Whats the difference between an Atheist and an Agnostic?

[Lordpils]

I am attacking religion.

Before this goes down the wrong road, I would just like to say we are all human and all entitled to our own different beliefs, and we should all have the mutual respect for one another to not pigeon-hole anyone in groups, or stereotype any kind of groups. Not all Atheists are out to crush your beliefs, and not all Christians are on a crusade to convert you to their faith. It makes no sense to attack a person's set of beliefs, rather, if you are going to go after somebody for something, it should be the logical holes in their arguments. I do not want to see this discussion go down the winding road of religion/anti-religion, as the majority of these types of threads do.

Yes, and I had already asked that it wasn't taken any further. I realize not every religulous-type is crazy, but that doesn't subtract from the fact that religion is responsible for a shit-ton of the things wrong in the world today.

Then please allow me to fix your self-descriptions.

No more calling yourself anti-theist.
These make more sense: Anti-dogma, anti-fundamentalism or you can say what I say "I am against those who cannot modernize their beliefs."

I think you are missing my point, or I'm doing a terrible job of making it.

Please explain then. Keep in mind I've been pretty much on your side most of the time I'm just annoyed by the word "anti-theist".

 

[SomeUnregPunk]

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!

Steven Brust has a series of novels called about elves and stuff... the main point is there are these elves who know gods exist and yet they don't see them as gods. They see them as just people like them but with lots more magical power. While there are humans who are religious and then there are humans who aren't religious because they don't see gods and has witnessed any god behavior around them.

So you got atheists,agnostics and believers in a magical fictional world.
Same thing here. Agnostics are those who see the universe and says," maybe there is something but my life is more important to care about that now."
Atheists say,"THIS is why gods don't exist! BELIEVE it!" while Religous say, "THIS is why gods exist! Believe it!"

Yes... it's very exaggerated. Atheists are more likely to shove it in your face than religious folk.

 

[ottenni]

This is all irrelevant. When you get down to it all that matters is the Giant Flying Spaghetti Monster. All hail his noodle appendage!

Oh right, THAT atheist religion.

Huh? Its not an atheist religion (if that is even possible). Its a religion supporting freedom of information and belief. Everyone should have a right to believe what they will and should be made aware off all other faiths.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Agnostic:
1. a person who holds that the existence of the ultimate cause, as God, and the essential nature of things are unknown and unknowable, or that human knowledge is limited to experience.
2. a person who denies or doubts the possibility of ultimate knowledge in some area of study.

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

According to dictionary.com.

 

[DubMan]

The most qualitative difference besides "one's on the fence and one isn't" is that atheists would choose not to affirm the existence of God(s) even if proof did arise pointing towards divine inspiration due to the fact that the existence of God serves, in the eyes of an atheist, no purpose besides inhibiting one's inherent humanity. God is only ever an extension of the metaphysical idealism within the people who fabricated it in the first place, and consequently can only ever serve to destroy individuality and instill complacency amongst people. To quote Bakunin, "Assuming God does exist, it would be necessary to abolish him."

I won't go into the implications of agnosticism for the good of my standing here.

 

[scrambledeggs]

i have heard a lot of theories about atheists being against religion - which is simply not the case.

Atheism is defined as "a lack of belief in the existence of God or gods". It has nothing to do with opposition against religion.

 

[TheRogueX]

I consider myself an agnostic. I believe in some sort of 'higher power', however I don't believe that humanity will ever be able to understand what that higher power is, does, or thinks. I think that the 'divine' is beyond our comprehension, and it is impossible to label it. I don't consider myself an atheist because I do believe in something, I just don't know what it is, nor do I ever expect to know what it is. I do not, however, believe in the Abrahamic God of the 'Book.'

 

[Arkhangelsk]

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

To be honest, I think that just about covers it. Although I would say an Agnostic believes there is some sort of higher power, they just not sure what it is. (I should know, I used to be one.)

Isn't that being a deist?

 

[TheRealCJ]

Athiesm is the firm belief in tha lack of a god. Surely hard evidence would not sway the most fanatical of athiests, just as religious fanatics continue to fight against the Theory of Evolution (considering that athieism is merely the antithesis of religion). I'm pretty certain that the common knowledge of the existance of god(s) (as in the marvel universe) would only ENCOURAGE fundamental athiests.

Quite to the contrary. I am an anti-theist, and if you could give me ACTUAL proof or argue for the existence of a god without the use of a non-credible holy text, I would then re-examine my beliefs and ponder on the existence of this deity.

Granted, but please note I also said fanatical athiests, rather than just people who follow atheism. Much in the same way that not all Christans are bible-thumping fundies, and not all Muslims are psycopathic jihadists.

There is a clear, and VERY important distinction.

 

[ottenni]

Well believe what you will. Have a look at this. http://www.venganza.org/about/open-letter/

I am attacking religion.

Before this goes down the wrong road, I would just like to say we are all human and all entitled to our own different beliefs, and we should all have the mutual respect for one another to not pigeon-hole anyone in groups, or stereotype any kind of groups. Not all Atheists are out to crush your beliefs, and not all Christians are on a crusade to convert you to their faith. It makes no sense to attack a person's set of beliefs, rather, if you are going to go after somebody for something, it should be the logical holes in their arguments. I do not want to see this discussion go down the winding road of religion/anti-religion, as the majority of these types of threads do.

