Does anyone wish to admit they claimed to be agnostic when they are an atheist?

[Senex]

I'll admit I identified myself to many people for the last few years as an agnostic when I was, in fact, an atheist. My motivation was to make it easier for the religious people I admire to find my beliefs easier to accept.

I no longer find that necessary or care about the consequences. I wonder if anyone has a similar attitude/experience to share?

 

[Piscivore]

I claim to be all kinds of things. Some of them are even occasionally true.

But I don't ever recall claiming I was agnostic. I may have for a couple weeks in college claimed to be agnostic, but what I really mostly was at that time was full of s[rule 8].

 

[JoeTheJuggler]

I'm only "out" as an atheist among certain people and groups of people. I still find most people have a distorted idea of what atheism is.

One friend of mine swears that he read a news story about the atheists building a great big church somewhere.

 

[thomps1d]

I've never actually outright lied to somebody about my lack of religious belief.

I have, however, gone to good lengths to divert the conversation away from that particular topic when it comes up.

Person: Well, I was raised as a Christian, so I plan to do the same to my children. What about you?

thomps1d: Squee! Squibble squibble squoo!

Person: Whaaaaa?

thomps1d: I concur wholeheartedly. So, what did you think of last night's episode of Popular Reality Show?

 

[Kochanski]

I hid behind the label agnostic for quite a few years. It was just easier, most people have no idea what agnostic means whereas many people "think" they know what atheist means.

After I read The God Delusion I decided not to hide anymore. I decided that if people are uncomfortable with the term atheist, that is their problem. They will have to just accept me for who I am and perhaps in the process they will unlearn some of their prejudice.

 

[roger]

I have no anecdotes, but I'll point out that I just state that I don't believe in God, and never use the terms agnostic or atheist. Even on this site we have endless threads on the meanings of those two words, and I've never witnessed a consenous. "I don't believe in God" states your position without the baggage of philosophy or a dictionary fight. There is also my perception that people often associate perjoratives with atheist, such as devil worship or other things. Why rile somebody up unnecessarily?

 

[Khyron]

I usually will lie to people who I consider well-intentioned but self-deluded. I will claim or allow them to assume that I share their flavor of religiosity.

Most people don't come right out and ask. When it does come up, I will say that I am questioning or skeptical of religion, rather than atheist. This is more true anyway - my attitude is very much related to their teachings, not to the (imaginary) higher being their teachings claim exists.


How far I push it depends on whether they're someone I think can handle it and still remain civil with me, and whether I'm going to have to do business with them in the future.

 

[Madalch]

I've had people tell me that I wasn't an atheist, but an agnostic.

 

[slingblade]

I was agnostic for a few years. I no longer believed the specifics of my religion, but I still believed there was some kind of god out there.

So I switched to paganism and wicca for a while.

The common thread there was my belief in magical thinking.
When I gave that up, the belief in a god went with it.

 

[ksbluesfan]

For me, the conversation usually goes something like this:

Interrogator: What religion or you?
Me: I'm not religious. I'm an atheist.
Interrogator: So, you think it's impossible that God exists, right?
Me: I believe it is highly improbable that there is a God.
Interrogator: Then you're "agnostic".
Me: Whatever.

 

[Ginarley]

I've always been an atheist but when I was younger if I got in discussions about religion I wasn't confident enough to adopt the hard line atheist approach so I'd hide being agnosticism. Now clarity is much more important for me and my confidence is much higher so if someone is offended by me being an atheist then thats their problem

 

[JoeTheJuggler]

I was agnostic for a few years. I no longer believed the specifics of my religion, but I still believed there was some kind of god out there.

Nit-picking, but wouldn't that make you a theist rather than an agnostic at that point?

 

[slingblade]

Nit-picking, but wouldn't that make you a theist rather than an agnostic at that point?

I dunno. I never heard the term theist until I came to this forum. Does it really matter?

I once believed in the christian god, then I believed in pagan gods and goddesses, and now I don't believe any of it.

Call it what you like.

 

[Senex]

I was agnostic for a few years. I no longer believed the specifics of my religion, but I still believed there was some kind of god out there.

