Atheist or agnostic

Discussion in 'Religion Archives' started by Cris, Nov 27, 2005.

?

Are you atheist or agnostic?

  1. Atheist

    13 vote(s)
    44.8%
  2. Agnostic

    12 vote(s)
    41.4%
  3. Neither

    4 vote(s)
    13.8%
  1. Cris In search of Immortality Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    9,199
    If you are an atheist or an agnostic then make a vote and explain why you would choose one category rather than the other.

    I'm hoping we can explore the differences, if any, between these two positions.

    Note - The 'neither' option has been added by mistake, but I have no idea what that means in this context - please ignore it since the poll is targeted specifically at those who consider themselves atheist or agnostic. There isn't an easy way for me to delete such an option.
     
    Last edited: Nov 27, 2005
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  3. DarkThorn Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    129
    I'm not sure anybody can claim to be a true atheist because [correct me if i am wrong] atheists do not believe in anything religious or not.

    I understand agnostics but i am a romantic at heart and cling to the hope that there is something greater than what my mind can comprehend. Not God, something even greater than that.
     
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  5. KennyJC Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    2,936
    I am agnostic.

    The more I learn about the universe the more I learn how intricately perfect it is to contain this sort of life. So by that observation, I wonder if it was some sort of naturally occurring phenomenon in the multiverse, or if it wasn't an accident at all.

    I reject religion completely as it does nothing but make humans more selfishly involved, violent and above all, stupid.

    If there is a true religion, I think our best candidate is science, because at least science has an unbiased view of what 'God' created and tries to understand the mechanisms he put in place (if 'he' exists).
     
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  7. KennyJC Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    2,936
    Also, just look around when you go outside. Everything is perfect. From the way we have weather to when we wait at the bus stop and get on a bus and drive around the civilised world built by an intelligent species. Then at night you can look at the sky and see nearby stars which are part of a galaxy and if you concentrate, you can zoom out of your head, out beyond the stars and look at the galaxy from a million light years above.

    And all this comes from tiny blips of matter which connect and form up all these galaxies, stars and civilised worlds.

    Sometimes I just think there must be a creator, but I don't let myself get carried away since we don't know.

    But I would find it much more fascinating if this really was all an accident. I think people sometimes forget that. Far from being an uncaring universe without God, I think it should make us more enthusiastic about life since it was never destined to occurr via the hand of God, but a fluke to end all flukes.
     
  8. Renrue Someone Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    219
    Hi,

    I am agnostic. I do not discredit any religion, but I also cannot accept them due to the lack of evidence besides a book. I believe that as long as we do good in our lives, whatever the afterlife brings, it will be good as well.


    [Renrue]
     
  9. TheAlphaWolf Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    445
    Of course they can believe in something if it's not religious! They just say god(s) don't exist.
    ah, but why A creator? why not two? a million? it would make more sense, as it allows for both good and evil.
    I totally agree. Religion is just humans being ignorant and making up their own fantasies so they can satisfy their egos and think they know it all. That then makes people stupid. Since they think they know what really matters, then even if it's unconscious ... why learn anything else?
    Science is the only way to get to the truth, or at least as close as you can get to it in this universe.
    I'm agnostic. I completely dislike religion and like I said I think it's just people deluding themselves, yet I can't outright rule out the possibility that something(s) created the universe. I think that's kind of religious in itself (being atheist), as saying there is definately no god(s) is thinking you know something that can't be proven.

    And if god(s) do exist, it's gotta be kind of like deists say... "the creator(s)" created the universe and then just let it run by itself. No intervention from it/them.
     
  10. wesmorris Nerd Overlord - we(s):1 of N Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    9,846
    Cris, isn't this somewhat of a trick question? I'm as one of our most esteemed yet departed members is, a consequent athiest. My athiesm is a result of my agnosticism. I lack belief in god(s), yet I do not believe there is no god. Ultimately, I find the matter utterly irrelevant.
     
