this life if there is a God or not. If there is, he's one sick joker. If not, which I tend to "believe" then no harm no foul right? So I guess you could say I'm an agnostic atheist, but I prefer the human moniker better.

 

[L Gilbert]

I'm just happy that the people who will inherit the earth will be the meek....

Hey no more passports needed at the border....America can be accused of anything but meekness so America is doomed apparently....at least that's what the bible says....

Got news for ya, we already have the Earth.

 

[MikeyDB]

Les

You forgot...

They have belief...they have faith....they don't know but that's never stopped them before...

 

[MikeyDB]

No Les I'm afraid we'll have to disagree on this point. We don't "have the earth" we've inherited the failings of our forefathers and disreputable governments...but we're all just travellers here Les...on our way through....

 

[L Gilbert]

Anyway, the difference between atheism and agnosticism:
Atheism;
the doctrine or belief that there is no God
a lack of belief in the existence of God or gods
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
Agnosticism;
a religious orientation of doubt; a denial of ultimate knowledge of the existence of God; "agnosticism holds that you can neither prove nor disprove God's existence"
the disbelief in any claims of ultimate knowledge
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

 

[L Gilbert]

From Merriam-Webster:

Main Entry: athe·ism
Pronunciation: 'A-thE-"i-z&m
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle French athéisme, from athée atheist, from Greek atheos godless, from a- + theos god
1 archaic : [SIZE=-1]UNGODLINESS[/SIZE], [SIZE=-1]WICKEDNESS[/SIZE]
2 a : a disbelief in the existence of deity b : the doctrine that there is no deity

and

Main Entry: 1ag·nos·tic
Pronunciation: ag-'näs-tik, &g-
Function: noun
Etymology: Greek agnOstos unknown, unknowable, from a- + gnOstos known, from gignOskein to know -- more at [SIZE=-1]KNOW[/SIZE]
1 : a person who holds the view that any ultimate reality (as God) is unknown and probably unknowable; broadly : one who is not committed to believing in either the existence or the nonexistence of God or a god
2 : a person unwilling to commit to an opinion about something <political agnostics>
- ag·nos·ti·cism /-t&-"si-z&m/ noun

 

[L Gilbert]

Um, suggesting that religious people ignore reality isn't quite true. They just accept fantasy as being a part of reality. I do, too, but not to the extent they do.