Are you religous?, And Why? Options

[vash1530]

because of the recent debate i've been having in the "Jesus... is he Gay?" thread, i've decided to make a new thread so that I can argue eith ppl and not be off-topic. When anyone is ready, ill start the assault.

[verlorenrivets]

Actually, not_your_average, you've stated a common misconception. In regards to theism, you are either an Atheist or a Theist. Agnosticism is a theory of knowledge. Look it up sometime, and stop using it in debates on religion if you can't use it right. If you don't absolutely, 100% believe in that a god exists, you are an Atheist.

From Wikipedia, because I'm tired of explaining this to people:
"Agnosticism, focusing on what can be known, is an epistemological position (dealing with the nature and limits of human knowledge); while atheism and theism are ontological positions (a branch of metaphysics that deals with what types of entities exist). Agnosticism is not to be confused with a view specifically opposing the doctrine of gnosis and Gnosticism—these are religious concepts that are not generally related to agnosticism.

Agnosticism is distinct from strong atheism (also called positive atheism), which denies the existence of any deities. However, the more general variety of atheism, weak atheism (also called negative atheism, and sometimes neutral atheism), professes only a lack of belief in a god or gods, which is not equivalent to but is compatible with agnosticism.

Agnostics may claim that it isn't possible to have absolute or certain spiritual knowledge or, alternatively, that while certainty may be possible, they personally have no such knowledge. In both cases, agnosticism involves some form of skepticism towards religious statements."

Don't take the above as the absolute answer either, there are plenty of other definitions that you should look through before you come to a conclusion on what agnosticism is, and what points you can and cannot use it for.

All I'm asking is that you know what you're talking about before you say it.

[*not_your_average*]

From Wikipedia, because I'm tired of explaining this to people:
"Agnosticism, focusing on what can be known, is an epistemological position (dealing with the nature and limits of human knowledge); while atheism and theism are ontological positions (a branch of metaphysics that deals with what types of entities exist)."

So, according to that, agnosticism focuses on what can exist, and atheism focuses on what does exist?

[verlorenrivets]

So, according to that, agnosticism focuses on what can exist, and atheism focuses on what does exist?

Correct, on the terms that you're applying agnosticism to human knowledge alone. Agnosticism is not a religious choice, like theism and atheism. People commonly misuse it because they hold a negative connotation of atheism, but don't want to be known as a Theist.

[*mipadi*]

Correct, on the terms that you're applying agnosticism to human knowledge alone. Agnosticism is not a religious choice, like theism and atheism. People commonly misuse it because they hold a negative connotation of atheism, but don't want to be known as a Theist.

It can, however, be used to describe one's stance towards the existence of a god or gods.