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Atheism & agnosticism

Manopolus said:
My own knowledge would not be particularly relevant to those who have not had my experiences. I'm not claiming to be special, really. I only assert that there are forces which are beyond my understanding...
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I know what you mean...I keep wondering, what makes do things like trip over cracks in the sidewalk? Or miss a step when walking up stairs? Definitely "forces that are beyond my understanding."
 
pgwenthold said:
I know what you mean...I keep wondering, what makes do things like trip over cracks in the sidewalk? Or miss a step when walking up stairs? Definitely "forces that are beyond my understanding."
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It's a bit more profound than that, but I don't fault you for mocking my vagueness. I do not need others to confirm my particular set of beliefs, and hold them for reasons of my own, some of which I am not willing to share. I find the beliefs of many to be ridiculous, as well... and even hold a healthy degree of skepticism towards my own position. In other words, nothing is entirely set in stone.
 
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One thing is certain. Mod exists, and he will banish you to AAH (like a few of the posts here) if you do not change your uncivil ways.
Replying to this modbox in thread will be off topic  Posted By: Tricky
 
Tricky said:
One thing is certain. Mod exists, and he will banish you to AAH (like a few of the posts here) if you do not change your uncivil ways.
Replying to this modbox in thread will be off topic  Posted By: Tricky
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Is there beer in AAH?
 
Is this another one of those threads where the OP thinks all atheists score over nine-thousand on the Dawkins Belief Scale?
 
pgwenthold said:
Then again, that last question can only be answered by considered, "What evidence of God has been brought forth?"
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Sorry, I should have been more clear on that. My question really is prefaced with "considering that evidence of God has not been brought forth while evidence against has..." Then it becomes about what reasonable possibilities have been left open and whether we should bother holding them open.

So, I basically agree with what you said.

Linda
 
Schrodinger's Cat said:
I feel the same way. I *feel* like there is something more out there, something divine, though I recognize the difference between feeling this to be true and knowing this to be true. What's more, I make no claims as to what that "something" is...whether it's a being or multiple beings or a force or energy as opposed to an actual physical being/beings. I believe in the possibility of supernatural things and phenomenon, though I have yet to see or hear anything on earth that I specifically believe to be supernatural or resulted from supernatural forces.

But then again, I also freely admit there could be nothing at all divine or supernatural, and my "feelings" are just that, "feelings" and nothing more.
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I understand your point of view.

It's is not so much that I "feel" that there may be something "out there" it is just that I recognise that there is a possibility. Even if it is a miniscule possibility. A Plank scale possibility.

Others may be willing to dismiss the existance of a god or the possibility of the existance of a god based on present observation. And so far, on a practical level, they would probably not be mistaken to do so.

I, however, do not dismiss the possibilty, but only on an academic level.
 
uruk said:
I understand your point of view.

It's is not so much that I "feel" that there may be something "out there" it is just that I recognise that there is a possibility. Even if it is a miniscule possibility. A Plank scale possibility.

Others may be willing to dismiss the existance of a god or the possibility of the existance of a god based on present observation. And so far, on a practical level, they would probably not be mistaken to do so.

I, however, do not dismiss the possibilty, but only on an academic level.
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This is pretty much an exact description of the De-Facto Atheist on the Dawkins Scale, a 6. This is where most intelligent atheists fall on the scale, the only atheists who I have ever met that would score a 7 "I am 100% certain that there is no god(s)" are very young, and haven't thought about the position that much at all.

The idea that "atheist" means "super strong atheist who is absolutely certain that god(s) doesn't exist" is a weaksauce strawman used frequently by theists.
 
Snide said:
If you are without morals, you are amoral. If you are without sexuality, you are asexual. If you are without symmetry, you are asymmetrical.

Many people mistakenly think atheists insist there is no god. I'm an atheist who admits he doesn't know, but does not believe in one.
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I guess that puts me in the same boat as you. Although I am in the "I have no belief in the gods described by the present/popular definitions" deck of the boat.

I believe that the gods of the present religions almost certainly do not exist because of the contradictory, biased, and simplistic nature of thier definitions.

I only have the belief in the *possibility* of something that could be considered a "god" or "supreme force" or "initiating element". or at least something that is self-determining and self-aware and far more complex than us or the univers.
 
uruk said:
I only have the belief in the *possibility* of something that could be considered a "god" or "supreme force" or "initiating element". or at least something that is self-determining and self-aware and far more complex than us or the univers.
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And I hold the near certainty of such an entity (or possibly more than one), but refuse to speculate on its nature beyond what I can actually sense (which is next to nothing). I also refuse to call it/them "god" because what I know (or "believe" if you prefer) does not fit with modern doctrines of such, and I do not unconditionally revere said entities (making me a non deist). Maybe that makes me an "adoctrinist" rather than an atheist.

There are more possible positions than there are definitions.

I'll also admit that my own position is somewhat woo-ish. My only defense is that my beliefs are not concrete, and I maintain a healthy degree of skepticism toward my own position. In other words, I admit that I could be wrong. I also find it hilarious that Christians aren't allowed to make such an admission according to their principles of "faith" and how to get to "heaven."
 
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Gate2501 said:
This is pretty much an exact description of the De-Facto Atheist on the Dawkins Scale, a 6. This is where most intelligent atheists fall on the scale, the only atheists who I have ever met that would score a 7 "I am 100% certain that there is no god(s)" are very young, and haven't thought about the position that much at all.

The idea that "atheist" means "super strong atheist who is absolutely certain that god(s) doesn't exist" is a weaksauce strawman used frequently by theists.
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I 'd bet bet that would look good on a t-shirt. "I'm a 6 on the Dawkins scale!"






O.k. that's just me.
 
Manopolus said:
And I hold the near certainty of such an entity (or possibly more than one), but refuse to speculate on its nature beyond what I can actually sense (which is next to nothing). I also refuse to call it/them "god" because what I know (or "believe" if you prefer) does not fit with modern doctrines of such, and I do not unconditionally revere said entities (making me a non deist). Maybe that makes me an "adoctrinist" rather than an atheist.

There are more possible positions than there are definitions.

I'll also admit that my own position is somewhat woo-ish. My only defense is that my beliefs are not concrete, and I maintain a healthy degree of skepticism toward my own position. In other words, I admit that I could be wrong. I also find it hilarious that Christians aren't allowed to make such an admission according to their principles of "faith" and how to get to "heaven."
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This applies to my personal feelings on the subject as well, especially the last paragraph.
 
I'm an atheist.

I'm not absolutely certain that there is no 'god', deity, or other overbearing entity, but then I'm not absolutely certain about anything.

I don't think that anyone can be absolutely certain about anything.

I am as certain as I can be that there is no 'god', deity, or other overbearing entity. I live my life accordingly.

This is atheism to me.
 
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