Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

Am I an atheist?

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread
Home » Discuss » DU Groups » Science & Skepticism » Atheists and Agnostics Group Donate to DU
 
amyrose2712 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-07-10 06:33 PM
Original message
Am I an atheist?
I do not believe, but I can't say for sure. I still think ANYTHING is possible. Just because I know there are many things we don't know or can not understand. Even in science. Gravity. Quantum mechanics. Dark Matter. I call myself agnostic, but I keep reading arguments that that is an answer to a different question. What say you? And why? Can I just say I don't know and don't think I know so I can't say 10)% that there is no god of any kind. It could just be something science has not proven or understand. I dunno. I know I am not such a deep thinker but I am curious.
Refresh | 0 Recommendations Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top
lazarus Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-07-10 06:41 PM
Response to Original message
1. I think you misunderstand atheism a bit
atheism is simply the absence of a belief in god. It doesn't require you to believe that there is no god.

Two different statements:

1. I believe there is no god (strong atheism)
2. I do not believe there is a god (weak atheism)

The vast majority of atheists fall into category 2. If you don't believe, welcome to the club. Bring snacks next time. :hi:
Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top
 
salvorhardin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-07-10 09:38 PM
Response to Original message
2. You're an agnostic atheist.
You don't believe, but you don't know. That's what most atheists are. Gnosticism has to do with knowledge, theism has to do with belief in god(s).

But honestly, you can call yourself anything you want and a lot of atheists will answer to different labels depending on who's doing the asking (nosy religious neighbor, work mates, other atheists, family, etc.).

You may also want to look into ignosticism and apatheism as well.
Ignosticism, or igtheism, is the theological position that every other theological position (including agnosticism) assumes too much about the concept of god and many other theological concepts.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igtheism


An apatheist is also someone who is not interested in accepting or denying any claims that gods exist or do not exist. In other words, an apatheist is someone who considers the question of the existence of gods as neither meaningful nor relevant to his or her life.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apatheism


Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top
 
rrneck Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-07-10 09:58 PM
Response to Reply #2
3. Good info. Thanks. nt
Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top
 
laconicsax Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-07-10 10:44 PM
Response to Original message
4. Yes.
Atheism: a-theism. Without gods.
Agnostic: a-gnostic. Without knowledge.

If the question is, "Do you believe?" the answer, no matter how nuanced, boils down to either "yes" or "no."

"There's no way to know" doesn't answer the question.

There are four basic possibilities here:

Agnostic atheist: "I don't believe and I don't think it's possible to know for sure."
Agnostic theist: "I believe and I don't think it's possible to know for sure."
Gnostic atheist: "I don't believe and it's possible to know for sure."
Gnostic theist: "I believe and it's possible to know for sure."

You sound like the first category: Agnostic atheist. You don't think it's possible to know for certain and you don't believe, so congratulations! Stalin loves you.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top
 
realisticphish Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-07-10 11:47 PM
Response to Reply #4
5. fantastic outline
the fact that atheism and agnosticism are two completely separate categories is something that many people, even atheists, can't seem to grasp
Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top
 
laconicsax Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Aug-08-10 12:02 AM
Response to Reply #5
6. It doesn't help that they're (almost) always offered as different choices to the same question.
Most people don't actually think about what the words they use actually mean. Why else do people say "I could care less" when they mean the exact opposite.
Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top
 
realisticphish Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Aug-08-10 12:04 AM
Response to Reply #6
7. god, I hate that so much
I don't know why that one particular thing gets me (along with nuke-you-ler), but it does

It's always posed as

theist: yay god!
atheist: boo god!
agnostic: meh
Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top
 
amyrose2712 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Aug-08-10 08:26 AM
Response to Reply #4
8. Can't it be that I don't know if I believe or not because
Edited on Sun Aug-08-10 08:26 AM by amyrose2712
I don't have enough knowledge? I tend to see myself right around a 6 on the Dawkin's Spectrum.


Dawkins' formulation
Richard Dawkins
Dawkins posits that "the existence of God is a scientific hypothesis like any other." He goes on to propose a continuous "spectrum of probabilities" between two extremes of opposite certainty, which can be represented by seven "milestones". Dawkins suggests definitive statements to summarize one's place along the spectrum of theistic probability. These "milestones" are:<2>
1. Strong theist. 100 per cent probability of God. In the words of C.G. Jung, 'I do not believe, I know.'
2. Very high probability but short of 100 per cent. De facto theist. 'I cannot know for certain, but I strongly believe in God and live my life on the assumption that he is there.'
3. Higher than 50 per cent but not very high. Technically agnostic but leaning towards theism. 'I am very uncertain, but I am inclined to believe in God.'
4. Exactly 50 per cent. Completely impartial agnostic. 'God's existence and non-existence are exactly equiprobable.'
5. Lower than 50 per cent but not very low. Technically agnostic but leaning towards atheism. 'I do not know whether God exists but I'm inclined to be sceptical.'
6. Very low probability, but short of zero. De facto atheist. 'I cannot know for certain but I think God is very improbable, and I live my life on the assumption that he is not there.'
7. Strong atheist. 'I know there is no God, with the same conviction as Jung "knows" there is one.'



It seems use agnostic and atheist as answers to the same question. I'm not really so big on labels but have been reading many arguments about it lately Also, I feel that some people will put you down if you say agnostic rather then atheist. Not that it matters to the religious-they see it the same - HEATHENS. Well that is what my "my church on the internet is the one true church in the world" calls us. (But to be fair she is EXTREMELY bipolar w/ magical thinking so I don't fault her. Now, my former best friend, on the other hand, who told me "I feel like I failed you as a friend because you are going to hell" Now she and her " I don't think I believe in dinosaurs anymore are a different story.)
Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top
 
rrneck Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Aug-08-10 02:49 PM
Response to Reply #8
9. I guess that works.
You might also apply the "Duke Ellington Scale" as well though:

"It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxfMRhyzu3g
Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top
 
DU AdBot (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view 
this author's profile Click to add 
this author to your buddy list Click to add 
this author to your Ignore list Wed May 01st 2024, 08:22 AM
Response to Original message
Advertisements [?]
 Top

Home » Discuss » DU Groups » Science & Skepticism » Atheists and Agnostics Group Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators


Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC