Comments on: Atheism vs agnosticism revisited http://www.meghalomania.com/2004/04/02/atheism-vs-agnosticism-revisited/ This blog, much like my life, is a work in progress. Mon, 07 May 2012 17:44:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Shane Hayes http://www.meghalomania.com/2004/04/02/atheism-vs-agnosticism-revisited/comment-page-1/#comment-245829 Shane Hayes Sun, 07 Feb 2010 02:39:54 +0000 http://www.meghalomania.com/2004/04/02/40/#comment-245829 I agree with your closing statement. These two paragraphs appear on a posting on my blog The Believing Agnostic: Most people think an agnostic is one who does not believe in God. And most people who call themselves agnostics probably don’t. But agnosticism per se does not exclude belief. The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) defines “agnostic” as: “A person who holds the view that nothing can be known of the existence of God or of anything beyond material phenomena.” My simple working definition does not conflict with that: “An agnostic is one who says we can’t know whether there is a God or not.” To state, as OED does, that nothing can be known of the existence of God is not to say God doesn’t exist. It speaks of the limits of our knowledge, not the limits of reality. Hope you'll visit The Believing Agnostic at http://www.thebelievingagnostic.blogspot.com/ Shane Hayes I agree with your closing statement. These two paragraphs appear on a posting on my blog The Believing Agnostic:

Most people think an agnostic is one who does not believe in God. And most people who call themselves agnostics probably don’t. But agnosticism per se does not exclude belief. The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) defines “agnostic” as: “A person who holds the view that nothing can be known of the existence of God or of anything beyond material phenomena.”

My simple working definition does not conflict with that: “An agnostic is one who says we can’t know whether there is a God or not.” To state, as OED does, that nothing can be known of the existence of God is not to say God doesn’t exist. It speaks of the limits of our knowledge, not the limits of reality.

Hope you’ll visit The Believing Agnostic at http://www.thebelievingagnostic.blogspot.com/
Shane Hayes

]]> By: Joel http://www.meghalomania.com/2004/04/02/atheism-vs-agnosticism-revisited/comment-page-1/#comment-64272 Joel Sat, 09 Feb 2008 06:41:21 +0000 http://www.meghalomania.com/2004/04/02/40/#comment-64272 I come from a LONG line ov very religious people and personally dont belive. I think that if you can belive in a god then good for you! I am in tnh military and feel that religous freedom is paramount, that includes freedom from religon. I wont stop a Cresche but dont make me watch. I just filled out a form that included a space for religous preference and I didnt want to put anything but the space needed something. Military, no space left blank. So I came home to research the difference between athiest (me) and agnostic (close enough cause I wish I belived). I appreciate your sentiments on the subject. Joel I come from a LONG line ov very religious people and personally dont belive. I think that if you can belive in a god then good for you! I am in tnh military and feel that religous freedom is paramount, that includes freedom from religon. I wont stop a Cresche but dont make me watch. I just filled out a form that included a space for religous preference and I didnt want to put anything but the space needed something. Military, no space left blank. So I came home to research the difference between athiest (me) and agnostic (close enough cause I wish I belived). I appreciate your sentiments on the subject.

Joel

]]> By: Wilmarie http://www.meghalomania.com/2004/04/02/atheism-vs-agnosticism-revisited/comment-page-1/#comment-16842 Wilmarie Wed, 20 Dec 2006 01:53:39 +0000 http://www.meghalomania.com/2004/04/02/40/#comment-16842 Well, I was raised in a christian family and in chruch, all I could say is that people are MORONS thanks sweaty. They don't Know anything about there beliefs or there God. they don't question anything and I guess you could say that that is really what makes the church grow. Just don't ask questions and life is always going to be blis. Ignorance is Blis. Sometimes I wish that I could live life in ingnorance everything would be so easy. Well, I was raised in a christian family and in chruch, all I could say is that people are MORONS thanks sweaty. They don’t Know anything about there beliefs or there God. they don’t question anything and I guess you could say that that is really what makes the church grow. Just don’t ask questions and life is always going to be blis. Ignorance is Blis. Sometimes I wish that I could live life in ingnorance everything would be so easy.