  11. Cris In search of Immortality Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    9,199
    wes,

    No trick - this poll is revealing how the terms are perceived. We can deal with the accuracy and the real meanings later. But perceptions tend to rule in the end whether they are accurate or not.
     
  12. geeser Atheism:is non-prophet making Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    1,305
    Atheist

    logic and science indicate that there must be some kind of basis, either in substance or in thought, for any assertion or else it must be denied.

    for that reason, belief in a god is unreasonable, or any other fanciful idea.

    using Critical thought means not believing things you are told unless there is evidence to back it up. this is the only kind of thought man has come up with, without critical thought science and logic are abandoned, unless of course you wish to return to the dark ages.
     
  13. Paraclete Banned Banned

    Messages:
    207
    Agnostic ,

    My mother was a christian and tried to raise me that way - I started to study and now work with science - becoming logic and scientific , slowly made me loose my allready lukewarm faith.

    Still if God suddenly appears and proofs his/hers/its existence - then I would be open for starting to believe ........ I just want scientific proof first ......

    I do not accept theories as proof untill proven beyond doubt ......
    I do not believe in God until his existence is proven beyond doubt.....

    That makes me agnostic: accepting the possibility of God/Gods, but wanting proof before believing in him/them - If I was an atheist I would not believe in God no matter what proof was given ....

    An atheist do not even accept the possibility of God/Gods.
     
    Last edited: Nov 27, 2005
  14. kenworth dude...**** it,lets go bowling Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    2,034
    i might say agnostic that is only because i know that i dont know whether there is a "god".i always get the feeling that agnostic refers to people who believe in a god not covered by religion rather than being completely unsure.
     
  15. PsychoticEpisode It is very dry in here today Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    3,452
    Atheist...

    God is a byproduct of emotion and fear is a powerful intoxicant.
     
  16. c7ityi_ Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    1,924
    is this thread about which one is Better...
    that's what people always try to say...
    i am right and you are wrong...
    small children often say...
    i am the best...
     
  17. Paraclete Banned Banned

    Messages:
    207
    c7

    No- I donĀ“t think so.

    It all started with Cris claiming that christians would be a minority in 2035 (see his post) - then I started a poll to see if christians allready were a minority here in this forum (see that post) - and in this poll, I did not differentiate between agnostic and atheist in my answer possibilities in the poll .....

    I think Cris is curious and wants to further explore this - in else distinguish between
    the terms agnostic and atheist ........
     
  18. apendrapew Oral defecator Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    577
    I'm an agnostic atheist.

    I don't know whether or not there is a god. (Agnostic)

    I believe there isn't a god. (Atheist)

    See how they're not mutually exclusive? If forced to decide, however, I choose atheism. It's far more descriptive of my schema for understanding things. Your poll should have the option to select multiple choices.

    Kenny:

    Define "perfect". Is it perfect that we die? Is it perfect how miserable people are? Is it perfect how much suffering there is? I don't mean this as an attack, but as a way to show how "perfect" isn't a great word to use in this scenario.


    There's an increasing amount of scientific evidence that there is a "god gene" which can account for your spiritual feelings. Some have it, others don't. It's completely arbitrary, just like everything else.
     
    Last edited: Nov 27, 2005
  19. Cris In search of Immortality Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    9,199
    So how many choose the label "agnostic" rather than "atheist" becuase they think "agnostic" is socially more acceptable even though they think religion is nonsense?
     
  20. Crunchy Cat F-in' *meow* baby!!! Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    8,423
    Strictly speaking (as an atheist), I don't accept evidence-less assertions as truth.
     
  21. TheAlphaWolf Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    445
    really? source?
     
  22. KennyJC Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    2,936
    Cris I doubt very much anyone on this forum would have done that for that reason. True in society many people would do stuff like that because even in secular countries they still feel like it's the do-goody-good thing to do, even if they ain't got a religious bone in their body.

    I think agnostics/atheists on this forum would know better and have a bit more individuality than to resort to tactics like that.
     
  23. Cris In search of Immortality Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    9,199

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