Yes, and I had already asked that it wasn't taken any further. I realize not every religulous-type is crazy, but that doesn't subtract from the fact that religion is responsible for a shit-ton of the things wrong in the world today.

Then please allow me to fix your self-descriptions.

No more calling yourself anti-theist.
These make more sense: Anti-dogma, anti-fundamentalism or you can say what I say "I am against those who cannot modernize their beliefs."

I think you are missing my point, or I'm doing a terrible job of making it.

Please explain then. Keep in mind I've been pretty much on your side most of the time I'm just annoyed by the word "anti-theist".

Well, I am all those things you described, but I am anti-religion(therefore, anti-theist) because of all the terrible things it has been responsible for in human history and in the present. It does far, far more harm than good. It is in my belief that to remove religion would be to better society.

This is all irrelevant. When you get down to it all that matters is the Giant Flying Spaghetti Monster. All hail his noodle appendage!

Oh right, THAT atheist religion.

Huh? Its not an atheist religion (if that is even possible). Its a religion supporting freedom of information and belief. Everyone should have a right to believe what they will and should be made aware off all other faiths.

No no, the FSM is a mockery of religion, and is a mock-religion itself.

http://www.venganza.org/about/open-letter/ Have a look at that. Then believe what you will.

 

[Eleuthera]

Correct, except from Gnostic Atheist, which should be "I know there is not a God, and I don't believe there is."

Yeah, you're right. But to my defense I was in a hurry and I don't think my boss would accept a religious discussion as a good reason to be late...

 

[Treblaine]

What is the category for "I don't give a fu*k about Religion, I've got video games to play" as I think that would describe both me and most of the people on this forum.

 

[Kimarous]

Well, I am all those things you described, but I am anti-religion(therefore, anti-theist) because of all the terrible things it has been responsible for in human history and in the present. It does far, far more harm than good. It is in my belief that to remove religion would be to better society.

Urgh... I am getting really tired of this high-and-mighty attitude of yours. Look, I can understand your position to a point, but I really hate being spoken down to perpetually like this; you rehash your hatred in every single post!

Furthermore, when people try to talk some sense into you, you constantly loop back to the same point. There is far, FAR more to religious tragedies that simply religion itself. Anything can be exploited; religion is just the easiest scapegoat. To blame everything on religion itself is just as closed-minded and fanatical as the zealots who have done harm in true religious intent.

 

[Skeleon]

Furthermore, when people try to talk some sense into you, you constantly loop back to the same point. There is far, FAR more to religious tragedies that simply religion itself. Anything can be exploited; religion is just the easiest scapegoat. To blame everything on religion itself is just as closed-minded and fanatical as the zealots who have done harm in true religious intent.

Well, but you have to admit that a system that is as easily exploitable on a global level as religion is ultimately flawed, don't you?
I'm not an anti-theist, for I also consider the good religion did (especially on a personal level), but I see Glefistus' point.
Which is why I am okay with religion itself as a spiritual guideline but vehemently pro separation of state/science and church/religion.

Also, it should be noted that atheism says nothing about belief in general. It's just a lack of belief in gods, there a very spiritual atheists, too (though I don't see myself as one of them).

 

[Threesan]

I've looked at this question repeatedly over the years, and I still don't feel I have a perfectly clear understanding. The terms can be used very broadly, yet you can find very specific and contradictory definitions (particularly between people, i.e., who you're trying to communicate to). Considering this, I'd say it's almost unreasonable to use "agnostic" or "atheist" and expect it to be able to convey to someone exactly what you meant. (Or maybe I demand too much from three syllables.)

[small]Vocabulary list
nonreligion/irreligion, nontheism, apatheism, ignosticism, antireligion, antitheism, metaphysical/ontological naturalism, and various modifiers to atheism: weak, strong, positive, negative, implicit, explicit, agnostic, critical...

If you only look at one, may I recommend ignosticism? "The view that a coherent definition of God must be presented before the question of the existence of God can be meaningfully discussed. Furthermore, if that definition is unfalsifiable, the ignostic takes the theological noncognitivist position that the question of the existence of God (per that definition) is meaningless. In this case, the concept of God is not considered meaningless; the term "God" is considered meaningless."[/small]

 

[jboking]

snip

So I think the answer has already be provided. Atheists have a disbelief, Agnostics aren't sure.

Moving on to the Marvel argument. If you live in that world and watch thor a loki go at it every other day, why would you pray to them. They seem to have a tendency to try and fuck up/destroy the world you live on.

I couldn't really tell you about the lord of the rings, it never really was my forte. However, I am sure that in the books the gods were addressed a decent number of times. Try the silmarillion, I'm pretty sure some of the battles in it revolve around/involve the gods.

Nitpicking: Periods are your friends!

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.

I laughed a little at that. I could see this steering someone into a rather unpleasant argument with their towns token extreme atheist.