]]> By: Gorf The Sweaty http://www.meghalomania.com/2004/04/02/atheism-vs-agnosticism-revisited/comment-page-1/#comment-3856 Gorf The Sweaty Fri, 03 Mar 2006 02:09:52 +0000 http://www.meghalomania.com/2004/04/02/40/#comment-3856 On the distinction between belief and knowledge: I'm gonna go way out on a limb here and say that people who BELIEVE things they don't KNOW about are MORONS. On the distinction between belief and knowledge: I’m gonna go way out on a limb here and say that people who BELIEVE things they don’t KNOW about are MORONS.

]]> By: daren http://www.meghalomania.com/2004/04/02/atheism-vs-agnosticism-revisited/comment-page-1/#comment-3798 daren Fri, 24 Feb 2006 22:43:23 +0000 http://www.meghalomania.com/2004/04/02/40/#comment-3798 very interesting reading - i hold out hope for the existance of God for the thought of when this life is gone maybe i could meet my family again, although i doubt there is no truth in that whatsoever? its said that only gods knows! very interesting reading – i hold out hope for the existance of God for the thought of when this life is gone maybe i could meet my family again, although i doubt there is no truth in that whatsoever? its said that only gods knows!

]]> By: Srinivas http://www.meghalomania.com/2004/04/02/atheism-vs-agnosticism-revisited/comment-page-1/#comment-88 Srinivas Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.meghalomania.com/2004/04/02/40/#comment-88 You sound like an 'agnostic agnotist'. The title of your blogs - "I doubt, therefore, I might be" fits well there too ;-)<br /><br />Srini You sound like an ‘agnostic agnotist’. The title of your blogs – “I doubt, therefore, I might be” fits well there too ;-)

Srini

]]> By: Srinivas http://www.meghalomania.com/2004/04/02/atheism-vs-agnosticism-revisited/comment-page-1/#comment-89 Srinivas Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.meghalomania.com/2004/04/02/40/#comment-89 Visit my blog<br />srini-danger.blogspot.com Visit my blog
srini-danger.blogspot.com

]]> By: Paddy http://www.meghalomania.com/2004/04/02/atheism-vs-agnosticism-revisited/comment-page-1/#comment-90 Paddy Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.meghalomania.com/2004/04/02/40/#comment-90 I think the quote from "Atlas Shrugged" helps.<br /><br />"There are two sides to every issue,one side is right and the other is wrong, but the middle is always evil." I think the quote from “Atlas Shrugged” helps.

“There are two sides to every issue,one side is right and the other is wrong, but the middle is always evil.”

]]> By: Rajesh J Advani http://www.meghalomania.com/2004/04/02/atheism-vs-agnosticism-revisited/comment-page-1/#comment-91 Rajesh J Advani Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.meghalomania.com/2004/04/02/40/#comment-91 Loved Paddy's piece about agnosticism being evil :)<br /><br />I've always believed in the two following definitions (and yes my enlightenment came from DNA too)<br /><br />Agnostic - Some one who doesn't disbelieve in God as much as, is unsure of His (or Her) existence.<br /><br />Atheist - Someone who _believes_ that God does not exist.<br /><br />Ideally, Atheism can be a religion. Agnosticism cannot.<br /><br />(The bit about atheism being a religion is not my idea. I lifted it from Mil Millington's "Things My Girlfriend And I Have Argued About" novel.)<br /><br />I, personally, believe in God on a just-in-case basis. Which means, I believe in him, just-in-case he exists. Why take the chance of pissing him off, no? Loved Paddy’s piece about agnosticism being evil :)

I’ve always believed in the two following definitions (and yes my enlightenment came from DNA too)

Agnostic – Some one who doesn’t disbelieve in God as much as, is unsure of His (or Her) existence.

Atheist – Someone who _believes_ that God does not exist.

Ideally, Atheism can be a religion. Agnosticism cannot.

(The bit about atheism being a religion is not my idea. I lifted it from Mil Millington’s “Things My Girlfriend And I Have Argued About” novel.)

I, personally, believe in God on a just-in-case basis. Which means, I believe in him, just-in-case he exists. Why take the chance of pissing him off, no?

]]> By: Megha http://www.meghalomania.com/2004/04/02/atheism-vs-agnosticism-revisited/comment-page-1/#comment-92 Megha Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.meghalomania.com/2004/04/02/40/#comment-92 I liked your just-in-case idea! :) I liked your just-in-case idea! :)

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