So I switched to paganism and wicca for a while.

The common thread there was my belief in magical thinking.
When I gave that up, the belief in a god went with it.

Not that long ago I gave paganism a thought. I wanted to belong to a community like Congregationalists do but not have to believe in a god. I wanted to go to a meeting and say "Go Earth," "Spring, Summer, Fall" or "Winter." I also wanted to meet some loose pagan women. hehehehe...

I did a bit of research before the first meeting and read that these people believe in spells and sell candles, books and alter pieces to people. I could tell it was a scam before I ever walked into the church. You have to pay to take courses to increase your spiritual knowledge. Scam, scam, scam scam...

If you can't trust pagans what religion can you trust?

I'll tell you -- None!

 

[Gord_in_Toronto]

Pah! About 30 years ago I was injured in a skiing accident and was taken to the then Roman Catholic hospital in Ottawa. The Sister doing the admitting asked me my religion was and I said "Atheist". I took a look at what she had written on the form and saw an "A". I said, "You better not put that, they'll think I'm an Anglican." She said , in a nice French accent, "That is not an "A", that is an "Aitch"." Heretic? Heathen?

They put my leg back together just fine.

 

[EeneyMinnieMoe]

I know I'm an agnostic. I know cause I tried being an atheist when I was like 12 and it didn't work for me.

A skeptic is supposed to be open to possibility and remain neutral until they see evidence and that's what an agnostic is.

I just don't claim to know if there is a God or if there isn't, you know.

 

[Wowbagger]

I still call myself a "scientific agnostic", but when quizzed what that means I say "de facto Athiest" (a la Dawkins). They mean the same thing: I admit science can not test whether God exists or not, but the chances of him doing so are rather slim, and for practical purposes non-existant.

Although, sometimes I still call myself an "armchair scientist", most people don't see that as a religious option.

And, those times when I need to be really diplomatic, I might be inclined to call myself a "secular Jew". But, that hasn't happened, yet.

 

[Fronzel]

Interrogator: Then you're "agnostic".
Me: Whatever.

Which is where mine tend to go if I don't say "None of your business". I tend to compound the agnostic accusations because I do admit that I am willing to be convinced that I am wrong and could possibly find something clicks and makes me think it is the One True Way. But I also secretly hope to find a chest full of pirate gold in my yard. That doesn't make me a treasurist.

Not that long ago I gave paganism a thought

I think I've mentioned I want to find the weirdest and most obscure religion possible so I can whine and bitch about oppression like the 93% Christian minority. Plus I can make up arbitrary rules when I don't want to do something. "It is against my religion to read emails marked 'FYI' or contain more then 12 spelling errors. I'm sorry."

 

[thaiboxerken]

I just don't claim to know if there is a God or if there isn't, you know.

But do you believe there is a god?

If no, you are atheist.
If yes, you are theist.

There are no other valid answers to this question.

Also, agnostic is a position about what you think people can know, it has nothing to do with belief in a god or not.

I'm atheist, which means I don't believe in any gods. I'm also a skeptic. I'll be glad to believe in any gods that can be shown to exist, but until then, I simply can't believe gods exist. Replace "gods" with "psychics", "pixies" or any other mythical beings and creatures to illustrate my point.

 

[EeneyMinnieMoe]

But do you believe there is a god?

If no, you are atheist.
If yes, you are theist.

There are no other valid answers to this question.

Also, agnostic is a position about what you think people can know, it has nothing to do with belief in a god or not.

I'm atheist, which means I don't believe in any gods. I'm also a skeptic. I'll be glad to believe in any gods that can be shown to exist, but until then, I simply can't believe gods exist. Replace "gods" with "psychics", "pixies" or any other mythical beings and creatures to illustrate my point.

I'm also sure that any deities would be unknowable to science. So, yes, I'm an agnostic.

I used to believe there was one. Then I really didn't know, honest to God (sorry, old habit ) . I'm not being afraid to call myself an atheist here.

Now, I don't even care.

To answer you, though, it's not yes or no but maybe.