Whats the difference between an Atheist and an Agnostic?

[mobsterlobster]

I think most atheists only believe things that are proven to be true, or some theories that have enough evidence to prove that they are possibly true. But religions don't have enough evidence so that's why atheists are atheists. I'm an atheist, but if God descended to Earth and spoke to us all and I talked to everyone and made sure it was definitely not a hallucination, then I would believe. There would be a niggling doubt though, I'd think maybe someone put some LSD in the water or something.

If you've ever read the Discworld books, there are atheists in that world. I think they're atheists because they hate the gods, rather than not believing in them. I might be wrong though. Who knows more about the Discworld than I do?

 

[VanityGirl]

dictionary:

agnostic:: 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

atheist:: a person who denies or disbelieves the existence of a supreme being or beings.


Agnostic means you can't really believe if there is a God or not.

Atheist means you don't believe in the existenc of any higher power.


Simple.

 

[jonnosferatu]

I guess both basically have a non-belief due to the lack of evidence.

But let's supposed the Judeo-Christian God descended to Earth with a heavenly host of angels bathed in holy light. And after scrutiny, are not just really advanced Aliens with a fancy light show.

No Atheist would say, "meh, it's just a trick"

Compare with Marvel or Vertigo's comic universe where omnipotent beings actually exists and to a lesser extent, Gods, demi-Gods, Endless walk among us. You could actually take a picture of Thor flying alongside Iron Man. Are there Atheists in those universes? It's freakin Thor man!

Or Lord of the Rings, the Gods are hardly mentioned and people seldom mention them, it would seem that only a few people actually know they exist, but Sauron is not just a badass general, he's a for real fallen angel.

For truly technical purposes, Atheism is based on the notion of not taking things entirely on faith, NOT the notion of there being no God. If God appeared to me and provided solid proof of His existence, I would still be an atheist, because acknowledging ON THE BASIS OF SCIENTIFICALLY VALID PROOF that God exists does not equate to accepting His existence on faith.

You're not only an atheist as long as you feel you have not seen sufficient proof that the thing in question exists. Once there's sufficient proof (scientific proof, to be specific), the thing verifiably exists - ergo, you still aren't taking it on faith; ergo, still an Atheist.

 

[Edwardsjack]

Atheist are people who don't believe in any higher power, while agnostic are people who don't give two shits if there is a God or not.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

a lot of time people confuse agnosticism for being atheist

as was said atheist believe there is no god
and agnostics don't really care one way or the other, they are the fence sitters of the debate

 

[YellowBrickRoad]

Athesist says "There is no god" and a Agnostic says "There might be a god, not sure". Fairly easy.

This is exactly correct.

No that is not correct.

Atheism = A-theism. i.e. NOT a theist.
Agnostism = A term developed by Thomas Huxley to describe the belief that God cannot be known. (A rather bold and unsubstantiated claim.)

In other words, agnostics are a subset of atheists. And I think it's rather dogmatic to simply declare God to be unknowable. If God does NOT exist, then it stands that we've already known everything there is to know about him/her/it.

I acknowledge that the terms have been confused by most people into defining agnostism as "Don't know for sure whether God exists" and atheism as "know for sure there is no God". The problem with that definition is that it's useless. There aren't many people in this world who would say for sure that there is no God, and certainly most people who describe themselves as atheists don't say that. Atheists' beliefs concerning God are actually similar or identical to the beliefs of self-described agnostics.

The difference, actually, is that atheists choose to give themselves the "stronger" label because they want to align themselves with a social, anti-religious movement. Put in a more humorous, atheists are people with the flying spaghetti monster icon on their cars, while agnostics are people who simply couldn't be bothered.

 

[GoldenCondor]

It's simply this:

 

[whycantibelinus]

The hardcore atheist is just the parallel to the religious nut. Since both claim to know with certainty something with no evidence.

Very insightful. I'm an agnostic and sometimes I feel like my way of thinking is a cop out to avoid an argument, but I do agree with this statement about followers of religion and athiests. I don't think you should call them religious nuts though, unless you're also going to call athiest's evolutionary nuts, since it essentially is just two different schools of thought.

Agnostic: Does it really matter?

I'd say that's more of a nhilist than an agnostic. That's just me though.

 

[Souplex]

Agnostics require some sort of evidence of a higher power while Atheists worship Athe the god of nothing. Athe seeks to consume all others gods adding their power to it's own, and render the universe as nothing. Hence why they are called Athe-Theists.

 

[Tdc2182]

I'm an anti-theist, and think that you should have included my view in there. There are a portion of us in the atheist crowd, though the definition varies based on who you talk to, I define it as someone "opposed to religion itself, with a will to see religion removed from human society".

EDIT: By the way OP, if there are theists in our universe where there are no gods, there are atheists in those, despite the fact that gods walk among them.

Hmmm. That's something to think about now isn't it. Very smart glestifistis.

