Atheist vs Agnostic

Using the following arbitrary definitions from American Heritage Dictionary:AGNOSTIC: One who doubts the possibility of knowing the existence of God or absolute truth.ATHEIST: One who denies the existence of God.My question is: Why don't all atheist consider themselves agnostic?

Thread moved here from the Proposed New Topics forum.

I think that anyone who is honest with themselves would admit to having some degree of agnosticism about ANY of their beliefs. This includes solid Christians.Now per atheism: A common working definition of atheism divides it into two types:Weak atheism: No belief in God. Probably a variation of agnosticism. Perhaps call it "non-theism", or "without theism".Strong atheism: Belief there is no God. In it's extreme form, totally not agnostic. Perhaps call it "anti-theism".Moose{Edited to change "admin" to "admit" in the first line. }This message has been edited by minnemooseus, 03-01-2005 13:01 AM

I consider myself an atheist, and I don't fit either of those definitions.The existence of God is just a non-issue to me. Or at most, as much of an issue as the existence of radioactive, tap-dancing lemurs living in my small intestine.Those lemurs would sure explain the occasional trouble I have pooping. But that's it. No lemur fur in the bowl, no sound of tap shoes in the night, no geiger counters going crazy when they get passed over my stomach.I guess they... might still be there? But there's nothing to suggest it.There seems to be a basic assumption in our culture that the idea of God has to be given some credence. But to date, I can't get anyone to give me a valid reason why this should be the case... why the idea of God should be treated any more seriously than the idea of radioactive, tap-dancing lemurs. Hell, at the very least I can tell you what a lemur is, and identify these specific lemurs by their radioactivity and their dancing skill.So, in the absence of any new evidence, neither God nor the lemurs really get another thought. They're non-issues.So to answer your question, I'm an alemurist as well. But I don't think the lemurs are a credible enough idea to give them the dignity of alemognisticism.

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"Creationists make it sound as though a theory is something you dreamt up after being drunk all night."
-Isaac Asimov

Perhaps middle of the road atheist and Christians would admit this to themselves,(and probably only to themselves). But the fringe groups on both sides are fairly entrenched in their dogma and would deny this.Hmmm.. I don't see the difference between 'weak atheism' and agnosticism. Is this working definition of atheism postulated by you, or on this board, or elsewhere?

Well then, since you consider yourself being a member of the group we call 'atheist', how would you define it?

See above. "God is just a non-issue to me."Doesn't mean that my mode of thought is true for all atheists. But that gets us into the trouble of trying to use one-sentence definitions for entire swaths of people.This message has been edited by Dan Carroll, 03-01-2005 13:41 AM

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"Creationists make it sound as though a theory is something you dreamt up after being drunk all night."
-Isaac Asimov

I do consider myself agnostic with regard to the existence of God in the sense of Huxley's original definition (that is I do not know or claim to knwo that there is no God). However since "agnostic" is often taken as meaning someone who takes no position at all on the question I do not usually describe myself as an agnostic.

Does that mean that you don't know what to say about God and you are unsure of how to define your concept of atheism?

If it helps, "atheist" is usually taken to mean "nun-rapist".

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"Creationists make it sound as though a theory is something you dreamt up after being drunk all night."
-Isaac Asimov

Well, taking the literal definitions of the words:Atheist: a=without, theist=belief in a deity. Therefore, atheists do not have a belief in a deity.Agnostic: a=without, gnosis=knowledge. Therefore, agnostics do not have knowledge of a deity. This leaves the possibility that a deity exists, but no knowledge of a deity is present.

quote:

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If it helps, "atheist" is usually taken to mean "nun-rapist".

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In the Altered States of America, atheist is usually taken to mean "liberal" which has about the same connotation as "nun-rapist".

Could'ja go read my initial post? I wasn't just trying to give my fingers a work-out, y'know.God is a non-issue. People have presented a concept called "God" to me. They can't tell me what it is, what it looks like, where it is, or how it did what it's supposed to have done, but they do say it exists.My response is to say "Yyyyyyeah. What's for lunch?""God" is simply an idea to which I give no credence. Much like the aforementioned lemurs.

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"Creationists make it sound as though a theory is something you dreamt up after being drunk all night."
-Isaac Asimov

.Would it be true to say that you have not yet come to know of the existence of God?

Atheist do not consider themselves agnostic for the same reason pantheist do not consider themselves montheist. They are different. IMO There are 3 camps: 1. theist=those who think there is a God
a) monist
b) pantheist2. Atheist= those who do not think there is a god
3. Agnostic=those who are undecided.
Calling an atheist a agnostic presupposes the atheist to be undecided. Atheist are not undecided, they most assuredly do not believe that god or gods or deitys exist. Period.
**cute baby***This message has been edited by 1.61803, 03-01-2005 14:21 AM