If you ever find yourself have to explain your entire belief system to someone that has no background knowledge on atheistism, agnosticism, or any of the other ism, I highly recommend the FAQ page on r/atheism. It has an extensive description of all terms, how they are related, and how people with the atheist community uses this words. Here is the link if anybody is interested:
I have no (silly) "sky gawd" beliefs....nothing to discuss/explain
I don't bother to explain my entire belief system. I simply say that I am an atheist; I do not actually believe there is a god. My worldview is simply to live my life by what is real.
SELECTIVE LYRICS
I don't believe in superstars
Organic food and foreign cars
I don't believe the price of gold
The certainty of growing old
That right is right and left is wrong
That north and south can't get along
That east is east and west is west
And being first is always best
But I believe in love, I believe in babies
I believe in mom and dad, and I believe in you
I don't believe virginity
Is as common as it used to be
In working days and sleeping nights
That black is black and white is white
That Superman and Robin Hood
Are still alive in Hollywood
That gasoline's in short supply
The rising cost of getting by
But I believe in love, I believe in old folks
I believe in children, I believe in you
I believe in love, I believe in babies
I believe in mom and dad
And I believe in you
I avoid reddit.
I don't explain myself to anyone. If they don't understand, that's on them.
I no longer care if I'm understood anymore.
It's not my job in life to make people okay with me.
I also don't trust other people's definitions of things. Particularly the sites on the internet.
I don't mean to sound arrogant but I won't bother going to that link to check. The reasons are: very little times I have to discuss the matter; second, I explain things my way for the best or for the worse and if people want to understand, fine, if they don't, tough luck, their lack of understanding doesn't pay my bills, solve my problems or anything else, it's just them who don't understand and that doesn't change anything in my life. I understand who disagrees with me but that's the way I see it.
Don’t think I could be bothered to explain anything. Sounds like a pointless conversations and certainly ‘doesn’t improve on the silence ‘ as an eastern sage once said.
I'm an agnostic atheist. If you like, or want to quibble with words and their meanings, you may simply call me atheist. I'm not going to argue with you on what words mean or what someone else said they mean when the said meaning may not even apply to the writer.
Years ago I met a man with a bad heart that told me his condition did not allow him much more time to live. He thanked god that he had learned the truth and was no longer in control of the "isms." It was the isms that blocked our senses from reality and really knowing god. This man cam out of Catholicism and he would tell you all about Mormonism, Hinduism, and all the other "isms." You simply could not be saved if you were connected to an ism.
The irony is that I'm sure this man believed in baptism and he came out of Pentecostalism in his new found wisdom and belief. Yes, this is a true story!
BTW, when you take the book definition of "agnostic" as the right approach you will always have believers trying to sway you to their side because they simply believe that you did not have enough right information. You also end up with things like "Agnostic Christians" which seems more than odd. "Well, I just do not know." OK, believer. How did you get this far? This reminds me of a child who does not want to eat his carrots.
The TECHNICAL definitions of the three "isms" do not tell the whole story.
The COMMONLY UNDERSTOOD definitions are much more meaningful, because clearer and simpler to understand. Clarity is everything when discussing this subject.
Atheist--doesn't believe in a 'god;' that is, a separate, distinct entity involved personally in an individual's life.
Agnosticist--neither believes nor disbelieves in a personal, separate entity called 'god.'
*Theist--believes in a personal 'god.'
This is simple, to the point, no hairsplitting, and delineates the significant differences..
Contrary to some perspectives, they are distinct, separate categories; an Agnosticist and an Atheist and a Theist all vehemently disagree with each other,
despite claims by many Atheists
THIS is the source of endless arguments,
Agnosticists do NOT IDENTIFY ANY MORE WITH ATHEISTS THAN THEY DO THEISTS.
It's like Christians seeing a 'bond' between themselves and Jews, but Jews seeing very few, if any, 'bonds' with Christians. The reasons for this are clear and obvious, but many Christians refuse to accept them.
The 'debate' will continue, despite the fact there is no real issue.
Atheists refuse to accept the clear and obvious reasons why Agnosticists disagree with them as much as they do Theists.
Absolutely REFUSE.
This is why it is NOT possible to be an 'Agnostic Atheist' any more than it is possible to be an 'Christian Atheist.'
But try telling them that.
It is not possible to simultaneously 'not believe in god' AND to 'not take a position on the question.'
Similarly, it is not possible to 'not believe in god' and 'believe in god.'
Similarly, it is not possible to 'believe in god' AND 'not take a position on the matter.'
This is why most Agnosticists resent other 'isms' grafting their 'ism' onto theirs: because it obscures and cheapens the very real and substantial differences among the three.
It makes it difficult or impossible to:
But I get the feeling my words here will make no difference.
And that's depressing.
Agnostic atheism is a philosophical position that encompasses both atheism and agnosticism. Agnostic atheists are atheistic because they do not hold a belief in the existence of any deity and agnostic because they claim that the existence of a deity is either unknowable in principle or currently unknown in fact.
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Agnostic_atheism
Agnostic atheism - Wikipedia
A lot of words there. Are you able to condense the idea into one paragraph .
@Geoffrey51 I'll speak for myself: endless discussions about 'god' are beside the point. I think each constituent of the universe is connected to each other one. Matter and energy is the sum total. Many think it is conscious both as individual particles AND as a whole. A 'personal god' is not relevant to that discussion. It ignores all else happening at an incredibly high level, whether it be extraterrestials, reincarnation, parapsychological phenomena, quantum physics, futurism, 'spiritualism' in general. None of this requires an 'entity' called 'god,' but it does require freeing the mind of the 'bubble,' by refraining from the constant harping on, reacting against, complaining about, etc., the shortcomings and crimes of organized religion. Yes it deserves that and it should continue, but there is so much more to the entirety of the world than human beings trapped inside of the misconceptions and prejudices their extremely narrow world view. I for one am attempting to enjoy and take advantage of my freedom from religion by thinking, 'Okay, I know what's NOT true; what's left? What IS there?' In my humble opinion quite a lot, and I'm not going to throw the baby out with the bathwater and reject EVERYTHING, regardless of plenty of evidence to the contrary, and by so doing narrow my world down to a myopic place where there virtually nothing left. An Agnosticist rather is able to thus EXPAND his or her vision, not contract it.
(You wanted ONE paragraph, right? I swear this is the LAST time I talk about this! For now.)
@Storm1752 Thanks. I can go with that!
i don't think background knowledge of atheism etc. is necessary. it is simple. "i do not believe there are any gods." someone may disagree with my belief, or even disbelief me when i state my disbelief, but i don't see that one needs to take a course or even consult a faq about it.
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