 

[Lordpils]

Atheism and Agnostism are not mutually exclusive.
Atheism is quite simply the lack of a belief in a god.
Agnostism is the lack of certainty on the believers part.
There are agnostic atheists (Don't believe there's a god, but aren't absolutely certain one doesn't exist.) and there are gnostic atheists (Don't believe there is a god and are absolutely certain of that.)
It is also possible to be atheistic and theistic at the same time. Here's a nice example christians are atheistic about the hindu gods. Here's one that's a little more complex: Say you were to visit a group of people who worshipped a tree that they call their god. Does the tree exist? Absolutely, so you would most certainly believe that their god exists you most likely wouldn't believe it had the powers they claimed it had, but it's hard to deny that their god (the tree) exists.

"I contend we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god then you do." - Stephen Roberts.

 

[whycantibelinus]

The hardcore atheist is just the parallel to the religious nut. Since both claim to know with certainty something with no evidence.

Very insightful. I'm an agnostic and sometimes I feel like my way of thinking is a cop out to avoid an argument, but I do agree with this statement about followers of religion and athiests. I don't think you should call them religious nuts though, unless you're also going to call athiest's evolutionary nuts, since it esentially is just two different schools of thought.

Some would consider agnostics to be fence-sitters. Both sides are after these people. I would argue you are ASKING for an argument, not avoiding one.

I guess looking at it that way I am.

I don't mean to though.

 

[WhiteTiger225]

I guess both basically have a non-belief due to the lack of evidence.

But let's supposed the Judeo-Christian God descended to Earth with a heavenly host of angels bathed in holy light. And after scrutiny, are not just really advanced Aliens with a fancy light show.

No Atheist would say, "meh, it's just a trick"

Compare with Marvel or Vertigo's comic universe where omnipotent beings actually exists and to a lesser extent, Gods, demi-Gods, Endless walk among us. You could actually take a picture of Thor flying alongside Iron Man. Are there Atheists in those universes? It's freakin Thor man!

Or Lord of the Rings, the Gods are hardly mentioned and people seldom mention them, it would seem that only a few people actually know they exist, but Sauron is not just a badass general, he's a for real fallen angel.

Let me ask you this... what would Thiests do ... well lol theres no equivelant scenario I can give because no matter what proof comes our way thiests will believe what thiests will believe.
Finally have one XD
If aliens came to earth, showed us home footage of the big bang,showed us documentaion of every mutation ever to take place to further prove evolution, and showed us charts documenting all of the universe and the fact that the edges of the universe are simply portals to alternate realities like ours, and that each reality is actually an atom that makes up another being who lives in a much larger reality that makes up an even larger being.... Thiests would still claim that the aliens are full of shit, that the aliens are made by an evil government bent on destroying god... and that this further proves obama is hitler.

 

[Terramax]

Agnostic: Does it really matter?

That sums me up. Even if God was proven and did show up, it doesn't mean I should worship him. If I was created just to carry out someone else's wishes then what's the point in being alive at all?

 

[loremazd]

I think the difference between Atheist and Anti-theist are more poignant. Athiests in general are like most christians in that they basically take on a live and let live philosophy. Anti-theists in general cannot fathom anyone thinking differently from them and are on some kinda of "intellectual" crusade by quoting Dawkins rather than discussing things respectfully. In general, they're the equivalent of the funeral picketing moron fundamentalist.

 

[crudus]

Atheist: belief there is no god.
Agnostic: on the fence, waiting for evidence of either.
Theist: belief in a god.

there also is just no belief in a god which is summed up nicely here:

"Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?" -Douglas Adams

These people are usually roped into Atheists but are actually far closer to agnostics.

 

[WhiteTiger225]

Atheism and Agnostism are not mutually exclusive.
Atheism is quite simply the lack of a belief in a god.
Agnostism is the lack of certainty on the believers part.
There are agnostic atheists (Don't believe there's a god, but aren't absolutely certain one doesn't exist.) and there are gnostic atheists (Don't believe there is a god and are absolutely certain of that.)
It is also possible to be atheistic and theistic at the same time. Here's a nice example christians are atheistic about the hindu gods. Here's one that's a little more complex: Say you were to visit a group of people who worshipped a tree that they call their god. Does the tree exist? Absolutely, so you would most certainly believe that their god exists you most likely wouldn't believe it had the powers they claimed it had, but it's hard to deny that their god (the tree) exists.

"I contend we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god then you do." - Stephen Roberts.

Don't forget the many levels of Agnostics.

"All religions are wrong, and I have a feeling god might not exist"
"I believe in (Religion) but I do not believe in their Bible"
"I believe in (Religion) But I do not believe in their teachings"
"I believe in a god, but I know no organized religion will ever know the truth"
"I believe in a god but I doubt organized religion will ever know the truth to be able to say what said god wishes"

 

[Eleuthera]

Atheism and Agnosticism are two different things, dealing with faith and knowledge respectively.

Theist: I believe there is a God.
Atheist: I believe there is no God.
Gnostic: I know there is a God.
Agnostic: I don't know if there is a God.
Gnostic theist: I know there is a God and I believe in him.
Gnostic atheist: I know there is a God, but I don't believe in him.
Agnostic theist: I don't know if there is a God, but I think there is.
Agnostic atheist: I don't know if there is a God, But I don't think so.