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How can someone be agnostic and a believer both?

Oldcurmudgeon 6 Mar 30
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18 comments

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1

You are either atheist or a fool...

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It’s called a politician...

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Some would say agnosticism addresses knowledge, not believe. So no conflict there.

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Depends on what you believe.

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It all depends how much you have had to drink.

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One can believe in a deity, but understand that it's not knowable whether that deity exists or not. Likewise one can believe there is no deity, but acknowledge that is it not knowable whether a deity exists or not.

I am atheist and agnostic. Someone else might be a believer yet agnostic regarding that belief.

As I remember Joseph Campbell saying or repeating: "He who thinks he knows, doesn’t know. He who knows that he doesn’t know, knows."

@powder I remember that moment too. For me, a god is only real in the imagination of the believer. So god/s are not real for me. I have no belief in a god, so I'm an atheist, but admit I can not know for sure that there is not some entity out there, in some form. but I really really really doubt it, especially the biblical version, and can not even fathom a 1% chance that there is.

For me, there is no god beyond a shadow of a doubt, but I can not really know that, and that is okay. So I'm both atheist and agnostic. Depending on who I'm talking with, saying I'm agnostic gets me a tiny foot in the door toward a meaningful conversation with believers, and I might just open their eyes with why I can't commit to a belief in their god. 😉

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People who attend a religion only to be accepted in a society, more than deep down it is agnostic. He's just weak.

ylma Level 5 Mar 30, 2019
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Agnostic just means being not sure of your belief. You can be an agnostic theist or an agnostic atheist.

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These days with this vast spectrum on which people like to place themselves -- believer, agnostic, ignostic, atheist-agnostic, agnostic-atheist - etc etc etc.. it seems you can call yourself anything and get away with it. I prefer less prevaricating across questionable spectrums and more serious thought and decisiveness in opinion.

So, no, you can't be a believer and an agnostic.

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One cannot be both. By definition, an agnostic simply does not know of a deity exists or not (and generally does not care).

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Agnostic: a person who believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God or of anything beyond material phenomena; a person who claims neither faith nor disbelief in God.

It is my not-so-terribly-well-informed opinion that there are things that can be known beyond material phenomena. Examples: justice, fear, kindness, neglect.

And that’s why I’m not agnostic. I am an atheist. I believe there is no God. Certainly not any of the gods as have been described to me. Almost everyone disbelieves or dismisses as myth the thousands of gods that humanity has worshipped. I just go the one more. And I always have. I’m willing to believe but the needed evidence has not been forthcoming.

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They can't. It's a complete contradiction.
It's also a dodge.
I don't trust people who can't make up their minds.

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Simple. Choosing to believe. Agnostic simply means a person believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of god. It does not mean they deny the existence of a god, that would be atheism.

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you have been reading scammer's profiles 🙂)

g

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To my mind an Agnostic, well perhaps a percentage of them at least, are merely 'hedging their bets.'
I.e. they don't want to jump either way just in case they may be wrong.

I wouldn't say I'm hedging a bet. I look at more this way; believers and atheist are making the same mistake. Both claim know with absolute certainty that their beliefs are correct. I don't know either way, nor do I care. I can live with doubt.

@Pariah Well, IF the shoe fits then wear it.

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Simple - they believe there is a god, but that they cannot know for certain.

Jnei Level 8 Mar 30, 2019
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Maybe they're like the weather. If you wait a minute it will change.

Yep, kind of like the people who will wear wet-weather gear in bright and clear, sunny days just in case it MIGHT rain.
Seen and known more than my fair share of those in my time.

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I think it can be something just read or a change of mood.

Technically, I guess you can't, unless you can be an inconsistent agnostic.

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