The sad state of agnosticism

[preslove]

Come on, you guys, make up your freaking minds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111!!#$$!$#!$#!@$

 

[Ruptga]

What about those of us that think there might be a god but there probably isn't one? Do we count as atheists or agnostics?

 

[Eli]

What about those of us that think there might be a god but there probably isn't one? Do we count as atheists or agnostics?

That's kinda the definition of agnosticism.... lol

Oh, and this had better not get out of control. I'm watching.

:sneaky:

 

[MJinZ]

What about those of us that think there might be a god but there probably isn't one? Do we count as atheists or agnostics?

That makes you fairly lopsided Agnostic.

 

[Ruptga]

Seriously though, there was a diagram floating around here a while ago. It was something like this.

............certain ... not certain
......god|...........|.................|
no god |...........|.................|

The point was to show the difference between "I know there is a god," "I think there is a god," "I know there is no god," and "I think there is no god."

It could be argued that anyone saying there is no god (regardless of how certain they are about it) is an atheist, and anyone that isn't absolutely certain that there is (or isn't) a god is an agnostic. Using that table removes a lot of the ambiguity.

 

[lxskllr]

What about someone like me who doesn't see the point in thinking about it either way?

 

[Ruptga]

What about someone like me who doesn't see the point in thinking about it either way?

I think that makes you an Apathetic.

 

[nonameo]

What about someone like me who doesn't see the point in thinking about it either way?

apatheist?

 

[lxskllr]

apatheist?

Good call :^)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apatheism

 

[MJinZ]

What about someone like me who doesn't see the point in thinking about it either way?

Well if you don't *see* the point, that's not a very insightful position to be in as the the point is fairly apparent - because people are constantly looking for *meaning* in what they do and their lives.

If you don't *care* for the point, that's another matter.

 

[lxskllr]

Well if you don't *see* the point, that's not a very insightful position to be in as the the point is fairly apparent - because people are constantly looking for *meaning* in what they do and their lives.

If you don't *care* for the point, that's another matter.

There's no point in studying the unknown, or the unknowable, other than for mental masturbation. Healthy meaning is derived from reality, not fantasy....

 

[MJinZ]

There's no point in studying the unknown, or the unknowable, other than for mental masturbation. Healthy meaning is derived from reality, not fantasy....

But mortality is reality, and thus why peoples seek meaning within and without the framework of life and death.

 

[lxskllr]

But mortality is reality, and thus why peoples seek meaning within and without the framework of life and death.

Surrounding that reality with fantasy is pointless. One can come up with all the "conclusions" they want, but there's no way of knowing if they're correct until they do it(die). AFAIK nobody's come back to tell the rest of us what's there ;^)

 

[MJinZ]

Surrounding that reality with fantasy is pointless. One can come up with all the "conclusions" they want, but there's no way of knowing if they're correct until they do it(die). AFAIK nobody's come back to tell the rest of us what's there ;^)

Well, I'm just explaining why the discussion itself takes place. The merits of which are debatable (which is why apatheists and the like exist of course).

 

[dawp]

I'd rather be pegan. It's more fun to go dancing nekid in the woods with hot women.

 

[destrekor]

Come on, you guys, free your fucking minds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111!!#$$!$#!$#!@$

ftfY!

:awe:

 

[BoberFett]

Huh, I was not aware of apatheism. I considered myself agnostic, but really when it comes down to it, I don't give a shit one way or the other. Lock the atheists and the theists in a cage and let them kill each other for all I care.

 

[IcePickFreak]

I've always considered myself a pragmatic agnostic, or otherwise known as an apathetic agnostic. Have to say the term apatheism is new to me, but makes sense. It seems to infuriate theists and atheists alike when your stance is "I don't know, or care" when they're looking to argue. Maybe I need to stay at a Holiday Inn Express?

 

[tcsenter]

Here's the thing...

I totally dig the emotional aspect of religion. e.g. the fellowship, the sense of community and affiliation, the uplifting aspects (as opposed to the condemnation), the holding hands and singing, the charitable 'good works' part, the ideal that there are 'greater/bigger' things than one's own selfish desires/wants/needs...

I just go all roll-eyes when they start on about the "Great Invisible Guy in the Sky with the Omnipotent Magic Wand" bit. Can't do it, wouldn't be prudent.

 

[BladeVenom]

I just go all roll-eyes when they start on about the "Great Invisible Guy in the Sky with the Omnipotent Magic Wand" bit. Can't do it, wouldn't be prudent.

And you don't roll your eyes at the idea that matter magically appeared all by itself, blowing up, and by an almost infinite series of impossibly improbable coincidences formed life all by itself?

 

[Xed]

And you don't roll your eyes at the idea that matter magically appeared all by itself, blowing up, and by an almost infinite series of impossibly improbable coincidences formed life all by itself?

We need a poll for which being is most likely magical enough to create a species. (God/Chuck Norris/Spaghetti Monster/Trident/etc)

 

[Lemon law]

To some extent that is the strength of a church and the weakness of agnostics and atheists.

All churches are by on large social organizations and religious institutions secondly, but the supposed common belief in God brings them together.

Yet atheists and agnostics have no common unifying principles to bring them together.

 

[Ruptga]

And you don't roll your eyes at the idea that matter magically appeared all by itself, blowing up, and by an almost infinite series of impossibly improbable coincidences formed life all by itself?

That is 11ty billion times more scientific than "God did it," even taking into account your mangling of our current cosmological knowledge.

 

[BladeVenom]

That is 11ty billion times more scientific than "God did it," even taking into account your mangling of our current cosmological knowledge.

Science is reproducible. Reproduce the Big Bang. Reproduce spontaneous generation.

"Current knowledge," you mean wild ass guesses.

 

[Deeko]

Come on, you guys, make up your freaking minds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111!!#$$!$#!$#!@$

Huh? It's not about not being able to make up your mind. It's about the fact that while the religious and the atheists can argue till they are blue in the face, neither can prove their case. Atheists might use science to try to disprove certain things about religion, but in the end they certainly can't prove there's no god. So agnostics make up their mind not to have blind faith in the matter.